Time and Tide: The Long, Long Life of Landscape

(Hardback)

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Description

A village waits at the bottom of a reservoir. A monkey puzzle tree bristles in a suburban garden. The vast inland sea that so awed John Clare has become fields. A skein of wild geese fly over a rusty rail viaduct.

Chapter by fascinating chapter, vivid with literary, local and her own family history, Fiona Stafford reveals the forces, both natural and human, which change places. Swooping along coastlines, through forests and across fens, following in the footsteps of Keats and Dickens, Whiskey Galore and Wilkie Collins, join her, time-travelling deep into our island story.

From red squirrels to brick vistas, from botanical gardens to hot springs, the landscapes of Britain are full of delights and surprises. Chance discoveries of rare species, unlikely ruins, curious trees, mysterious shapes, startling buildings, weird caves, disused airfields, or even just a baffling name all offer ways into unexpected stories and hidden lives. The clues to the past are all round us - Time and Tide will help you find them.

Reviews

Praise for The Long, Long Life of Trees * : *
Elegant, engaging, impeccably written and packed with interest -- John Carey * Sunday Times, Nature Book of the Year *
A leisurely, lyrical reflection on seventeen different species, from apple to yew, with special emphasis on the role that each has played in art and literature, myth and legend, medicine and technology * Wall Street Journal *
It's impossible to imagine a better book on the subject than this. It's written with verve, pace, genuine wit and an inspired eye for the quirky fact or anecdote. Even those readers who don't think they're interested in trees will find that they are -- John Harding * Daily Mail *
Fiona Stafford weaves together tales of their place in myth, painting, religion and literature, enlivened with her personal sense of wonder. This is a timely book; our trees face a growing threat from diseases that could leave gaps in our cultural landscape, as well as our woodlands and hedgerows -- Phil Gates * BBC Wildlife *

Author Bio

Fiona Stafford is Professor of English at Somerville College, Oxford and a Fellow of the British Academy. She has written several books, including The Long, Long Life of Trees, The Brief Life of Flowers and Jane Austen.