I have very much enjoyed this book that the publishers were kind enough to send to me for review. Sedgwick approaches the issue of snow from personal experience as he lives amongst it in the french alps. He explores many aspects of snow, from the language used to describe it, its part in myths and story telling, and how it can become emotive to those who dream of it and experience it. He also clearly describes the impact of real snow, of the dangers and isolation that comes with it. Using his experiences as a child Sedgwick cleverly encapsulates why we think romantically about snow, and describes its beauty with lyrical prose. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know anything and everything about snow.

First let me say I got a copy of this from the publishers. Secondly and most importantly I quite enjoyed it. This little book is quite short, it can quite easily be consumed in an afternoon. I was expecting more on the technical aspects of snow and life lived within its influence and while there is some discussion contained within, the majority is about how snow and by extent winter has influenced language and the arts. Perhaps because as I'm writing this I am looking out over my garden with its own light covering, I found it both interesting and at times entertaining. However, this book contains the musings of a writer and would not be to everyones taste. If you find snow and winter magical and perhaps read it on an afternoon looking out at your own garden of snow, I feel there is some of the essence of its allure captured within.

Music and literature use snow as a backdrop to terror. Historic explorers have been trapped, frozen or maimed. Snow has physically shaped the mountains and valleys. The modern world is paused when heavy snow fall cuts off communications and transport. The author looks not just at the physical but also the emotional impact of snow on the human psyche. Sedgwick writes about ancient stories, mythical figures, and the powerful forces an accumulation of these flakes can unleash. There is much to consider and take in. The quality of the writing ensures that the ideas are never difficult to process, but leave a deep, lasting impact.

Separated in to 6 chapters, dealing with such topics as the science of snow, its place in our culture and the effects of climate change upon snow, the book is also threaded through with Sedgwick's childhood memories of snow and details of his life living in a snowy area of France. And while it also deals with effects of snow on our emotions, it never gets too sentimental (or should I say 'slushy'?). Small but perfectly formed, this is another fantastic little book of the kind that Little Toller do really well.