Gavin Maxwell (1914-1969), was one of the most brilliant and quixotic of
British travel-writers. Maxwell was a romantic, self-destructive
adventurer, brave and handsome, with a deep sympathy for the underdog, a
wonderfully curious mind, and a dogged commitment to discovering the
truth. He was most famous for his trilogy of books set in the coast of
Scotland, including A Ring of Bright Water, which showed his affinity
with nature and a love of wild things, most especially otters. The
author was a trusted friend of Maxwell's as well as a fellow
explorer-traveler-writer, and the book reads like a most unusual and
eccentric adventure story.