Gilbert White spent most of his life as curate of Selborne and in 1751 began to keep his recorded, detailed observations of wild life and nature. This book is based on a selection of passages from these works. John Commander has chosen passages from The Garden Kalender and The Naturalist's Journal and arranged them within the framework of the year. The book is illustrated wih watercolours and engravings, including views of Selbourne commissioned by White from Samuel Hieronymus Grimm in 1766 and some reproductions of Thomas Bewick. The book is introduced by Richard Mabey, author of many books including Food For Free; Gilbert White: A biography, which won the 1986 Whitbread prize for biography and The Gardener's Labyrinth.