The Guardian Book of the Countryside

From the spread of the railways and flight to the cities in the early nineteenth century, through to the floods and global warming on the 21st century, this is a timely reminder of just how much the British countryside has endured over the last 200 years. It includes pieces on subjects as varied as windfarms to city farms, mass trespasses and the rise of the rambler through to the creation of English vineyards and the return of the red kite. This poignant collection shows how the countryside adapts to everything we throw at it, yet still remains our most valuable and beautiful resource.