HICKATHRIFT PRESS

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Hickathrift OUTDOORS

 

 

How To Catch Pike

Big Pike Masterclass by David Phillips

Don’t miss the completely updated and expanded 2nd edition of this best-selling classic, packed with stunning colour photographs and rig diagrams.

Here you’ll find everything you need to know to catch big pike by lifelong pike angler and author Dave Phillips. In this book, he reveals the secrets of the pros – including location, weather conditions, tackle, tactics and bait.

There are essential sections on unhooking, handling and conservation, too.

All is explained in a no-nonsense style that’s entertaining as well as easy to follow – and packed with all the information you need to know to make you a better pike angler.

By the time you’ve read this brilliant book, you’ll think like a pike!

It’s available in hardback,  as well as paperback and Kindle e-book formats

 

Valley of Dreams: The River Nene From Source to Sea

 

Your Essential Guide For Exploring England’s Hidden Treasure

 

 

Did you know that George Washington and the future King of Britain are related? You will learn this and much more besides as you join author David Phillips on his journey through history and along the lovely River Nene valley, meeting the ancestors of US presidents and other famous folk, as well as plenty of local heroes, along the way.

Completely revised, updated and improved with 273 full-colour pages, this is the definitive story of the River Nene and the settlements along its valley, from its source in Northamptonshire, near the Oxfordshire border, through Cambridgeshire and to the sea in Lincolnshire.

No angler, boater or lover of the countryside and local history can afford to miss this book, which is available on Amazon in paperback and hardback. There is also a text-only Kindle e-book version.

 

 

How To Drive Off-Road

 

Everything You Need to Know to Get the Best from Your 4×4

Four-wheel drive vehicles have never been so popular, but how many 4×4 owners know to put them through their paces off-road?

It’s a shame, because that vehicle parked outside your house could take you through forests, up mountains and across deserts. It’s your passport to adventure – and How To Drive Off-Road explains how you can do just that.

Author Dave Phillips is a respected authority on 4x4s and off-roading, and has done all of the above and more.

In between driving deserts and rainforests, Dave spent many years editing Land Rover magazines. He’s also author of the definitive Land Rover Story and the Haynes Off-Road Driving Manual, which he co-wrote with the legendary off-road expert, Vince Cobley. Dave ghost-wrote Vince’s monthly columns in Land Rover Owner International magazine for many years and has dedicated this book to his late friend, who died suddenly in 2025.

This book’s 200 pages are packed with everything you need to know to get the best from your 4×4. So what are you waiting for? The adventures start here!

 

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Hickathrift LITERARY

 

Under a Norfolk Sky

 

Poems, Stories and Stunning Photography from Hickathrift Country

 

A poetic meditation on place, memory, and the open landscape.

Under the Norfolk Sky captures the atmosphere and quiet power of the East Anglian landscape, where big skies and subtle changes of light frame moments of reflection and observation.

Andrew Stephen’s poems move between the physical and the personal, grounding emotion in place and experience.

Ideal for readers drawn to landscape writing, nature, and reflective poetry.

Norfolk poet and author Andrew Stephen has a lifelong love of his home county, which is reflected here in this beautiful collection of 58 new poems, edited and curated by Ian Corns, Head of English at the King Edward VII School, King’s Lynn.

The haunting poetry in Under A Norfolk Sky is complemented by the stunning, evocative images of talented Norfolk photographer Stephen Ward.



This edition from the Hickathrift Press also includes three bonus short stories.

This beautifully-produced book is already winning 5-star reviews on Amazon. Here are some of them . . .

Wow! Reading the poems was like actually being there in amongst the natural landscape – for me, it was a genuine emotive awakening. I found it extremely hard to choose my favourite work, but the title poem ‘Under a Norfolk Sky’ is mesmerising and, frankly, epic. I also think the wider/extensive tapestry of poems usefully and skilfully builds and interweaves, maximising the overall impact. It feels like Andrew Stephen may still be managing his feelings around what I suspect were some difficult earlier times, and the quality of his writing makes you feel that crucial empathy, particularly when considering his journey towards parenthood and his quest to help his mother as she struggles with Alzheimer’s. Look out also for ‘Back Home’. A classy piece. The three stories were a really good read, particularly ‘The Train Now Departing’, which reached back into his father’s formative years and addressed, in a dark yet subtle way, some very sensitive issues. The book is five stars. I had a range of epiphanies while reading it.

I’ve been following the rapid rise to fame of poet Andrew Stephen and this is his best so far. His excellent poems are complemented by atmospheric monochrome illustrations that make you feel like you’re in Norfolk (and I should know, because I’m Norfolk born and bred). Best of all, they are totally accessible, yet totally literate, and suitable for anyone aged 11 upwards. May I be controversial? I’d like to state here that this book should be a must on the curriculum at all secondary schools for English Language students, because if every child in the land were influenced by Andrew Stephen’s writing, this country would benefit.

My friend recommended that I get and read this poetry anthology, together with the three short stories. All I can say is that it’s a sensational experience, full of beautiful details, hope and elements of comical insight about life and the world in which we live. This guy absolutely nails everything. I bought two copies, one for my sister who is going through a tough time at present. A brilliant book.

I’m fairly cynical about poetry, but I got told about this book as a recommendation and went with it. This writer, Andrew Stephen, brings things to life through his words. I don’t know if he’s widely known, but he definitely should be. Loved it.

 

Uplifting Odes

 

Poems for the Mildly Demented by Victoria Burman

We are proud to announce this addition to the Hickathrift Press library of fine books. It’s the debut of an amazing new talent – Victoria Burman. Nobody can put the human condition into words quite like our Victoria, who can turn adversity into a laughing matter. Although it’s life told from a woman’s perspective, it’s a book that’s sure to appeal to everyone.

Looking for the perfect gift to put a smile on someone’s face? You’ve just found it. And the good news is that we’ve pegged back the price of the paperback on Amazon to £9.99 and reduced the Kindle e-book version to £5.95.

Uplifting Odes is talented poet Victoria Burman’s first book. Much of her humorous rhyming verse is in the style of Pam Ayres, but in our opinion, it is much better – and can be compared with the outstanding observational wit of the late, great Victoria Wood.

Poetry is one of humankind’s greatest achievements. Our great poets dig deep into their souls to mine rich seams of words that can stir a limitless range of emotions. They are a force of nature. And Victoria Burman is among their number.

Victoria’s poetry can be a powerful, tender, inspirational, barbed, soothing, but above all else, laugh-out-loud funny. Although she has been delighting friends with her verses for many years, this is the first time her poems have appeared in print. Uplifting Odes is, quite simply, a brilliant book.

These wonderful poems are illustrated in full colour* throughout by the talented artist Sharon Langley, whose drawing skills are the perfect complement for Victoria’s verse. 

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* Black and white in the Kindle e-book version.

 

Endless River

The Early Poems of Andrew Stephen

This is Andrew Stephen’s published debut as a poet – and it’s been a long time coming. The retired English teacher began writing poems as a rebellious teenager at the dawn of the Seventies, but he didn’t decide to share them with the world until the enforced isolation of the covid pandemic renewed his passion for verse. The literary world’s delighted he did.

Flowing, reflective, and deeply observant, Endless River is a collection shaped by movement—of water, of time, and of thought.

These poems follow the rhythms of life as it unfolds, drawing connections between the natural world and inner experience. There is a quiet continuity here, where each poem contributes to a wider sense of journey.

For readers who appreciate poetry that is calm, thoughtful, and enduring.

His love of words shines through, along with his passion for people and places. This includes his precious home county of Norfolk and a lifelong devotion to Cambridge United football club!

To enter Andrew Stephen’s work of poetry is like stepping into a parallel universe where everything seems familiar but somehow bigger and better explained. It’s an immersive, inclusive experience and his powerful, layered poems are truly addictive.

Andrew Stephen is a fresh voice in the world of poetry – and one you’re sure to be hearing a lot more. Read and enjoy.

 

The Story In Your Eyes

A Voyage of Discovery in Poetry and Prose from Andrew Stephen

Author and poet Andrew Stephen goes on a quest to find out more about his ancestors and ends up discovering himself in this beautiful story, told in prose and poetry.

This collection of poems observes, reflects, and quietly reveals.

In The Story in Your Eyes, Andrew Stephen explores moments of connection, memory, and perception—those small but significant instances that shape how we understand ourselves and others.

These poems are attentive and unforced, drawing meaning from everyday encounters and the emotional landscapes behind them. There is a clarity here that invites the reader not just to observe, but to recognise.

For readers of contemporary poetry who value honesty, simplicity, and insight.

Review by Ian David Corns:
In this, Andrew Stephen’s third book, the reader is initially immersed in an intriguing portrait of his ancestors, including implications of scandal on a number of levels with – on one significant occasion – a hugely ironic twist after the depiction of a violent stand-off.  As one of two sequels to ‘Reading, Writing & Redemption’, ‘The Story In Your Eyes’ further broaches Andrew Stephen’s education as a boarder at King Edward VII, his adolescence and ‘courting’, plus his lifelong love for both family and Cambridge United FC. His passion is invariably heightened by strategically placed verse, much of which creates nostalgia and emotional sensitivity, evoking empathy within the audience. It’s a great read, and comes across as an eclectic mix of anecdotes, though – upon closer inspection – each chapter is indeed subtly linked and woven. Five Stars. Humane and humanistic. Well worth getting.

 

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Hickathrift SPORT

The Season That Nearly Was

Cambridge United in Endeavour

Away from the glamour and big money of the Premier League are many smaller football clubs, like Cambridge United. Writer and poet Andrew Stephen has been an avid fan of the club for half a century, and this is his story of the rollercoaster 2024-25 season.

You can almost hear the roar of the faithful crowd and smell the hotdogs as he describes Saturday afternoons in his beloved Habbin stand at the venerable Abbey Stadium in this historic English city. Yet this book is about much more than that, for this is the story of a club that was almost went out of the business – and how the fans saved it.

It’s an unmissable read for all Cambridge United fans, but it’s also perfect reading material for any football fan who wants to be informed and entertained by a writer who’s in a different league to the predictable scribes from the tabloid press.

“Extremely enjoyable and well written. Highly recommended for all Cambridge United supporters and also a much wider community of football fans who will I am certain be enthralled by the writings.”
“A brilliant read! Whether you already understand what it means to be a lower league football fan or you’d like to understand it, this book is fascinating to read and very enjoyable.”

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Hickathrift LIFE

 

Reading, Writing & Redemption

Andrew Stephen’s Life in Education

School is something we all have in common. And the great thing about Reading, Writing and Redemption by Andrew Stephen is that it’s all true.

This inspiring autobiographical tale of the author’s life in education reveals how, after a successful career as an English teacher, he returned as a governor to the very same school he had been wrongly expelled from as a teenager, half a century earlier.

In Reading, Writing and Redemption, Andrew Stephen reflects on a life shaped by challenge and the gradual, hard-won process of change. Through books, writing, and persistence, a path emerges toward understanding and renewal.

This is an honest and direct narrative—unembellished, but deeply felt.

For readers of memoir who value authenticity and resilience.

Background

Anybody who went to school between the 1950s and the present day will identify with this candid and beautifully written memoir of a man who has devoted all but the first four years of his life to education. As its title suggests, this book is about education and redemption. The writer looks back on an eventful career that’s taken him from pupil to student, teacher to head of department and, finally, to school governor.

As the son of a British serviceman, Andrew’s early education took place in a bewildering variety of primary schools in England and Germany, followed by life as a boarder in a state grammar school, from which he was expelled – accused of a crime he did not commit – on the eve of his A Levels.  Today, he’s a governor of that same school. That’s one heck of a redemption.

Between expulsion and redemption, Andrew became a student teacher, took a university degree, taught English at inner-city comprehensive schools and eventually became a progressive head of department. It was a stellar career set against a backdrop of political change and unprecedented upheaval in the state education system.

It’s a rollercoaster journey in which the author has learned as many lessons as the children he inspired. As a teacher, Andrew Stephen taught his pupils in the East Midlands to find their own voices and speak out. He certainly led by example and in this book pulls no punches about the flaws in both our education system and our political leaders.

Reading, Writing and Redemption is a fast-paced romp through our shared social history, with deft descriptions of the teachers and pupils he met along the way that will make you laugh out loud. This book is unputdownable. Go to the top of the class, Mr Stephen!
 
“Andrew Stephen writes a gritty account of his experiences as a forces’ child whose RAF family is moved from base to base during his formative years and consequently his primary education is often interrupted as he is forced to move schools. Occasionally, this is for the good as he describes favourite teachers and moments of triumph, but mostly it leaves him bewildered and unfulfilled. On becoming a border at a Norfolk grammar school his life changes for the better and he thrives. That is until his ignominious departure from the school in his final year.
Andrew goes on to describe his life as a student and after teacher training his experiences as a teacher of English. He expresses his views on the Education System in the UK eloquently writing honestly and being outspoken where he feels children’s education has suffered through changes to curriculum and assessment methods by successive governments’ interference. Reading, Writing and Redemption: My Life in Education is a fascinating read for all but especially for those who have experienced a career in education themselves.”
 

 

Tales From Peterborough and the Nene Valley

Entertaining Legends and True Stories From Historic Northamptonshire 

Whether you are a boater, angler, birdwatcher, rambler, love local history or just like reading great tales, this book is the invaluable companion to anybody who loves exploring Peterborough and the Nene Valley.

The long-awaited follow-up to the best-selling The River Nene From Source To Sea, this time local author David Phillips concentrates on the people and places along the Nene Valley, from Roman times through to the present day.

His subjects range from the area’s forgotten Robin Hood’s connections to Britain’s Last Eel Catcher (and much, much more), all told in his inimitable style, which combines laugh-out-loud humour with solid, essential information on our local countryside and wildlife, including the best places to enjoy it (complete with detailed OS map references).

This book is an essential read for anybody who loves Northamptonshire, Peterborough and the Nene Valley. It’s a must for social history fans, too.

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  • This list of Hickathrift Press books is always growing. We plan to at so at least double our number of titles by the end of 2026, as well as introduce a new imprint – Hickathrift Treasures – for young readers. So please check back regularly.
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About Hickathrift Press

  • All Hickathrift Press books are available from Amazon, in paperback and Kindle e-book formats. Most are also available in hardback.
  • We are always looking for new authors, so if you have a story to tell that’s bursting to be published, get in touch. Email: info@hickathriftpress.com