We were all rather blown away by this interview last October, when Patrick Barkham quizzed Richard Mabey about his long, ground-breaking and profoundly influential career. Our sell-out audience were still talking about it long afterwards, and as it turned out even the nature-writing master himself was struck by what had happened in that small but packed auditorium in Wells-next-the-sea when his old friend and fellow nature writer began leading Mabey on a journey into his thinking and inspirations, memories and ambitions – past, present and future.
I hope Richard won’t mind my sharing his email from afterwards: “I want to thank you for the opportunity to talk with Patrick on stage yesterday evening. It turned into the most emotionally rewarding event I have ever done. And thanks in good measure to Patrick’s sensitive steering I articulated ideas I have never had before and liberated emotions I have not expressed in public before. The conversations I had with audience member afterwards were extraordinary – intense and sympathetic (and often tearful). The whole experience unlocked something in me that’s been missing from my recent writing, so I shall be eternally grateful to you all.”
Many thanks to Richard, who was an inspiration, and to Patrick who did an incredible job, but also to the audience who were as ever alert, fascinating and thought-provoking and who came with many different perspectives.
Please watch again:
Literature & Landscape 