Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisWonderful and enriching' Adam NicolsonThe best book on conservation and the countryside I have read in years' John Lewis-StempelA modern pastoral written with intelligence, wit and lyricism' Cal FlynOur wild places and wildlife are disappearing at a terrifying rate. This is a story about going in search of the people who are trying to save our birds, as well as confronting the enormity of what losing them would really mean.In this beautiful and thought-provoking blend of nature and travel writing Patrick Galbraith sets off across Britain on a journey that may well be his last chance to see some of our disappearing birds. Along the way, from Orkney to West Wales, from the wildest places to post-industrial towns, he meets a fascinatingly eclectic group of people who in very different ways are on the front line of conservation, tirelessly doing everything they can to save ten species teetering dangerously close to extinction.In Search of One Last Song mixes conservation, folklore, historyTrade Review‘One of the great oral histories of British nature and the British countryside … Sad and honest and important and often very funny’ Richard Smyth, Review 31 ‘A treasury of a book … filled with beautiful moments, amazing and sometimes rather surprising characters, and, if we could only learn from them, reasons for hope.’ John Burnside, New Statesman 'It's a delight to jump into this slightly strange parallel world. Galbraith is such an able communicator of its weirdness, that it is a pleasure to go along for the ride’ The Times ‘In terms of both scope and execution, this book is a hugely impressive achievement, and it will be fascinating to see where Galbraith goes from here.’ The Scotsman ‘An important and timely book that explores the human context of an ecological emergency. Galbraith is a thoughtful, assured and elegant writer who brings a mature intelligence and open-minded insight to his subject.' Oban Times ‘Entertaining’ Jamie Blackett, Country Life ‘Galbraith’s writing is beautiful … In Search of One Last Song feels like an important step in the right direction’ Stephen Rutt, British Birds ‘The birds come to life in his fine writing’ Helen Bynum, Literary Review ‘Galbraith combines the ability to write lyrically with a formidable grasp of his subject’ The Week ‘Patrick Galbraith’s engaging debut volume will appeal to the layman as much as to the committed naturalist, being a quirkily enjoyable journey through a slightly nether worldly version of Britain.’ David Profumo, The Critic ‘The writing is strong, the book an impressive debut, establishing Galbraith as a quality writer.’ Tim Dee, Caught by the River ​​‘The best book on conservation and the countryside I have read in years’ John Lewis-Stempel ‘Beautifully written and earthy’ Philip Womack, The London Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn twenty short books, Penguin brings you the classics of the environmental movement.From the ravages of the global economy to the great pleasures of growing a garden, Wendell Berry''s powerful essays represent a heartfelt call for humankind to mend our broken relationship with the earth, and with each other.Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAS FEATURED ON ''BBC RADIO 4 ''GOOD READS''.Woodlands Awards 2019: Woodland Books of the Year''The oak is the wooden tie between heaven and earth. It is the lynch pin of the British landscape.'' The oak is our most beloved and most common tree. It has roots that stretch back to all the old European cultures but Britain has more ancient oaks than all the other European countries put together. More than half the ancient oaks in the world are in Britain. Many of our ancestors - the Angles, the Saxons, the Norse - came to the British Isles in longships made of oak. For centuries the oak touched every part of a Briton''s life - from cradle to coffin It was oak that made the ''wooden walls'' of Nelson''s navy, and the navy that allowed Britain to rule the world. Even in the digital Apple age, the real oak has resonance - the word speaks of fortitude, antiquity, pastoralism.The Glorious Life of the Oak explores our long relationshTrade ReviewA beautiful object and a very British story written with real lyricism - some of the finest sentences I've read. -- Neil Oliver * BBC Radio 4: A Good Read *Lewis-Stempel is one of the best of the new generation of nature writers, an oak himself in that particular corner of the literary forest. As a working farmer, from a long line of Herefordshire farmers, he has daily exposure to his source material. In books such as Meadowland, The Running Hare and, most recently, The Wood, he has distilled his knowledge and his enthusiasm into a style that is as rich and earthy as its subject. * Spectator *Our greatest nature writer * Books Are My Bag *A lively little book * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom Andrew Caldecott, the bestselling author of ROTHERWEIRD, comes the jaw-dropping conclusion of the MOMENTICON duology - an epic adventure like no other!'Remember Simul' - the last words of a dying man, and the key to mankind's survival. Words which take Morag, Fogg and their friends on a wild ride through caverns and over mountains, into old paintings, to a university unlike any other and up the lethal Tower of No Return. A ride where mythical beasts, legendary monster-hunters and a corrupt establishment lie in wait . . . while the weather-watchers look on and bide their time. It's a race against extinction too . . . for nature herself is bent on vengeance.-------------------------'Unpredictable, dramatic and always utterly enthralling' - Reader review'Intelligent and also fun' - Reader review'Caldecott once again delivers in spades' - Reader review'Special and dangerous properties . . . opens a series of trap-doors in the readers' imagination' - Hilary Mantel, Booker prize winning author, on RotherweirdTrade ReviewSpecial and dangerous properties . . . opens a series of trap-doors in the readers' imagination * Hilary Mantel, Booker prize winning author, on Rotherweird *Whimsical science fiction at its finest. A satisfying jigsaw where the bigger picture doesn't become visible until the final piece is slotted into place * Geek Dad on Momenticon *It feels non-stop: constantly splitting the protagonists up and bringing them together again, delivering a series of growing climaxes and then leaving readers hanging for a concluding second volume * Pile by the Bed on Momenticon *One of the most unique books I've read . . . a compelling and enrapturing story that captures the reader from the first page to the last * Grimdark Magazine on Momenticon *Has the arbitrary and rather hallucinogenic atmosphere of the Alice in Wonderland books * British Science Fiction Association on Momenticon *A book that is unlike anything else you have read * SF Book Reviews on Momenticon *Caldecott successfully creates an equally engaging and original a world as Rotherweird. Highly recommended. * Goodreads reviewer on Momenticon *Momenticon is a perplexing and brilliant story full of literary and artistic rabbit holes and quirky characters. It ends on a cliffhanger and I want to continue this journey for sure. * Goodreads reviewer on Momenticon *I'm not sure there are enough words that can accurately describe this weird, brilliant, funny and adventurous read. * Goodreads reviewer on Momenticon *A rip-roaring adventure through a brilliantly weird and wonderful dystopian landscape. I can't imagine what'll happen in the next book but I can't wait to find out! * Goodreads reviewer on Momenticon *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMission Zero is a landmark independent report into the delivery of the UK's commitment to net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Chaired by Chris Skidmore, the UK's former Energy Minister who was responsible for signing net zero into law, its conclusions set out, for the very first time, a new economic narrative for climate policy, demonstrating the vast financial opportunity that net zero can deliver. This timely and crucial report acts as a template for how all countries can map out future challenges and opportunities and, above all, deliver their own pathway to net zero while also creating new jobs, industries and investment for the future. Commissioned by the UK's Prime Minister in September 2022, Mission Zero is the largest engagement exercise on net zero conducted to date and has been widely recognised as the most informative and detailed document on the topic, covering every sector and aspect of society. This important book is a vital piece of work and an indispensable must-read for anyone interested in energy, climate and sustainability policy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom source to sea, go on a breath-taking adventure along a river and explore some of the greatest waterways of the world, with fold-out pages.Rivers flow across every continent on our planet, shaping the land and bringing life. Towns, cities and entire civilisations have grown up on their banks, from the Ancient Mesopotamians 5,000 years ago. Turn the pages to follow the incredible journey of a river from its source in high up in the mountains, along its gorges, through its valleys, down its waterfalls and into the sea. Explore the river's geography, discover the unique wildlife it supports, see how the waterways have shaped our world - and how we have shaped them.Featuring fold-out pages of six great rivers from around the world: Amazon (South America), Nile (Africa), Mississippi (North America), Rhine (Europe), Ganges (Asia) and Murray (Australia).Written by self-confessed explorer and children's author Simon Chapman, expertly checked by river ecologist François Edwards and beautifully illustrated by Qu Lan.Trade ReviewWith six spectacular fold-out sections depicting The Nile, Rhine, Amazon, Mississippi, Ganges and Murray rivers this highly illustrated large format hardback is packed with accessible information about the environment, topography, impact of humans, and unique features of each watercourse. Highly recommended for KS2. * School Reading List *Highly recommended for use in class, or to enjoy at home, whether bought (because who wouldn't want a copy?) or borrowed from a library. * ReadingZone *This beautiful book is perfect for future pub quiz champions, with fold-out pages of 6 rivers. * Saturday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFew of us know what goes on after dark, underneath the moon. Sally Coulthard shines a light on the barn owl, one of the most mesmerising and elusive icons of the countryside. 'Fascinating insights... An endearing book for lovers of the barn owl' Daily Mail 'Enjoyable and lyrical... enhanced by Vanessa Lubach's arresting lino prints' Country Life 'Packs in everything the amateur nature enthusiast would want to know' Yorkshire Life 'This is a gorgeous little book' Permaculture Magazine With its heart-shaped face and silent, graceful flight, the barn owl regularly tops the nation's list of favourite birds. But how much do we really know about this sublime tenant of the night? Here, bestselling author Sally Coulthard shines a light on the barn owl. Full of fascinating insights, conservation advice and the latest research, this affectionate and timely guide also tells the story of a barn owl's early life – from first pip of the shell to leaving the nest – a fascinating time in this captivating creature's journey.Trade ReviewA beautifully written book about a beautiful bird. Fact-filled, yet totally engaging -- David Ramsden MBE, Barn Owl TrustAn enjoyable and lyrical read, enhanced by Vanessa Lubach's arresting lino prints, which really bring the book to life * Country Life *Looks set to be a bestseller... Beautifully illustrated and full of fascinating insights * Yorkshire Post *Sally Coulthard brings us another immensely readable biography of British Isles fauna... This little book packs in everything the amateur nature enthusiast would want to know about one of Britain's most thrilling nocturnal creatures * Yorkshire Life *With fascinating insights and tips on how to attract them... This is an endearing book for lovers of the barn owl * Daily Mail *Coulthard's style is never less than effortlessly readable, and it is a measure of the delicacy of her touch that she is successfully able to marry the poetry of Edward Thomas with the rigorous research of a scientific study * Yorkshire Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis open access book asks just how climate-smart our food really is. It follows an average day's worth of food and drink to see where it comes from, how far it travels, and the carbon price we all pay for it. From our breakfast tea and toast, through breaktime chocolate bar, to take-away supper, Dave Reay explores the weather extremes the world’s farmers are already dealing with, and what new threats climate change will bring. Readers will encounter heat waves and hurricanes, wildfires and deadly toxins, as well as some truly climate-smart solutions. In every case there are responses that could cut emissions while boosting resilience and livelihoods. Ultimately we are all in this together, our decisions on what food we buy and how we consume it send life-changing ripples right through the global web that is our food supply. As we face a future of 10 billion mouths to feed in a rapidly changing climate, it’s time to get to know our farmers and herders, our vintners and fisherfolk, a whole lot better. Trade Review Table of Contents

Read more less

Book SynopsisCall it ?Zen and the Art of Farming? or a ?Little Green Book,? Masanobu Fukuoka?s manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food. At the same time, it is a spiritual memoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects a deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. As Wendell Berry writes in his preface, the book ?is valuable to us because it is at once practical and philosophical. It is an inspiring, necessary book about agriculture because it is not just about agriculture.? Trained as a scientist, Fukuoka rejected both modern agribusiness and centuries of agricultural practice, deciding instead that the best forms of cultivation mirror nature?s own laws. Over the next three decades he perfected his so-called ?do-nothing? technique: commonsense, sustainable practices that all but eliminate the use of pesticides, fertilizer, tillage, and perhaps most significantly, wasteful effort.Whether you?re a guerrilla gardener or a kitchen gardener, dedicated to slow food or simply looking to live a healthier life, you will find something here?you may even be moved to start a revolution of your own.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat can long-dead dinosaurs teach us about our future? Plenty, according to world-renowned paleontologist and recent star of BBC show The Day the Dinosaurs Died Dr Kenneth Lacovara, who has discovered some of the largest creatures to ever walk the Earth, including the super-massive Dreadnoughtus.  'Majestic, awe-inspiring and deeply humbling. Kenneth Lacovara reveals how dinosaurs have changed how we understand time, the world and ourselves' DR ALICE ROBERTS, anatomist and anthropologist, television presenter, author and professor  ‘This is a dinosaur book with a difference. In lyrical prose Kenneth Lacovara shows how an understanding of the past helps to understand the present. The dinosaurs played no role in the great extinction that ended their era: we, on the other hand, are playing a major part in the extinction that is taking place today. And unless we change our ways, iTrade Review‘This is a dinosaur book with a difference. In lyrical prose Kenneth Lacovara shows how an understanding of the past helps to understand the present. The dinosaurs played no role in the great extinction that ended their era: we, on the other hand, are playing a major part in the extinction that is taking place today. And unless we change our ways, if we continue destroying the natural world, this will lead inevitably to our own extinction. But unlike the dinosaurs we have the power to turn things around.’ -- Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, conservationist, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace‘Kenneth Lacovara LOVES Dinosaurs, LOVES science and truly LOVES telling you about it. Few non-fiction writers wield words with more poetic and potent affection for their subject. Ken’s deep scholarship and clear enjoyment of his subject always makes ME feel smarter. A man obsessed not just with his subject matter, but with showing us how looking into our deep past can illuminate our future.’ -- Adam Savage of the Discovery Channel'Majestic, awe-inspiring and deeply humbling. Kenneth Lacovara reveals how dinosaurs have changed how we understand time, the world and ourselves' -- Dr Alice Roberts, anatomist and anthropologist, television presenter, author and professor'Kenneth Lacovara challenges our ideas about dinosaurs and shows how the past can shine a light on today’s world. Dinosaurs, it turns out, were not lumbering, old, has-beens. They were the energetic champions of their age. This beautifully written book is simply mind-blowing. You’ll never look at dinosaurs, or think about the past, in quite the same way. Bravo!' -- Dara Torres, five-time Olympic swimmer, twelve-time Olympic medallist, mother, model, TV personality, and speaker

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn twenty short books, Penguin brings you the classics of the environmental movement.In this lyrical meditation on America''s wildlands, Aldo Leopold considers the different ways humans shape the natural landscape, and describes for the first time the far-reaching phenomenon now known as ''trophic cascades''.Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA completely revised edition of the bestselling London streetmapMichael Middleditch has revised and updated his hugely successful London Mapguide—first published in 1983 and now in its eighth edition. Streets and sights are mapped and named, and there is a full index so that it can be used like the London A-Z. In addition, famous landmarks, places of entertainment etc are indicated on the maps. This edition has a brand-new spread on London architecture, and the Stratford Olympic area is fully incorporated into the book.At 72 pages of full-color maps this is the perfect book for every tourist and city-dweller.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStarting with a simple question - 'Which way am I looking?' - this book blends natural science, myth, folklore and the history of travel to introduce you to the rare and ancient art of finding your way using nature's own sign-posts, from the feel of a rock to the look of the moon.Trade ReviewThe perfect book for getting you started on your own adventure -- Ranulph Fiennes

Read more less

Book SynopsisJason Allen-Paisant is a Jamaican writer and multi-award-winning poet. He is the author of two critically acclaimed books of poetry, Thinking with Trees and Self-Portrait as Othello, which won the UK's two most prestigious poetry awards for 2023 the Forward Prize and T.S. Eliot Prize. He is also a Professor of Critical Theory and Creative Writing at the University of Manchester and Associate Editor of Callaloo Literary Journal. Jason lives in Leeds with his partner and two children.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThose who have a deep affection for Britain's countryside will be totally absorbed by this extraordinary history of environmentalists' efforts to conserve the glorious South Downs. After describing the special qualities of the area and earlier attempts to safeguard it, the story of a twenty-year campaign to secure National Park status for this special part of England is recounted. Strong forces opposed, but the South Downs Campaign, which eventually grew to represent 159 national, regional and local groups, won through and the national park was established in 2010. Author Robin Crane chaired the meeting of seven people who founded the South Downs Campaign in 1990. He remained chairman until the South Downs National Park was finally designated. From the outset the campaign was run by a team of both volunteers and professionals. The Campaign for National Parks, The Ramblers Association, Sussex Wildlife Trust and Sussex and Hampshire CPREs were the lead organisations. Margaret Paren, wh

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDelight in the world's most authoritative atlas a unique and timeless gift for all occasions.Now in its 16th edition, the world's most authoritative atlas has been extensively updated.Detailing our world as it is today, it includes more than 200,000 place names. At 45 cm high, this impressive world atlas will become a treasured possession.In addition to 263 pages of continuous mapping, there are a further 223 pages of extensive indexing, alongside a preliminary section containing essays from trusted academics who discuss topics ranging from global population, to climate change, and the composition of our solar system, to the water in our oceans.It is a benchmark of cartographic excellence, trusted by governments, media and international organisations, as well as households around the world.Updates include: New country names for Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and North Macedonia (previously the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) More than 8000 place name changes with names comprehenTrade Review‘No household that is curious about the world in which we live can afford to be without it’ – Sir Max Hastings ‘The Greatest Book on Earth’ – Sir Ranulph Fiennes ‘A total adventure’ – Jon Snow

Read more less

Book SynopsisA thrilling exploration of nature's symbiotic relationships, some comforting and familiar, others wildly alien, by the award-winning author of Forget Me Not.What can nature teach us about living together? Investigating eight symbiotic relationships trying to survive the climate and biodiversity crises, Sophie Pavelle explains why it has never been more vital for us to understand symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships regulate ecosystems, strengthen resilience and bind pivotal connections.Species living together in symbiosis is no accident these dynamics evolved. Species form and sever alliances everywhere, from deep within temperate rainforests to the open ocean, quiet tidal pools or chalk grasslands, and nature thrives on relationships as glamorous as they are grotesque and as bizarre as they are engrossing.In To Have or To Hold, Sophie relishes the interconnectedness between species and celebrates the relationships that under

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn twenty short books, Penguin brings you the classics of the environmental movement.In The Democracy of Species Robin Wall Kimmerer guides us towards a more reciprocal, grateful and joyful relationship with our animate earth, from the wild leeks in the field to the deer in the woods.Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A gripping story about the personalities who initiated the mapping of Britain and their extraordinary skill and endurance' Max Hastings, Sunday Times The Ordnance Survey is a much beloved British institution, but in our modern map-obsessed world how much do we know about its curious origins and extraordinary challenges? Here at last is the remarkable story of the creation of the first complete, accurate, affordable map of the British Isles. What it reveals is a colourful and engrossing secret history of the Ordnance Survey and the obsessive and ambitious men who dreamt and delivered it. The Ordnance Survey's story is one of political revolutions, rebellions and regional unions that altered the shape and identity of the United Kingdom over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It makes for an engaging and page-turning account of one of the great untold British adventure stories, following those intrepid individuals who lugged brass theodolites up mountains to make the country visible to itself for the first time. 'This is a brilliant book, and it's astonishing that no one has thought of writing it before... History at its best' A N Wilson, Reader's Digest 'Endlessly absorbing... In her lively and informative narrative, Hewitt highlights the Ordnance project's legion of draughtsmen, surveyors, dreamers and eccentrics' Ian Thomson, ObserverTrade ReviewThis is a brilliant book, and it's astonishing that no one has thought of writing it before ... History at its best -- A N Wilson * Reader's Digest *Gripping [story] about the remarkable personalities who initiated the scientific mapping of Britain and their extraordinary feats of skill and endurance ... this is the first book of a young historian of whom more will be heard -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Hewitt tackles the subject exuberantly ... the book won me over. The sweep of its history has true grandeur, and the incidentals of the tale are like desirables found in a cluttered antique shop -- Jan Morris * The Times *In this endlessly absorbing history, Rachel Hewitt narrates the history of our printed maps from King George II's "Scotophobic" cartographies to the three-dimensional computerised elevations of today ... In her lively and informative narrative, Hewitt highlights the Ordnance project's legion of draughtsmen, surveyors, dreamers and eccentrics -- Ian Thomson * Observer *An extremely handsome and scholarly account of the genesis of the OS map ... The next time I am in the Public House (wherever it is) I shall raise a pint to Rachel Hewitt and her band of map-makers -- Tom Fort * Sunday Telegraph *This is a solid account of how Britain's national mapping agency came into being ... she is good on the military, scientific and ideological impulses behind the OS and on its enormous appeal to the general public * Sunday Times *A diligent and very detailed book ... she has done justice to a neglected subject and to neglected but worthy men -- Peter Lewis * Daily Mail *The enthralling story of the creation of the Ordnance Survey map ... with wonderful tales of the intrepid individuals who lugged brass theodolites over hill and dale in order to make the country visible for the first time -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *An exhaustively detailed study of the life and times of Ordnance Survey maps ... there are frequent nuggets of enjoyably recondite information -- Gillian Tindall * Literary Review *Tells the intriguing story of how the early productions of the theodolite-lugging surveyors who began the project in the 1790s developed into the digitalised OS of our own times -- Giles Foden * Conde Nast Traveller *A remarkable story of human endeavour in the name of Enlightenment values -- Claire Allfree * Metro *A fascinating account of British cartography ... In a compelling overview, Hewitt discusses how developments in scientific thinking, technological advances and an important dose of Anglo-French collaboration eventually led, in 1870, to the creation of the Ordnance Survey's First Series, a landmark as significant as The Oxford English Dictionary in shaping how the country thought about itself and its 'physical and intellectual' landscapes * Lady *An erudite, meticulously researched and fascinating history * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *A fascinating narrative... illuminates the process by which our nation redrew itself over a century -- Celia Brayfield * The Times *Hewitt's tale of cartography is pacy and - like the best historical writing - focused on human endeavour rather than dry facts -- Sarah Warwick * Liverpool Daily Post, the Yorkshire Evening Post, East Anglian Daily Times, Eastern Daily Press, Newsletter *More hugely impressive historical studies from 2010 which celebrate peaceful pursuits rather than blood and bigotry include Rachel Hewitt's great study of the British Ordnance Survey, Map of a Nation -- Stephen Howe * Independent *A lively, well-written and carefully researched evocation of how the landscapes of Britain (and Ireland) came to be revealed with such dramatic precision -- William J Smyth * Irish Times *In this lively overview, Hewitt explains how over the course of a century developments in scientific thinking, technological advances and a critical dose of Anglo-French collaboration eventually led to the creation of the OS's First Series in 1870 -- Emma Hagestadt * Independent *A scholarly account of the genesis of the OS map, and a route into the national psyche * Daily Telegraph *Hewitt tells a gripping story about the personalities who initiated the mapping of Britain and their extraordinary skill and endurance -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *this description of the origins of mapping in the UK covers lots of ground ... anyone who has used a map and a compass to puzzle their way out after getting lot on Britain's foggy moorland has cause to thank the painstaking work of the original pioneers -- Maggie Hartford * Oxford Times *Within the first few paragraphs the open and engaging nature of Rachel Hewitt's writing had me captured ... How the men of those early years observed that first triangulation and achieved such accurate results will never cease to amaze and this beautifully crafted book is a fitting tribute and long overdue recognition of their achievements ... Such authoritative books are rare things and I would recommend to all who have feelings for maps and our UK landscape to take time to read Map of a Nation -- John Levell * Caught by the River *Anyone whose world has been shaped by the familiar OS maps seriously needs to read this book -- Margaret Elphinstone * Sunday Herald *Erudite and compelling ... One of Map of a Nation's many accomplishments is to show how adventurous and imaginative engineering and mapmaking could - and still can - be. It is readable, informative and its content often unexpected * History Today *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'BRITAIN'S FINEST LIVING NATURE WRITER' - THE TIMESA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and BBC Radio 4 'Book of the Week' from 'indisputably, one of the best nature-writers of his generation' (Country Life) Written in diary format, The Wood is the story of English woodlands as they change with the seasons. Lyrical and informative, steeped in poetry and folklore, The Wood inhabits the mind and touches the soul.For four years John Lewis-Stempel managed Cockshutt wood, a particular wood - three and half acres of mixed woodland in south west Herefordshire - that stands as exemplar for all the small woods of England. John coppiced the trees and raised cows and pigs who roamed free there. This is the diary of the last year, by which time he had come to know it from the bottom of its beech roots to the tip of its oaks, and to know all the animals that lived there - the fox, the pheasants, the wood mice, the tawny owl - and where the best bluebells grew. For many fauna and flora, woods like Cockshutt are the last refuge. It proves a sanctuary for John too. To read The Wood is to be amongst its trees as the seasons change, following an easy path until, suddenly the view is broken by a screen of leaves, or your foot catches on a root, or a bird startles overhead. This is a wood you will never want to leave.Trade ReviewIt is a pleasure to be in the company of a man who is so attuned to his woody world ... He is good at sketching nature, fixing a vivid image in the mind's eye of a reader ... Lewis-Stempel has rightly won himself the reputation as being among our best nature writers ... The Wood is an entertaining, illuminating, well-turned read -- Robbie Millen * The Times *John Lewis-Stempel is the hottest nature writer around. * Spectator *A heartfelt and evocative diary of a year among the trees…it’s his observation of the natural world – the sight, the sound, the smell of it – that is so memorable. He has a distinctively brisk, muscular style of writing that has a poetic intensity and concision. * Guardian *Lyrical diary documenting a year in nature ... he’s brilliant on birds and their habits. -- Helen Brown * Daily Mail *Another triumph. Natural, translucent, full of half-glimpsed depths....just like a wood itself. -- Philip Marsden

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGates' book is compulsively readable. His ambition was to 'cut through the noise' and give consumers better tools for understanding what works, an ambition he meets admirably. It more than that, however. Gates can get an audience with anyone, can marshal almost limitless resources, and is dogged in the detail. The result - particularly in the wake of the Trump presidency - is thrilling -- Emma Brockes * The Guardian *Of the many books I have come across recently making the case that climate change will be a catastrophe, but we can do something about it, this is the best ... The relentless practicality of the book combined with Gates's firm faith in innovation do not promote despair. He exudes optimism; things will get better, not least because, as John Lennon once sang, they can't get no worse -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *It is mostly concerned with solutions rather than problems. This already marks it out as something of an outlier within environmental literature... if you're after an approachable book about what needs to happen next, this is a great place to start -- Ed Conway * The Times *Bold but well argued ... a compelling explanation of how the world can stop global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions effectively to zero... [Gates] is a serious and genuine force for good on climate change -- Bob Ward * Observer *How to Avoid a Climate Disaster is clear, concise on a colossal subject, and intelligently holistic in its approach to the problem. -- Adam Vaughan * New Scientist *It all makes for a meaty manifesto which Gates hopes can offer sufficient variety to appeal across political divides and "shift the conversation" away from the polarisation and misinformation that has clouded discussion about climate change up until now. -- Martin Bentham * Evening Standard *Books about the environment can induce a paralysing despair. The billionaire Bill Gates is a can-do, problem-solving chap, and his book is full of detailed, practical plans * The Times *Gates's carefully packaged nuggets of information are not only easy to understand, but they aim to provide the reader with practical tools to engage with the density of climate change information ... What Gates has achieved with his book is something rare in the swelling arena of popular climate literature. The Microsoft co-founder turned philanthropist has compiled a solutions-based strategy that is as informed on the commercial realities of scaling new technologies as it is on the environmental consequences of not doing so. -- Daniel Murray * The Business Post *The most refreshing aspect of this book is its bracing mix of cold-eyed realism and number-crunched optimism ... Ultimately [Gates's] book is a primer on how to reorganise the global economy so that innovation focuses on the world's gravest problems. It is a powerful reminder that if mankind is to get serious about tackling them, it must do more to harness the one natural resource available in infinite quantity-human ingenuity. * Economist *Gates plots out, in patient, simple prose, a pathway that would allow us to reduce carbon emissions from the current 51 billion tonnes a year to zero by 2050. -- Thomas Jones * London Review of Books *"System change not climate change!" cry the protesters, demanding that we choose between capitalism and a healthy planet. "Oh!" the less ascetically minded among us might pout. "Can't we have both?" Thankfully, according to Bill Gates, we can. In How to Avoid a Climate Disaster he outlines the new technologies we need to fight climate change, and how businesses can help to invent and deploy them. Capitalism is not only capable of stopping climate change, he says, it's also the only way to provide a decent standard of living to the world's poorest. -- Ben Cooke * The Times Books of the Year *This is an optimistic account of how climate change might be solved without destroying the world's economies in the process. * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIs geography really destiny?Our maps may no longer be stalked by dragons and monsters, but our perceptions of the world are still shaped by geographic myths. Myths like Europe being the centre of the world. Or that border walls are the solution to migration. Or that Russia is predestined to threaten its neighbours.In his punchy and authoritative new book, Paul Richardson challenges recent popular accounts of geographical determinism and shows that how the world is represented often isn''t how it really is - that the map is not the territory.Along the way we visit some remarkable places: Iceland''s Thingvellir National Park, where you can swim between two continents, and Bir Tawil in North Africa, one of the world''s only territories not claimed by any country. We follow the first train that ran across Eurasia between Yiwu in east China and Barking in east London, and scale the US-Mexico border wall to find out why such fortifications don''t work.Written with verve and full of quotable facts, Myths of Geography is a book that will turn your world upside down.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA speculative glimpse at the numerous possibilities of how the world will end and what happens when it does, written by VICE journalist Mike PearlTrade ReviewBrilliantly anxiety affirming...Thanks to Mike Pearl, I can now claim my constant feeling of dread is based on expert interviews and careful scientific research. * Zach Weinersmith, coauthor of Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything *A deeply entertaining-if occasionally horrifying-imagining of a world where the unlikely has become the reality. * Joshua Piven, author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook *The Day It Finally Happens got my brain buzzing with stories that bring together fantasy and reality. The well-researched speculations induce daydreams and nightmares and mark Mike Pearl as one of his generation's most interesting writers. * Alec Ross, New York Times bestselling author of The Industries of the Future *In his fascinating book The Day It Finally Happens journalist Mike Pearl, who admits almost gleefully that he suffers from generalized anxiety disorder and extended stretches of panic, imagines the future and is shocked by what he foresees. Think Woody Allen meets Alvin Toffler. Just as Toffler's Future Shock set a standard for crystal ball gazing decades ago, Pearl's mighty oak of a book gives us a sobering, and at times humorous, assessment of what's on today's horizon. When you present a litany of dire statistics, as Pearl often does, it's wise to preserve a sense of humor. Pearl has that in abundance. He's a funny guy, but with a serious side. I came away from The Day It Finally Happens bubbling with new information, and hopeful-but not certain-of a better future. * Charles Panati, author of Panati’s Extraordinary Endings of Practically Everything and Everybody *The Day It Finally Happens is unlike anything I've ever read. It's a bit like losing yourself in a thrumming kaleidoscope of our favorite hypothetical futures, which range from looming hellscapes to our most durable dreams-but you'll be surprisingly well-informed when you finally come to in the present. Sharp, comic, blunt, and justifiably anxious, Pearl is the ideal tour guide to what lies ahead. You'll probably find yourself, as I did, flipping to the next scenario, and the next, long past any sane hour of the night. Pearl's investigations into the worlds of tomorrow are never anything less than engrossing. * Brian Merchant, bestselling author of The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone *Alternately reassuring and hair-raising, The Day It Finally Happens uncovers surprising answers to all those 'What if?' questions that keep us up at night. It's like peering through a crack in time at what lies ahead and feeling yourself unable to take your eyes away. Trust Mike Pearl to be your intrepid guide to the future. * David Feldman, author of Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? and Why Do Fish Sleep? *I was floored by the detail in this survey of looming doom. Whether you intend to survive the cataclysm or merely drown passively in a tsunami of fire you should be versed in every one of these scenarios. Remember to keep a small bag packed! * John Roderick, host of the Omnibus Project Podcast, an apocalypse primer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of Bill Gates''s Favorite Books of 2016A revelatory look at our national power grid--how it developed, its current flaws, and how it must be completely reimagined for our fast-approaching energy future.America''s electrical grid, an engineering triumph of the twentieth century, is turning out to be a poor fit for the present. It's not just that the grid has grown old and is now in dire need of basic repair. Today, as we invest great hope in new energy sources--solar, wind, and other alternatives--the grid is what stands most firmly in the way of a brighter energy future. If we hope to realize this future, we need to reimagine the grid according to twenty-first-century values. It's a project which forces visionaries to work with bureaucrats, legislators with storm-flattened communities, moneymen with hippies, and the left with the right. And though it might not yet be obvious, this revolution is already well under way. Cultural anthropologist Gretchen Bakke unveils the many facets of America's energy infrastructure, its most dynamic moments and its most stable ones, and its essential role in personal and national life. The grid, she argues, is an essentially American artifact, one which developed with us: a product of bold expansion, the occasional foolhardy vision, some genius technologies, and constant improvisation. Most of all, her focus is on how Americans are changing the grid right now, sometimes with gumption and big dreams and sometimes with legislation or the brandishing of guns.The Grid tells--entertainingly, perceptively--the story of what has been called "the largest machine in the world": its fascinating history, its problematic present, and its potential role in a brighter, cleaner future.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTraversing the nation, Municipal Dreams offers an architectural tour of some of the best and most remarkable of our housing estates, and in doing so offers an engrossing social history of housing in Britain. John Broughton asks us to understand better their complex story and to rethink our prejudices. His accounts include extraordinary planners and architects who wished to elevate working men and women through design and the politicians, high and low, who shaped their work, the competing ideologies which have promoted state housing and condemned it, the economics which has always constrained our housing ideals, the crisis wrought by Right to Buy, and the evolving controversies around regeneration. He shows how the loss of the dream of good housing for all is a danger for the whole of society - as was seen in the fire in Grenfell Tower.Trade ReviewThe book celebrates an era during which dreams of shelter and security for all-not just those who could afford to purchase it-were in large part made a reality, and asks us if we oughtn't to consider reviving that dream before it gets destroyed completely . There couldn't be a better time for this book. -- Lynsey Hanley * Guardian *Required reading . provides a comprehensive history of Britain's council estates [that] challenges the well-worn narrative. -- Anna Minton * Prospect *This serious, heartfelt book makes a convincing case that publicly provided homes have to be at least part of the response to the dysfunctional state that British housing has now attained. -- Rowan Moore * Observer *A fine survey of an astonishing achievement. -- Ed Heathcote * Financial Times *Boughton's book works as a gazetteer of public achievement-from Arts and Crafts cottages to modernist monuments to ordinary streets, from Hammersmith to Hull-and a nuanced but polemical tale of how the municipal idea was destroyed, revealing the caricatures and pseudo-history that were used to convince us that the places built to swindle us were better than the places we built for ourselves to live in. -- Owen Hatherley, author of A Guide to the New Ruins of Great BritainFollows the epic story of British council and social housing, from its Victorian origins to Twentieth Century estates, the right to buy and the Grenfell fire. While every page is rich with fascinating detail, Boughton also tells the grand narrative of how modern housing was created for millions, and how that dream has been cynically and carelessly undermined. This is an inspiring read and a necessary corrective to the myths that seek to destroy one of the most important struggles of our times - the drive for decent housing for all. -- John Grinrod, author of OutskirtsA well-written, humane and even-handed appraisal of the successes and failures of municipal and national housing programmes from the 1890s to the present. * Blueprint *A deeply informed account of the ways in which local and national governments in the U.K. have or have not sought to provide affordable housing for their citizens. -- Rebecca Mead * The New Yorker, Favourite Nonfiction Books of 2019 *Despite the crowded field, Boughton's book has quickly established itself as a landmark text in the reevaluation of the legacy of council housing, a sober, thorough work that reminds us of some of the most significant achievements of Britain's postwar 'social democratic moment. -- Gareth Millington * Public Books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMeasuring some 12,000 miles not counting its myriad of offshore islands the coast comprises the most varied, vulnerable and most fascinating places in Britain and Ireland.Contained here are its many highlights, from sea caves to sea otters, from tides to treasure, and from to puffins to pillboxes.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the James Beard award 2025.Selected for BEST SPIRITS BOOKS 2024 by Decanter magazine:''For this third edition Broom has done a comprehensive rewrite, delving deeper into the classic whisky-producing countries/regions, and introducing new sections on Australia, France and New Zealand. Redesigned maps and beautiful imagery bring it all to life.'' - Decanter''An ideal gift for any whisky lover this Christmas.'' - The Scotsman''The best whisky book ever - a must-read for drinkers!'' - Forbes''I spent the weekend swimming through the contents of this magnum opus with a smile on my face and a dram (or two) in hand. Not once did I drown in the deep waters of knowledge within, as the layout and photos kept me afloat, and the wonderful copy provided a flow that was well paced, allowing me to float along, and take in the scenery along the way.'' - Joel Harrison''A bible in the industry'' The Sunday Post''The perfect go-to reference guide for the whisky lover''s bookshelf'' - Whisky Magazine''Anyone with an interest in whisky should have this book.'' Mark McLaughlin, Director of Irish Whiskey, The Dead Rabbit''All Dave''s books are magical, but this new edition of the atlas is the ideal gift for anyone keen to understand more about the breadth of the category.'' Ryan Chetiyawardana @mrlyan''Not just for whisky lovers but for lovers of world culture and flavour.'' Colin Hampden-White***Award-winning author and whisky expert Dave Broom profiles more than 500 distilleries and explores more than 480 whiskies in this extensive world atlas. There has been major growth in the world of whisky in the last decade, with many more distilleries opening, and this new edition of the must-have reference book on whisky brings the world of whisky right up to date.The World Atlas of Whisky is the only guide both the connoisseur and newcomer will ever need in order to understand everything there is to know about the world of whisky. This is a beautifully illustrated, in-depth and comprehensive journey through the history, process, distilleries and expressions of world whiskies, featuring 32 detailed full-colour maps. Heritage, romance, flavour and craftsmanship are all celebrated in this complete study of this most versatile of drinks.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exploration of how the world needs to adapt to climate change, and the problems and hard choices that lie ahead for the global community.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMartin Dugard is the author of Farther Than Any Man: The rise and fall of Captain James Cook, Knockdown: The harrowing true account of a yacht race turned deadly, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Survivor: The ultimate game. His writing has appeared in GQ, Sports Illustrated and Esquire. A lifelong adventurer, he completed the Raid Gauloise race and is co-holder of the Around the World speed record. He lives in California.Trade Review'Fresh and vivid...Dugard retells this great story very effectively' * Sunday Express *'Measured and assured. His researches have unearthed considerable material and he has assembled it with care...genuinely gripping, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in the history of exploration' * Sunday Telegraph *'Its great strength lies in taking a story you thought you knew well and telling you so many things of which you had no idea' * Daily Mail *'It is one of the most exciting stories in the annals exploration, has one of the most extraordinary denouements, and gave rise to the wonderfully inept line, "Dr Livingstone, I presume?" Henry Morton Stanley's 1871 mission to rescue the good doctor in deepest Africa has been told dozens of times before...yet the story is good enough to withstand retelling and Martin Dugard obliges with gusto...Dugard's focus is not the search for the source of the Nile, but the characters and events that led to the famous meeting...he weaves a tight and gripping narrative...and his portrait of 19th-century Africa is vivid and convincing - you can feel the mixture of heart-stirring beauty and soul-stirring horror' * The Sunday Times *'One cracking adventure story...will keep you turning the pages well into the night, I promise you' -- Bill Bryson

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this lyrical, deeply researched and original work of narrative non-fiction, Joycelyn Longdon, merges ancient wisdom with modern technology. Looking at 6 key pillars, RAGE, IMAGINATION, INNOVATION, THEORY, HEALING, CARE, Joycelyn Longdon guides the reader towards approaching the natural world with awe, inspiring us to view climate action as a shared goal rather than an individual burden. Natural Connection brings together lessons from people of colour from the US to the UK, Brazil to India and Nigeria to Iran to showcase how the extraordinary acts of ordinary people have paved the for today''s rapid technological changes. This book inspires readers everywhere to better understand how we can all take up new roles in the fight for sustainability beyond the activist and observer binary, and find our way back towards our roots.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRead the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals the Earth’s awesome impact on the shape of human civilisations.‘Stands comparison with Sapiens… Thrilling’ Sunday Times Human evolution in East Africa was driven by geological forces. Ancient Greece developed democracy because of its mountainous terrain. Voting behaviour in the United States today follows the bed of an ancient sea. Professor Lewis Dartnell takes us on an astonishing journey into our planet’s past to tell the ultimate origin story. Blending science and history, Origins reveals the Earth’s awesome impact on the shape of human civilisations – and helps us to see the challenges and opportunities of the future. ‘A sweeping, brilliant overview of the history not only of our species but of the world’ Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads ‘Absorbing… A first-class read – and an important one’ ObserverTrade ReviewA sweeping, brilliant overview of the history not only of our species but of the world. Whether discussing the formation of continents or the role that climate (and climate change) has had on human migration, Lewis Dartnell has a rare talent in being able to see the big picture – and explaining why it matters. -- Peter Frankopan, author of THE SILK ROADSOrigins by Lewis Dartnell stands comparison with Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens…A thrilling piece of Big History -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *‘Extraordinary… Origins is one of those rare books that dissolves mystery through the steady application of sublime lucidity. While reading it, I kept thinking: “Oh, that makes sense…” … Dartnell understands geology, geography, anthropology, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and history. That’s quite an achievement, but what makes him special is the way he communicates the interconnectedness of these disciplines in a clear, logical and entertaining way…Superb. -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Dartnell has an easy, light touch that mixes well with his considerable knowledge. The result is a first-class read – and an important one -- Robin McKie * Observer *Dartnell has found the perfect blend of science and history. This is a book that will not only challenge our preconceptions about the past, but should make us think very carefully about humanity’s future -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *Origins, snappily written, is a fast read … fascinating -- David Sexton * Evening Standard, *Book of the week* *Dartnell’s story is beautifully written and organized. His infectious curiosity and enthusiasm tug the reader from page to page, synthesizing geology, oceanography, meteorology, geography, palaeontology, archaeology and political history in a manner that recalls Jared Diamond’s classic 1997 book Guns, Germs, and Steel * Nature *Dartnell is an eloquent, conversational guide to these daunting aeons of time -- Katy Guest * Guardian *What a treat to see history through the eyes of an astrobiologist! Our history was shaped profoundly by the laying down of iron beds two billion years ago, by the tectonic forces that ripped open the African rift valley, by the slow cooling of the earth that began 50 million years ago, and by the evolution of grasses! Lewis Dartnell’s absorbing new book shows, with many vivid examples, how deeply human history is embedded in the history of planet earth -- David Christian, author of ORIGIN STORYAn original and timely way of looking at human history through the materials and natural resources that our species has employed to such effect. It should be read by everyone who ponders how long exploitation can continue on a finite planet. -- Richard ForteyEndlessly enthralling, Lewis Dartnell explains why the history of humanity, and of human cultures, both take dictation from the deeper history of Earth herself - from broad generalities to surprisingly specific details. An entertaining and informative essay on contingency - and worthy successor to the writing of Stephen Jay Gould. -- Ted NieldOrigins’ strength lies in the way it manages to conjure a tight, linear narrative from what would otherwise be an overwhelming wealth of insights, a feat aided by Dartnell’s soothing, conversational writing style… a captivating and enriching read, with as much to recommend it to those with an interest in geophysics as to students of human history and civilization. -- Ian Randell * Psysicsworld *Origins is like a well-crafted jigsaw puzzle. Each piece fits together beautifully to build up a complete picture of the deep connections we have to the blue marble we call home… a thoroughly satisfying read for anyone interested in how our planet drove our history, and how everything is connected -- Jenny Winder * BBC Sky at Night, *Book of the Month* *Big history is back… Origins is a bravura survey that captures our global zeitgeist and emphasises the limits of short-term historical and political thinking -- Jerry Brotton * BBC History *A thrilling slice of big history and as good as Harari * Sunday Times, *Summer Read of 2019* *Enthusiastic and brimful of facts… Dartnell’s great achievement is that while he crams in a great deal, the reader doesn’t feel rushed. It moves from the dawn of agriculture, to ancient Mesopotamian merchants to the coal-fields of England without a bump -- Jon Wright * Geographical *Instead of looking at what we have done to the Earth, he examines what it has done to us, interweaving the physical and social sciences in a clear, logical and joyously entertaining way… [a] wonderful book -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times, *Books of the Year* *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThrough 140 drawings, thought experiments, recipes, activist instructions, gardening ideas, insurgences and personal revolutions, artists who spend their lives thinking outside the box guide you to a new worldview; where you and the planet are one.Everything here is new. We invite you to rip out pages, to hang them up at home, to draw and scribble, to cook, to meditate, to take the book to your nearest green space.Featuring Olafur Eliasson, Etel Adnan, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Jane Fonda & Swoon, Judy Chicago, Black Quantum Futurism Collective, Vivienne Westwood, Cauleen Smith, Marina Abramovic, Karrabing Film Collective, and many more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith extensive research, real-world examples, and hands-on applications, this go-to guide offers a comprehensive look at the principles and practices of biocharand all of its world-changing uses.Like many human discoveries, biochar has likely been invented, lost, and reinvented multiple times. It can be found in the rich terra preta soils of the Amazon and in the ancient dark earths dotting Africa, Asia, and Europe. However, biochar isn't just an archeological curiosity. In The Biochar Handbook, author Kelpie Wilson argues that the simple process of burning organic material in a low-oxygen, low-emission environment could be one of the most powerful tools we have to restore degraded soils and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.In accessible and authoritative prose, Wilson demonstrates that biochar is a low-tech but effective means of reducing wildfire risks, restoring soil carbon, managing manure, weaning farms off of toxic inputs,

Read more less

Book SynopsisAS FEATURED IN SEASPIRACY An Observer Book of the Year 2017 A Sunday Times must read A New York Times Bestseller Endorsed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama – ‘Balcombe vividly shows that fish have feelings and deserve consideration and protection like other sentient beings’ What’s the truth behind the old adage that goldfish have a three-second memory? Do fishes think? Can they recognize the humans who peer back at them from above the surface of the water? Myth-busting biologist and animal behaviour expert Jonathan Balcombe takes us under the sea, through streams and estuaries to the other side of the aquarium glass to answer these questions and more. He upends our assumptions, revealing that fish are far from the unfeeling, dead-eyed feeding machines so many of us assume them to be. They are, in fact, sentient, aware, social and even Machiavellian – in other words, rather like us. What a Fish Knows draws on the latest science to present a fresh look at these remarkable creatures in all their breathtaking diversity and beauty. Teeming with insights and exciting discoveries, it offers a thoughtful appraisal of our relationships with fish and inspires us to take a more enlightened view of the planet’s increasingly imperilled marine life. What a Fish Knows will forever change how we see our aquatic cousins – the pet goldfish included.Trade Review‘Many of us have a soft spot for dolphins and whales, but Balcombe makes it embarrassingly clear how absolutely ignorant (and arrogant) we are when it comes to the vast world of our oceans and their inhabitants.’ * Observer, Books of the Year *‘As cogent, salutary and substantial a study of piscine behaviour as I have read in years…This is a book full of wonders.’ * Literary Review *‘Eye-opening…What a Fish Knows is far more than a mass of would-you-believe-it facts, marvellously entertaining though they are...passionate and persuasive.’ * Sunday Times *‘Surprisingly, this compelling book is the first ever published that is devoted to fish behaviour.’ * Forbes, 10 Best Popular Science Books of 2016 *‘Remarkable.’ * Spectator *‘An extended exploration of the world from a piscine perspective...Balcombe makes a persuasive case that what fish know is quite a lot.’ -- Elizabeth Kolbert, New York Review of Books‘...will leave you humbled, thrilled, and floored. Jonathan Balcombe delivers a revelation on every page, presenting jaw-dropping studies and stories that should reshape our understanding of, and compassion for, some of the most diverse and successful animals who have ever lived.’ -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus, a National Book Award finalist‘We Buddhists consider all animals, including fish, as sentient beings who have feelings of joy and pain just as we humans do. We also believe that they have all been kind to us as our mothers many times in the past, and are deserving of our compassion. Therefore, we try to help them in whatever way we can and at least avoid doing them harm. In What a Fish Knows, Jonathan Balcombe vividly shows that fish have feelings and deserve consideration and protection like other sentient beings. I hope reading it will help people become more aware of the benefits of vegetarianism and the need to treat animals with respect.’ -- The Dalai Lama‘[A] sparkling exposition on “our underwater cousins”…[and] a compelling pitch for greatly expanding fish conservation.’ * Booklist *‘As ethologist Jonathan Balcombe notes in this engrossing study, breakthroughs are revealing sophisticated piscine behaviours. Balcombe glides from perception and cognition to tool use, pausing at marvels such as ocular migration in flounders and the capacity of the frillfin goby (Bathygobius soporator) to memorize the topography of the intertidal zone.’ * Barbara Kiser, Nature *‘Balcombe covers the waterfront, so to speak, from fish cognition and perception to their social structures and breeding practices, all the while drawing on a dizzying array of experiments and studies. In the hands of a lesser writer, the sheer weight of material could have overburdened the reader. But Balcombe’s prose is lively and clear, showcasing his gift for pithy sentences.’ * Eugene Linden, American Scholar *‘With the vivacious energy of a cracking good storyteller, Balcombe draws deeply from scientific studies and his own experience with fish to introduce readers to them as sentient creatures that live full lives governed by cognition and perception…Balcombe makes a convincing case that fish possess minds and memories, are capable of planning and organizing, and cooperate with one another in webs of social relationships.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘[Balcombe] offers an enjoyable, surprising and sometimes gruesome exploration of the world of fish, written with clarity and humor and grounded in many scientific studies...The breadth and depth of his research and his enthusiastic storytelling may permanently alter how [readers] look at a pet goldfish or a can of sardines.’ * Shelf Awareness *‘I thought I knew a lot about fishes. Then I read What a Fish Knows. And now I know a lot about fishes! Stunning in the way it reveals so many astonishing things about the fishes who populate planet Earth in their trillions, this book is sure to ‘deepen’ your appreciation for our fin-bearing co-voyagers, the bright strangers whose world we share.’ -- Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words‘Our fishy ancestors emerged from the watery depths around 400 million years ago, and this beautiful book connects us back to that time.’ -- David Gruber, Ideas.TED.com, “What Should you read this summer?”‘Based on the latest scientific research, What a Fish Knows offers an eye-opening tour of the social, mental, and emotional lives of fishes. Who knew fishes use tools, appreciate music, fall for the same optical illusions we do, and engage in both cooperative hunting and some very kinky sex? Jonathan Balcombe’s book is popular science writing at its best. It will spin your head around.’ -- Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat‘Balcombe...wants people to care about fish as individuals, to think of them much as we would a pet cat or dog...This might sound like a fool’s errand. To most people, it probably seems doubtful that a fish has any sort of inner life, much less a rich one. But Mr. Balcombe builds a persuasive argument...through a compendium of fascinating anecdotes and scientific findings that illustrate the complexity and creativity of fish behavior. Dozens of startling revelations emerge, including playful marine fish riding bubbles to the top of an aquarium, elephantfish “singing” courtship duets using electric pulses, and parasite-picking cleaner fish engaging in convoluted “economic” interactions with their “clients.”’ * Alan de Quieroz, Wall Street Journal *‘What a Fish Knows is a delightful and fascinating book that should be read by all who have dismissed fishes, especially the smaller denizens of the ocean, as utterly simple, primitive creatures. Jonathan Balcombe’s lively descriptions of fish behavior are backed by solid science. What Carl Safina’s Beyond Words did for elephants, wolves, and orcas, Balcombe’s book does for fishes. It is a terrific read.’ -- Wendy Benchley, ocean conservationist and co-founder of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards‘Fishes are greatly misunderstood and grievously maligned. Now, in What a Fish Knows, Jonathan Balcombe uses the latest science to provide a comprehensive picture of just who fishes are. You will learn that fishes have distinct personalities, experience a wide range of emotions, form intricate social relationships, and are wonderful parents. Indeed, this forward-looking and long-overdue book is an integral part of reconnecting with the fascinating animals with whom we share our magnificent planet.’ -- Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Rewilding Our Hearts‘What a Fish Knows is the best book on fishes I have ever read. Brimming with engrossing anecdotes and humor, Jonathan Balcombe’s inspiring treatise takes the reader on a fascinating and deeply moving journey into the lives of fishes. Balcombe’s eloquent, persuasive, highly readable tour de force has a single, luminous message: Fishes deserve more respect, care, and protection.’ -- Chris Palmer, author of Shooting in the Wild and Confessions of a Wildlife Filmmaker

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis**Winner of the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize**Discover the world as you've never seen it before - through the eyes of animals.'Immersive and mind-blowing' Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of TreesThe Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every animal is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving only a tiny sliver of this world.In An Immense World, Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, welcoming us into previously unfathomable dimensions - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals. Showing us that in order to understand our world we don't need to travel to other places; we need to see through other eyes.A NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN, ECONOMIST, SPECTATOR, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT and NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR**Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction**'Suffused with magic' Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Song of the Cell'A book that prompts awe at the world around us' Sunday TimesSunday Times bestseller, July 2023Trade ReviewStanding out even during a recent golden age of nature writing, Ed Yong dazzles with a deeply considered exploration of the many modes of sensory perception that life has evolved to navigate the world, written with exhilarating freshness * Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction *[A] wondrous, lustrous, captivating book: Ed Yong's An Immense World... left me awed and stunned - and revolted by humanity's destructive pride and planetary abuse * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *Full of extraordinary discoveries... an encyclopaedic, rigorously researched journey... recasts the world in breath-taking, bewildering immensity * Daily Telegraph *A hymn to the wonders of evolution... fascinating * Mail on Sunday *Yong succeeds in bringing a sense of grandeur to life on every scale * Financial Times *Not just a study of the myriad wonders of the natural world - though wondrous they are - but also a panoramic, complex portrait of the sensory capacities that underpin a multitude of life. ... In uncovering all this, Yong also shows why we should give more thought to our place in the world. * New Statesman, *Best Books of 2022* *An Immense World is an exploration of the ways in which our fellow creatures navigate, understand and interact with one another and their environment through senses. ... The result is so mind-boggling, it's tempting to say 'forget looking in deep space for astonishment'. But let's not do that. Let's continue searching there while also paying better attention to the miracles right under our noses. Yong's marvellous book shows us how. * Spectator, *Best Books of 2022* *This book lifts the shroud on previously invisible dimensions of the world itself * Economist, *Books of the Year* *A magic well of surprising, enlightening discoveries about the sensory worlds of other species... A brilliant book, marvellous and mesmerizing -- Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of BirdsA stunning achievement - steeped in science but suffused with magic -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author The Emperor of All MaladiesA delight... it prompts a radical rethink about the limits of what we know - what the world is, even. It is quite a book. And, I felt, putting it down, quite a world * Sunday Times *I love this book. Reading it is a delightful sensory experience... I truly enjoyed Yong's adventures in Wonderland! * Gaia Vince, author of Transcendence *A journal of discovery and animal magic, a sensory exploration that is a joy to read -- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid ThiefMagnificent - an unbelievably immersive and mind-blowing account of how other animals experience our world -- Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees and The Inner Life of AnimalsLike stepping into a new kind of Alice in Wonderland. The perfect mixture of revelation, curiosity, science, beautiful prose and buckets full of wonders -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New WorldA cornucopia of wonders... a fascinating reminder of the humbling truth that most of what happens among life forms on Earth is beyond our ken -- David Quammen, author of SpilloverAn expansive, constantly revelatory exploration of the biosphere's sensorium... Ed Yong is my favourite contemporary science writer -- William Gibson, author of Neuromancer and The PeripheralEvery page finds the reader mouthing quiet whoa's, as the world she thought she knew opens out into a hundred others, improbable, strange, and fabulous. -- Mary Roach, author of Fuzz and StiffAn Immense World took my hand and brought me on a journey I'll never forget. After reading this book, I'll never look at our planet the same way again -- Clint Smith, author of How the Word is PassedA whirlwind tour of animal perceptual abilities. A magnificent book * Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisUncover the Earth''s inner secrets as you explore the world''s most magnificent volcanoes and earthquakes like never before. Become an eyewitness to the world''s most explosive volcanoes and powerful earthquakes with this picture-led guide that will take you on a visual tour of the hotspots of the world. Explore everything you need to know about the Earth''s most extraordinary natural forces - from active volcanoes, including Kilanea in Hawaii and Etna in Italy, to devastating earthquakes that have hit San Francisco and Japan. Discover how the eruption of Mount Vesuvius devastated the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, but left in its wake remarkably preserved treasures.Throughout the pages of this newly- revised incredible history book, you can expect to find: -All information updated by expert consultants-Packed with amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines-Includes brand new eyewitness accounts from experts in th

Read more less

Book Synopsis*WINNER of the BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION****AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER**** A Pulitzer Prize Finalist * A National Book Award Finalist * A Writers'' Trust Award Finalist *''No book feels timelier than John Vaillant''s Fire Weather . . . an adrenaline-soaked nightmare that is impossible to put down'' Cal Flyn, The Times''Superb and terrifying . . . it reads with pace and flair and a rich, furious clarity'' Katherine Rundell, author of Super-InfiniteA gripping account of this century''s most intense urban fire, and a panoramic exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between humanity and fire''s fierce energy.In May 2016, Fort McMurray, Alberta, the hub of Canada''s oil industry, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster turned entire neighbourhoods into firebombs and drove 90,000 people from their homes in a single afTrade ReviewNo book feels timelier than John Vaillant's Fire Weather, a deeply reported narrative of one of Canada's most destructive recent wildfires . . . an adrenaline-soaked nightmare that is impossible to put down . . . The drama of the unfolding action and the righteous anger of the polemic concealed within are engrossing -- Cal Flyn * The Times *'All-consuming . . . Vaillant's urgent disaster story [is] meticulous in its detail, both human and geological in its scale, and often shocking in its conclusions -- Tim Adams * Observer *Superb and terrifying . . . it reads with pace and flair and a rich, furious clarity -- Katherine Rundell * Guardian *It reads like a thriller. It's a page turner. I could not put it down . . . This is an important book, serious in its focus but utterly compelling in its narrative pace, and it's beautifully written -- Andrea Wulf, author The Invention of NatureRiveting, spellbinding, astounding on every page. John Vaillant is one of the great poetic chroniclers of the natural world, and here he captures the majesty and horror of one of its great disasters - and what made it tragically possible -- David Wallace-WellsPage-turning and pacy -- Paul Nuki * Daily Telegraph *All-too-timely . . . This book is both a real-life thriller and a moment-by-moment account of what happened [in the Fort McMurray fire] - and why, as the climate changes and humans don't, it will continue to happen again and again -- *The 10 Best Books of 2023* * New York Times *Could not be a more timely work . . . Eloquent . . . his powerful book is a must read for anyone interested in our collective future -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail *What makes Fire Weather so good is its in-depth analysis of the moral, political, environmental and even anthropological background to both the climate crisis and our relationship with fire in all its forms . . . We all need to heed this powerful book -- Mark Cocker * Spectator *Mesmerizing . . . meticulous and meditative -- David Wallace-Wells * New York Times *Provides a refreshingly clear explanation of this hazy, uncanny moment in the earth's history . . . Vaillant is the type of journalist who picks a single narrative and monomaniacally researches it, plunging himself deeper and deeper into the murky details, and then emerges, many years later, with a small universe cupped in his hands . . . by turns heart-racing and horrifying -- Robert Moor * New York Magazine *Riveting . . . Fire Weather is notable for its vivid descriptions of the destructive power of a wildfire so big it creates its own weather . . . Using the drama of the wildfire as a way in, Vaillant gives a damning history of the Canadian oil sands industry and the environmental damage it has wrought on Alberta's forests and waters . . . The book's descriptions of the scale of the industry required to distil something usable from such a material are nearly as astonishing as its renderings of the fire -- James Dinneen * New Scientist *In John Vaillant's vivid anatomy of the apocalyptic Fort McMurray inferno, the histories of humankind's ever-accelerating consumption of fossil fuel, and of our ever-increasing vulnerability to extreme wildfire, converge with the relentlessness of fate - and the urgency of prophecy -- Philip GourevitchA forensic account of the contradictions and costs of Canada's ill-fated tar sands adventure. Explosive reportage at its best -- Ben Rawlence, author of The TreelineThis book is fuelled by Vaillant's genius for storytelling, ignited by intelligence both virtuosic and profound, and burns with the hell of a world on fire -- Jay Griffiths, author of Wild: An Elemental JourneyFire Weather is a compulsively readable journey into our fiery times - by turns a propulsive account of the Fort McMurray Fire burning an oil town to ash; an investigation into the gas-guzzling economic systems that make wildfires so hot they melt steel (and so large they form their own weather); and a meditation on the human relationship with combustion. At the centre, Vaillant gives us fire itself as a character - fast, hungry, and evolving to shape the warming decades to come -- Bathsheba Demuth, author of Floating CoastThe Fort McMurray fire was a vortex of people, ideas, institutions, forest, oil, city, and wind, the quirky and the existential, all mutating under the wanton impress of the Anthropocene Age. Fire Weather offers a compelling account of that tragedy, and a reimagining of a pyric infection that threatens to remake the planet -- Stephen Pyne, author of The PyroceneA riveting exploration of fire and humankind. While for millennia, fire has been a partner in our evolution, Vaillant shows to devastating effect that in our age of climate change, we are seeing its destructive power unleashed in ways never before witnessed * The Bookseller *Stunning and powerful ... Scrupulously and thoroughly researched ... one of the finest books of the year. Despite its density and the disturbing nature of many of its scenes, Fire Weather is an absolutely compelling read -- Robert J. Wiersema * Toronto Star *Searing . . . Vaillant's exploration of fire draws on physics and chemistry, philosophy and symbolism . . . His robust and vivid writing, detailed reporting, and urgent concern for the environment make for sizzling reading * Booklist *Gripping . . . Vaillant's exploration of this material is rich and illuminating, and his prose punchy and cinematic . . . The result is an engrossing disaster tale with a potent message * Publishers Weekly *There's a lot of good Elizabeth Kolbert-level popular science writing here along with grittier portraits of the lives of the people who make their living among the tar sands and scrub . . . A timely, well-written work of climate change reportage * Kirkus *Dramatic . . . Captivating . . . a fascinating history of regional exploitation and illustrative absurdities * Scientific American *A tale of terror from a climate change frontline . . . Fire Weather includes a lot about the science of fire and weather. But it is also a book about the cognitive dissonance in climate change discourse . . . Epic -- Derek Brower * Financial Times *Impressive . . . a great piece of storytelling, well paced and relentlessly gripping . . . a remarkable, often thrilling book -- Nigel Andrew * Literary Review *Riveting . . . A deserved winner of this year's Baillie Gifford nonfiction prize -- Steven Poole, Books of the Year * Guardian *John Vaillant's Fire Weather reveals to readers a character as ruthless, creative, and destructive as any in modern literature: fire itself. Through dynamic prose, deep research, and a profound sense of the stakes on a planet beset by climate change, Vaillant traces how Canada's geological and economic history have converged to transform fire from a useful tool into an existential threat to our way of life. In the process, he crafts a narrative pulsing with beauty and annihilation, hubris and desire, and the unsettling revelation that what humanity has long considered its most important tool is no longer under our control. -- Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction juryA towering achievement; an immense work of research, reflection and imagination . . . Fire Weather is extraordinary in terms of its scope and range; it also sings and surprises at the level of the sentence. It grips like a philosophical thriller, warns like a beacon, and shocks to the core -- Robert Macfarlane

Read more less