Lee Durrell

Thirty years old, this 'atlas' probably only has antiquarian interest now as a snapshot of the state, not of the planet but of the global environmentalist movement as it was about to launch into its moment of greatest power and influence within Western politics.

It is a bit of hodge podge, genuinely informative but essentially a work of propaganda for the cause with a tail end of case studies in environmental activity some of which looks as if it was cut-and-pasted from a brochure, whether show more corporate or NGO.

And, of course, the genuine science is book-cased with standard issue exhortation and the usual spiritual guff that gets dangerously close to New Age. But, hey, that is the nature of the movement - part sincere scientifically-based concern, part the latest in a long line of potty religions.

One is in two minds about this revolution. On the one hand, its ends are decent and its call to action probably timely. On the other, it descends to half-truths and obfuscation to manipulate the great unwashed in order to subsidise a veritable industry of beneficiaries who do like their air miles.

The point at which this revolution in consciousness or cultural coup (depending on your stance) took place was fixed in my mind by the editorial change around this time or soon after in the Royal Geographical Society's 'Geographical Magazine'.

Issues under the pre-environmentalist regime were primarily concerned with human geography. I remember a remarkable detailed and well illustrated article in the latter days about the failures and problems with the old Soviet passport scheme. It was essentially humanist.

Overnight, the magazine switched to a concern with the planet and eco-systems. The human was lost or, rather, the human seemed to be restricted to indigenous tribes with that rather naive implication that they were saints and we were sinners. Fact mixed with ideological assumption.

It was nonsense, of course, but still a genuine corrective to a disregard for the total eco-system and a refusal to recognise the bad effects of technological interference. This was to be overwhelmed by a commitment to a faith-based set of values, an ideology at least, if not a religion.

The science is still in there, of course, and some important and good work has been done but the 'Atlas' shows us the rest of the baggage - the diminution of the human in favour of the total system, a barely suppressed hysteria about threats and an almost obscene sentimentalism.

The best aspect of the movement has been the creation of a nobility in us through our improved respect for the natural and its invocations against cruelty, albeit that nature itself is essentially brutal, cruel and wasteful if magnificently self-creating. Kill a species and a new one arises.

The worst aspect of the movement is the sanctification of the natural and a gross negativity about human works that has created a generation that is negative about humanity itself. Instead of the material serving us as consciousness, this ideology forces our superior awareness to bend to matter.

Thirty years on, it is probably time to start calling the movement out on its hysteria, personal hypocrisies and half-truths while trying to preserve the general ethic of balance between human and nature. We really did not need another religion, not this and not now trans-humanism.

A re-calibration does not mean returning to the dogged science of the pre-1980s whose detached attitude to the world failed to see that sentiment in favour of nature is part and parcel of being truly human. What is required is that some balance is imposed on the Gaian loons.

First, that the object of policy must be the improvement of the human condition in the medium term and that nature has to be respected in that context not as a traditionalism or conservatism that holds us back from experimentation and technological solutions to human problems.

Second, to recognise that the planet has no meaning without us to give it meaning and that the meaning we must give it is as the base line for own personal, cultural, socio-political and economic development. Giving up on these for the planet misses the point of being human entirely.

Third, to recognise problems but still resist the sustained hysteria used tiresomely to maintain ideological momentum and accept that nature changes as much as we change and that overall flexibility and adaptability are more important than preservation of an obscure beetle.

This is not an argument against ecological awareness (quite the contrary, it should be embedded in all strategic progressive thought) but it is an argument against allowing eco-ideology to govern nations at the expense of other considerations. It is a part and not the whole.

Above all, the ecological movement has to be seen as having perverted itself from a rational enterprise into a daft populist religion somewhere along the line. This is not healthy. Its irrational, anti-human and sentimental aspects must be called out now for the sake of the species. show less

Lee Durrell has done an amazing job of putting together a collection of Gerald Durrell's writing that takes us through his life and work. The selections all speak with his well loved voice, introducing us to wonderful characters both human and other. Lee limits her voice to occasional short introductions that bring Gerry closer.

Interesting. It's a little choppy - twelve segments, each about visiting a different area (eleven nature reserves and Moscow's pet market and zoo). Almost every segment begins with complaints about the trip to get there, comments about where they'd be sleeping, and a description of a fabulous meal they were given, before going on to discuss the various animals they'd come to see. He really likes his similes, too - every paragraph had two or three, and some had dozens in five or ten show more sentences. But, as always, Durrell's descriptions of settings and animals draw you in. The photographs are gorgeous, too. Fascinating animals, and interesting information about the work that's been done and is being done to bring back endangered and extinct in the wild populations. I really enjoyed reading this. I don't think I'll love it like some of his "bring 'em back alive" books, which are regular rereads, but it was worth reading. show less

An absolutely enthralling story of betrayal and revenge set in the mid 1990s with a newly reunited Germany attempting to consolidate influence with the USA on intelligence matters. Into the mix, the British Secret Service is trying not to lose their place with the Americans and there is still a residual feeling in some Germans that the Nazi past of some cannot be overlooked. And, of course, there are the Russians to consider, who are supposedly the enemies of the West. From this, Seymour has show more conjured up a gripping, fast paced and atmospheric tale of the times, exploring the moral dilemmas of those involved, which leads to an exciting and unpredictable climax. show less