Rob Penn

Robert "Rob" 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^[2] travel^[3] British woodlands^[4] and life in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.

Penn was born in Birmingham and grew up on the Isle of Man^[5] before studying history at the University of Bristol.^[6]

He has cycled around the world^[7] and across Wales in the dark.^[8]

His most recent book, The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees ('Beautifully crafted,' Robert Crampton, Times books of the year; 'This book is bound for great things', Sophie Morris Independent; 'a fine writer... a lovely book', Ed Cumming Observer) was BBC Radio Four 'Book of the Week' in December 2015.

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

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.^[9] In 2012, he presented the six-part series Tales from the Wild Wood^[10] 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.^[11]

In 2014, he travelled round Britain in a fish and chip van with Andrew Flintoff, making a six part series for Sky1. "Lord of the Fries" was broadcast in February and March 2015.^[12] The second series, Flintoff Fries Again is broadcast on Sky 1 in February and March 2016.

Publications

• 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

1. "Penn, Rob". Library of Congress Authorities. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
2. Independent: "Rob Penn: Forget your sorrows, touch the gods – all you have to do is get on your bike" (21 July 2012)
3. Travel Intelligence: "Inspiring Travel Writing from Rob Penn"
4. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/dec/12/why-we-should-celebrate-winter-woodland-not-just-the-christmas-tree
5. "Setting sail on a Celtic odyssey". Scotland on Sunday. 14 March 2004.
6. "Authors: Rob Penn". Hachette India. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
7. "Adventure Talks: Rob Penn | Belstaff Adventures | Belstaff". Belstaff. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
8. Rest Less Ride Film
9. "Ride of My Life: The Story of the Bicycle - BBC Four". BBC. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
10. "Tales from the Wild Wood - BBC Four". BBC. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
11. "Flintoff's Road To Nowhere Trailer". Find and Watch. Retrieved 2016-01-13.
12. "Flintoff's Lord of the Fries trailer". Find and Watch. Retrieved 2016-01-13.

External links

• Official website
• Lecture: "An Ode to the Bicycle"
• YouTube: Penguin Books trailer for It's All About The Bike
• YouTube: "It's All About The Bike by Robert Penn"