Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17381 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-04
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

British Wildlife
'a thoughtful, lyrical and entertaining book that deserves to be read'

Independent
'A terrific combination of both natural and intellectual history, informed by penetrating insight'

Guardian
`This is the book of range and ambitions that his many admirers hoped he would write'

Customer Reviews

Mabey back on form - great joy!
After the somewhat vague meanderings of Nature Cure, Richard Mabey pulls of a brilliant book that is both a pleasure to read and a real education without ever feeling heavy. The use of language is once again a triumph in evoking the feel and splendour of our beech woodlands. My only real gripes are that whilst the book is a much better and structured read the ending does seem to come about rather suddenly and that my favourite rural author, H. J. Massingham, is dismissed as 'romantic'. Well there's nothing wrong with being romantic and you have to place your mindset at the time when Massingham was writing. But we digress. All in all a thoroughly good read.

A masterpiece
I have never read any of Richard Mabey's books, though some of his writing has passed my way and was well known to me. I bought this as a gift to myself based on reviews elsewhere and have found every page to be a profound and poetic delight. A man with a deep knowledge of nature and the skills to research well, he also has the writers' gift to take the reader with him on his walks through the woodlands and share with them his love and passion in a way only a handful of others have been able to do. A joy to read and pass on to anyone who will appreciate a modern classic.