Journey through Britain : landscape, people and books

In his 'thinking traveller's tour', David St John Thomas journeys by rail and 'Little Car' around Britain, exploring the fascinating and diverse character of Britain today.

He reflects on Britain, Britishness, the British people and how they have changed, not always for the worse, over the fifty-odd years he has known them as an author and a publisher.

Taking in places as various as beaches, mountain moors, industrial and early Christian sites, great hotels, art galleries, canals and cycleways, meeting people - famous ones, friends, gardeners, railwaymen, craftsmen, bus conductors - who enrich his journey with their stories and observations, and drawing on literature and history, he discovers the true heartbeat of the country.

The result is a narrative that surprises, amuses and engages, as well as offering a treasure trove of facts, anecdotes and new perspectives on our extraordinary nation.