Louis de Bernières

From the author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin comes a candid, comic and irresistibly companionable portrait of a writer's life in rural Norfolk.Smelling of Rooks gathers a decade of reflections, anecdotes and observations on everything from music, cats and motorcycles to politics, parenting and the perils of social media.

It is a book about the texture of ordinary days, told with the warmth, eccentricity and mischief that have made de Bernieres one of Britain's most beloved storytellers.Set against the rolling fields and modest peaks of what he calls the 'Norfolk Alps', this accidental memoir captures a writer at ease with his life, his readers and his absurdities.

There are riffs on the pleasures of cooking and DIY, portraits of friends and neighbours, the escapades of his children, and the unpredictable joys of country living.At once funny, tender and defiantly unfiltered, Smelling of Rooks shows Louis de Bernieres as he really is - reflective, unpretentious and gloriously human.

A celebration of family, friendship and the small wonders of daily life, it is a book to dip into, laugh with, and treasure.Author Biography: Louis de Bernieres, born in 1954, is a British writer, poet and musician who has written several novels, collections of poetry, and albums of his own songs.

He has a degree in philosophy from Manchester University, a PGCE from Leicester Polytechnic, and a master's degree from London.

He performs concerts of his own poetry and songs.

He has had many jobs, including army cadet, teacher, motorcycle messenger, carpenter, and landscape gardener.

He lives in Norfolk with his son, Robin, daughter Sophie, and five cats.