Natural History Books

Book SynopsisWhat happens to you when you can’t walk for a year? When you can’t have sex? Or smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles an hour? Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh veg, privacy, beer. To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of quizzical and startlingly bizarre space simulations, and as Mary Roach discovers, it’s possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. Packing for Mars takes us on a surreally entertaining voyage into the science of life in space and space on Earth.Trade Review"Such grippingly scatological titbits grace almost every page ... Even readers with a long-term interest in manned exploration should find some new information within ... if you like your space science served with emotion, anecdotes, and excreta, this is for you." ***** * BBC Sky at Night *“Behind the witty mouth is a smart mind that finds out how rocket scientists organise their hardware around irritating organic human needs.” * Saga Magazine *“Roach boldly goes where no author has gone before to bring us puke, zero-gravity, faecal popcorn and flash-frozen rats... Packing for Mars is delightful, one of those rare beasts; a successful humorous science book. It is also one that throws fascinating light on some of the more obscure corners of space travel. Never mind packing it for Mars; pack it for your next long-haul flight and see if you can manage to freak your air-sick neighbour with one of the many amusing chapters on vomiting.” * Fortean Times *“The author of Stiff unravels the scientific hoo-haa and ultimate hubris of the whole enterprise. We all prefer our feet of clay, it seems.” * Belfast Telegraph *Praise for Mary Roach “Terrifically witty…On almost every page she tells you something to make you gasp aloud or snort with laughter.” * Telegraph *Praise for Mary Roach “When Mary Roach is seized by a subject, there is no stopping her: she is full-on, hands-on, and her lab coat is unbuttoned.” * The Times *Praise for Mary Roach “Irresistible…cheerfully scatological,cheekily sceptical.” * Observer Review *Praise for Mary Roach “A bold, tenacious, and insatiable reporter, Roach…could make an earthworm evisceration riveting and a hemispherectomy seem downright jolly.” * Scotsman *“Well-tuned to humour and absurdity…A delightful, illuminating grab bag of space-fl ight curiosities.” * Kirkus Reviews *Praise for Mary Roach “Roach is an original who can enliven any subject with wit, keen reporting, and a sly intelligence.” * Publishers Weekly *Praise for Mary Roach “Roach marries enthusiasm and curiosity with unflagging humour.” * Independent on Sunday *Praise for Mary Roach “Even if there were thousands of science-humour writers,[Roach] would be the sidesplitting favourite.” * Booklist *Praise for Mary Roach “A wonderfully vivid writer…. A celebration of the wide, occasionally crazy spectrum of human pursuit.” * New York Times Book Review *Praise for Mary Roach “One of the funniest and most madcap of science writers" * Kirkus Reviews *Praise for Mary Roach “Roach certainly gets full marks for unflinching commitment to the job in hand.” * The Guardian *Praise for Mary Roach “Bonkers, but brilliant.” * Easy Living *Praise for Mary Roach “Funny, inquisitive, and uncowed by experts, [Roach is] the general reader’s ideal emissary to the arcana of serious science.” * Newsweek *Praise for Mary Roach “One of those rare writers who can tackle the most obscure unpleasantness and distil the data into a hilarious and informative package. I would devour every page…I would laugh out loud…I would be able to dazzle and surprise friends with a newfound knowledge.” * San Francisco Chronicle *Praise for March Roach “She has a huge heart, a strong sense of empathy for the oddball, and she’s willing to go to great lengths to find and report stories from the hinterlands of understanding.” * Chicago Tribune *Praise for Mary Roach “Mary Roach is one of an endangered species: a science writer with a sense of humour.” * Denver Post *Praise for Mary Roach “A joy to read.…wonderful stuff.” * San Franciso Bay Guardian *Praise for Mary Roach “Roach is authoritative, endlessly curious and drolly funny. Her research is scrupulous and winningly presented.” * The Seattle Times *Praise for Mary Roach “A keen eye for observation of unique and ironic details.” * Express-News, San Antonio *“An often hilarious, sometimes queasy-making catalog of the strange stuff devised to permit people to survive in an environment for which their bodies are stupendously unsuited… Wonderfully slapstick.” * New York Times Book Review *"[A] truly funny look at the majestic aspects of the space program... Supremely accessible." * Entertainment Weekly *"Smart, smirky stuff." * San Francisco Chronicle *“[Roach’s] fluffily lightweight style is at its most substantial – and most hilarious – in the zero-gravity realm that Packing for Mars explores… As startling as it is funny.” * The New York Times *"An accomplished journalist with boundless curiosity, Roach complements her historical research with an equally eccentric investigation of space travel… As funny as Roach can be, she brings serious insight to her subject." * New Scientist *"Like a sassier - ie. ruder - version of Bill Bryson…” * Daily Mail *"She has a knack for translating the dry and arcane stuff of science in a way that is eminently readable, informative, and eye-openingly hilarious." ***** * Time Out *"Roach's book details the gritty biological reality of astronaut life." * Reader's Digest *"It achieves the double whammy of being both entertaining and educational, and though it starts off good, it gets even better as it goes along." * Bookbag - www.bookbag.com *"If you don't already know Mary Roach, famously the author of Bonk and Stiff, don't miss this third outing into space where no one can hear you scream with laughter... As a science writer Roach is seriously funny. She asks the right questions and provides answers like the best deadpan stand-up comic." * The Times *"In this often extremely funny book she reveals just what it’s like to be crammed in a space ship with your fellow man or woman - and their various bodily functions." * Lovereading.co.uk *"As Roach has shown in earlier books she is completely embarrassment-proof. There is no biological situation she will not visualise, no anatomical question she will not ask. So Packing for Mars is as startling as it is funny, even if its strategic aim is to tell you more than you need to know." * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated bingo game features 64 species of birds from around the world. Spot all kinds of birds – from the robin to the puffin and the kookaburra to the splendid fairywren – mark them off on your card and bingo! Bird Bingo brings a fun and educational twist to the traditional game as players learn the names and colourings of both their favourite species and weird and wonderful exotic birds. Contains 64 superbly illustrated bird tokens, one board, 12 bingo cards and brightly coloured counters for you to mark up your card, as well as a leaflet containing basic information and a few quirky traits for all of the birds featured.

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Book Synopsis*2022 Nautilus Book Award Gold Medal Winner: Ecology & Environment *2022 Nautilus Book Award Special Honors as Best of Anthology For readers of Braiding Sweetgrass and The Overstory From The Center for Humans and Nature, a collection in five volumes: essays, interviews, poetry, and stories of solidarity that highlight the interdependence that exists between humans and nonhuman beings We live in an astounding world of relations. We share these ties that bind with our fellow humans—and we share these relations with nonhuman beings as well. From the bacterium swimming in your belly to the trees exhaling the breath you breathe, this community of life is our kin—and, for many cultures around the world, being human is based upon this extended sense of kinship. Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations is a lively series that explores our deep interconnections with the living world. More than 70 contributors—including Robin Wall Kimmerer, Richard Powers, David Abram, J. Drew Lanham, and Sharon Blackie—invite readers into cosmologies, narratives, and everyday interactions that embrace a more-than-human world as worthy of our response and responsibility. These diverse voices render a wide range of possibilities for becoming better kin. Contents: Planet: What are the sources of our deepest evolutionary and planetary connections, and of our profound longing for kinship? Place: To what extent does crafting a deeper connection with the Earth’s bioregions reinvigorate a sense of kinship with the place-based beings, systems, and communities that mutually shape one another? Partners: How do relations between and among different species foster a sense of responsibility and belonging in us? Persons: Which experiences expand our understanding of being human in relation to other-than-human beings? Practice: What are the practical, everyday, and lifelong ways we become kin? From the recognition of nonhumans as persons to the care of our kinfolk through language and action, Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations is a guide and companion into the ways we can deepen our care and respect for the family of plants, rivers, mountains, animals, and others who live with us in this exuberant, life-generating, planetary tangle of relations. Proceeds from sales of Kinship benefit the nonprofit, non-partisan Center for Humans and Nature, which partners with some of the brightest minds to explore human responsibilities to each other and the more-than-human world. The Center brings together philosophers, ecologists, artists, political scientists, anthropologists, poets and economists, among others, to think creatively about a resilient future for the whole community of life.Trade Review“This collection is a passionate call to turn towards the living Earth with reverence and respect, and in so doing to cultivate new and old forms of curiosity, of understanding, and of responsibility. Across five captivating volumes, Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations brings together a rich diversity of voices and perspectives. Contributions range in form from poetry to interviews and essays, drawing on and engaging with the insights of Indigenous stories, philosophy, the natural sciences, and much more. Ultimately, this is a collection that does much more than simply describe the webs of relationship that are our world of kin. At the same time, it invites and at times pulls the reader into a sense of the fundamental sharedness of all life and our profound obligations, perhaps now more than ever, to hold open room for others to be and to become in their own unique and precious ways.”—Thom van Dooren, author of The Wake of Crows: Living and Dying in Shared Worlds“Essential reading about the question of our time: how to belong. A chorus of beautiful, wise, grieving, exulting, and generative voices, guiding us into true ‘family values’ for a wild living Earth. These collections offer rare and rich insight into how to find, honor, and heal the bonds of blood, place, time, and ethics that knit us to all other beings.”—David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees"Sometimes when we are working with a document, when it’s growing and changing, we call it “live.” Likewise, this book is live. It’s full of life. It’s living inside you as you read it and you are living inside it. It’s changing you and you’re changing it. May this book be a living document that guides us toward love and care for all kin."—Janisse Ray, author of Wild Spectacle"The Kinship series of books is an ensemble of outstanding essays that reveal the truth that reality is rooted in relationships. After reading these marvellous essays, it becomes crystal clear that there is no reality outside relationships. These books shatter the old story of separation between humans and Nature and explode the belief that nature is a machine and the planet Earth is a dead rock. Here is the new story of the living Earth and a celebration of deep connectivity of life; human as well as more-than-human life. These are inspiring and enlightening essays. They will change your perception of Nature. I recommend these books wholeheartedly!"—Satish Kumar, Founder, Schumacher College, Editor Emeritus, Resurgence & Ecologist“What a joyful series this is, this family of books, crafted with love, clarity, and compassion by a family of poets, scholars, and sages. Together the volumes form a five-part harmony, converging beautifully around notions of kinship and kinning. The authors ask, how do we rightly relate? How may we learn to live well with our kin? Can we listen with sensitivity to the voices and languages of others, the beings with fur, claws, wings, scales, and fins with whom we share the mountains, rivers, seas, grasslands, and forests, places that ring with spirit and meaning, too, who are family, too? The chapters are stories as much as studies, narratives born from experience, wisdom, and observations over many generations. I can’t wait to share this family with my students and colleagues in conservation and anthropology, and with my friends and kin everywhere.“—Dr. Amanda Stronza, Anthropologist and Professor of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University“Kinship is essential reading. Five books of elemental grace and charm, beginning with a spider's web. Each strand glistens in the sunlight, dreaming, catch and release, a journey through the multiverse. Each gathering of words, a page, a tribe, a story of who we are, who we have been, and who we've yet to become, shiny, bright, new, and very old. The DNA of rock and stone, of all our relations, the chemistry of breathing, letting go, and Love. Again, again, and again.”—John Francis, PhD, author of Planetwalker: 17 Years of Silence, 22 Years of Walking “At a time when divisive politics and human-first ideologies dominate public discourse, Kinship provides a deeply-moving, soul-rejuvenating, and course-correcting primer for recognizing and building relationships among all living things. Here readers will find solace in essays and poems about what we’re losing, as well as inspiration for how to live well with other humans—and with our other-than-human kin. But Kinship is more than instructive. Taken together, these exquisite volumes are a balm for the soul.”—Dr. Amy Brady, Executive Director of Orion magazine"Kinship is the type of series I would want to gift to my wild, untamed, and unschooled children, for from its pages springs an education at the end of homogenous time, a crack in the tarmac of ascension, an insurgency of the hitherto invisible. At a time when the human is no longer tenable as a category unto itself, we will need the prophetic voices of these poets, philosophers, mothers, fathers, scientists, thinkers, public intellectuals, artists, and awestruck fugitives to kindle a politics of humility, to help us fall down to earth from our gilded perches, to help us stray from the threatening familiarity of our own image. It is time to meet the others we imagined we left behind: this constellation of stars will guide us."—Bayo Akomolafe, Ph.D., author of These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home “The Kinship series upends colonial paradigms around humans and our relationship with more-than-human nature. These paradigms have driven mainstream environmental movements to engage in myopic efforts that at times have exacerbated ecological imbalances. Through stories, essays, art, poetry, and more, contributors chip away at the layers that bind our collective colonial ethos. Rather than owning nature, we are urged to think about our kinship with all that is nonhuman. Rather than controlling our environments using methods rooted in human exceptionalism (i.e., we know best), we are urged to learn from our kin. Rather than “using” land, water, and wildlife as “natural resources,” we are urged to be in reciprocity and right relationship with our kin. Rather than labeling birds, rocks, and rivers as “it,” we are urged to think of them as persons who have their own rights. Rather than being static, we are urged to be kinetic (Kin-etic?). Decolonization begins with unlearning, and this is a good place to begin.”—Aparna Rajagopal (she/her), founding partner of the Avarna Group and cofounder of PGM ONE Summit"The wonderful essays gathered here will stir minds and open hearts with the reminder that kinship is about how all things are connected, and that these relationships are best when acknowledged, attended to, and above all, savored."—Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix: How Being in Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative"A powerful, multidimensional work of extraordinary vision and reach whose overarching theme of humans sharing encounters with our other-than-human relations presaged a project out of the ordinary."—Resilience

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A moving account of one man's race to save a herd of elephants – with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, The Elephant Whisperer is an enthralling book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival – dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn't take them in.As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

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Book SynopsisA coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel featuring a girl with severe allergies who just wants to find the perfect pet!At home, Maggie is the odd one out. Her parents are preoccupied with getting ready for a new baby, and her younger brothers are twins and always in their own world. Maggie loves animals and thinks a new puppy is the answer, but when she goes to select one on her birthday, she breaks out in hives and rashes. She''s severely allergic to anything with fur!Can Maggie outsmart her allergies and find the perfect pet? With illustrations by Michelle Mee Nutter, Megan Wagner Lloyd draws on her own experiences with allergies to tell a heartfelt story of family, friendship, and finding a place to belong.

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Book SynopsisA biological and cultural biography of the ubiquitous yet mystical seashell.Seashells, stretching from the deep past into the present day, are touchstones leading into fascinating realms of the natural world and cutting-edge science. In Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells, marine biologist Helen Scales shows how seashells have been sculpted by the fundamental rules of mathematics and evolution; how they gave us color, gems, food, and new medicines. The science and natural history of shells are woven into a compelling narrative, revealing their cultural importance and the ways they have been used by humans over the millennia, even as a source of mind-bending drugs. After surviving multiple mass extinctions millions of years ago, mollusks and their shells still face an onslaught of anthropocentric challenges, including climate change and corrosive oceans. But rather than dwelling on all that is lost, Scales emphasizes that Trade ReviewA rewarding glimpse of another world, filled with strange and reclusive creatures ... There is rich detail in all directions. One does not know what will come next. Often the descriptions made me see shafts of sunlight underwater, irradiating extraordinary places and creatures. That is just what the book does itself. * The Guardian *... punctures assumptions with the power of a cone snail dart. * The Spectator *Splendid ... Scales clearly loves snails - she has done an elegant, excellent job of explaining her passion ... she is a most able modern champion of molluscs. * New Scientist *Scales is a charming raconteur with boundless enthusiasm and an eye for detail that make her subject glow with life. Combining biology, history and ecology, this is nature writing at its most engaging. * Sunday Express *The stories in Spirals in Time – which range from slaves being bought for bags of shells in west Africa in the 1770s to ground-breaking medical uses of cone-snail venom – are gripping and unimaginable. * The Telegraph *Helen Scales ... takes us on a fascinating journey into the strange and captivating world of mollusks. Carefully researched and entertaining throughout ... Scales's book is relentlessly interesting. * Science *...an informed introduction to this fascinating group. The author's enthusiasm shines through the prose...This is an ideal book for a summer holiday, and beach finds will take on a new dimension because of it. * Times Literary Supplement *With the soul of a poet and a talent for finding the most intriguing trivia about familiar seaside sights, marine biologist Scales turns the mundane into the magical. * Discover *Table of Contents1. Meet the shell-makers 2. How to build a shell 3. Sex, death and gems 4. Shell food 5. A mollusc called home 6. Spinning shell stories 7. Flight of the argonauts 8. Treasure hunting 9. Bright ideas 10. The sea butterfly effect

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Book Synopsis"Tom’s committed career has captured images that will serve as pieces of history for generations to come." — Steve McCurry "... The fascinating images are not only beautiful, they are also a reminder about how important it is to protect our planet's natural diversity." — Hoom Magazine Tom D. Jones is a wildlife photographer: he makes a point of never photographing animals in captivity and portrays them very closely. The results are almost human portraits of impressive animals such as elephants, rhinos, lions, etc. They also carry a clear message: let's take care of these often endangered species and the world they inhabit before it's too late. This is precisely what his friend and colleague Steve McCurry emphasises in the foreword to this great book.Trade Review"In his new book, the Belgian master photographer Tom D. Jones presents a captivating series of black and white images, which depict the unique wildlife of the East African savannah. The fascinating images are not only beautiful, they are also a reminder about how important it is to protect our planet's natural diversity." - Hoom Magazine

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Book SynopsisA very enjoyable book that brilliantly blends science, insight and passion' TRISTAN GOOLEYThe secret world of fungi is another kingdom. They do things differently there. Diverse beyond our wildest imaginations, fungi don't obey rules. They pop up unbidden and often dressed in curious reds and greens.They do not seem of this world, yet fungi underpin all the life around us: the wood wide web' links the trees by a subterranean telegraph; fungi eat the fallen trunks and leaves to recycle the nutrients that keep the wood alive; they feed a host of beetles and flies, which in turn feed birds and bats. Fungi produce the most expensive foods in the world but also offer the prospect of cheap protein for all; they cure disease, and they both cause disease and kill; they are the specialists to surpass all others; their diversity thrills and bewilders.Professor Richard Fortey has been a devoted field mycologist all his life. He has rejoiced in the exuberant variety and profusion of mushrooms sinc

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Book Synopsis'A heartwarming guide to these fascinating giants of nature . . . A book that is full of surprises . . . Highly empathetic and informative' Independent  'A global arboreal odyssey' GuardianONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S BOOKS TO WATCH IN 2024 Twelve amazing species of trees that can teach us about our past, present and future.   In Twelve Trees, professor Daniel Lewis takes us around the world – from Australia to the United States, from Easter Island and Mexico to Cameroon – and introduces us to twelve tree species that epitomise the many threats faced by our planet, from climate change, poachers and parasites, to fungi and even elephants. He celebrates their many strengths in the face of adversity, and their enduring abilities to survive – and even thrive – in an increasingly dangerous planet. Trees are essential to all of

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Book SynopsisThis hilarious and heartfelt gift book is the perfect guide to the many reasons why your dog thinks you are a hero Owning a dog is to have a four-legged best friend who worships your every move. Each time you walk through the door, you become the centre of their universe, and their love for you is only matched by their love of scoffing sausages and chasing cats. As their amazing owner, you know what it takes to care for them, but allow this book to show how much it means to your furry friend. Filled with witty original illustrations, this book explains the curious reasons behind all your dog's goofy looks and behaviours. Discover what your dog is saying through their barks and tail wags, and why they think you're the best.Whether you're leaving enough room for them on the sofa, taking them for walkies or always bringing them treats, you really are the hero in their big puppy-dog eyes.

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Book SynopsisNational Geographic Traveler guidebooks contain must-know travel information, inspiring photography, insider tips, and expert advice you won't find on the internet for bucket-list destinations around the world.

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Book SynopsisWhether it’s knowing when to curl up for a good nap or taking time out to sniff the catnip, cats know a thing or two about living your best life. Discover these hidden cats and their secret knowledge in CATFFIRMATIONS. Distract yourself from your troubles by searching for the hidden cats in every page of captivating minimalist artwork. Repeat the affirmations to find your most centered and playful self. This little book is the purrfect combination of sincere and silly to help you find the confidence to know you will always land on your feet.

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Book SynopsisThis photographic guide to the wildlife of East Africa is an accessible introduction to the region's more conspicuous and interesting mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, insects, flowers and trees. A colour photograph accompanies each account, which describes the species' appearance, size, and habits, and gives information on their conservation status, habitat and the best viewing localities. This book is an invaluable guide for visitors to national parks and other wildlife-rich places in East Africa and is a handy size for travel.

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Book SynopsisThe clearest and sharpest recognition guide to over 500 invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant fossils from around the world. This comprehensive pocket guide is the perfect introduction to finding, identifying, and collecting fossils. It features more than 500 species of plant and animal fossils, from trilobites and megafauna to dinosaurs and ancient trees. This handbook cuts through the complicated identification process with expertly written and thoroughly vetted text that features precise description, enabling you to recognize a species instantly. Over 1,000 photographs, with illuminating annotations, help you to pick out a fossil''s chief characteristics and distinguishing features, while a colour illustration shows the fossil as a living plant or animal. The detailed introduction explains what a fossil is and how they are classified. Start building your own collection with advice on where to look for fossils, what tools and safety equipment are needed for

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Book SynopsisOf the more than 5,500 mammals species worldwide, at least 1,200 occur in Africa. Stuarts’ Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa concentrates on the more visible and easily distinguished larger species, as well as some of the more frequently seen smaller mammals. This new edition has been extensively revised, expanded and redesigned and includes: the most recent research and taxonomy, revised distribution maps and many new images, colour-coded grouping of orders, size icons, detailed descriptions of each species, offering insight into key identification characters, typical behaviour, preferred habitat, food choice, reproduction and longevity, whales and dolphins now featured too. Sales points: text extensively updated, now includes marine mammals of the region, reflects latest changes in taxonomy, including many new species, fresh new design, all distribution maps revised.

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Book SynopsisOffers a startling new vision of motherhood: wild, intimate, diverse; as contested and extraordinary as the world in which we live and the animals with which we share it.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive guide to the bats of Britain and Europe.This concise and definitive guide presents all 45 bat species that regularly occur in Europe (of which 17 are known to breed in the British Isles). The extensive introduction details the remarkable biology of bats and explores the latest findings in bat evolution, behaviour and echolocation.This is followed by in-depth species accounts covering life history, conservation status and identification, including echolocation characteristics, and complemented by accurate distribution maps, with the book illustrated throughout with superb colour photography.- Allows identification of families, genera and where possible species of all European bats- Illustrated throughout with almost 700 colour photographs- Packed with information on bat behaviour, ecology and conservationSuitable for beginners, students, professionals or conservationists alike, Bats of Britain and Europe is the authoritative field guide for bat watchers an Trade ReviewThe information presented is largely accessible to anyone with an interest in bat biology, conservation and natural history. * National Speleological Society *The information presented is largely accessible to anyone with an interest in bat biology, conservation and natural history. * CHOICE magazine *Table of ContentsBats - the mystery begins Bat roosts Tracking bats Detecting bats Identification of bats The bat species Introduction to the species accounts Fruit bats Pteropodidae Horseshoe bats Rhinolophidae Vesper or plain-nosed bats Vespertilionidae Bent-winged bats Miniopteridae Free-tailed bats Molossidae Glossary Bibliography The genera of European bats

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Book SynopsisWe're not just losing the wild world. We're forgetting it. We're no longer noticing it. We've lost the habit of looking and seeing and listening and hearing. But we can make hidden things visible, and this book features 23 spellbinding ways to bring the magic of nature much closer to home.Mammals you never knew existed will enter your world. Birds hidden in treetops will shed their cloak of anonymity. With a single movement of your hand you can make reptiles appear before you. Butterflies you never saw before will bring joy to every sunny day. Creatures of the darkness will enter your consciousness. And as you take on new techniques and a little new equipment, you will discover new creatures and, with them, new areas of yourself that had gone dormant. Once put to use, they wake up and start working again. You become wilder in your mind and in your heart. Once you know the tricks, the wild world beginTrade Review'Rewild Yourself turns the [nature writing] genre upside down. Barnes tackles the issue of our disconnection with the wild from a much more pragmatic angle. It is not the land that should be rewilded, but us. This book has a spiritual, crusading quality. He writes as an uncle would to his nieces or nephews, encouraging them to enjoy his love of the outdoors... There is something here for anyone who is captivated by nature and wants to get closer... Essentially Rewild Yourself is about learning to be part of nature. This is such a simple, clever book.' -- Rosemary Goring * Herald *'Barnes urges us to pay closer attention to the natural world, sharing 23 tips and techniques to help us all, wherever we live, to broaden our horizons and enjoy the wonders of nature.' * Daily Express *'The perfect gift for both confirmed nature lovers, and those who want to discover the wild side…' * Lancashire Post *

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Book SynopsisWhether you live in a city or in the countryside, a world of amazing, diverse wild food is at your doorstep. Not only is wild food free and sustainable; it is also jam-packed with nutrients and flavour beyond anything you will find in a supermarket. In Free For All, award-winning author and forager Mo Wilde explains how to identify the plants, seaweeds, nuts and spices that are safe (and delicious) to eat, including foraging staples like wild garlic and lesser-known herbs like the fragrant sweet cicely. Organised into plant families, it gives you the tools to develop a deeper understanding of a plant’s visual cues and their place in the ecosystem. Once you have identified the plants, Wilde also describes ways you can eat them, whether that’s making jams from wild berries or gluten-free flour from roots and nuts. The possibilities go on. You can deep-fry hogweed tempura; top your dishes with cow parsley; create a wild

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Book SynopsisNature's Masterpieces-ready for painting Peel the sticker, Paint the sticker, And watch your painting come to life.Paint by Sticker: Birds celebrates the rainbow of colours and shapes of the avian world: a red-headed woodpecker, a blue jay, an orange and black Baltimore oriole, an electric bright hummingbird.

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Book SynopsisFollowing the success of A Dog a Day and Old Dogs, Sally Muir returns with an adorable collection of beautiful rescue dog portraits that will melt even the coldest of hearts. Several years ago, Sally Muir began a Facebook project, posting dog art daily, which became the best-selling book A Dog a Day. Through the project she was introduced to endless people and their dogs, and the distinct personalities and complex emotions that owners attribute to them. This was followed with Old Dogs, where Sally asked the public to send in photos of their elderly canines. She was drawn to the tales behind their greying whiskers and so the natural next step was rescue dogs with their eventful life stories. Rescue Dogs is a beautiful collection of loveable hounds with colourful histories and expressive faces. From Mr Bojangles who was rescued after being hit by a car to Molly who found a new lease of life after being rescued from a shelter at age 15, Rescue Dogs will tug at the heartstrings and leave you with a profound sense of optimism for life, new beginnings and kindness. This is the perfect gift for your dog-loving friends, or for yourself to enjoy some mindful moments flicking through delightful, heart-warming canine portraits.Trade Review For A Dog a Day: 'Muir’s dog portraiture … demonstrates the artist’s technical range and her keen understanding of essential doggishness … Muir’s mastery of the expressive capacity of the canine eye in particular makes these paintings live and pant.' – The Spectator 'Sally Muir has done the job brilliantly’ – The Times For Old Dogs: ‘Beautiful and touching. … A treasure trove for anyone that loves dogs and art’ – Kennel Gazette

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Book SynopsisPoems to celebrate the winter season.A wonderful bedside companion for a frosty winter’s evening, with poems to immerse yourself in the season. From William Shakespeare to John Keats to Katherine Mansfield, the finest poets that ever put pen to paper describe this beautiful and sometimes terrible season.With one entry for every day through winter, from 1st December until 28th or 29th February, this is the ideal book to take you through the darker months and find joy and comfort in nature.In December ‘Gaunt in gloom’ begins James Joyce’s ‘Nightpiece’. In January, there’s a ‘certain slant of light for Emily Dickinson, while ‘the dull dead wind is out of tune’ for Oscar Wilde. And in February, the last month of meteorological winter, William Morris muses ‘From this chill thaw to dream of blossomed May’.This beautiful and collectable anthology of poems derives from the popular A Poem for Every Night of the Year and also features wintry poems by Alice Oswald, Edward Lear, Emily Brontë, William Wordsworth, Ted Hughes and many more.Trade ReviewA firm favourite of mine – a wonderful book to have on your bedside table at this time of year.’ YouTube Miranda Mills

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Book SynopsisPlants from the Woods and Forests of Chile is a volume of high-quality botanical art depicting the rich diversity and beauty of Chile’s unique forested areas where for the last 25 years the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has engaged in collaborative research and conservation initiatives. Featuring 81 unique watercolour paintings painstakingly and accurately record the minutest of details to bring alive the beautiful plant life of a fascinating part of the world.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTESELLEREmma Mitchell's richly illustrated and evocative diary – as seen on the BBC's Springwatch – records her nature finds over the course of a year and shows how being in the wild benefits our mental and physical wellbeing.'This is a beautiful, beautiful book, and I can't recommend it enough.' Sue Perkins‘Emma's words are profound, her photography is inspiring and her illustrations are exquisite.’ Emma Freud‘Emma's writing is precise, gorgeous and inspiring.’ Amy Liptrot'An absolute joy.’ Joanna CannonEmma Mitchell has suffered with depression – or as she calls it, 'the grey slug' – for twenty-five years. In 2003, she moved from the city to the edge of the Cambridgeshire Fens and began to take walks in the countryside around her new home, photographing, collecting and drawing as she went. Each walk lifted her mood, proving to be as medicinal as any talking therapy or pharmaceutical.In Emma's hand-illustrated diary, she takes us with her as she follows the local paths and trails, sharing her nature finds over the course of a year. Reflecting on how these encounters impact her mood, Emma's candid account of her own struggles is a powerful testament to how reconnecting with nature may offer some answers to today's mental health epidemic.Written with Emma's characteristic wit and frankness, and filled with her beautiful drawings, paintings and photography, this is a truly unique book for anyone who has ever felt drawn to nature and wondered about its influence over us.

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Book SynopsisA remarkable variety of animals and plants can be found in the wilderness region surrounding the Okavango Delta. This photographic guide covers more than 470 of the area's most conspicuous and interesting mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, fishes, invertebrates, trees and aquatic plants. An informative introduction describes the area's geology, climate, habitats and the key roles played by some animals, such as termites and elephants. The species accounts feature concise text describing the species' appearance, size, habits, habitat and status, with full-colour photographs to facilitate identification.

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Book SynopsisOn 20 July 1969, US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon. NASA Mission AS-506 Apollo 11 Owners' Workshop Manual is the story of the Apollo 11 mission and the 'space hardware' that made it all possible. This manual looks at the evolution and design of the mighty Saturn V rocket, the Command and Service Modules, and the Lunar Module. It describes the space suits worn by the crew and their special life support and communications systems. We learn about how the Apollo 11 mission was flown - from launch procedures to 'flying' the Saturn V and the 'LEM', and from moon walking to the earth re-entry procedure. This new edition of the book celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.Table of Contents1 Introduction 2 The Saturn rocket 3 The Command and Service Modules 4 The guidance, navigation and control system 5 The Lunar Module 6 The space suits 7 Communicating from the Moon 8 Beyond Apollo 11 Appendices

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