Richard Jefferies (1848-1887) was a naturalist, novelist and social commentator. A perceptive observer of human and animal life, in countryside and town, his sensitive, exquisite writing has always been cherished and admired. In 1883, towards the end of his short life, he set down in this spiritual autobiography his heartfelt philosophy of mankind's place in the natural world. Wayward in places, but always beautifully phrased and meticulously observed - whether describing the hills of his native Wiltshire or the bustle of a London street - this visionary Victorian classic has taken on a new relevance for a world facing unprecedented ecological challenges.