Cumbria Guide Book Club: March/April 2026
CUMBRIA GUIDE BOOK CLUB
March/April 2026
This month, the Cumbria Guide Book Club highlights a diverse selection of new and noteworthy reads that celebrate history, storytelling, and personal journeys. From gripping real-life tales of justice and resilience to magical legends and remarkable archaeological discoveries, there is something for every reader to explore and enjoy.
If you have a new book coming out or have recently published, then do get in touch to be featured in future editions of The Book Club, email: [email protected]
The Language of the Birds
by Ian Cumpstey
In the earliest days of the world, elders, men, dwarfs, and giants wander a landscape that is both rich and desolate, searching for meaning.
Two birds, Farseer and Widefaring, share tales of what they may have seen. These are tall tales from the Old North, set in places you may wish to visit, and perhaps think you can find. Ian Cumpstey’s debut fiction book weaves magical legends of love and loss, discovery and homecoming, and reflects on the very nature of storytelling itself. With enchanting illustrations by the author.
Available from: www.northerndisplayers.co.uk
Face to Face: Finding Justice for My Murdered Twin Brother
by Nick Dawson
When his identical twin brother Simon was kicked to death, all Nick Dawson felt for the killers was hatred. Struggling in a world where his mirror image had vanished, he came to realise there was only one way to stop the torture – acceptance. Travelling to the absolute limits of personal darkness, Nick came face to face with one of his brother’s killers. Now a champion of restorative justice, Nick heads behind bars, asking hardened criminals to change, to think of their victims, to make amends. In Face to Face he takes us with him on a journey into this hidden and unpredictable world.
Available from: www.amazon.co.uk
Exploring the Severan Drain: New Discoveries at Carlisle
by Uncovering Roman Carlisle
The second book from URC delves deeper into the remarkable finds from the Severan drain at the site of a Severan Mansio complex uncovered at Carlisle Cricket Club.
The discovery of a monumental Severan complex on the eastern edge of the club in 2017 sparked a series of excavations to understand the site’s extent and significance.
Archaeologists recorded substantial stone-lined drains, the fill of which yielded an extraordinary collection of personal items lost between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD.
Highlights include a group of Roman intaglios, engraved gemstones forming one of the largest collections found in the UK, alongside bone hairpins, needles, beads, and gaming counters. Together, these artefacts shed new light on everyday life in Roman Carlisle and on the frontier of the empire.
Available from: www.uncoveringromancarlisle.co.uk
The Postal Paths
by Alan Cleaver
Alan Cleaver’s book, The Postal Paths, published 24 April 2026, celebrates the historic rural mail routes of Cumbria.
It tells of postmen and women, like La’al Hannah of Eskdale Green, who delivered mail for decades on foot, braving all weathers.
The book also features routes in Eskdale valley, Ambleside, and Shap, preserving a unique piece of Cumbrian history.
Available from: www.linktr.ee/postalpaths
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