This image is the cover for the book Ring of Bright Water

Ring of Bright Water

This classic memoir of otters in the Scottish Highlands and the naturalist who cared for them is “one of the outstanding wildlife books of all time” (New York Herald Tribune).

While touring the Iraqi marshes, Gavin Maxwell was captivated by an otter and became a devoted advocate of and spokesman for the species. Maxwell moved to a remote house in the Scottish Highlands, co-habiting there with three otters and living an idyllic and isolated life—until fate, fame, and fire conspired against him.

This volume weaves together the Scottish otter stories from Maxwell’s three non-fiction books, Ring of Bright Water, The Rocks Remain, and Raven Meet Thy Brother—and includes his beautifully expressive illustrations. Ring of Bright Water: A Trilogy stands as a lasting tribute to a man, his work, and his passion for another species.

Gavin Maxwell

Gavin Maxwell was raised in a small village in southwestern Scotland, where he first became enamored with the natural world. He retained his love of exploring into adulthood, when he toured the reed marshes of Southern Iraq. He caught an otter there and brought it back to his remote home in Sandaig, Scotland. The otter became the subject of his most famous book, Ring of Bright Water which sold more than a million copies.

David R. Godine