SCIENCES

The Wood for the Trees: One Man's Long View of Nature

by Richard Fortey
Knopf. Dec. 2016. 320p. maps. notes. index. ISBN 9781101875759. $28.95; ebk. ISBN 9781101875766. SCI
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This thorough natural history of Grim's Dyke Wood, Oxfordshire, presents a month-by-month account of the author's investigations and reflections. Fortey, a retired museum curator, treats each bug and bulb with great care, offering descriptive and colorful observations. He also examines the social and archaeological history of the wood, noting everything from the "long view" from the first wall to the modern footpath through the wood to the local pub. Each chapter is researched and cited in the notes.
VERDICT This book will appeal to English historians, naturalists, archaeologists, and countryside travelers. Those who dream of traveling or living in the English countryside will be entranced by the detail and thought, while those with little interest in the topic will soon wish to take a trip across the pond to experience these sights for themselves.
Reviewed by Dawn Lowe-Wincentsen, Oregon Inst. of Technology, Portland , Oct 01, 2016
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