Maxwell was also talented as an artist, and his sinuous line drawings of these amphibious and engaging creatures, and the homes they occupied, illustrate his story. This book stands as a lasting tribute to a man,his work, and his passion. It was received and has endured as a classic for its portrait not only of otters but also of a man who endured heartaches and disappointments, whose life embodied both greatness and tragedy.He writes with rare eloquence about his birth, his devotion to the beloved Scottish highlands, and the wildlife he loved,while refusing to ignore the darker aspects of his nature and of nature in its larger sense.

Maxwell's legacy has been preserved at the Eilean Ban Trust

and Bright Water Visitor Centre (www.eileanban.org).