A CHURCH NEAR YOU (2023)
In the lengthening sunny days of spring 2020 the author, Denis Dunstone, crept out to visit churchyards and sketch in colour 50 churches that were within half an hour's drive of his home near Saffron Walden in Essex. The result appeared in a little book which was presented to local churches for sale. The author added further volumes county by county and reached 19, ranging from Yorkshire to Somerset and Hereford to Kent. This expanded book is a comprehensive volume covering churches in England and Wales, the proceeds of which will raise funds for church preservation. It does not claim to be a history of churches nor an expert analysis. It is rather a valuable and helpful introduction to the subject, beautifully illustrated and seeking to point out major characteristics, to explain some peculiarities and to stimulate curiosity. The elegant and stimulating book will also raise interest in a subject which is becoming a growing problem for the national church, while representing a rich part of our cultural heritage.
WHY IS AN APPLE A POMME? (2014)
Now, for the first time you can find out about that foreign word which has puzzled you. No one has written a book like this before. It is not a dictionary. Nor is it an etymological treatise. It is light-hearted company for the traveller, regular or occasional, whose curiosity has been aroused by the variety and diversity of the Western European languages. In a short, quick style it offers some explanations. The words chosen are those, which the traveller is most likely to come across, in the train, at the airport, on the road and in hotels and restaurants. It is the perfect conversation opener on your travels. Why DO the French call an apple a pomme? "Amusing, erudite, intriguing and useful... The ideal travel companion for exploring Europe." – Loyd Grossman
RAILWAYS AND FRONTIERS (2013)
In Railways and Frontiers, the author explores the ways in which Europe s rail networks have been affected by changes in the continent s internal frontiers. Through a series of fascinating case studies organised by country, the author examines the impact on European frontiers made by such historical events as the emergence of Germany and Italy in the 19th Century and two World Wars in the 20th. Illustrated with an array of maps, modern photographs and scenes from old postcards, Railways and Frontiers brings a previously unconsidered aspect of the history of railways in Europe to life in an imaginative way.
FOR THE LOVE OF TRAINS (2007)
At the end of the 20th century there were some 2,000 locomotives preserved in Britain, some 400 miles of privately operated preserved track, and a National Tramway Museum, the envy of the world. This book reviews how this came about. In particular it seeks to understand the motivations of those who have made such superlative efforts, not only in building and restoring, campaigning and preserving, but also in responding to the demands of managing in an age of increasing regulation.
