David Attenborough's 1979 encounter with Rwanda's mountain gorillas was one of the most memorable moments of television. The iconic book and TV series, Life on Earth soon became the benchmark for quality wildlife programming. Life on Earth is the story of the evolution of animals and plants that are found on our planet.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the book's first publication, David Attenborough has revised the wildlife classic. He has updated the original text with recent scientific discoveries and included new photography.
This special anniversary edition, with its glossy pages and hardback, is the perfect gift for nature lovers. An international bestseller when first published, this edition is set to climb the bestseller lists again.
David Attenborough joined the BBC as a trainee in 1952, having only ever watched one television programme. His career progressed and he constantly looked for new ways to film outside traditional studios. In 1965, he oversaw the first ever colour TV broadcasts in Europe. He commissioned landmark series Civilisation and The Ascent of Man. Inspired by this new kind of television, bringing history, culture and science together, he invented the natural history documentary.
By the late 1970's he was travelling the world, sharing the wonders of the natural world. The Life on Earth series used innovative camera techniques to show animals in their natural habitats. An estimated 500 million people have watched the series. Over time, David Attenborough became aware that the animals and habitats he was filming were under threat. Rather than overtly address environmental issues, he prefers to showcase the natural world to inspire its preservation.
Reviewer: Andrea Molloy
Harper Collins, RRP $55.00