From the author of The Savage God, a unique memoir of growing old, and a lesson in not going gently into that good night The ponds of Hampstead Heath are small oases; fragments of wild nature nestled in the heart of north-west London. For the best part of his life Al Alvarez – poet, critic, novelist, rock-climber and poker player – has swum in them almost daily. An athlete in his youth, Alvarez chronicles what it is to grow old with humour and fierce honesty – from his relentlessly nagging ankle which makes daily life a struggle, to infuriating bureaucratic battles with the council to keep his disabled person's Blue Badge, the devastating effects of a stroke, and the salvation he finds in the three Ss – Swimming, Sex and Sleep. As Alvarez swims in the ponds he considers how it feels when you begin to miss that person you used to be – to miss yourself. Swimming is his own private form of protest against the onslaught of time; proof to others, and himself, that he's not yet beaten. By turns funny, poetic and indignant, Pondlife is a meditation on love, the importance of life's small pleasures and, above all, a lesson in not going gently in to that good night. _____________________ 'A beautiful unfolding of a story, told in deceptively simple prose but with a great power to move' Sunday Times 'The adrenalin still flows in lively extracts' The Times 'A marvellous book... it has no business to be as invigorating and absorbing – its success is against the odds' Observer

This eBook is best viewed on a color device. This guide describes and illustrates, in full color, the plants and animals that live in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. It includes surface-dwelling creatures as well as those of open water, the bottom, and the shore and tells how various animals and plants live together in a community. Plus suggestions for: Where and when to look Observing and collecting specimens Making exciting discoveries

Explores how plants, insects, fish, birds, and other animals come together in ponds and make them their homes.

Examines the variety of life found in a pond, including great diving beetles, frogs, and newts.

Designed to complement the curriculum for grades 3-5, the Pond Life Nature Activity Book features dozens of nature-related games, quizzes and classroom activities that encourage interest and engage children in nature and the natural sciences.

A handy mini spotters' guide to animals and plants found near water, with colourful illustrations and stickers. Ideal for days out near ponds, rivers and canals, this book helps identify 60 different plants and animals that live in and around water, with a detailed illustration and interesting facts for each one. The pond life is grouped by type, with pages for mammals, birds, amphibians, insects and plants. Children can keep track of the pond life they've spotted by adding the stickers to the chart at the back of the book. Charming illustrations will spark the interest of young nature spotters.