The Beauty in the Beast: Britain's Favourite Creatures and the People Who Love Them

by Hugh Warwick

The Beauty in the Beast is a delightful portrait of some of the UK's best-loved wild animals and birds and the colourful enthusiasts who champion their causes. Meet the water vole-woman from Shropshire, the owl-man from Somerset, Paul, the beaver-man of Perthshire, and the mid-Wales badger man. These and many others are all fabulously engaging British characters who manage to carry a deep knowledge of their chosen species within a distinctly quirky shell. Other animals making an appearance include otters, bats, dolphins, dragonflies, foxes, adders, and the very special toad. Hugh Warwick, animal enthusiast and hedgehog fanatic, writes a series of affectionate and lively homages to the animals of the British Isles, composed of fieldwork and interviews with the people who love and conserve them.

Genres: Natural History, Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, History

322 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2012

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugh Warwick has a unique concept: "gateway species", species which people form an attachment to, and then forge an attachment with nature in general. For Hugh (and for myself) this species was the hedgehog.

In "The Beauty in the Beast" Hugh goes looking for people with a deep attachment to their "gateway species", and in doing so meets for charming and eccentric individuals, and gets up close and personal with many different English creatures.

For Hugh, the idea was to find another creature who delighted him as much as the hedgehog does, and that creature would be immortalized as a tattoo on his leg...to go with the hedgehog one he has.

The book provides an enchanting look at various British creatures, and also the people who now dedicate their lives to them.

There are sections on otters, dragonflies, water voles, bats, badgers, and many more.

"The Beauty in the Beast" is both enchanting and depressing, because you cannot write about wild creatures without writing about their rapidly shrinking habitat and the attitudes of both governments and big business... ie...they couldn't give a stuff, in most cases.

I came away from the book with a desire to know more about water voles, and a desire to see them in the wild, if at all possible.

And no, I won't be getting a tattoo.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE BEAUTY IN THE BEAST is another book of nature writing, this one with a slight twist: the book is divided into chapters, each detailing a different British animal and going into some depth about it. The author visits one expert for each creature - bat, adder, fox, toad, etc. - and discusses the creature's image, behaviour, habitat, and standing in the modern world. I didn't really care much about the author or his quest for a tattoo, and sometimes he seems a bit opinionated and gives some great creatures short shrift (dragonflies come off badly). However, overall this is a nice, albeit brief, celebration of British wildlife and you can't go wrong with that.

[Herrholz Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw a hedgehog in my garden recently. I got chatting to my neighbour who is a hedgehog watcher and I discovered that his neighbour on the other side from me has a hedgehog house in his garden. So I thought it was about time I delved a little deeper into our native wild life. I remembered that Rory Stewart mentioned this author whilst making a speech in parliament on the subject of hedgehogs – it may have been an adjournment debate on changing the national symbol of the UK from a lion to a hedgehog – (good luck with that one). Rory recited some poetry about hedgehogs but concluded by saying the lion was a better symbol of courage and strength.
As this book was by that same author mentioned above, and was about many of the native and best known species in the UK, I decided to read it, expecting to find hedgehogs in there too. Wrong. The humble hedgehog is not included here. So as my original inspiration was derived from the hedgehog I have acquired two more books dedicated to said animal.
The Beauty in the Beast tells the story of how the author is trying to find a second animal of which to have a tattoo done on himself – he already has one of a hedgehog naturally. So he goes round the country visiting ‘ambassadors’ of several species ie people who work with or are passionate about a particular animal, the idea being that the animal with which he is most impressed gets tattooed on himself. This guy is quirky! So too are some of the people he meets! The book is about the people who love the animals as well as the beasts themselves. So there is a lot of interest here and worth a read with plenty of entertaining anecdotes from his encounters around the country. It is also a good introduction to some of our favourite wild beasts.

[Emma Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mentally planned at least 3 wildlife-related adventures just in my local area while reading this book! As an introduction to, and invitation to fall in love with Britain's native wildlife, it's a great book!
I could have done without the author's tattoo competition sub-plot running through the chapters. I get that it was the inspiration for this book, and that it's used as a way to tie each animal/expert he met together into the book. However, I think I would have enjoyed meeting each expert and learning about each animal through their enthusiasm just as much, maybe even more without the addition of the author's opinion on each of the animals.
Also, the author's own expertise is in hedgehogs and I know he's written a whole book on those, but as someone reading this book without having read his previous one on hedgehogs, I'd have loved a chapter about them as well!

[Shatterlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable bright read about wildlife and the people who love it. I appreciated that it didn’t make them out to be “crazy” as people passionate about a hobby or interest often are. And the whole tattoo thing was cute too, as a person with animal tattoos I liked that aspect.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gloriously lovely book, sharing stories about 15 wild animals in the UK. It's easy to read (just what I need after long shifts at work), and Hugh's inspiring and genuine. My family, and I, share his love for hogs, and this book has opened windows to glance at other species too. Thank you Hugh. p.s. rip Nigel.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The delightful book catalogues some of Britain's best loved wildlife and some of the inspirational people who strive to study and protect them. From the elusive otters to the charming badgers hedgehog advocate High Warwick journeys from North Scotland down to the Devonshire moors in search of these animals. A journey that teaches you more about the world right outside our doors! I've been inspired to be even more conscious of British wildlife and I want to help my mum make her garden more bee friendly for starters! The anecdotal personal stories really help you delve into these animals strange little worlds and the people who love them are probably some of the most charming around. For any nature or animal lovers out there this really is a must read!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Beauty in the Beast, hedgehog fanatic Hugh Warwick tours around Britain to find enthusiasts for even some seemingly unlovable creatures (such as bats, dragonflies, and snakes). He sets up his journey as a quaint contest to decide on his next animal tattoo (to join his hedgehog tat, of course). You’ll have to read the book to find out which unlikely beast wins!

(This review formed part of an article about books for animal lovers on Bookkaholic.)

[LaDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely mesmerising romp through the wilderness of Great Britain searching for the wonderfulness in what is left of the wildlife of the countryside. Warwick has a captivating way of writing about the animals and their caretakers which in less capable hands, could have been a snore fest. Instead I am now inspired to put on my Mac and wellies and see if I can go find some of my own wildness and wilderness. Highly recommended.

[Angie Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book,beautifully written. with woodcut drawrings,at the beginning of each chapter. You feel as if you are there on the riverbank watching the Dragon flies as they flit in and out,of the reeds ,hear the owls as the hoot,and screach at night. This is a must read for anyone,who loves wildlife.

[Andy Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful stories of animal and nature obsessives to restore faith in humanity. Well written but loaded with interesting facts on each species.

[Sarah Goode · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favourite chapter in this book was about the robin, and for that alone I brought this book home from me to pas on to my mum :)

[Kerin Ingman · Rating 5 out of 5]

great, well written book. it's lovely to see that there are people out there who are as mad and passionate about animals as I am

[Dancingsocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a charming book, written in a really engaging way and actually teaching me things along the way.

[Orla · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange but fascinating account of strange but fascinating and very dedicated people.