Book Review

"The Alps, A Natural Companion"
Written by Jim Langley and Paul Gannon

The stunning natural beauty of the Alps makes this range of mountains one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. This book helps visitors to gain a deeper appreciation of that beauty, by providing a guide to the geology and flowers of the Alps. Written in straightforward language for those with little or no prior knowledge and illustrated by stunning photographs, maps and diagrams, this book reveals how different rocks were created and shaped into the present-day mountains by glaciers and other agents. The detailed guide to 306 stunning Alpine flowers and plants can be used for on-the-spot identification and is complemented by chapters describing just how these flowers survive in their harsh mountain environment. Finally, what better way to make use of this newfound understanding than to explore the Alps with the 20 suggested walks (with maps), which take in some of the best geological and botanical spots of the Alps.

Jim Langley is a specialist in alpine flowers. He also runs Nature’s Work, an educational consultancy that provides a range of guided walks, training events, and bespoke outdoor learning programmes. Paul Gannon is a science and technology writer. He also runs geology workshops in Snowdonia and the Lake District.

Published by the Oxford Alpine Club (November 2019)
ISBN 978–1–913167–01–1; A5 paperback. 300 full-colour pages. RRP £19.99.
Dimensions: 210x148x18.2mm. Weight: 600g approx.

Return to the top of this page, or to the complete Index, or to this section's Index.