But England backs coach Brian Smith offered recent encouragement when he told Cipriani he was still in the selectors' thoughts, despite not having added to his seven international caps since 2008.

BBC: Danny Cipriani ponders 2011 off-season Wasps return

Despite what our rational selves would insist, on some level we seem to believe that our thoughts can influence reality.

FORBES: The Pitfalls Of Perception

Despite these adventures, the book is slow-paced with long passages about the forest and Marina's own thoughts.

ECONOMIST: The call of the Amazon