'I was much entertained last summer with a tame bat, which would take flies out of a person's hand.' Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne (1789) reveals a world of wonders in nature. Over a period of twenty years White describes in minute detail the behaviour of animals through the changing seasons in the rural Hampshire parish of Selborne. He notes everything from the habits of an eccentric tortoise to the mysteries of bird migration and animal reproduction, with the purpose of inspiring others to observe their ...
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'I was much entertained last summer with a tame bat, which would take flies out of a person's hand.' Gilbert White's Natural History of Selborne (1789) reveals a world of wonders in nature. Over a period of twenty years White describes in minute detail the behaviour of animals through the changing seasons in the rural Hampshire parish of Selborne. He notes everything from the habits of an eccentric tortoise to the mysteries of bird migration and animal reproduction, with the purpose of inspiring others to observe their own surroundings with the same pleasure and attention. Written as a series of letters, White's book has all the immediacy of an exchange with friends, yet it is crafted with compelling literary skill. His gossipy correspondence has delighted readers from Charles Darwin to Virginia Woolf, and it has been read as a nostalgic evocation of a pastoral vision, a model for local studies of plants and animals, and a precursor to modern ecology. This new edition includes contemporary illustrations, a contextualizing introduction, and an appendix of literary responses to the book. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Vol: -Volume 2, Pages 197. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1897). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Pages 198. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1887). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Vol: -Volume 1, Pages 205. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1893). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Vol: -Volume 2, Pages 225. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1868). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Vol: -Volume 2, Pages 229. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1868). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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Seller's Description:
New in New jacket. Lang: -English, Pages 198. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1887). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -eng, Vol: -Volume 1847, Pages 352. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1847). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -eng, Vol: -Volume 2, Pages 392. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (1822). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
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New in New jacket. Lang: -eng, Pages 448. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New in New jacket. Lang: -eng, Pages 448. It is the reprint edition of the original edition which was published long back (). The book is printed in black on high quality paper with Matt Laminated colored dust cover. We found this book important for the readers who want to know more about our old treasure so we brought it back to the shelves. We tried to manage the best possible copy but in some cases, there may be some pages which are blur or missing or with black spots. We expect that you will understand our compulsion in these books. Print on Demand.
This is an endlessly fascinating view of the Enlightenment mind. White was a considerable scholar who applied his gifts to classification and observation of the fauna (particularly birds) of the Hampshire and Sussex countryside. Those who love swallows will be delighted by his obvious partiality for this most elegant of fliers. The book takes the form of letters to rwo gentlemen naturalists. Writing in the late 18th century, White inhabited a world where bustards were still to be found on thr Downs, and the Linnean system had a rival. He takes nothing on trust, observing and recording meticulously. It is to him that we owe the distinction between the willow-warbler and the chiffchaff, based on painstaking observation. His fascination with the hirondidae extends to the then vexed question of their winter abode. White undertakes attempts to discover where they could be sheltering, and is aware through reading an account by an American naturalist that bird hibernation can occur. Here is the scientific method at its best - he keeps up-to-date with research but continues to test the truth of assertions. At the same time all his work is lit with a sense of awe at the beauty and wonder of Creation.
KingJames
Jan 15, 2008
A dedicated observationalist, White presents a gentle review of evolution in one small area in exquisite detail while inviting the reader to wonder at the cosmic significance of change in a local place. Not for those interested in a quick, flashy read, but fascinating to anyone who glories in detail.
