Forests of ash Book

Written during World War II, and focusing mainly on our culture's troubled relationship with nature, this is an extraordinary book that gives a wealth of insight into the origins of the economic, cultural and ecological crisis we currently find ourselves in. This is not an easy or quick read; the text is dense and makes frequent references to poetry, philosophy and historical sources as Massingham traces the gradual sell-out of Western culture, including institutionalised religion, to the gods of finance. At one and the same time terrifying, sad and yet oddly hopeful. The book is out of print and not available in electronic form, but copies can still be found through the usual second-hand channels. This is a book I will not be parting with.