THE QUIET FIELDS.

Michael Joseph, London, 1981, first edtion. 206 pp, 8vo (8 3/4" H), hard cover in dust jacket. ISBN 0718120396 Charming b&w illustrations. "There is a growing need for the 'quiet fields' in this noisy, restless world. Mercifully, they can still be found by the country-lover and naturalist. This book tells of a year spent deep in the countryside, beginning when the year is young, when trees and hedges are bare to the winter winds, and on through the spring, summer and autumn, to winter once again. Whatever the season of the year there is always something to see in the countryside, even when the 'quiet fields' are sheeted with snow. There are the winter migrants - the wildfowl of the wet places, the delicate fieldfares and redwings - who come to Britain to escape the bitter temperatures of their native lands. 'BB' also describes the advent of the spring migrants, which bring such intense joy to the naturalist that he even had to surrender his studio to a swallow family, which honoured him with a visit and two lusty broods of young. And the arrival of frogs at his Big Pond, the first for years, was a red-letter day in his calendar. There is still magic and a sense of peace in Britain's woods and fields. This book sets out to prove it, and the illustrations by D.J. Watkins-Pitchford echo exactly the spirit of the writing." Minor very soft crease, faint pencil erasure marks and previous owner's embossed blind stamp on front free endpaper; small light crease at bottom corner of half-title page; very minor edgewear; minor wrinkling at top/bottom of spine. Dust jacket has one small closed tear, one tiny tear, light edge wrinkling - mainly at top/bottom of spine and flap-folds, very light rubbing, minor soiling, small area of delamination at bottom of front panel at flap-fold, a few tiny dints on hinges - mainly rear hinge - now protected in removable mylar sleeve. Very Good/Very Good.