The prestigious birdwatchers’ journal British Birds has given Birdwatching London a substantial and very favourable review in its December issue, praising ‘an attractively produced new site guide’, and concluding: ‘Whether you’re on old hand at London birding, a recent arrival or a visitor, you will find inspiration in this book to visit a part of the city you do not currently know.’
What a Hazard a Letter is one of the Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine's '12 Books of Christmas'
You magazine is featuring among ‘The 12 Books of Christmas’ What a Hazard a Letter is, describing it as an ‘intriguing stocking-filler’: ‘A collection of remarkable unsent letters – angry tirades, unexpressed love and missed deliveries from both fiction and real life. Full of riveting detail for that Christmas Quiz.’
The Evening Standard reviews Birdwatching London in its Christmas Books
The London Evening Standard’s Christmas Books section has picked Birdwatching London as one of ‘7 books for people who love reading about London’, Ian Thomson praising ‘David Darrell-Lambert’s chirpy avian guide’.
A wonderful Sunday Times review for What a Hazard a Letter is
The Sunday Times Books section devoted a whole page to a review of What a Hazard a Letter is, and a wonderfully positive review by Christopher Hart it was too. Here is the full text, and here is a taste:
‘A curious, astute and entertaining collection of famous unsent, unreceived (and a few unwritten) letters in history and literature… Some of the most heartbreaking are imaginary… But others still, wild and dashed-off as they might seem, are literature of the highest order… This utterly original compilation takes in Saul Bellow’s manic letter-writer Moses Herzog, television’s The Young Ones and the wily response of John F Kennedy to Nikita Khrushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis… A charming book, witty, original and wise.’
The London Naturalist reviews London's Street Trees and Birdwatching London
The annual journal of the distinguished London Natural History Society, the London Naturalist, has reviewed both London’s Street Trees and Birdwatching London at length. Of Street Trees it praises the photographs as ‘excellent’, and concludes: ‘It deserves to remain in print and . . . if you are looking for a general interest festive stocking-filler, this book will certainly merit inclusion.’
Of Birdwatching London the reviewer writes that ‘For a reasonable price, there is a huge amount of information, and inspiration, in this book. Newcomers to birding or to London will find it particularly helpful in helping develop their interest. . . London birders will find this a very enjoyable and useful book.’
The Londonist features Birdwatching London
The popular Londonist website is running a strking feature on ‘The Ten Most Unlikely Birdwatching Spots in London’, based on David Darrell-Lambert’s book.
London's Street Trees reviewed in Natural History Museum's magazine
The Natural History Museum - in whose gift shop both London’s Street Trees and Birdwatching London are on sale - has now reviewed Paul Wood’s book in its magazine, and praises ‘an easy to follow, thoroughly researched and detailed book, with enough depth for the tree enthusiasts among us as well as the casual observer.’ It is, the Museum concludes, ‘a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf’.
A great review for What a Hazard a Letter is from Bel Mooney in the Daily Mail
Bel Mooney has given What a Hazard a Letter is a long and enthusiastic review on the Books page of the Daily Mail, praising it as a ‘gloriously varied collection’ and full of ‘fascinating pages’.
A full house at Daunt's in Hampstead for Birdwatching London
David Darrell-Lambert’s birding walk from Daunt’s Hampstead Heath branch in August, up onto the Heath and over Parliament Hill, was such a success that he was invited back for an evening talk. Last night a sell-out audience, following similar successful evenings at Ink@84 and Stanfords, saw him give a hugely entertaining and funny talk, which prompted a host of questions and then sales of a lot of signed copies. Next stop currently the Bookseller Crow in Peckham on 13 December…
