Jasper Conran’s COUNTRY is unlike any lifestyle book you’ve ever seen. It is neither a catalog of perfectly decorated spaces nor a how-to compendium of design problems and solutions. Rather, it is a deeply moving vision of the pleasures of countrylife and an intensely felt celebration in pictures and text of all things rural–the landscapes, the people, the houses, the traditions.
Conran uses his own experiences, and the landscapes and homes that are familiar to him to portray a seductive way of life. Moving from one season to the next, from interior to exterior, from detail to landscape, COUNTRY documents life as it is actually lived in the English countryside today. Stunning photographs and Conran’s poetic words captive the senses and the imagination, from the sweep of a beautiful landscape, to the warmth of an open fire, and from the smell of freshly baked bread to the quirkiness of local events. It is not a book to refer to for help or advice on this project or that. It is a book to spend a good long time with as you weave your dreams for that universally desired life–one lived well, IN THE COUNTRY.
In Jasper Conran’s words: ”Our world is being transformed, not just by globalization but by urbanization, too. For the first time in history, more people live in towns and cities than in the countryside. Across the globe we are forgetting our rural roots, but I believe that country life, its values, and peoples have never had more to offer.”
Who is JASPER CONRAN? Conran is an internationallly successful fashion designer with a brand recognized all over the world. He also designs crystal and china for Wedgewood, housewares, accessories, jewelry, funiture, and interiors. He has also designed costumes and sets for ballet, opera, theater, and film. His work has been recognized with awards including BRITISH DESIGNER OF THE YEAR, THE FASHION GROUP OF AMERICA AWARD, and THE LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARD FOR COSTUME DESIGN. In 2008 Jasper was appointed OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE by HM The Queen.
Please excuse my poor photos of some of the pages from COUNTRY. It is a sin to post such awful pictures about a picture book, but I wanted the pictures to appear like images from a book. This is a fabulous publication. I have row after row of books of beautiful country houses–all beautiful and exquiste. But, this book fills a hole in my library: LIVING IN THIS PICTURESQUE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE. These images highlight the most cherished settings as they breathe, live, and enrich our often monotonous, sterile lives.
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS PUBLICATION. I recommend it for sure.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
