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76 of 84 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great illustrations, a bit short on detail, 9 Nov 2004
A difficult book to review, and for all the wrong reasons. Firstly, the subject matter is fascinating and there is much to commend the book in terms of the quality of its (profuse) illustration. The television series was excellent, its photography and animation simply stunning at times. However, the book does not live up to the quality and scale of the TV production. It offers a safe, general discussion of the emergence of the British Isles as a geographical fact, then goes on to offer a compressed potted history of the first settlers, emergence of a rural society, and the process of urbanisation and social change which has helped shape the landscape.It's all very interesting, and the book does provide quite an engaging narrative. But the words seem sparse, lost amidst the illustrations. As an introduction to the history, prehistory, and geology of the British Isles, it is, in places, too short and too simplistic. The book lacks the graphic quality of the television presentation. Now, quite clearly Alan Titchmarsh has put his name to this volume. He seems a nice, genuine bloke, and there's no doubt he knows about gardening. If I were to buy a book on gardening, I'd probably look at something by him. But if I read a book about the geology of the British Isles, I want it written by a geologist. If I read a book about the history of the British Isles, I want it written by an historian. Simply taking a 'celebrity' and sticking his name below the title seems cheap and exploitative of the general public. Anyone truly interested in this subject would be much better advised looking at Hoskins' "The Making of the English Landscape" (a recognised classic), or any of the excellent titles by Richard Muir - say his "Landscape Detective: Discovering a Countryside". Unfortunately, you get the impression that the BBC decided that this was a potentially boring subject, but if they could get someone as cuddly and popular as Alan, the public would stay in and watch it ... then rush out and buy the book. It's disappointing, and if you compare this publication with any of Richard Muir's books, you'll realise where value for money lies ... unless, of course, you simply want a pretty looking book. Mind you, Muir's books are well illustrated, too! It is a nice, safe, good little introduction to the subject, and maybe it will sow the seeds of interest in a few people ... but it is just a little short of the excellence you expect from the BBC.
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by Alan Titchmarsh
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