Timothy's Book: Notes Of An English Country Tortoise

Description

Timothy, a wise and eloquent tortoise, has spent some forty years amongst humans, living in their midst in the lovely Hampshire village of Selborne, the occasional object of study for his host, Gilbert White, whose letters famously comprise A Natural History of Selborne. But Timothy is inclined to study too. His observations of the natural world that surrounds him can match those of his master for aptness, precision, illumination and beauty - his gaze falls with equal aplomb on the flitting martins and swallows, trooping frogs, mating harvest mice, hares nibbling at the cabbage and, above all, on those 'tottering, stilt-gaited beasts', their instincts so derelict, who tower over Timothy and make their odd ways known to him. Who would guess that a tortoise marooned in the heart of old England could tell us so much?.

VERLYN KLINKENBORG is the author of three previous books: Making Hay, The Last Fine Time and The Rural Life. He is on the editorial board of the New York Times, and he lives on a farm in upstate New York with his wife.

'Brilliant and audacious' Richard Mabey, author of Nature Cure 'A charming and most enjoyable work - Klinkenborg's prose is a pleasure to read.' Richard Adams, author of Watership Down This tortoise-eyed view of life - is a treat to readA" Financial Times