Customer Reviews
lyrical account of a childhood - By: Sarah Duncan, 15 Apr 2008 
I almost didn't bother reviewing Running for the Hills, as I assumed it would have a least 100 5 star reviews & wouldn't need my contribution, so was surprised to see several one star reviews. If you read this book solely for the action, then it's going to disapopint. And yes, sheep feature frequently (but as it's set on a hill farm & notin outer space you might have guessed this from the start). But this book doesn't enchant for the intricacies of plotting or cliff-hanger action, but for the sheer quality of the prose. I must admit to a few qualms when Clare fictionalised his parents' relationship, writingin a memoir about events that took place before he wasn't born, but it's so beautifully written that you are absorbed into the sweep of the narrative & the qualms are forgotten. I also liked the overall tone - quite the opposite of misery lit - he obviously has great affection for his parents while clearly seeing their faults. Such a change from the bitterness of Bad Blood, to give another example of literary memoir. Overall, a most enjoyable read, & I'm looking forward to his next one.
great stuff! - By: Reza, 15 Jul 2007 Just beautiful! An unusual, moving, sometimes very funny first book which held me from first page to last - I keep recommending it to friends who wonder why I'm so enthusiastic about something which seems to be all about wild Wales & childhood with divorce & disaster thrown in. But they love it! I think anyone who likes good writing will like this. Ignore the plonker below - seems to have read a different book...
Cosmo readers, enjoy! - By: pimstoned, 03 Jul 2007 
The generic fault of much modern literature is poor editing & this book is no exception. Why on earth did no-one see fit to edit some of the interminable rambling about sheep husbandry? There are a couple of fluently written passages about nature, the description of choughs for example, but the saccharine, oedipal indulgence of the rest is hard to take. What sticksin the craw, particularly, is the author's appeal that we take to heart his description of rural working-class hardship when the twee received pronunciation of his narrative voice (and his London connections) suggests the safety-net of privilege was never far away. If I were a welsh sheep farmer struggling to earm a living, he's not a spokesperson I would care for. This is glorified journalism, an extended Sunday supplement that would make Monday morning a relief. An exciting author? I'm reading Don Dellilo at the moment - no wonder the canon has crossed the Atlantic. Cosmo readers, enjoy!
A search for inner harmony - By: Stephen Games, 01 Jul 2007 Horatio Clare & his younger brother suffered the separation & divorce of two strong-willed parents who could not reconcile their desire for different lifestyles: one urban, the other rural. In "Running for the Hills", Clare examines what drove his mother to insist on a ten-year escape to a remote Welsh hill farm & what that meant for his father, his brother & himself - to what extent were they loved or rejected?; to what extent was lifestyle a more powerful force than love? "Running for the Hills" is Clare's attempt to reconcile & reconnect, through his writing, two parents who he eventually concludes loved each other but were notin love. It is,in that sense, a melancholy but wonderful book, revealing the humanity, pain & courage of a child hurt by the inexplicable break-up of the people he cares about most. A very rewarding read.
Running for the Hills - By: K. M. Harrison, 24 Feb 2007 I heard 'snippets' of this while on the roadin my job when it was featuredin a recent Book of the Week on Radio 4 & I instantly struck by its charm - so I bought the book.
Well I've just finished it & I honestly think it's one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've hadin a very long time. It tells the story of Horatio's parents decision to leave London & set up homein a very remote Welsh hillside sheep farm.
It is really the story of a remarkable woman Jenny, (Horatio Clare's mother), who is completely & passionately obsessed with her desire to suceedin the toughest of environments, doing a job traditionally the domaine of men who have the benefit of years of family history & experience.
Jenny & her new husband, Robert arrive, virtual novices & throw themselves into the challenge of several lifetimes trying to keep themselves & their stock alive.
The challenges leave the couple no time for leisure or life as a 'couple' & the marriage inevitably fails. Robert returns to his lifein London, leaving Jenny to continue farming alone, helped by her two young sons & an ageing neighbour.
It is partly the story of the unrelenting harshness of the hardest of farming environments, made utterly enchanting due to Jenny's absolute love of her animals & nature & her dedication to the task, which is also to give her boys a magical childhood.
The story is told by Horatio Clare who has a delicate touch - the story is his, but it is toldin a objective way which makes you forget it is his life & mother he is describing. His ability to appreciate the beauty & convey it so wonderfully is a constant testament to his mother's passion & enthusiasm which never wanes, no matter how awful life becomes for them at times. You want to read & reread whole chapters, so beautiful is the writing.
If I were an English teacher, I would be using this book to encourage & inspire children to understand the beauty & power of words & nature.
Though Jenny eventually & reluctantly leaves the farm, she does so having achieved her mission; Horatio leaves youin no doubt that he & his brother have been blessed with the most passionate & inspiring of upbringings a child could ever have.
