Take a field trip with naturalist May Theilgaard Watts through mid-twentieth century Europe, to learn how nature, history, and culture shaped the landscapes of Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Britain.
In this sequel to her natural history classic, Reading the Landscape of America, Watts explores the hills of Italy, the grouse heath of Yorkshire, the Black Forest of Germany, the limestone plateaus of France, and much more, explaining the forces that shaped these landscapes and continue to change them. She draws on botany, ecology, and geography, but also literature and folklore, to interpret the clues written on the land, as she considers the shapes of rooflines and coastlines, the ecology of forests and hedgerows, or the design of a vegetable plot.
Her book is a treat for lovers of words, as well as natural history. Watts includes a Glossary of the Landscape for each country she visits. Illustrated with dozens of the author's charming pen and ink drawings. Includes a key to identifying the trees of Europe.
