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Chargement... Ghost trees : nature and people in a London parish (original 2018; édition 2018)par Bob Gilbert
Information sur l'oeuvreGhost Trees: Nature and People in a London Parish par Bob Gilbert (2018)
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"The story of a city landscape told through its trees, both past and present. When Bob Gilbert moved to London's East End, he began to record the natural world of his new inner city patch. Especially the trees: their history, their stories, the trees' relationship with people. Bob takes a personal journey of exploration through the generations of trees that have helped shape the London district of Poplar, from the original wildwood through to the street trees of today. Drawing from history and natural history, poetry and painting, myth and magic, he reveals the hidden influences that lost landscapes--the 'ghost trees'--have had on the shape of the city today. Beautifully written, passionate, and flecked with 'acts of defiance' against the brutalities of capitalism and urban planning, Ghost Trees captures the very spirit of one unique city community."--Provided by publisher. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)635.977Technology Agriculture & related technologies Domestic Gardening Flowers and ornamental plants Other groupings TreesClassification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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The area was named after the Black Poplar tree, that used to be common here, but now has vanished. Thankfully there are lots of other trees and wildlife around if you know where to look or have a good guide. Bob Gilbert is that guide. His wife is a vicar in the East End parish and in this book he walks the streets seeking out the native trees and the immigrant plants that came over here when the area was part of London docks and even recent arrivals that are an aspect of that society. Each of these plants has a story behind why it is there, and he teases these out as you go through the book teaching us about the social context and the local history.
I loved the chapters on tracing the Black Ditch, a subterranean river that is under the parish. He is assisted by the artist Amy Sharrocks and they try and locate it by dowsing. There is a chapter where he follows the progress of the plane tree he can see from his home, documenting the changes through the seasons. It proves that natural history writing can be equally rich when it is centred on where you live as it is about the great spectacles of our planet. He takes part in the beating the bounds of the parish too and explains the gossamer-thin threads that link this back to the pagan ceremonies. I have only been to the area once, but my great grandmother was born in Poplar and lived in Stebondale Street, but this lyrical account makes me want to go and see it for myself. ( )