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A review by georgiesutton
Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea and Human Life by George Monbiot
5.0
This was I think one of the most accessible books like this that I have read. I found the balance was right between providing discussion, opinion and evidence. The first half felt a bit more disjointed and took me a while to get into and to get on side with Monbiot who I came into reading his book being skeptic all about him.
It was fascinating and interesting to read 10 years after publication as the re-wilding topic and actions have progressed (yay) but also we have seen walruses making their own way to the UK too! I already knew many of the principles from studying so I like the personal nature writing spin and musings which help ground the science and policy in reality for me.
I will note this is very UK-centric which, as someone who lives and works with this environment, I liked but it does limit the audience somewhat. Even then due to where I live and visit not being touched on much I would have liked more on the lowlands, marshes and coast (although appreciated the ocean chapter so often left out).
Is it too far to say this should be required reading? The overgrazing and economics of sheep is bonkers but also loved learning about theories that geoncide in North America may have caused the little ice age, or that the North Sea could have once been clear… mind blowing. We still don’t have many trees in the UK and yet the policy is still “plant trees” not consider how we can let the trees grow.
It was fascinating and interesting to read 10 years after publication as the re-wilding topic and actions have progressed (yay) but also we have seen walruses making their own way to the UK too! I already knew many of the principles from studying so I like the personal nature writing spin and musings which help ground the science and policy in reality for me.
I will note this is very UK-centric which, as someone who lives and works with this environment, I liked but it does limit the audience somewhat. Even then due to where I live and visit not being touched on much I would have liked more on the lowlands, marshes and coast (although appreciated the ocean chapter so often left out).
Is it too far to say this should be required reading? The overgrazing and economics of sheep is bonkers but also loved learning about theories that geoncide in North America may have caused the little ice age, or that the North Sea could have once been clear… mind blowing. We still don’t have many trees in the UK and yet the policy is still “plant trees” not consider how we can let the trees grow.