Bill Wyman is an amateur historian, history detective, and archaeologist. He also has become a metal detector enthusiast and recently released a metal detector that he helped design. He reports that he has found many Roman coins and parts of Roman swords, as well as more modern artifacts, using his metal detector on hunts throughout Great Britain and Ireland. He has even written a book on finding artifacts entitled, "Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands - Britain's History Uncovered."
Bill Wyman is earning a reputation as a serious historian, but he is probably better known for his earlier career: he was the bass guitar player for The Rolling Stones from its founding in 1962 until 1993. He left the Stones in 1993 but still records occasionally with his own band, The Rhythm Kings. I have one of his rock/blues CDs in my collection.
Bill Wyman is now 70 years old. Looking back a few years, who could have envisioned a member of the Rolling Stones in his seventies, still recording rock music? He and The Rhythm Kings even went on tour late last year.
"Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands" is an introduction to finding historical treasures in Great Britain and Ireland. It seems that millions of objects have been buried, thrown away, or simply lost over the centuries. Today many of these items are incredibly valuable, both in monetary terms and as historical artifacts.
Wyman's book describes the methods by which you, too, can find some of these long-lost treasures. The book is also full of illustrations, detailed maps, time lines, and lists of museums and useful organizations. It focuses only on the British Isles, so it is recommended mainly for U.K. and Irish residents. Even so, the book's description credits the author's "expertise, passion and sense of fun" for providing readers "a great adventure with a terrifically entertaining tour guide."
"Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands" is available from many bookstores, including RootsBooks.co.uk for £5.39, RootsBooks.com for $8.99, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.com. Most any other bookstore can order it for you if you specify ISBN 0750939672
As a side note, Bill Wyman and his son Stephen are famous - or infamous - for almost fulfilling the words to the tune, "I am My Own Grandpa." At age 47, while still a member of the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman began a relationship with 13-year old Mandy Smith, with her mother's blessing. Six years later, they were married, but the marriage only lasted a year. Not long after, Bill's 30-year-old son Stephen almost married Mandy's mother, age 46. That would have made Stephen a stepfather to his former stepmother. (If Bill and Mandy had remained married, Stephen would have been his father's father-in-law and his own step-grandfather!)
