Once Upon A Time In The West...Country - Tapa dura

Breezily humorous in this account of becoming a countryman...Hawks is a genial personality in possession of a consistent talent to amuse * The Times * There's gentle humour in the telling of tales as Tony and his partner Fran embrace their new surrounds and immerse themselves in local life * Choice * Quite the best book I've read for a long, long time! Deliciously funny... * Books Monthly * Warm, witty, well-observed and a charming travelogue * Devon Life *

You can take the man out of the city, but is the countryside ready for him? Comedian and born and bred townie, Tony Hawks is not afraid of a challenge - or indeed a good bet. He's hitchhiked round Ireland with a fridge and taken on the Moldovan football team at tennis, one by one. Now the time has come for his greatest gamble yet - turning his back on comfortable city life to move to the wilds of the West Country. With his partner Fran in tow and their first child on the way, he embraces the rituals of village life with often absurd and hilarious results, introducing us to an ensemble of eclectic characters along the way. One minute he's taking part in a calamitous tractor run, the next he's chairing a village meeting, but of course he still finds time for one last solo adventure before fatherhood arrives - cycling coast to coast with a mini pig called Titch. In the epic battle of man vs countryside, who will win out?