The Writings of W.H. Hudson, The First Literary Environmentalist, 1841-1922

by Dennis Shrubsall, Pierre Coustillas (Foreword)

He was born in a district of Buenos Aires and only came to England in his thirties. By then his heart was already damaged by rheumatic fever and he would never be completely well, but he was a devoted commentator on birds and nature. Hudson's works, including his full-length books and essays, included ethnographies as well as close observations of wildlife, and his quiet, self-effacing ways translate well on the page. Here Shrubsall, who is Hudson's biographer, provides critiques of each of Hudson's books, including their development, intellectual provenance, publishing records, differences among versions and editions, dates of the experiences about which Hudson wrote, and the real names of people and places for which Hudson used pseudonyms. Shrubsall includes an impressive list of Hudson's papers, pamphlets, and articles published in journals and magazines, making this a very comprehensive companion volume to Hudson's body of work. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2007