Cumbrian author brings new book to the shelves.

Rural: The Lives of the Working Class Countryside was written by Rebecca Smith and will soon be available to buy from Waterstones in Kendal.

Her book about rural industry, growing up in tied housing and living and working in rural areas will be published by Harper Collins on June 7.  

Rebecca grew up near Hawkshead on Graythwaite Estate and was inspired to write about the changes she saw around her, the book looks at forestry, coal mining, slate mining in Coniston and the issues with second homes.

Graythwaite Estate as well as other places in Cumbria such as Thirlmere and Bouth feature in Rural: The Lives of the Working Class Countryside.

Rebecca now lives in Scotland, so she has also written about lots of places in Scotland such as Arran, New Lanark and the Isle of Eigg.

The book focuses on the people who live in these rural areas, Rebecca said she wanted people to see more than just the views, the mountains and the sunsets in rural areas.

When writing her book, Rebecca said: “I wanted readers to understand that people also live in these areas, and work in them too and more often than not, they understand the area and the land better than anyone as they have such a strong connection to it.

“It took me around three years to write, and during that time I had a baby as well! I now have three children, a 12 year old boy, a five year old girl and an 18 month boy.”

Rebecca will be travelling around the country on a bit of a book tour after Rural: The Lives of the Working Class Countryside is launched.

You can meet the author at Westwood Books in Sedbergh on Friday June 9 and Waterstones in Kendal on Thursday August 10.