George Monbiot, the crusading environmental journalist, has recently been attempting to re-engage with nature, to live more lightly on the earth, and to be as close to self-sufficient as possible. This book is at once the story of this attempt, a kind of manifesto, and a scientific speculation about how life in Britain could be. The subtitle is: 'searching for enchantment on the frontiers of rewilding'. He's suggesting that our current definition of conservation is too limited, that the idea of trying to return the environment to the condition it was in, say 50 or even 150 years ago lacks ambition, and Britain should reintroduce beavers, wolves and other animals that have not lived in Britain for hundreds of years, and carry out massive reforestation projects, especially in Wales and Scotland to support their ecosystems. He's very persuasive, he knows his science, and while he admits that reintroducing megafauna like elephants and lions is unlikely, he asks us to consider the reasons why not. Although there isn't much direct relevance to New Zealand, this is a truly inspiring and fascinating book.