The Cherry Tree

Derek Tangye never fails me! I’ve read so many of his books that reading this was like coming back to visit a friend. Actually, I was surprised to find a title I hadn’t read! The story revolves around an animal. A cat, another black cat that’s mysteriously appeared. Minack seems to be a magnet for stray animals who, in spite of strong discouragement by Derek and gentle encouragement by Jeannie always end up as part of life at the cottage. Another lovely look into their life on the cliffs of Cornwall. If you’ve never read any of The Minack Chronicles, do yourself a favour. They’re a marvellous bit of relaxing escapism and who doesn’t need some of that these days!

This is another book chosen for my ‘decades challenge’. Derek Tangye and his wife Jeannie left the London rat race (she was PR Office for the Savoy hotel group, he worked for MI5) in the 1960s and moved to a small-holding called Dorminack in Cornwall for an improved quality of life.

I thought that this book, one of a lengthy series of autobiographical accounts of life in Minack, as their home was affectionately called, might have been along the same lines as Bill Bryson or Peter Mayall, but whilst it was interesting it wasn’t funny like those two authors – there were rather a lot of anecdotes one after another, which made it feel rather lacking in flow and there was a certain amount of name-dropping which became mildly show more irritating after a while.

That said, I did enjoy it and it was an easy light-hearted read about the cat’s exploits, but I don’t think I’ll be trying anything else by this author. show less

I love all the Minack books I have read so far. They are very gentle reads, describing the peaceful life the Tangyes led on their flower farm, and their love for all their animals.