Robert Penn (born 1967)[1] is a British writer, photographer and broadcaster. He is a frequent columnist in UK national newspapers and has written widely on such subjects as cycling, travel, British woodlands and life in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.[2][3][4]
Penn was born in Birmingham and grew up in Wales and London [5] before studying history at the University of Bristol.[6]
He has cycled around the world and across Wales in the dark.[7][8]
His latest book, Slow Rise: A Bread-Making Adventure was published by Particular Books/Penguin in February 2021. His book, The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees was BBC Radio Four 'Book of the Week' in December 2015.[9] His other books include The Wrong Kind of Snow – a survey of the British obsession with the weather, co-authored with Antony Woodward – and It's All About the Bike, which documents his worldwide search for the perfect custom bike, while narrating the social history of the bicycle. It's All About the Bike was a Sunday Times bestseller in the UK; it has been translated into thirteen languages.
Television edit
In 2010, he wrote and presented the television documentary Ride of my Life: the Story of the Bicycle, based on his book It's All About the Bike, which was broadcast on BBC4 and BBC2.[10] In 2012, he presented the six-part series Tales from the Wild Wood[11] for BBC4, about British woodlands.
In 2013, he cycled 1,200 km through the heart of the Amazon rainforest with former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff for the two-part Sky1 documentary Flintoff's Road to Nowhere.[12]
In 2014, he travelled round Britain in a fish and chip van with Flintoff, making a six-part series for Sky1. "Lord of the Fries" was broadcast in February and March 2015.[13] The second series, Flintoff Fries Again was broadcast on Sky 1 in February and March 2016.
Publications edit
- 2021 - Slow Rise: A Bread-Making Adventure (Particular Books. ISBN 978-0241352083)
- 2015 - The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees (Particular Books. ISBN 978-1846148422)
- 2010 – It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels (Particular Books. ISBN 978-1-84614-262-8)
- 2008 – The Celtic Trail: The Official Guide to National Cycle Network Routes 4 and 47 from Fishguard to Chepstow (Pocket Mountains Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9554548-6-8)
- 2007 – The Wrong Kind of Snow: The Complete Daily Companion to the British Weather, with Antony Woodward (Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0-340-93787-7)
- 2005 – A Place to Cycle: Amazing Rides from Around the World (Conran Octopus. ISBN 978-1-84091-391-0)
- 2004 – The Sky is Falling on Our Heads: A Journey to the Bottom of the Celtic Fringe (Sceptre. ISBN 978-0-340-82752-9)
References edit
- ^ "Penn, Rob". Library of Congress Authorities. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ Independent: "Rob Penn: Forget your sorrows, touch the gods – all you have to do is get on your bike" (21 July 2012)
- ^ Travel Intelligence: "Inspiring Travel Writing from Rob Penn"
- ^ Penn, Robert (12 December 2015). "Why we should celebrate winter woodland – not just the Christmas tree". the Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Setting sail on a Celtic odyssey". Scotland on Sunday. 14 March 2004.
- ^ "Authors: Rob Penn". Hachette India. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "Adventure Talks: Rob Penn | Belstaff Adventures | Belstaff". Belstaff. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ Rest Less Ride Film
- ^ [1] The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees
- ^ "Ride of My Life: The Story of the Bicycle - BBC Four". BBC. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "Tales from the Wild Wood - BBC Four". BBC. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "Flintoff's Road To Nowhere Trailer". Find and Watch. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "Flintoff's Lord of the Fries trailer". Find and Watch. Retrieved 13 January 2016.