In this series of moving recollections involving both his childhood and his work
as a mature artist, John Fowles explains the impact of nature on his life and t
he dangers inherent in our traditional urge to categorise, to tame and ultimatel
y to possess the landscape. This acquisitive drive leads to alienation and an an
tagonism to the apparent disorder and randomness of the natural world. For John
Fowles the tree is the best analogue of prose fiction, symbolising the wild side
of our psyche, and he stresses the importance in art of the unpredictable, the
unaccountable and the intuitive. This fascinating text gives a unique insight in
to the author and offers the key to a true understanding of the inspiration for
his work.
