since when he has been a columnist on the Independent. He lives with his family in Herefordshire. Last month, I spent two weeks in the south of France with my partner. I'm not really much of a reader and often spend a lot of my time on my computer, wasting my evenings away, or out socialising with friends. I would often buy books but I never get round to reading them. However my partner is very keen on reading so I thought these two weeks would be the perfect opportunity to read a book I bought two years earlier in Leicester train station, Tales of the Country. As soon as I started reading this book I could not put it down. I was in stitches with Viner's witty jokes and hilarious tales and antics. I often relayed many of the book's jokes back to my partner who struggled to finish her book due to my constant interruptions. I haven't stopped laughing !!! From the beginning to the end it is just so funny having lived in the country all my life to see it from the other side made very good reading - I just couldn't put it down.