The Worm Forgives the Plough by John Stewart Collis

The Worm Forgives the Plough by John Stewart Collis remains one of the finest literary memoirs ever written about rural England, agriculture, and the transformative power of working the land. Originally published in the aftermath of the Second World War, this enduring classic captures Collis’s experiences as he leaves behind urban intellectual life to work as a farm labourer in wartime Britain. Written with elegance, humanity, and vivid observational detail, The Worm Forgives the Plough has become a landmark of twentieth-century countryside literature.

This attractive 1988 Barrie & Jenkins edition, featuring an introduction by renowned biographer Michael Holroyd, combines literary significance with excellent presentation quality. The Worm Forgives the Plough offers readers a deeply personal yet universal account of farming communities, seasonal labour, social change, and humanity’s enduring relationship with the soil. Collis’s prose is thoughtful and evocative, making this an important title for collectors of nature writing, rural memoirs, agricultural history, and classic British literature.

The edition itself is particularly appealing, bound in grey cloth with bright gilt spine lettering and accompanied by a beautifully illustrated dust jacket. The design and production quality reflect the enduring prestige of the work and make it an attractive shelf piece for collectors and readers alike.

Increasing interest in classic countryside and environmental writing has kept titles such as The Worm Forgives the Plough in strong demand internationally. Readers who enjoy authors such as Ronald Blythe, Richard Mabey, or George Sturt will find much to appreciate in Collis’s reflective and highly literary account of English farming life during a period of national upheaval.

Condition – Near Fine 

Near fine 1988 hardcover in grey cloth with bright gilt text on the spine. Unclipped dust jacket also without defects. Internally appears as new.