Nature’s Gifts: Chloe Dalton & Ruby Free
By Kane Taylor
Oscar Wilde once wrote that a cynic was a “man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” A thought-provoking statement which was echoed by Ruby Free to stress the forgotten non-monetary value of nature in her event, Nature’s Gifts, with Chloe Dalton at Wimbledon BookFest.
The event began with an introduction of both authors, whose very different backgrounds allowed for incredibly introspective discussions.
Chloe Dalton, with her background in politics and international affairs, had spent much of life with an understandable disconnect from nature, whilst Ruby has spent years as an active conservationist and environmental campaigner. This contrast opened the gateway for interesting conversation on the stark difference between wild, isolated nature and nature that has integrated with human society, highlighting the unknown beauty in the former. They explored how truly ‘wild’ nature can break down the superficial walls between the natural world and ourselves, and rekindle our connection with nature, a phenomenon which they both experienced and recounted in their respective books.
Raising Hare retells Chloe’s journey of becoming more intertwined with the natural world after she rescued and raised an abandoned leveret – an account of not only saving the hare, but of Chloe discovering a new way to live.
Rathlin, A Wild Life explores the beautiful phenomena Ruby witnesses on the isolated island, off the coast of Northern Ireland, where nature roams freely. The forgotten memories of her younger self flood back to her when she interacts with the island’s endangered wildlife and observes their beautiful life cycles, emphasising the need for societal change and reconnection with nature.
The session, which explored how these experiences changed both authors, concluded with an entertaining Q&A covering the fantastical golden hares on Rathlin Island, the dangers of shifting baseline syndrome, and a powerful reading by Ruby on how anybody can rekindle their relationship with nature.
