In my latest interview, I’m in conversation with Gavin Plumley, the cultural historian and author of A Home for All Seasons,* which is a fascinating blend of memoir, history, art and nature writing.

Press the play button below to listen to our conversation:

Gavin writes about buying a beautiful home in Pembridge with his husband Alistair and their dog, Toby, and about the history of the house that he pieces together bit-by-bit as he tries to determine its age.

As a cultural historian, Gavin brings a huge amount of knowledge to his quest, and A Home for All Seasons is filled with a wonderful richness of detail that breathes life into the past and shows the reader the sights, scents and sounds of rural life in 16th century Britain.

In Gavin's words, A Home for All Seasons is threaded through with ‘poetry, prayers and paintings,' which help tell the story of the house and its surrounding landscape and the connections that Gavin explores between the past and the present.

I so enjoyed chatting to Gavin about the inspiration behind his book, why the seasonal structure was important, how some of his literary touchstones - such as Howard’s End and A Month in the Country - inspired his own writing, and so much more.

Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy our chat!

Links mentioned in our conversation:

• A Home for All Seasons by Gavin Plumley.

• Watch my Comfort Book Club discussion video of A Home for All Seasons.

• Keep up with Gavin Plumley through his: website and instagram.

*Please note: affiliate links are used for Blackwells. If you order a book from Blackwells using one of my affiliate links, I may make a small commission from your purchase, at no additional cost to yourself. I like to support Blackwells by linking to their website, as I’m a big fan of their flagship Oxford bookshop, and they offer reasonable overseas shipping. You in turn support my work by shopping through my affiliate link. Thank you!