"The Hunting Gene" by Robin Page
Hunting - its People, its Wildlife and its Countryside

With the countryside in crisis socially, economically and environmentally, one voice has stood out for the understanding and clarity of its message. That voice belongs to Robin Page, who for years has been warning of the disaster slowly engulfing Britain's wildlife, Britain's farming and Britain's rural communities. Now that his warnings are coming true, he is not sitting back and saying, "I told you so", he is still fighting to defend the countryside he loves.

Over the years most farmers and country people have been happy to stand by Britain's most consistent, most courages and most perceptive commentator on rural issues, whose reputation as a campaigner has never been higher. Now followers of hunting will also want to stand by Robin Page as he rationally defends hunting with hounds at a time when hunting is under frenzied, irrational attack.

As a non-hunting, non-shooting, non-fishing countryman and conservationist Robin Page delivers a blistering indictment, in The Hunting Gene, on those wanting abolition. He explains how hunting is a huge conservation asset in the general countryside; he shows how it is part of a rich, living rural culture; and he shows how the abolition of hunting would be a gross infringement of civil liberties.

The Hunting Gene demonstrates how attacks on hunting symbolise the abandonment of Britain's rural population at a time when the Blair Government claims to champion both minorities and a multi-cultural society. For anybody with an open mind The Hunting Gene gives an important insight into the tragedy overtaking rural Britain, and at the same time it delivers an important defewnce of one of the country's oldest traditions.

About the Author:
Robin Page still lives on the farm where he was born, in Cambridgeshire. Apart from being junior partner in the small family farm, he is a writer and a conservationist. He writes a fortnightly 'Country Diary' in the Daily Telegraph. He is presenter of BBC Television's 'One Man and His Dog'. He has been a District Councillor for far too long and he is addicted to village cricket. Because of his concern for farming and conservation he launched The Countryside Restoration Trust in 1993.

Copies of Robin Page's latest book "The Hunting Gene" published by Bird's Farm Books can be bought direct from Bird's Farm Books, Cambridgeshire, CB3 7AG, U.K. Price £25 plus p & p.