By pegging her narrative to White’s diary entries of 1781, when White was 60 and still seven years short of publishing The Natural History of Selborne, the miraculously sensitive Uglow releases herself and us from mere chronology to wander at will through White’s life, habits, observations. Monday September 10th: ‘Red-breasts feed on elder-berries, enter rooms & spoil the furniture…’
Many illustrations, and enrapturing. An exquisite antidote to war and damnation.