For 400 years Kent and East Sussex were vividly and visibly associated with the cultivation of hops. Fran and Geoff Doel have evoked this bygone world of hopping by gathering together a wide range of social and literary accounts, poems and songs from the Tudor period to the present day, each with a contextual introduction. The selection illustrates both the 'rose-tinted' image and the harsher reality of a distinctive aspect of rural life in the south east.

As I began to put pen to paper, I had no idea how it would pan out. I’ve never written anything in my life, other than the odd Birthday and Christmas card. It is interesting, funny, sad, and a little bit different. It’s simply the story of me as a Boy, with a brilliant Mum, from a hard up working class family, growing up in the 1950’s, then making his way in life. Quite a bit of this book, is about my racing career, what I’ve tried, is write more about the Teams and other Drivers, rather than boring you with how good or bad I was, as I’m fully aware, that unless you are a Motor Racing fan, it would certainly do just that. What you read is what really happened, I just hope I will be able to paint a picture with my words. Hope you will find it a good read. Rick Shortle.