Bank Holiday book review – Seasonality by Ian Parsons

Ian Parsons has contributed to this blog on numerous occasions (see here) and this is the third of his books reviewed here (see A Vulture Landscape, October 2020, and A Tree Miscellany, January 2017).

I like Ian’s writing as it is clear, easy to understand, has some embedded wit and much embedded knowledge and an enthusiasm for wildlife.  This book goes through the seasons as a framework for Ian’s observations of a wide range of wildlife.  I get the impression that a walk with Ian, an experienced tour guide remember, would open my eyes to things that I would otherwise miss, and that’s what his books do too.

In particular, I really enjoy his knowledge of trees. I lapped up the accounts of individual trees such as the No Parking Whitebeam in Somerset, Devon Whitebeams, a solitary Rowan on Dartmoor and the Tortworth Chestnut. Ian opened my mind to a new world of trees, but without more assistance my eyes aren’t really opened to them. I need to get out more with people with a different take on nature to mine.

Ian Parsons reminds me, in his writing, of Ian Carter, and I think that if you enjoy either of their writings you will probably enjoy both. I do.

This book is as good a companion in one’s hands as I feel its author would be on a walk.

There are many photographs by the author through the text and they are fine additions to the book.

The cover? It’s attractive and not too fussy. I’d give it 7/10.

And a word for Whittles, the publisher – their books are always well produced.

Seasonality: a personal account of nature through the seasons by Ian Parsons is published by Whittles Publishing.

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