Audiobooks by John Wright

"My Story in Black and White is the fascinating story of Newcastle United's head physio, Derek Wright, and his time at the club from the early 1980s to 2022. Growing up on a tough council estate in a County Durham mining town, Derek's footballing ability was discovered by Arsenal, who signed him as an apprentice at 16. Injury ended his playing career but he remained in football, becoming the youngest physio in the Football League at Malcolm Macdonald's Fulham. Big Jack Charlton was on the lookout for a new physio at Newcastle and gave Derek a start at his hometown club. It was the beginning of almost 40 incredible years at the Toon. Derek worked with more than 20 full-time managers and hundreds of players, and his stories provide an insight into the hidden life of a famous football club. Behind-the-scenes experiences with players and managers are interwoven with the historical events of the Magpies, set against the backdrop of a city and Geordie region that is fiercely proud of its heritage."

Derek Wright, John Wright (Author), David Nellist (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mushrooms: River Cottage Handbook No.1

"Bloomsbury presents Mushrooms by John Wright, read by Richard Trinder and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. ‘The best guide to gathering and eating wild mushrooms there has ever been' Independent In the first of the River Cottage Handbook series, mycologist John Wright explains the ins and outs of collecting, including relevant UK laws, conservation notes, practical tips and identification techniques. He takes us through the 72 species we are most likely to come across during forays in Britain's forests and clearings: old friends the Chanterelle and Cep, as well as a whole colourful host of more unfamiliar names – edible species including the Velvet Shank, the Horn of Plenty, the Amethyst Deceiver, the Giant Puffball and the Chicken in the Woods, and poisonous types such as the Sickener, the Death Cap and the Destroying Angel. The handbook is completed by more than 30 simple and delicious mushroom recipes from the River Cottage team. With a user-friendly Key and an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the River Cottage Mushroom Handbook is a comprehensive and collectable guide, destined to be an indispensable household reference."

John Wright (Author), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Richard Trinder (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hedgerow: River Cottage Handbook No.7

"Bloomsbury presents Hedgerow by John Wright, read by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Kristin Atherton. A cracking good read ... Pop this portable book in your rucksack, and enjoy the countryside in good company' Gardens Illustrated Hedgerows, moors, meadows and woods – these hold a veritable feast for the forager. In this hugely informative and witty handbook, John Wright reveals how to spot the free and delicious pickings to be found in the British countryside, and how to prepare and cook them. First John touches on the basics for the hedgerow forager, with an introduction to conservation, safety, the law, and all the equipment that you may need. Next he guides you through the tasty edible species to be found. Each one is accompanied by their conservation status, habitat, distribution, season, taste, texture and cooking methods – not forgetting, of course, some fascinating asides and diversions about their taxonomy and history. Fifty species are covered, including bilberries, blackberries, raspberries, common mallow, dandelions, hedge garlic, horseradish, pignuts, nettles, sloes, sweet chestnuts, water mint, bulrushes and wild cherries. After this there is a section describing the poisonous species to steer clear of, as well as warnings about nasty 'lookalikes'. Finally, there are thirty delicious recipes to show how you can make the most of your (edible) findings. Introduced by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hedgerow is an indispensable household reference, and an essential book to have for every trip into the countryside."

John Wright (Author), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Kristin Atherton (Narrator)

Audiobook

Edible Seashore: River Cottage Handbook No.5

"Bloomsbury presents Edible Seashore by John Wright, read by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Richard Trinder. For the forager, the seashore holds surprising culinary potential. In this authoritative, witty book John Wright takes us on a trip to the seaside. But before introducing us to the various species to be harvested, he touches on such practicalities as conservation and the ethics of foraging; safety from tides, rocks and food poisoning; the law and access to the shore, our right to fish, landing sizes and seasons; and equipment such as nets, pots and hooks. Next comes the nitty-gritty: all the main British seashore species that one might be tempted to eat. The conservation status, taste and texture, availability, seasonality, habitat, collecting technique and biology of each species is covered; there are also quite a few gratuitous but fascinating diversions. The species covered include: crustacea (brown shrimp, common crab, lobster, prawn, shore crab, spider crab, squat lobster, velvet swimming crab); molluscs (clams, cockle, dog whelk, limpet, mussel, oyster, razor clam, winkle); mushrooms; plants (alexanders, babbington's orache, fennel, frosted orache, marsh samphire, perennial wall rocket, rock samphire, sea beet, sea buckthorn, sea holly, sea kale, sea purslane, sea rocket, spear-leaved orache, wild cabbage, wild thyme); and seaweed (carragheen, dulse, gut weed, laver, pepper dulse, sea lettuce, sugar kelp, kelp). Finally, there are thirty brilliant recipes. Introduced by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Edible Seashore is destined to join the other handbooks in the series as an indispensable household reference."

John Wright (Author), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Richard Trinder (Narrator)

Audiobook

Booze: River Cottage Handbook No.12

"Bloomsbury presents Booze by John Wright, read by Mark Meadows and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It’s hard not to love John Wright ... This book is full of wit and wisdom – a delight for the fireside armchair' BBC Countryfile What could possibly beat a cool pint of beer down the pub or a lazy glass of wine at your favourite bar? The answer is: home-brewed beer or your very own brand of wine. With this, the twelfth in the River Cottage Handbook series, the inimitable John Wright shows exactly how easy it is to get started. You don't need masses of space to make alcohol at home, and if you follow the simple instructions, you won't be faced with exploding bottles in the cellar. But don't forget, it's all about experimentation and finding out what works for you. Booze is divided up by alcohol type, from beer, cider and wine to herbal spirits and fruit liqueurs. Each section starts with an introduction to the basic techniques, methods and other useful information, before giving recipes for delicious tipples like rhubarb wine, sparkling elderflower wine, mead, cherry plum wine, orange beer, lager, real ginger beer, sweet cider, zubrovka vodka, amber spirits, rose infusions, blackberry whiskey, pomegranate rum, chestnut liqueur, mulled cider and there's even a hangover cure thrown in for good measure. With an introduction from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Booze is a home-brewer's book with a kick."

John Wright (Author), Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Mark Meadows (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Observant Walker: Wild Food, Nature and Hidden Treasures on the Pathways of Britain

"When we go for a walk, whether in the countryside or city, we pass through landscapes full of natural beauty and curiosities both visible and invisible - but though we might admire the view, or wonder idly about the name of a flower, we rarely have the knowledge to fully engage with what we see. When we do, our sense of place is expanded, our understanding deepened and we can discover richness in even the most everyday stroll. John Wright has been leading forays around Britain for decades. As an expert forager, he shows people how to identify the edible species that abound - but he also reveals the natural history, stories and science behind our surroundings. Here, he takes us with him on eight walks: from verdant forests to wild coastlines, via city pavements, fields and rolling hills, he illuminates what can be found on a walk across any British terrain, and how you might observe and truly understand them, for yourself."

John Wright (Author), Peter Kenny (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Fight of Our Lives: The NHS Front Line and the Covid-19 Crisis

"Go behind the scenes on the Covid wards of one of Britain's busiest hospitals, Bradford Royal Infirmary 2020 will forever be remembered as the year of coronavirus, but it's easy to forget the shock, fear and confusion that pervaded Britain as the pandemic first hit. In this exceptional radio series, senior NHS doctor and epidemiologist Professor John Wright takes us back to those crucial early days, giving us a first-hand account of one hospital's fight against COVID-19 and providing an invaluable oral history of this unique historical moment. Beginning on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first TV address about coronavirus and a week before the UK locked down, Wright and his front-line staff recorded the crisis that was happening in front of their eyes. In these 10 episodes, we listen to the pandemic unfold in real time as NHS doctors, nurses, managers and cleaners unite in a battle to save lives. We join them on the ground as they dash to find beds; make tough decisions about which patients receive ventilators; deal with the lack of testing and shortages of PPE; and are forced to tell families they can't visit their dying loved ones. And as increasing numbers of patients arrive on the Covid wards, those caring for them must face the very real threat of catching the virus themselves. Introduced and presented by Winifred Robinson, this extraordinary audio diary chronicles the amazing work being done by everyday NHS heroes, the sacrifices they routinely make and their willingness to go the extra mile in the face of an unprecedented emergency. Recorded by Professor John Wright with the staff and patients of Bradford Royal Infirmary Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound production by Richard Hannaford First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 March-26 May 2020 as The NHS Front Line THIS AUDIOBOOK MAY INCLUDE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. INFORMATION RELATED TO COVID-19 CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. AUDIOBOOKS.COM ENCOURAGES YOU TO SEEK UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FROM YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH UNIT."

John Wright (Author), John Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Forager's Calendar

"WINNER OF THE GUILD OF FOOD WRITERS AWARD FOR FOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 A month by month handbook for foraging in the woods, fields and seashores of Great Britain. Look out of your window, walk down a country path or go to the beach in Great Britain, and you are sure to see many wild species that you can take home and eat. From dandelions in spring to sloe berries in autumn, via wild garlic, samphire, chanterelles and even grasshoppers, our countryside is full of edible delights in any season. John Wright is the country's foremost expert in foraging and brings decades of experience, including as forager at the River Cottage, to this seasonal guide. Month by month, he shows us what species can be found and where, how to identify them, and how to store, use and cook them. You'll learn the stories behind the Latin names, the best way to tap a Birch tree, and how to fry an ant, make rosehip syrup and cook a hop omelette. With tips on kit, conservation advice and what to avoid, this is an indispensable guide for everyone interested in wild food, whether you want to explore the great outdoors, or are happiest foraging from your armchair. ‘He writes so engagingly that it's hard to imagine that actual foraging can be more attractive…This book is a treasure.” John Carey, The Sunday Times"

John Wright (Author), John Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks by John Wright

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