Author:Judy Corbett
Castles in the Air is a beautifully written, autobiographical story of rescuing an ancient mansion. Gwydir Castle was inhabited by ravers and rats until Judy Corbett and her husband Peter Welford found and acquired this 500-year-old house mouldering in the foothills of Snowdonia. Despite the toads, strange smells and squatters, they decided to mortgage themselves to the hilt to bring the castle back to life.
This is an evocatively written and genuinely moving book and is infused with an extraordinary sense of place. The couple's adventures in a gothic wonderland lead them through plots both supernatural and historical. In a museum storeroom in a Bronx warehouse they find a missing room, in the castle's Solar Tower the ghost of a young woman appears and from the far edges of the woods a silent man called Sven emerges to befriend the couple and their beloved castle.
For everyone who has ever wanted to live in a glorious house or escape from the mundanity of life - Castles in the Air is pure magic.
Hugely enjoyable ... Corbett writes with great style and energy
—— Daily MailFunny and intensely romantic
—— Sunday TelegraphA fascinating account of leaving London for the wilds of North Wales to restore a crumbling castle
—— Good HousekeepingBeautifully descriptive, this is a tale that reverberates with romance, suspense and great humour
—— Good Book GuideIt's absolutely epic
—— Doireann GarrihyThis book is a must for any strong, independent women who don't need no man in the gaff!
—— STELLARGenius
—— Lovin.ieGathered here is the Cork-born Londoner’s fund of home improvement tips and hacks along with a slick visual look by the sometimes-illustrator’s own hand
—— Irish IndependentThe thinking woman’s Instagram go-to for essential tips on all sorts of useful home advice, Laura De Barra’s taught us more than we ever knew we needed to know about how to properly clean a dishwasher filter, fix a faulty window lock and get stubborn marks off bathroom tiles. Hint: they’ll come off. They always come off.
—— Houseandhome.ieWho knew that watching someone descale a dishwasher could be compelling viewing?
—— ImageAccompanied by Laura's beautiful illustrations and her resident humour, it's a useful handbook to get you through any household emergency
—— Image Interiors & LivingI feel a curious joy of life when I am around David Tang. He knows best
—— Eva HerzigovaA degree course in 21st-century decorum. It will make an aristocrat out of an arriviste
—— Duke of MarlboroughSharply funny and surprisingly informative. I would rather read style notes from the pen of Tang than any other source on the planet
—— Joanna LumleyEloquent and humorous
—— Eric SchmidtDavid is a life-changer
—— Mario TestinoFilled with valuable advice. Amusingly written and a real pleasure to read
—— Sir Terence ConranDavid Tang is the thinking woman's Fu Manchu. If you are allergic to the combination of wit, brains and mischief you won't enjoy this book
—— Barry HumphriesA marvellous compendium of good manners and good sense in society, reinforced with insight and sly humour
—— Wilbur SmithAnyone who wants to move up the social ladder, or avoid sliding down, must read Rules for Modern Life. It is the essential primer for 21st century social success
—— Geordie GreigHilarious and edifying. Absolutely essential reading about the nuances as well as the complexities of life today
—— Dame Julia Peyton-JonesI have long admired David's irrepressible humour, quick wit and keen eye for style. This anthology is a collection of indispensable wisdom
—— Lord FosterA perfect compendium of distinguished, humorous and polished advice for a gentlemanly way of living
—— Leonardo FerragamoDavid Tang has never held a commonplace opinion in his life. He is the most provocative, amusing, sophisticated, counter-intuitive and energetic man I know, and these qualities are present on every single page of this remarkable anthology
—— Nicholas ColeridgeWise, witty and wicked, with useful advice for living
—— Anouska HempelDavid Tang is a living treasure, a unique polymath, equally at ease thinking inside and outside the box, East, West, modern, old, refined or not. His 'rules' are anything but conventional, they are refreshing and humorous reflections on our daily actions, much more than a code of conduct
—— Nicolas BerggruenGenuinely hilarious. David was the only person who could make my father laugh (and who incidentally rated him and only him as being at his level as a club owner)
—— Robin BirleyDavid Tang is an astute observer of the social scene with a wicked sense of humour. A most welcome read in these dark times
—— Adrian ZechaDavid Tang is my 'UNCLE DAVE': Unique, Notorious, Charismatic, Lovable, Eccentric, Daring, Anal, Vivacious, Enigmatic
—— Kate MossCan't wait to read it
—— Axl Rose