自1789年出版以来，吉尔伯特·怀特（Gilbert White）的《塞尔伯恩的自然历史和古物》激发了几代艺术家、作家和自然学家的灵感。从托马斯·比威克（Thomas Bewick）到埃里克·拉维利乌斯（Eric Ravilious）和埃里克·拉维利乌斯（Eric Ravilious），许多艺术家对动物、鸟类和野生动物的描述都为怀特这本书提供了插图，共同提供了从18世纪至今的自然历史插图的缩影。在本书中，西蒙·马丁（Simon Martin）收集了怀特所描述的一系列非凡野生动物的美丽图像，提供了对自然历史的持续吸引力和相关性的洞察力。

本书涵盖了从最早出版的一些鸟类和动物的描述，到开创性的自然摄影，20世纪20年代和30年代木刻版画的复兴，以及当代插画家如安吉·卢因（Angie Lewin）和艾米莉·萨顿（Emily Sutton）对怀特关于自然世界的信息的回应，以及大卫·爱登堡（David Attenborough）爵士对吉尔伯特·怀特生平的介绍、弗吉尼亚·伍尔夫（Virginia Woolf）的文章、现代和当代诗人的诗作，以及马克·赫尔德（Mark Hearld）的封面设计。

Since its publication in 1789, Gilbert White's Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne has inspired generations of artists, writers and naturalists. From Thomas Bewick to Eric Ravilious and Clare Leighton, many artists' depictions of animals, birds and wildlife have illustrated White's celebrated book, together providing a microcosm of natural history illustration from the eighteenth century until today. In Drawn to Nature, Simon Martin has gathered joyful and beautiful images of the extraordinary array of wildlife described by White, providing an insight into the continuing appeal and relevance of the Natural History.

This fascinating account takes us from some of the earliest published depictions of birds and animals, to pioneering nature photography, the revival of wood-engraving in the 1920s and 30s, and responses to White's message about the natural world by contemporary illustrators such as Angie Lewin and Emily Sutton. The book also includes an introduction to the life of Gilbert White by Sir David Attenborough, an essay by Virginia Woolf, poems by modern and contemporary poets, and a jacket design by Mark Hearld.