In 1781, Gilbert White was a country curate, living in the Hampshire village he had known all his life. Fascinated by the fauna, flora and people around him, he kept journals for many years, and, at that time, was halfway to completing his path-breaking The Natural History of Selborne. No one had written like this before, with such close observation, humour, and sympathy: his spellbinding book has remained in print ever since, treasured by generations of readers.

Jenny Uglow illuminates this quirky, warm-hearted man, 'the father of ecology', by following a single year in his Naturalist's Journal. As his diary jumps from topic to topic, she accompanies Gilbert from frost to summer drought, from the migration of birds to the sex lives of snails and the coming of harvest.

Jenny Uglow writes on literature, art, and social history. Her books include award-winning biographies on Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot, William Hogarth, Thomas Bewick and Edward Lear, as well as group studies including The Lunar Men and the panoramic In These Times: Living In Britain Through Napolean’s Wars, 1793 – 1815. A retired editorial director of Chattus & Windus, and former Chair of The Council of The Royal Society of Literature, she grew up in Cumbria, and now lives in Borrowdale.

Event starts at 12pm, and takes place at Tullie. Seating is unreserved and doors will open 20 minutes before an event.

The festival bookshop is run by Bookends, Carlisle’s independent bookshop.

For queries, email borderlinescarlisle@gmail.com

This event is part of the Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival.