Ring of Bright Water: A Trilogy - Softcover

  • 4.21 out of 5 stars
    457 ratings by Goodreads
9781567924008: Ring of Bright Water: A Trilogy

Synopsis

This volume weaves together the Scottish otter stories from Gavin Maxwell's three non-fiction books, Ring of Bright Water (1960), The Rocks Remain (1963), and Raven Meet Thy Brother (1969). Maxwell was both an extraordinarily evocative writer and a highly unusual man. While touring the Iraqi marshes, he was captivated by an otter and became a devoted advocate of and spokesman for the species. He moved to a remote house in the Scottish highlands, co-habiting there with three otters and living an idyllic and isolated life at least for a while. Fate, fame, and fire conspired against this paradise, and it, too, came to an end, though the journey was filled with incident and wonder. Maxwell was also talented as an artist, and his sinuous line drawings of these amphibious and engaging creatures, and the homes they occupied, illustrate his story. This book stands as a lasting tribute to a man, his work, and his passion. It was received and has endured as a classic for its portrait not only of otters but also of a man who endured heartaches and disappointments, whose life embodied both greatness and tragedy. He writes with rare eloquence about his birth, his devotion to the beloved Scottish highlands, and the wildlife he loved, while refusing to ignore the darker aspects of his nature and of nature in its larger sense. Maxwell's legacy has been preserved at the Eilean Ban Trust and Bright Water Visitor Centre. A Nonpareil Book by David R. Godine.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

An aristocrat, adventurer, naturalist, conservationist, secret agent, shark hunter, racing driver, painter and social renegade, Gavin Maxwell was born in 1914, the youngest son of an aristocratic Scottish family. During a trip to Iraq in 1956, he fell in love with his first otter. Moving to Scotland's West Coast, he set up home with his animals, and after its destruction by fire, he moved to a lighthouse cottage off the Isle of Skye. He died in 1969 at age 55. He wrote and illustrated many books, the most beloved being Ring of Bright Water, released as a film in 1969.

Review

Gavin Maxwell was to otters what Joy Adamson was to lions, Dian Fossey to gorillas, Jane Goodall to chimpanzees and Grey Owl to beavers. Ring of Bright Water was one of the twentieth-century s most popular wildlife books (top of the U.S. bestseller lists for a year, over two million sold worldwide) and was habitually bracketed with Thoreau s Walden, Gilbert White s Natural History of Selborne and Henry Williamson's Tarka the Otter. --Douglas Botting, Gavin Maxwell: A Life

One of the outstanding wildlife books of all time. --New York Herald Tribune --New York Herald Tribune

One of the outstanding wildlife books of all time. --New York Herald Tribune

One of the outstanding wildlife books of all time. --New York Herald Tribune

Likely outside of assigned reading, in many ways, Gavin Maxwell is still the most quintessential of UK writers. Born in Scotland during the World War I, he is most remembered for making otters an appealing pet in his Ring of Bright Water trilogy. Based on Maxwell's ongoing adventures with a series of otters he took into his home over the years, Bright Water and its sequels, The Rocks Remain and Raven Seek Thy Brother, manage to combine all the humor of Gerald Durrell with the heartrending truth of James Herriot. Yes, otters are very cute, but also otters die, sometimes quite horrifically. (No, I'm not happy about that, but knowing it going in helps a lot.) What's interesting about Maxwell's stories is that his is not a picture of domestic bliss; the wild animals might be domesticated, but the wild remains. . . . For a picture of one man's very complicated life in mid century Britain, Maxwell is certainly a must read. There is something endlessly endearing about how hard he tried to live a life only he could imagine possible. Plus, it's just nice to know that otters truly are as charismatic as many of us had always hoped. Kudos to David R. Godine for bringing Maxwell's stories to a new generation in one volume that includes the author's sweet pencil drawings as well. --Bookslut

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Buy Used

Condition: Very Good
Former library book; May have limited... Learn more about this copy

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.

Destination, rates & speeds

Add to basket

Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by David R. Godine Publisher, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.05. Seller Inventory # G156792400XI4N10

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 7.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by David R. Godine Publisher, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.05. Seller Inventory # G156792400XI4N00

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 7.20
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by David R. Godine, Publisher, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used paperback

Seller: The Maryland Book Bank, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

paperback. Condition: Very Good. Reprint. Used - Very Good. Seller Inventory # 3-WWW-5-0139

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 3.34
Convert currency
Shipping: US$ 4.20
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Gavin Maxwell
Published by David R Godine, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: Half Price Books Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_402078623

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.50
Convert currency
Shipping: US$ 3.49
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by Godine Publisher, David R., 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Softcover

Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Very Good. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 5537127-6

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 8.15
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by Godine Publisher, David R., 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Softcover

Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 10309293-6

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 8.15
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Gavin Maxwell
Published by David R Godine, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_395726254

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 4.50
Convert currency
Shipping: US$ 3.75
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Gavin Maxwell
Published by David R Godine, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: HPB-Diamond, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_415712786

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 7.19
Convert currency
Shipping: US$ 3.75
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by David R. Godine, Publisher, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Softcover

Seller: Books Unplugged, Amherst, NY, U.S.A.

Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars 5-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Condition: Good. Buy with confidence! Book is in good condition with minor wear to the pages, binding, and minor marks within 1.15. Seller Inventory # bk156792400Xxvz189zvxgdd

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 17.23
Convert currency
Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

Stock Image

Maxwell, Gavin
Published by David R. Godine, Publisher, 2011
ISBN 10: 156792400X ISBN 13: 9781567924008
Used Paperback

Seller: Toscana Books, AUSTIN, TX, U.S.A.

Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars 4-star rating, Learn more about seller ratings

Paperback. Condition: very good. Purchase pre-owned books for prompt service and customer satisfaction. Seller Inventory # UnScanned156792400X

Contact seller

Buy Used

US$ 21.93
Convert currency
Shipping: US$ 4.30
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds

Quantity: 1 available

Add to basket

There are 3 more copies of this book

View all search results for this book