The newest book by Robert Lomas has just landed on my doorstep, delivered with all the solemn ceremony the postman could muster, and that means my holiday reading is officially sorted. There is something wonderful about that moment when a long awaited book arrives (especially when it is a free book). It feels like a small blessing, a quiet invitation to step out of the noise of the world and into a space shaped by ideas, stories, and the steady voice of someone who has spent a lifetime exploring the mysteries that fascinate us.

This volume is a collection of the lectures Robert has given at the Daniel Owens Festival, a gathering that has become a kind of spiritual home for those of us who love the dance between history, and the living tradition of learning. To see those lectures gathered together feels like holding a lantern made from many flames, each one illuminating a different aspect of Daniel’s Life.

I was honoured to write the foreword for this collection. Truly honoured. Writing that foreword felt like standing at the threshold of a great hall, opening the door, and inviting readers to step inside. It was a chance to speak about the festival, about the legacy of Daniel Owens, and about the way Robert’s lectures weave together insight, humour, and the kind of wisdom that arrives only after years of patient study.

So yes, the holiday is sorted. A good book, a quiet corner, a fresh coffee, and the chance to revisit the festival through the words of a man who has been one of Daniel Owen’s brightest voices. I could not ask for better company.