British Isles: A Natural History

A companion to the BBC series of the same title, this fascinating volume is a unique view of the formation, evolution and current and future use of the land and sea that comprise the British Isles. Titchmarsh hosts the program, adding this book to his lengthy list of gardening titles, some based on previous BBC series. Motivated by ""a love of the landscape in which I have grown up,"" the author's fondness for his homeland shows in the beautiful photographs as well as Titchmarsh's understandable explanation of evolution and plate tectonics. Beginning at the dawn of Earth, Titchmarsh weaves a host of factoids-England and Scotland were once as far apart as the U.K. and U.S. are today; crocodile and lion skeletons have been found under London's Trafalgar Square; Scotland was once a desert-into his history of the U.K. Written for a British audience, Titchmarsh pleads with his fellow Britons to help slow global warming ""so that our children and grandchildren can also boast that our land is best."" Definitely a title for Anglophiles, those with a casual interest in natural history will also find much to appreciate in the book's easy-reading history, bold photographs and informative charts. Photos.