Natural History of Selborne
Ranked #4,254 in Books, Poetry & Writing, #152,980 overall
Gilbert White and Selborne
The language of birds is very ancient, and, like other ancient modes of speech, very elliptical: little is said, but much is meant and understood...
(Gilbert White, Letter XLIII to Daines Barrington, 9 September 1778)
'The Natural History of Selborne' has become part of that curious concoction of ideas and artefacts, which are seen as somehow defining 'the English way of life.'
First appearing in 1788, 'Selborne' is the fourth most frequently published book in the English language, behind The Bible, the Oxford English Dictionary and the works of William Shakespeare.
When English settlers emigrated to the colonies in the last century, 'Selborne' was packed alongside the family bibles and sprigs of heather. Coleridge jotted notes in the margin of his copy and thought it 'a sweet and delightful book'. Darwin praised it as one of the chief reasons for his interest in biology.
(Extracts reproduced by the kind permission of Richard Mabey from his award winning biography of Gilbert White in 1986.)
(Gilbert White, Letter XLIII to Daines Barrington, 9 September 1778)
'The Natural History of Selborne' has become part of that curious concoction of ideas and artefacts, which are seen as somehow defining 'the English way of life.'
First appearing in 1788, 'Selborne' is the fourth most frequently published book in the English language, behind The Bible, the Oxford English Dictionary and the works of William Shakespeare.
When English settlers emigrated to the colonies in the last century, 'Selborne' was packed alongside the family bibles and sprigs of heather. Coleridge jotted notes in the margin of his copy and thought it 'a sweet and delightful book'. Darwin praised it as one of the chief reasons for his interest in biology.
(Extracts reproduced by the kind permission of Richard Mabey from his award winning biography of Gilbert White in 1986.)
Gilbert White's 'Natural History of Selborne' - Audio Book
Gilbert White was a pioneering naturalist and ornithologist. White was born at Selborne Hampshire, England on July 18, 1720. His house in Selborne, The Wakes, now contains the Gilbert White Museum, as well as the Oates Memorial Museum, commemorating Frank and Lawrence Oates.For the very first time, 'The Natural History of Selborne' is now available as an unabridged audio book, and has a duration of almost 11 hours of magical listening. A pdf file comprising the full listing of each letter included in this audio title is available with this download.
The narrator, James Taylor, has more than 40 years experience as a professional actor. His diversity ranges from Theatre in London's West End, numerous television appearances and the voice of Rune Haako in Star Wars (The Phantom Menace). Even so, James regards 'Selborne' as one of his most rewarding challenges. He insisted on studying Richard Mabey's biography of Gilbert White before producing a truly compelling performance.
With the kind assistance of Julian Reynolds, Head of Biology, Trinity College, Dublin, this recording also includes Latin translations of everything noted by White in his incredible and meticulous observations.
'Selborne' is a unique listening experience. 200 years after it was first published it still reveals "The secret parish in all of us."
Download this great natural and history audio book here:
Gilbert White's 'Natural History of Selborne' - Audio Book.
N.B While working closely with Julian Reynolds, Head of Biology at Trinity College, Dublin, we were as meticulous in our Latin translations as it is ever possible to be with such a flexible language. This, coupled with the fact that White wrote the book more than 200 years ago will lead to some inconsistencies. For example, Julian was adamant that the modern day pronunciation of "Hirundines" is a change that has taken place over two centuries and, in his wisdom (who am I to argue?) opted for the pronunciation that appears throughout the reading. Enjoy! John Mayfield Producer of 'The Natural History of Selborne.'
Gilbert White: A Biography of the Author of The Natural History of Selborne
Richard Mabey
With more than two hundred editions, Gilbert White's The Natural History of Selborne is one of the most published books in the English language. An environmental study of the eighteenth-century Hampshire parish where White was born and later served as curate, the book is distinguished by the author's meticulous observations of plant and animal life--the "minute particulars"--and his uncanny sense of their interdependence. His book is both the definitive expression of the English love for countryside and a cornerstone of all environmental writing.
In this Whitbread Prize-winning biography, Richard Mabey--whom the Times has called "Britain's foremost nature writer"--looks at the life from which the celebrated work grew. This is not an easy task. Although White's findings did not go unnoticed in his own time (much of the Selborne book's contents are in fact letters to Thomas Pennant, one of the era's leading zoologists), relatively little is known about this minor clergyman, who made twenty pounds a year and rarely ventured outside his parish. Mabey visits not only the public and private records but the environs of Selborne, which survive to this day and are remarkably unchanged. A portrait of exceptional detail emerges, and we begin to see very clearly this singular man whose superb scientific eye was complemented by a patient curiosity (he valued observing over collecting) and an emotional investment in his work that still speaks to us. White typifies the eclectic but intense engagement that has nearly vanished in our era of scientific specialization. We recognize in his work a crucial shift in the human perception of nature--as something benign rather than as an adversary.
In this Whitbread Prize-winning biography, Richard Mabey--whom the Times has called "Britain's foremost nature writer"--looks at the life from which the celebrated work grew. This is not an easy task. Although White's findings did not go unnoticed in his own time (much of the Selborne book's contents are in fact letters to Thomas Pennant, one of the era's leading zoologists), relatively little is known about this minor clergyman, who made twenty pounds a year and rarely ventured outside his parish. Mabey visits not only the public and private records but the environs of Selborne, which survive to this day and are remarkably unchanged. A portrait of exceptional detail emerges, and we begin to see very clearly this singular man whose superb scientific eye was complemented by a patient curiosity (he valued observing over collecting) and an emotional investment in his work that still speaks to us. White typifies the eclectic but intense engagement that has nearly vanished in our era of scientific specialization. We recognize in his work a crucial shift in the human perception of nature--as something benign rather than as an adversary.
Gilbert White: A Biography of the Author of The Natural History of Selborne
Amazon Price: $10.43 (as of 02/17/2012)
List Price: $16.50
Release Date: 12/31/1969
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The Illustrated Natural History of Selborne
The Natural History of Selborne (1789) is the distillation of a lifetime of observing nature, and ranges far beyond White's immediate neighborhood noted in the title. Written during a turbulent time in world history, it is a celebration of the endeavors of both human beings and animals to
survive. White's main aims were to induce readers to pay more attention to the wonders around them, and to advance their knowledge of the variety of life: his success has made this book a classic, and has made his name one of the most revered among British naturalists.
survive. White's main aims were to induce readers to pay more attention to the wonders around them, and to advance their knowledge of the variety of life: his success has made this book a classic, and has made his name one of the most revered among British naturalists.
Illustrated Natural History of Selborne
Amazon Price: $15.68 (as of 02/17/2012)
List Price:
Gilbert White lived the quietest life, but he succeeded in gaining the attention of all the prominent naturalists of the 18th century. His only book was the result of years of observations of his gardens and surrounding countryside of southern England. Written in the form of letters to interested fellow naturalists, White comments on birds, geology, insects, and even a visit to a North American moose that has been imported by a neighbor. As a writer, Gilbert White is astute in combining his observations with a charming delight in everything he sees that makes the reader want to follow him wherever he goes. -- neil hoffmann (Bryn Mawr, PA)
Release Date: 12/31/1969
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