birding...

The National Parks & other wild places of Britain & Ireland

The National Parks & other wild places of Britain & Ireland by Jonathan Elphick and David Tipling – New Holland 2002 ISBN 1859748988 £24.99p

As the publisher`s blurb says - For sheer variety of Landscapes within such a small area, the British Isles has no equal. This sumptuous book proves that with stunning landscape photographs and informed text.

I am not usually sent such books this being a website that is strictly for the birds but was pleased to look at this coffee table book for the joy of the beauty of these isles so well captured. But it is more than just a book to flip through for eye candy. It is clear that the authors are natural historians who enjoy the wildlife of Britain & Ireland not just the habitats that allow such diversity.

The habitats and wildlife feature as much in the photography as they do in the text and it is a source of first class information. It does not try to be a deep treatise or exhaustive study of habitat contrasts or island zoography but it is not froth and bubble either. Each area is highlighted through the reserves and parks therein and simple stylised maps help in that process.

I asked Johnathan Elphick a number of questions about the book:

What made you get involved in this project?

For some time, I had been considering writing a book focussing on some of the most beautiful and wildlife-rich protected areas of the British Isles. Coincidentally, I was visiting Jo Hemmings, the redoubtable editorial director responsible for natural history books at New Holland publishers, taking in a presentation on a book I had planned on world birding. Her superiors turned this down, but said New Holland had a book planned on the National Parks and other wild places of Britain and Ireland, and that she would really like me to be the one to write it. My mind was made up to go ahead with it when I heard that the photographs would be supplied by David Tipling, as I`ve always admired his work greatly.

Who is the book aimed at?

At a pretty broad readership, including birders and others who enjoy wildlife, specialists who want a general introduction to the subject, anyone who loves exploring our beautiful islands and their wild places and the varied wildlife they contain - and not forgetting those who are unable to get out and see for themselves but love reading about them, and enjoying David`s superb photographs.

Was the intention to give a visual portrait supported by text or a book about the wild places supported by photographs?

Neither: both ingredients were seen both by me and the publishers as of equal importance in producing a book to do justice in both words and images to our priceless natural heritage.

Overall the book is brilliantly presented and worth having just to ogle the delicious photograph and marvel at the diversity of our landscape – but more it has a wealth of information and shows far more depth than one might expect from such a book.

Fatbirder

Created: 9th Sep 2002