Between Stone and Sky Memoirs of a Waller

Between Stone & Sky is both the memoir of a female dry-stone waller and a book about feminism, craft, nature and the pleasures of working with your hands. 'Fascinating and empowering: as a woman working on the land, Brown writes powerfully about the feminist emancipation she experiences . . . But the woman Brown gets to know best in this multi-textured memoir is herself, as she encourages us to find ourselves, in all weathers, in the open air' BBC CountryfileAt the age of twenty-six, Whitney Brown met a dry-stone waller. Within weeks she was out on the hill with him in Wales, learning the language of dry-stone walling. Far away from the pressures of her old life, she found deep satisfaction in working with her hands, in the age and heft of the stones, and the ring of the hammer.Out under the open sky, Whitney relished every sore muscle and smashed finger, every opportunity to stand atop a wall she'd just built and feel like the strongest woman alive. Between Stone and Sky is a celebration of the raw and rugged splendour of the Welsh countryside and the enduring beauty and relevance of traditional craftsmanship. It is an unflinchingly honest account of the emotional struggle to become and belong. Most of all, it is an empowering story of female friendship, accepting uncertainty and risk, and crossing oceans in pursuit of dreams. 'A spirited defence of manual labour' Times Literary Supplement 'This is a book about the stories we tell ourselves and one woman's determination to make hers true' Spectator'A fresh . . . heartfelt book that . . . makes you want to throw away your mobile, run for the hills and learn a traditional craft' The Lady'A spirited defence of manual labour' TLSAt the age of twenty-six, Whitney Brown met a dry-stone waller. Within weeks she was out on the hill with him in Wales, learning the language of dry-stone walling. Far away from the pressures of her old life, she found deep satisfaction in working with her hands, in the age and heft of the stones, and the ring of the hammer.Out under the open sky, Whitney relished every sore muscle and smashed finger, opportunity to stand atop a wall she'd just built and feel like the strongest woman alive. Between Stone and Sky is a celebration of the raw and rugged splendour of the Welsh countryside and the enduring beauty and relevance of traditional craftsmanship. It is an unflinchingly honest account of the emotional struggle to become and belong. Most of all, it is an empowering story of female friendship, accepting uncertainty and risk, and crossing oceans in pursuit of dreams.