David Attenborough reads J. A. Baker's extraordinary classic of British nature writing.
The nation's greatest voice, David Attenborough, reads J. A. Baker's extraordinary classic of British nature writing, The Peregrine.
J. A. Baker's classic of British nature writing was first published in 1967. Greeted with acclaim, it went on to win the Duff Cooper Prize, the pre-eminent literary prize of the time. Luminaries such as Ted Hughes, Barry Lopez and Andrew Motion have cited it as one of the most important books in twentieth-century nature writing.
Despite the association of peregrines with the wild, outer reaches of the British Isles, The Peregrine is set on the flat marshes of the Essex coast, where J. A. Baker spent long winters looking and writing about the visitors from the uplands - peregrines that spend the winter hunting the huge flocks of pigeons and waders that share the desolate landscape with them.
J. A. Baker's The Peregrine is a testament to the beauty of nature, a special observation of the animal kingdom from the perspective of birds. It's a top choice for those interested in ecotourism and birdwatching, offering a comparative study of different species in their natural habitat.
For fans of Barry Holstun Lopez (Horizon), Robert Macfarlane (Underland), Werner Herzog (Every Man for Himself and God against All), Roger Deakin (Life at Walnut Tree Farm), and Annie Ernaux (Simple Passion - WINNER OF THE 2022 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE).
