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Rich pickings

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I'M GOING to come right out and admit it: I haven't read this book. Not cover to cover, anyway. To do so would be to risk the intellectual equivalent of the gastric discomfort that follows eating an entire box of Belgian chocs that was supposed to last all Christmas. It is just too rich a package to consume at once.

Richard Mabey has combed several libraries to come up with a selection that guarantees surprises. There are old favourites. A decent enough selection of Gilbert White, although pretty self-restrained given that Mabey is responsible for a fine biography. Some Darwin too, including his first description of the Galapagos Islands and a lovely exchange between Charles and his botanical mentor John Henslow. Coming up to date, there's some Annie Dillard and a bit of Bill McKibben.

But to single out familiar items is to miss the great pleasure of this collection, ...

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