The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden (Webb & Bower, 1980)

Description

A naturalist’s delight, and a record-breaking gift book!

In 1906, Edith Holden recorded in words and images the flora and fauna of the British countryside through the changing seasons of the year. For 70 years, her enchanting journal lay undiscovered–until 1977, when it was first published with great success.

All the charm and beauty of the original remains intact in this facsimile, with Holden’s carefully handwritten favorite poems, personal thoughts, observations of the wildlife she saw in her native Warwickshire; and remarks on her travels throughout England and Scotland. On every page, her exquisitely rendered paintings–executed with a naturalist’s eye for detail and an artist’s sensitivity and skill–capture birds perched on branches, their mouths open in song; a tiny shrew mouse, sniffing the air; delicate butterflies and slithering snakes; fluttering leaves; and an array of flowers, from pink foxgloves and trailing roses to yellow water lilies. And, each spellbinding picture reflects her deep love of nature. Surely a beloved classic for a new generation of book buyers.