Overview
Cottongrass Summer is a collection of 52 essays by a world-renowned naturalist, author and broadcaster on subjects ranging from birdsong to beavers, and our role as stewards of the land.
“A pleasure to read … This book should become a classic.”
“I can’t think of a more important book that’s been written about British wildlife in the past 20 years … Roy Dennis [is] the UK’s pre-eminent conservationist of the past half century … he writes with such conviction, clarity, insight, depth and purpose. He understands better than anyone how times have changed … In just a sentence or two, he cuts to the quick … If you read any book about the environment this year, read this.”
“Fine and very enjoyable … packed with a wisdom that only comes from lifelong experience.”
“A pleasure to read … concise yet never terse … This book should become a classic.”
"Essential reading for those with an interest in restoring our landscapes to some of their former glory."
"Roy is not just a brilliant conservationist but a superb naturalist too … These beautiful essays are also positive and pragmatic about the future … absolutely joyous."
"In an exhilarating roundelay of profoundly questioning essays, Roy Dennis has revealed a lifetime in nature conservation, while also delivering a sparkling vision for an ecologically sustainable Highlands, the country and the planet. This little book is a testament to a rare and redeeming curiosity; we must all learn from the deep wisdom of experience."
"This is a cracking book full of beautifully descriptive prose and thought-provoking sentiments by a man who, more than anyone else, has been there, done that and got the ‘T’-shirt."
“Reminds me strongly of Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac, which is a classic of the ecological literature, and I can think of no better comparison to give you an idea of its content and of this book’s quality and worth … It is a book of ideas; ideas about how the future should be, but rooted in the present and with knowledge of the past.”
“The wonderful, insightful and eclectic musings from a lifetime watching wildlife, by one of Britain’s greatest conservationists.”
“[C]ynics among you turn away, this book is not for you. To me this book is about belief and love. Belief in a better world where wild animals and plants can once again thrive alongside people. And a deep love for the natural world around us. Without skirting the problems he has faced in his long wildlife conservation career, Roy manages to leave you with a sense of hope.”
A collection of vibrant essays to inform, stimulate and inspire every nature lover. Through unparallelled expertise as a field naturalist, Roy Dennis is able to write about the natural world in a way that considers both the problems and the progress in ecology and conservation. Beginning with cottongrass, whose snow-white blooms blow gently in the wind across the wetter moors and bogs, this is a year-round trove of insight and knowledge for anyone who cares about the natural world – from birdsong and biodiversity to sphagnum and species reintroduction. Written by one of our most prominent advocates for rewilding, the essays have a clear message: “Never give up on trying to conserve and restore wildlife and the wild places you cherish. It’s essential to try and to succeed. And remember, it’s never ‘if’, but ‘when’ – and with climate chaos closing in, the time is now.
- | Author: Roy Dennis
- | Publisher: Saraband
- | Publication Date: Jul 16, 2020
- | Number of Pages:
- | Language:
- | Binding: Paperback / softback
- | ISBN-13: 9781912235889
- | ISBN-10: 1912235889
