Author:Maggie Campbell-Culver
Given the extent of his influence on 17th-century life, and his lasting impact on the British landscape it is remarkable that no book has been written before about John Evelyn. He was a longstanding friend of Samuel Pepys (who wrote of him, ' A most excellent person he is, and must be allowed a little for conceitedness; but he may well be so, being a man so much above others.'), a founder-member of the Royal Society and a prolific writer and diarist. He was an early advocate of the garden city but his most important work was Sylva: a Discourse of Forest Trees. Sylva was presented to the Royal Society to promote the planting of timber trees 'for the supply of the Navy, the employment and advantage of the poor as well as the ornamenting of the nation.' He was responsible for the first great raft of tree-planting and for a great influx of tree introductions to Britain.
Maggie Campbell-Culver's book, like Sylva, has at its core a section detailing the characteristics, history and uses of 33 trees incorporating the advice Evelyn gave and demonstrating its relevance still in the 20th-century. Not only was Evelyn probably the first horticultural writer to show an appreciation of the aesthetic benefits of trees in our landscape, he is shown to be a founder-father of the modern conservation movement.
A Passion for Trees is beautifully illustrated with paintings and sumptuous botanical drawings.
—— Andrea Wulf , GuardianWell-designed and knowledgeable.
—— London Review of BooksTreat A Passion for Trees like a stroll through the woods in the company of a great man.
—— Manchester Evening News. . . a timely tercentennial reassessment . . . beautifully illustrated and evocatively, if discursively, written, taking the reader into Evelyn's world but also persuasively arguing for his role as a pioneer environmentalist still relevant today . . . [Campbell-Culver] makes a convincing case for John Evelyn as the transitional figure between the order of the Renaissance garden and the naturalistic eighteenth-century landscape movement.
—— Wesley Kerr , Times Literary SupplementSonic Wonderland by Trevor Cox is one of those books that require a "this book will change your life" sticker
—— Simon Barnes , The TimesSonic Wonderland, a delightfully instructive book, will make you want to listen to the world anew and with beatifically attuned ears
—— Ian Thomson , Sunday Telegraph (Book of the Week)Captivating book... This book does not call for quiet, but for good sound over bad... Reading this revelatory book, it is impossible not to be converted to his cause. He syringes his readers’ ears and the effect is delightful
—— James McConnachie , Sunday TimesIf there's one man who could give you an informed account of one-hand clapping, it's Trevor Cox. Fascinating …. Thought-provoking
—— Tibor Fischer , The TimesCox explores a dazzling variety of fascinating sounds... When we actively listen rather than merely hear, the world becomes a richer and fuller place, and Cox's book is the perfect primer for retraining your ears
—— Chris Maume , IndependentIt's a joy as a reader to follow [Cox's] captivating forays into this "sonic wonderland" that surrounds us all. His enthusiasm is palpable and I challenge anybody to read this book and not want to experience for themselves at least one of the subjects described. This really is a perfect book for anyone with an interest in sound
—— BBC FocusCompellingly original... Fluent and engaging, the book's lapses into scientific jargon are leavened by Cox's boyish enthusiasm and earnest desire that the world's sonic wonders should not fall on deaf ears
—— Lonely Planet TravellerDelightful and informative
—— Sunday TimesAn infectiously enthusiastic study
—— Caspar Henderson , Guardian[An] intriguing book
—— Orlando Bird , Financial TimesCox’s strengths are founded in joyful ardour – a love of unusual sound events – and the scientific knowledge and communicative skills to analyse each of these events as he encounters them on his travels
—— David Toop , Times Higher EducationFascinating
—— iYou'll never hear the same again
—— Blackpool GazetteA charming and romantic book
—— Ivan Hewett , Daily TelegraphWonderful
—— John Clarke , Independent on SundayA fascinating book... Cox writes wonderfully, alternating between lyricism, expert testimony and self-deprecating humour
—— John Burnside , New StatesmanMakes you think... There is lots to pique our interest in this lively book by an adept science communicator
—— Shaoni Bhattacharya , New ScientistThe pace and breathless enthusiasm of this book initially seems at odds with the idea of simply stopping for a moment to listen. It’s a whirlwind trip around the world with an expert guide, allowing us to listen to a vast range of unusual sound phenomena, from the tiniest click to the loudest roar
—— Kevin Younger , Engineering and TechnologyExcellent
—— Simon Barnes , The Times[Cox’s] sense of adventure transforms field trips into Indiana Jones-esque romps
—— Yo Zushi , New HumanistTrevor Cox takes the reader on a fascinating journey of the acoustic wonders of the world
—— Rob Kingston , Sunday TimesI loved this book. It is definitely worth the price, and even if it seems strange to read about sound instead of listening to it, Sonic Wonderland is the perfect arrangement
—— Philippe Blondel , Physics WorldA technological travelogue conducted by an expert tour guide, bursting with aural arcana that adds just the right amount of tech-savvy detail, Sonic Wonderland brings into relief a world often obscured in our image-heavy existence. Even as we follow Cox to the ends of the Earth, what makes his book a real rush is that it's ultimately an ear-buzzing journey to the center of our minds.
—— Greg Milner, Perfecting Sound ForeverThis small encyclopedia of strange sounds reveals how much art there is in the act of listening. Reading it made my ears more mindful
—— Adam GopnikPoetic, imaginative and richly persuasive prose. Macdonald’s sensitivity to English weather, landscape and natural habitat is extraordinary; she is a word-painter of the subtlest palette and an audio recorder of peerless quality.
—— Book OxygenMacdonald makes nature writing new.
—— For Books SakeExtraordinary… A searing study of bereavement and a meditation on man’s place in the natural world… Written with vigour, leavened with humour, it doesn’t just sing, it flies.
—— Maggie Ferguson , Intelligent LifeUnusual and incredibly moving.
—— Twin MagazineA masterpiece.
—— Metro , Patricia NicolVery rarely does a book reach out to its readers in such an immediate and engaging manner… A page-turning saga full of profound reflection… A truly remarkable achievement… This book transcends nature writing. Its quality of distinction is apparent before any exercise of critical faculty.
—— John Lister-Kaye , WOW247Macdonald is her father’s daughter; she takes photographs, but with words, brilliant ones. H is for Helen… G is for good.
—— John Lewis-Stempel , BBC CountryfileStrange and beautiful… An incredible achievement.
—— Kevin Jackson , Literary ReviewIt is in her descriptions of nature that Macdonald really excels… And…it’s the hawks themselves…which really come alive.
—— James Mcconnachie , SpectatorNever has the eye of a raptor assumed such fearful, beautiful meaning.
—— Philip Hoare , New StatesmanBig-hearted, joyful and blazing with gorgeous descriptions of nature, H is for Hawk is an unusual but very special memoir.
—— Good HousekeepingLyrical, headlong, humourous.
—— Iain Finlayson , New StatesmanAs phenomenal, unusual, moving and agile as a fearsome bird of prey.
—— MonocleHelen’s skill is to cover so much beneath the camouflage of ‘nature writing’ – with perceptive, far-reaching and rather beautiful results.
—— Galen O'Hanlon , SkinnyAn elegant, disturbing and heart-warming book.
—— Wharfedale ObserverA brilliantly beautiful evocation which interweaves her experiences as an austringer, a grieving daughter, an academic and simply a human being.
—— Allen Sleith , Belfast TelegraphDestined to be a nature classic.
—— Bath MagazineIt is moving and personal in a way that few books of this kind are.
—— Gabriel Smith , Cotswold LifeH is for Hawk is a mature, accomplished work: a touchstone for future memoirs, bibliomemoirs, and writing that deals with the natural environment and the self.
—— The Times Literary SupplementBeautifully written and interposed with literary references, it will captivate book lovers and bird lovers alike.
—— Catriona Gray , House and GardenLikely to leave a lasting impression.
—— Scotland OutdoorsThis is an encounter with a bird many of us only dream of seeing in the wild, so read this and fill a void.
—— John Miles , Bird WatchingYou won’t find a better nature book this year.
—— Fanny Blake , Woman and HomeThis part-memoir, part-history, part-nature combination could have gone dreadfully wrong but it doesn’t. In fact, like Mabel, it flies.
—— Alan Johnson MP , Radio TimesSomehow the book had rattled me so much that, even after finishing it, I couldn’t let it go.
—— Julie Myerson , GuardianHelen Macdonald’s book is a worthy and unusual winner; it’s part grief-memoir, part history of falconry.
—— Robbie Millen , The TImesH is for Hawk deserves its acclaim as a classic of its kind.
—— David Sexton , Evening StandardA great read.
—— Western Morning NewsMacdonald’s unusual approach and her resonant natural descriptions make it an outstanding book.
—— Sameer Rahim , TelegraphH is for Hawk…is the most “A for Amazing” book I've read in a long while.
—— Alan Johnson , SpectatorThe deserved winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize, this is one of the most original works you’ll read this year.
—— Daily TelegraphThe passion and conviction with which Macdonald tells an extraordinary story transcends any fear that this will be another “nature story”. Instead it is fascinating, moving and gripping throughout.
—— Alex Larman , Daily ExpressWinner of 2014’s Samuel Johnson prize, this is a captivating nature book as well as a moving elegy on love and life.
—— Kate Figes , Mail on SundayThe book is almost faultless in its exploration of the relationship with one’s own consciousness as well as that of an animal.
—— Helen Davies , Sunday TimesI’ve never read anything like it before… The last lines brought tears to my eyes.
—— Ruth Rendell , GuardianI must agree with the judges of the Samuel Johnson prize. Helen Macdonald’s incredible H Is for Hawk…is a truly original mixture… It is, as the flyleaf predicts, destined to become a classic of nature writing.
—— Stephen Moss , GuardianH is for Hawk is an extraordinary achievement – and a salutary reminder that animals are not symbols, but co-tenants of our living landscape.
—— Melissa Harrison , The TimesHelen Macdonald’s prose streams on to the page with absolute clarity in this extraordinary book.
—— Pat Ashworth , Church TimesIt really has been a privilege to read this book.
—— Dovegreyreader scribbles (blog)Although grief is the engine of the story, its most exceptional aspect is the beauty and force of its descriptions of birds and landscape, and its real star is the goshawk.
—— Paul Laity , GuardianThe winner of this year's Samuel Johnson Prize is one of the most captivating books I've read.
—— Lucy Scholes , IndependentIt is in no way a misery memoir. It is uplifting, poetic, exhilarating.
—— Jackie Kay , ScotsmanWhat makes the book outstanding is the beauty of her prose. It rightly won the prize.
—— Alan Johnson , Mail on SundayCombining nature writing of the highest order…with a deeply affecting meditation on bereavement, this looks set to become a classic.
—— Mail on SundayOne of the most all-consumingly wonderful books I’ve read in ages.
—— Kate Kellaway , ObserverEmphatically my book of the year.
—— John Lister-Kay , ScotsmanI’ve read excerpts from this book and it sounds wild and strange and haunting.
—— Francesca Simon , UK Press SyndicationIt’s worthy winner most in that it shows how diverse non-fiction can be in itself.
—— Stuart Kelly , ScotsmanIt’s a treat – a truly original, if slightly mad, book.
—— Robbie Millen , The TimesI have never read anything that evokes the strange and broken landscape of bereavement more accurately.
—— Alexandra Blakemore , Times Higher EducationUltimately uplifting about the power of life, this has to be one of the best books of the year.
—— Bob Johnstone , NewstalkIt is a timeless classic that leaves you wondering how you did without it before.
—— Paul McNamee , Big IssueWonderful.
—— Bel Mooney , Daily MailThe book is unforgettable.
—— Michael McCarthy , IndependentHer book is so good that, at times, it hurt me to read it. It draws blood, in ways that seem curative.
—— Dwight Garner , New York TimesTo categorize this work as merely memoir, nature writing or spiritual writing would understate [Macdonald’s] achievement
—— Karin Altenberg , Wall Street Journal (Europe)Captivating and beautifully written, it’s a meditation on the bond between beasts and humans and the pain and beauty of being alive
—— People MagazineTo come across writing this good…is like spotting a swooping bird of prey on a woodland walk; it’s unexpected and thrilling, and the experience stays with you
—— David Evans, 5 stars , IndependentIt’s completely original
—— Peter Duncan , Daily ExpressMacdonald writes poignantly but avoids sentimentality on taking her reader on this journey of discovery and ultimately of liberation
—— Good Book GuideBoth sad and beautiful
—— Kate Phelan , VogueMacdonald’s nature writing is truly breathtaking… H is for Hawk is a work that beautifully explores the natural in the midst of the very personal
—— Ben Walter , Journeys Magazineprobably one of the most unusual non-fictions books I’ve read, but… one of the most heartfelt and intriguing ones
—— Reading Matterspoetic and intriguing
—— Louise Elliott , Living MagazineH is for Hawk, her memoir of loss, writing, recovery and nature, drawing ingeniously on the life and work of T.H. White, covered this territory with ferocious honesty and eloquence
—— Sarah Ditum , SpectatorCombines lyrical nature writing with moving introspection.
—— Radio TimesFiercely, grippingly brilliant.
—— James Macdonald , The Sunday TimesExceptionally well researched and written… It’s a wonderful book, it made me cry.
—— Phil Williams, BBC Radio 5 LiveMacdonald's is a book about grief, the churlish indifference of the natural world to human emotions and the solitude of failure, but it is also about a "return from this strange hedgerow ontology to more ordinary humanity". It is heartbreaking and affirming at the same time.
—— Peter J. Smith , Times Higher Education SupplementA lyrical, moving probe into both the process of mourning and our relationship with the natural world.
—— Martin Chilton, Olivia Petter and Ceri Radford , Independent, *Books of the Decade*One of the decade’s most arresting nature books
—— Andrew Holgate , Sunday Times, *Books of the Decade*