Overview

When the government announced plans to sell off up to 150,000 hectares of English forests and woodland in 2010, it ignited an immediate and impassioned fight against the proposal. Even today, the British people continue to have a deep love for their woods, which have inspired countless myths, stories and poems throughout time. Peter Fiennes celebrates the beauty and mystery of Britain’s woods, while also closely examining present issues of ownership, access, power and property. Fiennes visits Norwegian spruces in the Scottish Highlands, wild boars in Sussex, the small collection of trees in his childhood home’s garden and everything in between in his exhilarating journey to understand our relationship to the forests and our duty to protect them. Oak and Ash and Thorn presents a powerful message for readers everywhere: our woods are important; they are under threat; and they must be saved.

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9781786071668

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Reviews

'A tender hymn to the trees, a manifesto for a woodland society, a contemporary gazette of ideas and attitudes radiating into the future like annual rings from the original pith... In this lyrical, informative, unashamedly arboreal propaganda, one man's walk in the woods can inspire a generation.' -- Paul Evans, author of Field Notes from the Edge

`A wonderful wander into the woods that explores our deep-rooted connections - cultural, historical and personal - with the trees.' -- Rob Cowen, author of <i>Common Ground</i> `Passionate and thoughtful in exactly the way the best nature writing should be... the woodlands of Britain have found their perfect advocate.' -- Hugh Thomson, author of <i>The Green Road into the Trees</i> `A tender hymn to the trees, a manifesto for a woodland society, a contemporary gazette of ideas and attitudes radiating into the future like annual rings from the original pith... In this lyrical, informative, unashamedly arboreal propaganda, one man's walk in the woods can inspire a generation.' -- Paul Evans, author of <i>Field Notes from the Edge</i> `Oak and Ash and Thorn is a lament. A lament for the trees and forests we have lost since the first axe glistened and the first torch flared. The destruction frequently came from plain necessity, but also, to our shame, from greed, stupidity and, as Fiennes suggests, fear. Despite the inventory of tragedy in his book, Fiennes is the best of guides, gently, eloquently and with a fierce humour telling a sad story - relating chapters of fascinating detail to brighten his tale and quoting the poets as he goes. Despite the calamity that our relationship with trees has become, this is not a depressing book. Oak and Ash and Thorn may be a lament, but Fiennes invigorates and arms us with the knowledge to ensure that it will not become a requiem.' -- John Wright, author of <i>A Natural History of the Hedgerow</i> `Peter Fiennes really can see the wood for the trees - he blends mythology, natural history and a sense of righteous anger to produce a paean of praise to our ancient woodlands and modern forests, and the life support system they provide.' -- Stephen Moss, author of <i>Wild Kingdom: Bringing Back Britain's Wildlife</i>

Author Information

Peter Fiennes is the author of To War with God, a moving account of his grandfather’s service in the First World War. As a publisher for Time Out, he published numerous books about Britain’s countryside and seaside. He lives in Wandsworth, London, where he is the publisher of Town magazine.

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