Emma Mansfield - The Little Book of Cornwall (2007)
Trivia – 180 pages – my copy a present one birthday
- 1 nod out of 5 -
The Little Book of Cornwall is a general assortment of places and people, throughout history and today. The author is keen to impress upon the reader: ‘The things that have started or ended here, the things Cornwall’s people have created and continue to create, the things that have changed and the things, still here, that make Cornwall so special.’
However, this “little book” is nothing more than a bunch of randomly collected tid-bits from the internet; indiscriminately gleamed from any easy-to-find website, a typical copy-and-paste exercise a school child could execute. Such is the author’s enthusiasm to display all of Cornwall’s wonder, there are glaring potholes and question marks surrounding some of the statements, dates and facts.
Of course, Mansfield herself provides a warning in the introduction, stating the book ‘isn’t a history book, a travel guide or a chronological account of the place. The facts and topics included here are not in any particular order… and this collection of information certainly isn’t a scientific research.’ All very well and good; however, one thing the reader/buyer should expect is, at the minimal, the truth. It has become a pedantic hobby of the Worm to look into local history books to verify “facts” surrounding the earls and dukes of Cornwall. Here the book comes a cropper, stating how Edward (the Black Prince, first duke of Cornwall) seemingly reigned from 1345 to 1354; thereby cutting short Edward’s time as Cornwall’s duke by several decades. Any search of Wikipedia would easily disprove this.
An attempt at a fun read through of Cornwall’s past is admirable enough, however, the basic building blocks of a book’s construction must be put in place first. This small book is wonderfully illustrated with scenic and beautifying accompanying pictures; however, the statements themselves – the main meat and potatoes of the whole project – is sadly lacking. Ultimately, it is what it is: a fast published book, catered for the holiday-makers who travel to Cornwall in their droves each and every year. Next up? Why, of course: The Little Book of Devon. Just what the tourists need!
