Anthony Reviews: A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough
Our great British National treasure has written ‘A Life on Our Planet’ to accompany his latest television programme- A life on Our Planet. This is a necessary, heart-breaking, and yet uplifting book that is split into three parts – My Witness Statement, What Lies Ahead, and A vision for the future. Sir David Attenborough has had an extraordinary life through his experiences and first-hand insight into what happening to our planet and the dangers that we face. The way we have contributed to climate change and the destruction of our planet; enables him to be a voice, backed up by scientific institutes, studies, and his own witnessing throughout his life, that we should listen to. With his gentle narrative tones and important reasoning facts that don’t overburden the reader but give a clear and informative message of importance. This book has highlighted many really important challenges that we face. I love the fact (hope we can adopt it) the concepts of rewilding; working with nature rather than just taking from it. The fact that reintroducing predators like wolves back into their natural environment can stabilise and capture carbon and improve biodiversity, for example, in Yellowstone National Park. The resilience of nature always seems to blow my mind.
The writing comes across just like he says it on the tv; that soft authoritative gravitas tone for storytelling. I found this book fascinating and educational. I discovered words that I had not known such as Holocene which I can’t remember whether I was taught that at school. This book has brought to the forefront the terrible impacts we have on our home but also that there is hope to improve it.
From photos and stories of Sir David Attenborough adventures throughout his life show just a snippet of what those experiences must have been like and the risks that they went through to educate the world. It’s extraordinary and you can only admire the man. His life and his actions hopefully can help us be better to our home.
I highly recommend this book and watch the television programme at the same time. It definitely adds to the conversation and possibly a guide to making the positives and solutions of that conversation become a reality.
You can request a copy of this wonderful book here.