Beautifully done, practical and information. I loved that it covered beachlarking and fieldlarking as well as searching for the history of your own home. Made it stand out from the rest.

Having walked along the foreshore of the Thames, and finding fragments of ceramic merely by eye and feeling very excited, anything that involves larking would appeal to me. Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem was on my definitely to read list, and didn't disappoint. I found her findings and the information fascinating, as well as her writing style, and enjoyed it very much.

The Field Guide to Larking is just as good, although this time it contains more information on how to lark, not only along the river, but how to search along beaches and in fields, looking for treasure.
The book is filled with detailed, delicate illustrations in black and white and colour, which add to its appeal. The guide is also interactive - there are pages inviting the reader to make notes and add illustrations of one's own. There is plenty of advice on how to identify objects and where to find them, especially for anyone getting started.

As well as containing plenty of information and advice, the book itself is beautiful - marbled paper endpapers, a cheerful turquoise cover with an yellow elasticated band to keep it together (of course, a digital copy was never going to be good enough and I bought a hard copy immediately).

This is a must have for anyone who finds the prospect of looking for and finding pieces of history exciting. In fact, anyone who appreciates beautiful books would be happy with this little gem. Highly recommended!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Having read and adored Lara Maiklem's "Mudlarking", I was very excited to read her "A Field Guide to Larking" as well. This book covers all different types of larking, that is discovering different objects that can be hidden in plain sight. I knew about mudlarking of course, but the book also covers beachlarking and fieldlarking as well as searching for the history of your own home. The beautiful illustrations and photos of different artefacts weren’t visible in this ebook proof, which made it sometimes difficult to follow, but they look amazing in the actual published edition. Although the author concentrates mostly on searching for hidden treasures on beaches and in rivers (mostly Thames), she also gives interesting pointers which can help others to search in different, sometimes more approachable, and accessible places. There are lists and useful advice, as well as space for readers’ own musings and mementos, as Lara Maiklem encourages us to collect evidence of our discoveries. This is an ideal book for someone thinking about starting a new hobby, a great present for those who like learning about new things and our shared history. "A Field Guide to Larking" is a glimpse into the mind of a curious person and fascinating discoveries that are awaiting them.