Nature and the natural world: general interest Books

Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERBBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows' RAYNOR WINN'My favourite book of the last five years' CAITLIN MORANWintering is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life, times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are the ebb and flow of life.'Every bit as beautiful and healing as the season itself' ELIZABETH GILBERT'Absolutely beautiful' CHERYL STRAYEDTrade ReviewA beautiful, gentle exploration of the dark season of life and the light of spring that eventually follows -- Raynor Winn, bestselling author of The Salt PathA book for the soul -- Caitlin MoranWe all experience periods of 'wintering' in our lives and this book shows us how to embrace the uncertainty that can come with it. A beautiful book that can be enjoyed in both winter and summer -- Lara Maiklem, author of MudlarkingAn elegant investigation into the consolations of nature and how it can be wonderfully restorative even on the bleakest of days * Sunday Express *[A] sympathetic memoir ... May recounts how she attempted to embrace rather than resist the gloom and chill of winter ... she radiates sincerity and quiet self-knowledge * TLS *

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Book SynopsisWinner of the John Avery Award at the André Simon Awards 2022'A triumph' The TLS 'This special and magical book has changed the way I see the world' Dan Saladino'Inspiration and delight sparkle from every page … This book [is] a revelation of joy to the general reader for whom wild food is another country' John Wright, author of the River Cottage handbooks  A captivating and lyrical journey into our ancestral past, through what and how we eat. Mo Wilde made a quiet but radical pledge: to live only off free, foraged food for an entire year. In a world disconnected from its roots, eating wild food is both culinary and healing, social and political. Ultimately, it is an act of love and community. Using her expert knowledge of botany and mycology, Mo follows the seasons to find nutritious food from hundreds of species of plants, funTrade Review“The Wilderness Cure, her diary of the year, is many things: an unpreachy manifesto, a recipe book, a celebration of friendship, a passionate love song to the wild, a textbook of empathy, a cabinet of ecological curiosities, a masterclass in how to tread softly, a survival guide, a journal of quiet epiphanies, a primer on the art of relationship, a meditation on the significance of mycelial networks, a map of the collective unconscious, an impeccably researched account of many of the medical perils of modernity, an inquiry into the healing power of the natural world and an evolving reflection on what it means to be a human… The Wilderness Cure is a triumph: brave, candid, kind, heartbroken by our stupidity and rapacity, suffused with the pain of bereavement at our loss of relationship with the non-human world, but suffused too with hope. For there is a way back. We’d better find it soon.” * TLS *'This special and magical book has changed the way I see the world' -- Dan Saladino'With the seductively readable style that comes only from the light poetism of wisdom and knowledge speaking from the heart, Monica Wilde relates the story of a year eating nothing but wild food. The result is a masterly work of information and erudition, one from which I am still buzzing with the pleasure of its reading.' -- John Wright, author of the Forager’s Calendar'Mo Wilde’s story of foraging for food and medicine is an inspiration to us all. She brings home the need so many of us have for the wild redeemer as a part of our diet and our lives.' -- Stephen Harrod Buhner, author of the bestselling Herbal Antibiotics and Earth Grief: The Journey Into and Through Ecological Loss'Fascinating, inspiring, brave and beautifully written - all is not lost.' -- Gill Meller, author of Outside: Recipes for a Wilder Way of Eating'Mo Wilde has retraced [our ancestors] steps. … A delightfully humble, funny and wise guide, [Mo] leaves tentative footprints for us to follow. Perhaps if we do that, we can all make it home in time.' -- Miles Irving, author of the Forager Handbook, Ebury press, and host of the World Wild podcast'Mo Wilde’s year is an inspiration. What an incredible woman and an even more impressive book.' -- Cat Thomson, The Scotsman food and drink writer'This book is utterly fascinating, and written in a wildly refreshing manner. Though embarking on such a wholesome journey, Mo doesn’t sugar-coat the difficulties however, she also celebrates the many positive sides, [offering] advice on how we could better live, without ever preaching.' -- Michael Perry, ‘The Plant Geek’, Garden Media Guild award winner and author of Hortus Curious'The person who returns [from this journey] is not the same. Something else has returned with her, something that now lives in the world and is food for the soul’s journey.' -- Julie McIntyre, author of The Confluence of Gaia, Plant Medicine and the Human Soul

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Book SynopsisThe first-ever comprehensive book devoted to helping educators use nature journaling as an inspiring teaching tool to engage young people with wild places.In their workshops, John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren are often asked the how-tos of teaching nature journaling: how to manage student groups in the outdoors, teach drawing skills (especially from those who profess to have none), connect journaling to educational standards, and incorporate journaling into longer lessons. This book, expanding on the philosophy and methods of The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling puts together curriculum plans, advice, and in-the-field experience so that educators of all stripes can leap into journaling with their students. The approaches are designed to work in a range of ecosystems and settings, and are suitable for classroom teachers, outdoor educators, camp counselors, and homeschooling parents.Full-color illustrations and sample journal pages from notable naturalists show how to put each lesson into practice. Field-tested by over a hundred educators, this book includes dozens of activities that easily support the Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards—and, just as important, it will show kids and mentors alike how to recognize the wonder and intrigue in their midst.Trade Review“From the beginning of time, we have been connected to nature, but for the first time in history, that connection threatens to be broken for most of an entire generation and perhaps generations to come. In this book and this work, I find hope. Laws and Lygren have created a powerful and practical resource for teachers to help children and adults discover, explore, love, and protect the natural world around them. Nature is magic, and everyone needs it.”—Robert Bateman, artist and naturalist“Engaging students in learning about nature is a compelling need in these turbulent times. Just as important is communicating clearly, precisely, and truthfully. Naturalists and educators John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren help teachers achieve these goals with How to Teach Nature Journaling. This is a wonderful response to educators' request for meaningful ways to implement contemporary standards. The book is useful, full of activities, and manageable for classroom teachers.”—Rodger W. Bybee, Executive Director, BSCS Science Learning (Retired)“Imagine if every teacher taught nature journaling, every student spent enough time outside to fill a journal each year, and our kids were becoming writers, artists, and scientists all at once. I’d send my kid to that school. Thanks to Emilie Lygren and Jack Laws, we now have the vision and the tools to make this our reality.”—Craig Strang, Associate Director of Lawrence Hall of Science“The writing, the illustrations, the demonstration of an intentional, informative, and wonderfully educational approach to nature journal writing—it's all here. From field activities with clear examples to an inquiry-based approach to learning, this book is a gem for educators, first-time journalers, and for the experienced naturalist as well. It's art, it's writing, it's education, it's science, naturally so.”—José González, Founder of Latino Outdoors“Here is a natural way for parents and teachers to integrate the beauty and mystery of nature into the lives of children. The book itself is a work of art.”—Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the Woods“Nature journaling is the single most valuable tool and skill a teacher can possess and use to move the Next Generation Science Standards and environmental literacy forward in their school. You need to do this!”—Rob Wade, Science & Outdoor Education Coordinator, Plumas Unified School District/Plumas County of Education“This book beautifully demonstrates how nature journaling is a valuable, multidimensional approach to science. Through this work, students build neural pathways that enable different brain regions to communicate with each other, resulting in more flexible thinking and creative problem solving in all areas of life. This approach to nature journaling also offers students an excellent way to learn and practice a growth mindset through nature and science.”—Jo Boaler, Professor of Education and Equity, Stanford University; co-founder and faculty director of youcubed.org; and author of several books including Mathematical Mindsets and Limitless Mind“Charlotte Mason said that 'where science does not teach a child to wonder and admire it has perhaps no educative value.' John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren have filled their book with the tools of nature journaling that can help us all get outdoors to wonder at and admire the nature around us. What a gift their book is!”—J. Carroll Smith, EdD, Founder of the Charlotte Mason Institute, Professor of Education (Retired)“In How to Teach Nature Journaling, educators get best practices for facilitating intentional and inclusive strategies for nature journaling with students. This can spark a lifelong wonder of the natural world.”—Arvolyn Hill, Coordinator of Family Programs, Children's Adventure Garden at the New York Botanical Garden“How to Teach Nature Journaling offers step-by-step processes to reach all learners through shared experience. This can be a transformative way for students to learn to communicate and express how they view the natural world.”—Michelle Peres, Environmental Educator, NatureBridgeTable of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Amy Tan INTRODUCTION Why We Teach Nature Journaling Why Nature Journaling? You Can Do This, and It Is Worth It MANAGING THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM Taking Students Outside How to Lead Journaling Activities Nature Journaling In Different Contexts THE NATURE JOURNAL QUICKSTART GUIDE NATURE JOURNALING ACTIVITIES GETTING STARTED: INTRODUCTORY JOURNALING TECHNIQUES AND ACTIVITIES Use Words, Pictures, and NumbersMix It Up I NOTICE, I WONDER, IT REMINDS ME OF MY SECRET PLANT TO EACH ITS OWN COMPARISON ZOOM IN, ZOOM OUT OBSERVATION AND NATURAL HISTORY Look Big, Look Small Make Comparisons and Study Categories Get Lost in Wonder COLLECTION OR FIELD GUIDE TIMELINE STRING SAFARI ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS SPECIES ACCOUNT FOREST KARAOKE: TRANSCRIBING BIRDSONG SOUNDSCAPE MAPS INQUIRY, INVESTIGATION, AND SCIENTIFIC THINKING Intentional Curiosity and Inquiry The Crosscutting Concepts Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why International Baccalaureate Key Concepts How Do You Answer Your Questions? Ask Questions and Think Like a Scientist Practiced Precision Nature Puzzles Follow Curiosity Chains MYSTERIES AND EXPLANATIONS QUESTIONING QUESTIONS MAPPING LANDSCAPE CROSS SECTION PHENOMENON MODEL TEAM OBSERVATION WORDS: ARTICULATED THOUGHT AND STORYTELLING Writing Find Poems within and around You Reflect, Connect, and Find Joy Practice Scientific Storytelling What Pictures Cannot Show WRITING TO OBSERVE, WRITING TO THINK EVENT COMIC EVENT MAP POETRY OF PLACE AND MOMENT SIT SPOT PICTURES: DRAWING AND VISUAL THINKING Drawing Observational Drawing, Step-by-Step Building New Skills: Basic Drawing Exercises Drawing Tricks and Tips: Instruction for Students Page Structure and Layout THINK WITH PICTURES BALANCING FLEXIBILTY AND STRUCTURE LOOK, AND LOOK AGAIN INSIDE OUT NATURE BLUEPRINTS INFOGRAPHIC PHOTO, PENCIL, AND FOUND-OBJECT COLLAGE NUMBERS: QUANTIFICATION AND MATHEMATICAL THINKING Numbers and Quantification Making Quantification Tool Kits SHOW WHERE THE NUMBERS COME FROM USE NUMBERS TO FIND THE PATTERN HIDDEN FIGURES BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY TIMED OBSERVATIONS CHANGE OVER TIME INCORPORATING JOURNALING INTO LESSONS, FRAMEWORKS, AND ASSESSMENTS Journaling Over Time Developing Skills: Ideas, Practice, and Feedback Grading and Evaluation Evaluation Rubric From Activities to Longer Lessons Journaling and Education Standards Teaching Science and Inquiry: A Deeper Dive FINAL THOUGHTS APPENDICES Tools and Materials Activity Summaries and Possible Phenomena NGSS Connections Evaluation Rubric Cut-and-Paste Nature Journal Essentials Cut-and-Paste Quantification Tool Kit Notes Acknowledgements About the Naturalist Journal Contributors About the Authors

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Book Synopsis*** THE INSTANT TOP TEN BESTSELLER *** ‘This spare but elegant account is an unexpected delight, and as soothing as a walk down a tree-dappled lane at sunset’ – Daily Mail‘Gentle and timeless, Paul is the authentic voice of the countryside. This is the story of a man at one with the land.’ – Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking'It is impossible not to like Lamb, or this book' – Sunday Times Paul Lamb is a hedgelayer. From the end of summer until the birds nest in the spring, he maintains the ancient boundaries of the British countryside. He lives in his wagon, as many itinerant farm workers used to, and travels the south-west corner of England, restoring an important but often forgotten part of our country.   Hedgerows are a living structure, woven into the fabric of rural life, a vital aspect of man’s partnership with nature. As traditional management techniques are lost to modernisation, hedges have declined dramatically. Paul works alone and by hand to rejuvenate these linear woodlands, saving the homes of the wildlife that rely on them and bringing many other ecological benefits.   Following the rhythm of the seasons, Of Thorn & Briar describes Paul’s life on the road and the practical aspects of his job. It is about practising a craft with skill, preserving our heritage for future generations and celebrating the glory of the landscape he’s spent his life caring for.  

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Book SynopsisThe further adventures of a young David Attenborough - from Madagascar and New Guinea to the Pacific Islands and the Northern Territory of AustraliaTrade ReviewAbundantly good * TLS *With charm, erudition, humour and passion, the world's favourite natural history broadcaster documents some of his expeditions from the late 1950s onwards * Sunday Express *This book is a wondrous reminder of Attenborough's pioneering role and the often hilarious difficulties he faced . . . A century ago, we learnt about exotic creatures from intrepid explorers in pith helmets. Now we learn from slick, professional TV presenters. David Attenborough has led the way from one style to the other and this book is full of delightful tales from the period of transition. * Daily Express *Engaging and evocative but ultimately poignant . . . Attenborough is a fine writer and storyteller * Irish Times *An adventure that sparked a lifetime's commitment to the planet * The Lady *Fascinating * OK! *With his usual charm and generosity, Attenborough allows us along for the ride * Irish Examiner *An in-depth look at the beloved naturalist's momentous voyage made in his youth across the globe * Woman's Weekly *Pure gold . . . the story of a journey to discover the fugitive, mythical, 'other': Paradise * Wild at Home *A beautifully written book . . . it retains all the trademark Attenborough magic. * WI Magazine *In his May 2018 introduction to these books first published in the early '60s, the great broadcaster naturalist recalls a much changed planet . . . But Attenborough's lust for all types of life remains undimmed as in those distant days * RTE Guide *

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Book SynopsisMindfulness and Surfing casts a fresh perspective on this popular sport, and explores how riding the waves can be the ultimate meditation. Engaging author Sam Bleakley takes us on a soulful journey across the tideline of his personal and philosophical travels. Through lunar cycles and river surfing to the Taoism of nature, he reveals an acute awareness of what the oceans can tell us about our place in the natural world. Meditating on one of nature’ s greatest elements – its salty swells, flow and peaks – he shares life lessons in mindfulness that will be relished by surfer and non-surfer alike.

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Book SynopsisNow in its fifth edition, Sasol Birds of Southern Africa has been brought fully up to date by its expert author panel, with additional contributions from two new birding experts. Greatly enhanced, this comprehensive, best-selling guide is sure to maintain its place as one of Africa’s most trusted field guides. Sales points: More than 800 new illustrations. Scan and play bird calls using free downloadable app. Fully revised text (with latest species records), maps and plate annotations. Fresh input from new contributing authors. Comprehensive coverage of the region’s birds.

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Book SynopsisTelegraph Best Books of 2021'A wonderfully enthusiastic guide to how we can all learn how to understand the weather simply by looking and feeling, smelling and touching... scientifically rigorous and accessible' Observer'Gooley marshals a riveting compendium of weather-reading skills . . . he has plenty of facts at his fingertips with which to excite' The TimesThe weather changes as we walk around a tree or turn down a street. There is a secret world of weather - one that we all live in, but very few see. Each day we pass dozens of small weather signs that reveal what the weather is doing all around us - and what is about to happen. The clues are easy to spot when you know how, but remain invisible to most people. In The Secret World of Weather you'll discover the simple rules that explain the weather signs. And you'll learn rare skills that enhance every minute you spend outdoors, whether you are in a town, on a beach or in a wilder spot. As the author of the international bestsellers The Walker's Guide and How to Read Water, Tristan Gooley knows how to de-code the phenomena and signs to look for. As he says, 'I want you to get to know these signs as I have, as characters. By studying their habits and behaviours, the signs come to life and the meaning reveals itself. From this flows an ability to read what is happening and what is about to happen.'This is the ultimate guide to exploring an undiscovered world, one that hides in front of our eyes.'A sensitive study that combines theoretical physics with beautiful nature writing' Telegraph'This breezy new book reveals how to read nature's very own weather forecast . . . full of fascinating trivia' Daily MailTrade Review'Trying to divine what the weather might do without the use of an app almost seems the stuff of magic these days. Tristan Gooley, however, is a wonderfully enthusiastic guide to how we can all learn how to understand the weather simply by looking and feeling, smelling and touching. The sections on microclimates and how the weather relates to the land around us are scientifically rigorous and accessible. This is one of those books that makes you look at your environment in a different, more poetic way.' * Observer *Marvellous . . . Gooley's witty, conversational writing makes reading a joyful breeze * Geographical Magazine *

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Book SynopsisLet’s Get Lost is a stunning photographic collection showcasing 21 of Instagram’s most respected outdoor photographers and adventurers, revealing the people behind the lens, their stories, ways of working and, most importantly, the remote locations they go to capture breathtaking shots.Trade ReviewThis is likely to draw in both fans of photography as well as adventure travel seekers looking to add to their bucket list. 'Let’s Get Lost' is the perfect gift as it’s something to keep on the coffee table and bookshelf for years to come. * Client Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 MountainsAlex Strohl: Montana, USA Jonathan Gregson: The Dolomites, Italy Richard Gaston: Cape Wrath Trail, Scotland Finn Beales: Pelion Mountain, Greece Finn Beales: Rwanda Cath Simard: Patagonia, ArgentinaChapter 2 WildernessEmilie Ristevski: Namibia Reuben Wu: Pastoruri Glacier, Peru Finn Beales: Fair Isle, Scotland Finn Beales: Hawaii, USA Laura Pritchett: White Sands National Park, USAChapter 3 CoastLucy Laught: Cornwall, England Chris Burkard: Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Molly Steele: California, USA Finn Beales: West Ireland Finn Beales: NewfoundlandChapter 4 Ice & SnowBenjamin Hardman: Disko Bay, Greenland Greg Lecouer: Antarctica Charly Savely: Alaska, USA Finn Beales: Iceland Tim Allen: The Buzludzha monument, Bulgaria Hannes Becker: Svalbard, NorwayChapter 5 Lakes & RiversTobias Haag: Lapland, Sweden Cal Snape: The Skeena River, Canada Finn Beales: Alberta, Canada Nicolee Drake: Tanjung Puting National Park, IndonesiaChapter 6 ForestsHolly-Marie Cato: Kafue National Park, Zambia Finn Beales: Redwoods National Park, USA Finn Beales: Brecon Beacons, Wales Mads Peter Iversen: Hestehave Forest, Denmark Photographer & Biographies Index

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Book SynopsisStan Coren’s groundbreaking The Intelligence of Dogs meets Bernd Heinrich’s classic Mind of the Raven in this astonishing, beautifully illustrated look at the uncanny intelligence and emotions of crows.Playful, social, and passionate, crows have brains that are huge for their body size, which allows them to think, plan, and reconsider their actions. They also exhibit an avian kind of eloquence, mate for life, and associate with relatives and neighbors for years. And to people who care for them and feed them, they often give oddly touching gifts in return. The ongoing connection between humans and crows—a cultural coevolution—has shaped both species for millions of years. Scientist John Marzluff teams up with artist-naturalist Tony Angell to tell amazing stories of these brilliant birds. With Marzluff’s extraordinary original research on the intelligence and startling abilities of corvids—crows, ravens, and jaysTrade Review“Researchers writing about comparative human and nonhuman cognition always make brief, obligatory reference to the underlying neurological and hormonal systems, but Marzluff and Angell actually provide us with the details. In lucid, logical, and articulate prose, they carefully explain all the interrelated mechanisms involved in the fascinating behavior patterns of their corvid subjects and how these mechanisms relate to those of humans. Their book is indeed a gift, not only to those of us eager to learn about corvid behavior but also but also to those who wish to understand the bases for these actions.” -- Irene M. Pepperberg, author of Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process“John Marzluff and Tony Angell's amazing, true stories of crows who rage, grieve, give gifts, work together, and even design and use tools would be enough to make this book a great read. But these maverick scientists go a step further, and actually show how these birds' big brains, though different from our own, achieve many of the same feats. Gifts of the Crow is a gift to all of us who have argued for years that humans don't possess the only minds in the universe. This is one of the most exciting books I've read in a long time.” -- Sy Montgomery, author of Birdology"In this important work, you’ll find stunning examples of crow emotionality and intelligence -- a triumphant vindication for those who have known all along that animals are capable of much more than they’re generally given credit for. . Crows dream as part of their learning process, for instance, and profile other individuals’ behavior and act accordingly. In many ways, their intelligence is equal to that of the great apes. Fascinating." -- Stacey O'Brien, author of Wesley the Owl"Full of clear and detailed accounts of research...remarkable." -- NYTimes"Angell’s illustrations of birds are exquisitely detailed... the book will instill in many readers a sense of wonder and curiosity at what these birds can do. An insightful look at some of our surprisingly capable feathered friends." -- Kirkus"Amazing" -- Seattle Times“Delightful… a series of intriguing stories and stunning illustrations that together reveal the sophisticated cognitive abilities of crows and their relation­ship with humans." -- Nature"With its abundance of funny, awe-inspiring, and poignant stories, Gifts of the Crow portrays creatures who are nothing short of amazing. A testament to years of painstaking research and careful observation, this fully illustrated, riveting work is a thrilling look at one of nature's most wondrous creatures." -- Guardian.co.uk"A great read, this book is a tribute to the little-known and underappreciated minds of the birds of the amazing corvid family. Serious and at times hilarious, it pulled me in with its telling anecdotes and scientific context. Most importantly, it acknowledges and explores the many complex similarities between crows' mental traits and our own." -- Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven“Gifts of the Crow is a compelling book. Filled with wonderful stories of regular people’s interactions with ravens, crows, and jays, it also cites engrossing scientific studies, reports on the field work of biologists, and offers detailed explanations of how the brain of a corvid actually works. I was fascinated.” -- Suzie Gilbert, author of Flyaway: How A Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings“A remarkable look at just how smart the common crow and raven are… Highly recommended.” -- Library Journal"Throughout much of human history crows have been our constant companions. In their exciting new book, Marzluff and Angell, show us how crows brains work, while providing the evidence that these cerebral birds have a lot more in common with us than we ever imagined. And Angell's illustrations alone make the book worth the price." -- Paul R. Ehrlich, co-author of The Birder's Handbook

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Book Synopsis"Nourishment will change the way you eat and the way you think."—Mark Schatzker, author of The Dorito Effect "[Provenza is] a wise observer of the land and the animals [and] becomes transformed to learn the meaning of life."—Temple Grandin Reflections on feeding body and spirit in a world of change Animal scientists have long considered domestic livestock to be too dumb to know how to eat right, but the lifetime research of animal behaviorist Fred Provenza and his colleagues has debunked this myth. Their work shows that when given a choice of natural foods, livestock have an astoundingly refined palate, nibbling through the day on as many as fifty kinds of grasses, forbs, and shrubs to meet their nutritional needs with remarkable precision. In Nourishment Provenza presents his thesis of the wisdom body, a wisdom that links flavor-feedback relationships at a cellular level with biochemically rich foods to meet the body’s nutritional and medicinal needs. Provenza explores the fascinating complexity of these relationships as he raises and answers thought-provoking questions about what we can learn from animals about nutritional wisdom. What kinds of memories form the basis for how herbivores, and humans, recognize foods? Can a body develop nutritional and medicinal memories in utero and early in life? Do humans still possess the wisdom to select nourishing diets or has that ability been hijacked by nutritional “authorities”? Is taking supplements and enriching and fortifying foods helping us, or is it hurting us? On a broader scale Provenza explores the relationships among facets of complex, poorly understood, ever-changing ecological, social, and economic systems in light of an unpredictable future. To what degree do we lose contact with life-sustaining energies when the foods we eat come from anywhere but where we live? To what degree do we lose the mythological relationship that links us physically and spiritually with Mother Earth who nurtures our lives? Provenza’s paradigm-changing exploration of these questions has implications that could vastly improve our health through a simple change in the way we view our relationships with the plants and animals we eat. "Nourishment is a conversation between science, culture, and a greater spiritual or cosmological umbrella."—Montana Public RadioTrade Review“Through Fred Provenza’s eyes, a simple meal becomes a wondrous journey into the world, into our bodies, and into our deepest selves. Nourishment will change the way you eat and the way you think.”—Mark Schatzker, author of Steak and The Dorito Effect “In Nourishment a wise observer of the land and the animals becomes transformed to learn the meaning of life. Fred Provenza’s reflections on his long, fruitful career in behavior-based management of landscapes include his joy in observing the natural world around him.”—Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation“An absolutely fascinating topic, engagingly written. Fred Provenza will wholly up-end everything you think you know about what you are supposed to eat and why. Nourishment should be the first book read by every student of nutrition.”—Nicolette Hahn Niman, author of Defending Beef“Once again, Fred Provenza shows he is one of the freshest and most insightful thinkers about the role of herbivores (and omnivorous humans!) in our food and land management systems. His clear evolutionary thinking is matched by his keen powers of observation of ecological interactions. This book is a landmark contribution.”—Gary Paul Nabhan, author of Mesquite and Food from the Radical Center“Fred Provenza’s Nourishment is a synergy of the essence of his lifetime of research coupled with commonsense nutritional advice to aid both animals and humans. All readers will benefit from the knowledge revealed in this book. I have long thought Dr. Provenza’s work should comprise a required course in veterinary and medical schools, and Nourishment confirms that opinion.”—Richard J. Holliday, DVM, holistic veterinarian; coauthor of A Holistic Vet’s Prescription for a Healthy Herd“In Nourishment Fred Provenza offers a rich explanation of how animals follow instinctual wisdom of nutritional biochemistry when nested in their proper ecological niche. Drawing from episodes of his years of research and the cycles of life, Dr. Provenza illuminates the fascinating mechanisms by which animals’ innate knowledge of healthy eating is passed on to their offspring and how we humans can learn from the simplicity of animals in our midst. This engaging book provides proof that animals are not mindless eaters—nor should humans be.”—Hubert Karreman, VMD, author of Treating Dairy Cows Naturally“Fred Provenza is a hero of mine. For more than thirty years, he has been a leader in applying scientific knowledge to social good. His deep understanding of how animals behave on the land—why they eat what they eat, how they stay healthy, and how they teach their young—has helped generations of ranchers, farmers, wildlife managers, and university students understand and strengthen their relationships with animals in sustainable ways. We are animals, too, and in this magnificent book, the culmination of a lifetime of learning, Fred weaves together philosophy, nutritional science, memoir, and his humble appreciation for the natural world into an inspiring meditation on our moment on Earth.”—Courtney White, author of Grass, Soil, Hope and Two Percent Solutions for the Planet“In this path-finding and paradigm-breaking book, Provenza combines a lifetime’s worth of scientific work with deep empathic insight to further extend his unique contribution to healing our ailing landscapes, our animals, and the human condition. Across five continents Provenza has led livestock managers to upend traditional beliefs about animals in grazing-browsing systems. Now, in exciting and original fashion, he extends his ideas concerning we humans—animals, after all, who also coevolved in diverse, once nutrient-filled landscapes. In an era when the false pathway of economic rationalism, aligned to industrial agriculture and its food systems, is poisoning the planet and ourselves, Provenza provides a vitally new holistic perspective of our species: a perspective that provides exciting solutions to our Anthropocene and human dilemmas.”—Charles Massy, author of Call of the Reed Warbler“Part mirror and part compass springing from a bedrock of science, Nourishment takes us on an extraordinary journey through bodies of wisdom. This book sets a new bar for how to think about the intersection of food, nature, and ourselves.”—Anne Biklé, coauthor of The Hidden Half of Nature“Fred Provenza has spent his career redefining the ways we understand livestock intelligence when it comes to diet. In this compelling and engaging book, he shares many of those lessons and synthesizes a wide breadth of research and knowledge to challenge some fundamental assumptions about diet, whether it be for livestock or humans. Provenza connects the dots like few have before, offering a new way to see the world and bringing new meaning to ‘you are what you eat.’”—Steve Gabriel, author of Silvopasture and coauthor of Farming the Woods“Fred Provenza has a brilliant, inquisitive, and open-minded spirit, the kind that should live within all of us. Nourishment is the result of a lifetime of observation, experimentation, and incredible insight by a master scientist. This is a book you will read, reread, dog-ear pages in, and tell your friends about. You will be blown away, as I have been. Outstanding!”—Bob Budd, executive director, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust“Throughout his illustrious research career, Fred Provenza has taught us how animals—many of which we choose to eat—learn what they themselves should consume to maintain optimal health. He has now taken these lessons and applied them to the human situation in insightful and clever ways, concluding that we ignore our body’s wisdom to our nutritional detriment. But he goes further, tying his metaphysical ideas about the lives of plants, the nature of food, and the consciousness of cells to his fascinating life adventure. This book is sure to engage, educate, and provoke the reader.”—Gary K. Beauchamp, director and president emeritus, Monell Chemical Senses Center“I could describe this book as simply an enlightening treatise on the philosophy of life, but that fails to do it justice. Fred Provenza uses his life’s experiences as student, rancher, fisherman, researcher, teacher, hiker, cancer patient, and retiree to illustrate vividly the fundamental principles of nutrition not only of animals (including humans) but also of plants and soil. In Nourishment Provenza also offers a rich exposition of his outstanding all-embracing views of life. To read this book is to challenge many of one’s assumptions and prejudices.”—J. Michael Forbes, professor emeritus, University of Leeds; author of Voluntary Food Intake and Diet Selection of Farm Animals“Fred Provenza spent his distinguished academic career becoming a leading authority on the food habits of rangeland animals. In this thought-provoking book, he uses his deep understanding of his four-legged study subjects to cast light on our own nutritional condition in a world where we have become increasingly remote—philosophically and physically—from our food supply.”—Stephen J. Simpson, PhD, academic director, Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney“Fred Provenza tells the story of the science behind how animals wisely choose to feed themselves from the variety of plants in the natural world. He integrates that story with the way we humans make food choices in childhood, why we like some foods but not others, and our propensity for addiction. Moreover he shows how animal behaviors shape the natural world and how a healthy ecosystem provides nourishment for our bodies, spirits, and intellects. Nourishment provides the keys for relinking our appetites with our health and happiness.”—William Foley, emeritus professor of nutrition and ecology, Australian National University“Fred Provenza serves up a feast for the mind, heart, and soul. Philosophical, spiritual, and rigorously scientific, Nourishment takes readers on this humble deep thinker’s life journey of discovery, sharing his insights about the nutritional and medicinal wisdom of animals, while clarifying some of our own misconceptions. Like a master mandala artist, Provenza provides perfect balance, drawing together multiple disciplines and belief systems to synthesize a paradigm shift based on wisdom that exists within each of us for eating well and staying healthy. Provenza calls on us to be responsible consumers and more compassionate visitors on this planet.”—Michael A. Huffman, professor, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Japan

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE 2017 PEN ACKERLEY PRIZEWINNER OF THE 2016 WAINWRIGHT PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE 2017 ONDAATJE PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE 2016 WELLCOME PRIZEAt the age of thirty, Amy Liptrot finds herself washed up back home on Orkney. Standing unstable on the island, she tries to come to terms with the addiction that has swallowed the last decade of her life. As she spends her mornings swimming in the bracingly cold sea, her days tracking Orkney's wildlife, and her nights searching the sky for the Merry Dancers, Amy discovers how the wild can restore life and renew hope.Trade ReviewA lyrical, brave memoir. It's Liptrot's aptitude for marrying her inner-space with wild outer-spaces that makes her such a compelling writer . . . I enjoyed this book enormously -- WILL SELF * * Guardian * *The sheer sensuality of Liptrot's prose and her steely resolve immediately put her right up there with the best of the best. Liptrot is an Orcadian warrior with the breeze in her blood and poetry in her fingers, and The Outrun may even be a future classic. Wherever she journeys next, you will want to go with her * * New Statesman * *An exhilarating memoir . . . Anyone who has ever been unhappy or unwise will find much that resonates in this powerful, beautiful writing -- CATHY RENTZENBRINK * * Stylist * *An uncompromising account of addiction and recovery played out against the blasted fields of Orkney. Liptrot's writing is strong and sure. The Outrun is a bright addition to the exploding genre of writing about place and our place in the natural world * * Observer * *Remarkable . . . a meditative interior journey which Liptrot elevates to an art * * Spectator * *An unflinching examination of trauma, addiction and the restorative power of the natural world . . . It is a wild, wind-lashed book, and you come away from reading with the taste of salt spray on your lips -- Evie Wyld * * New York Times * *Brilliant . . . one of the most scabrously honest, sassy and moving books about addiction and recovery that I have read * * Scotsman * *An astonishingly beautiful book. Amy makes most nature writing seem flat and pedestrian. Her account of her addiction and recovery is electric, sexy, immediate and raw, leaving the reader reeling in her wake . . . This is a luminous, life-affirming book, and I have no doubt that I'll be pressing it into people's hands for years to come -- OLIVIA LAINGThere is a great deal of frank, flinch-making writing in this book, but it is always balanced by a sublimity and graciousness that is rare. This is a bold-hearted and brave-minded book. It is both terribly sad and awfully affecting. I look forward to its presence on some prize lists * * Scotland on Sunday * *Clean, clear and impressive . . . a sensuous book, full of summer nights and winter water. Liptrot swims, walks, lives alone on uninhabited islands and observes. And from that comes a portrait of the natural world she is absorbed into * * Herald * *

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Book SynopsisJust like humans, each type of animal has its own soul purpose on Earth. Birds, fish, insects and reptiles are on their own spiritual journey. Some animals incarnate in service to humanity, while others serve the planet or are here to grow spiritually through life on Earth. The souls of animals, like the souls of humans, come from different stars or planets, even from different universes. In this book, which features unprecedented teachings on the animal realm, Diana Cooper shares fascinating channelled information about the soul missions and service work of many of the creatures of the world. We discover the various planets or stars from which they originate and what they come to Earth to learn or teach. As well as comprehensive material about the creatures with whom we share the planet and the particular angels they work with, this incredible book contains visualizations to connect with them and prayers to help them all. The Archangel Guide to the Animal World will expand your consciousness and help you see the animal world through enlightened eyes.

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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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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 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 Synopsis'The finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain' GuardianIntroduction by Robert Macfarlane. Afterword by Jeanette WintersonIn this masterpiece of nature writing, Nan Shepherd describes her journeys into the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland. There she encounters a world that can be breathtakingly beautiful at times and shockingly harsh at others. Her intense, poetic prose explores and records the rocks, rivers, creatures and hidden aspects of this remarkable landscape. Shepherd spent a lifetime in search of the 'essential nature' of the Cairngorms; her quest led her to write this classic meditation on the magnificence of mountains, and on our imaginative relationship with the wild world around us. Composed during the Second World War, the manuscript of The Living Mountain lay untouched for more than thirty years before it was finally published.Trade ReviewThe finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain * * Guardian * *Most works of mountain literature are written by men, and most of them focus on the goal of the summit. Nan Shepherd's aimless, sensual exploration of the Cairngorms is bracingly different -- ROBERT MACFARLANEReading [The Living Mountain] seems to me to explain why reading is so important. And odd. And necessary. And not like anything else. There is no substitute for reading * * Jeanette Winterson * *If you read it, you too will feel changed. This is sublime, in the 18th-century sense, when landscapes like these were terrifying. And she achieves it in language that is almost incantatory, like a spell -- Nicholas Lezard * * Guardian * *A masterpiece . . . Amongst the greatest works of nature writing to come out of Britain -- Chitra Ramaswamy * * The Scotsman * *An impressionistic and weather infused memoir of her experiences of walking and living in the wild landscape of the Cairngorms . . . A key influence on modern nature writers such as Robert Macfarlane * * Herald * *I absolutely loved The Living Mountain - part memoir, part field notebook, part lyrical meditation on nature and our relationship with it, evocative of Rachel Carson and Henry Beston and John Muir -- MARIA POPOVA, ‘Brain Pickings’ * * New York Times * *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITINGSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKSHOP.ORG INDIE CHAMPION AWARDSSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARD FOR NON-FICTIONTHE TIMES / WATERSTONES TOP 10 BESTSELLERA RHS TOP 10 GARDENING BOOK TO GIFT THIS CHRISTMASA GARDENS ILLUSTRATED BEST BOOK FOR 2023Women have always gardened, but our stories have been buried with our work. Alice Vincent is on a quest to change that. To understand what encourages women to go out, work the soil, plant seeds and nurture them, even when so many other responsibilities sit upon their shoulders. To recover the histories that have been lost among the soil. Why Women Grow is a much-needed exploration of why women turn to the earth, as gardeners, growers and custodians. This book emerged from a deeply rooted desire to share the stories of women who are silenced and overlooked. In doing so, Alice fosters connections with gardeners that unfurl into a tender exploration of women's lives, their gardens and what the ground has offered them, with conversations spanning creation and loss, celebration and grief, power, protest, identity and renaissance. Wise, curious and sensitive, Why Women Grow follows Alice in her search for answers, with inquisitive fronds reaching and curling around the intimate anecdotes of others.Trade ReviewA compelling, enriching read. Above all, this is a wonderful tribute to the perseverance and tenacity of women . . . a joy, full of restless curiosity about gardening, life, the longing for meaning, and the simple yet quietly feminist act of creating a space for yourself * * Independent * *Why Women Grow shows the beauty and grit of tending the soil in difficult times. Alice Vincent shows us that the cure for uncertainty is to get mud under our nails -- KATHERINE MAY, author of WINTERINGA poignant exploration of the relationship between healing and growing, and the power and mystery of nature * * New Statesman * *Both tender yet fierce, this book is written with an acute sense of women's relationship to the land and how vital that is. I loved it -- RAYNOR WINN, author of THE SALT PATHAlice Vincent delves into what it is that makes women want to garden, uncovering what drives the urge to sow seeds and nurture plants, and by doing so goes on her own journey of discovery * * Sunday Times * *A conversational odyssey from a Canary Wharf balcony to Charleston, the Bloomsbury set's hangout, and a windswept smallholding in Denmark. Why Women Grow is the splendid-looking account of these encounters. The narrative unfurls like a vagabond anthology of potted biographies, confessions jostling alongside social commentary . . . If you enjoy window-shopping other people's lives, you'll relish this staggeringly diverse array of individuals. Vincent's affection for her subject is infectious * * Telegraph * *A beautiful meditation on the overlooked history of female gardeners, tracing how women have drawn strength and power from the natural world * * i * *Alice's writing is sublime. Gentle yet certain, warm yet fierce. Why Women Grow is an exquisite exploration of our many womanhoods and the reasons why some of us find our steadiness and solace in our relationship to the earth. I adored it -- CLAIRE RATINON, author of UNEARTHEDOne of those rare and special books that reminds you why, especially during trying times, you might suddenly find more joy in caring for a plant, or seeing the turn of Spring. Highly recommended! -- EMMA GANNONBeautifully written * * Independent * *Vincent sympathetically draws out the women who speak about loss, abusive relationships and racial prejudice . . . she brings women and their problems to life * * Daily Express * *A glorious, sweet-scented joy of a read, it's the literary equivalent of a stroll through a cornflower meadow on a warm summer's evening * * Buzz Magazine * *Why Women Grow is a wonderful ode to gardening, in which Alice charts her own emotional gardening journey but also that of dozens of other women of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you're a gardener or not, it will make you think about why and how we grow -- SAM BAKERThe history of horticulture has often overlooked the contribution made by women, and this book offers a timely antidote * * ELLE Decoration * *Reading this is pure poetry -- OLIA HERCULES

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Book Synopsis'A wonderful evocation of Britain's natural beauty and a reminder of our need to connect with the wilderness' The Times Are there any genuinely wild places left in Britain and Ireland? Or have we farmed and built ourselves out of wildness? From forest to moor, mountain to saltmarsh, Robert Macfarlane explores the wild places of Britain to see the wonders we still possess. In his bewitching and inspiring modern classic of nature writing, the acclaimed author of Underland and The Lost Words presents a portrait of a vanishing but still miraculous British landscape. 'Time and again he takes the reader's breath away' Financial Times 'A marvellously evocative portrait of place' Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewA wonderful evocation of Britain's natural beauty and a reminder of our need to connect with the wilderness * Times *Time and again he takes the reader's breath away * FT *A beautiful and inspiring book * Independent *A marvellously evocative portrait of place * Sunday Telegraph *A beautifully modulated call from the wild, that will ensorcell any urban prisoner wishing to break free * Will Self *A powerful and passionate book, essential reading * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisSeaLegacy co-founder, National Geographic photographer, acclaimed ocean conservationist, and TED Talks favourite, Paul Nicklen traces his extraordinary love affair with the polar regions in his most recent book, Born to Ice. His powerful images of iconic arctic and antarctic wildlife and scenery, coupled with his inspiring photographic storytelling, blends ethereal beauty of the icy landscape with a compelling call to action. The Arctic is in Paul Nicklen’s blood. Born and raised on Baffin Island, Nunavut, he grew up in one of the only non-Inuit families in a tiny Inuit settlement amid the ice fields, floes, and frigid seas of Northern Canada. At an age when most children are playing hide-and-seek, he was learning important lessons on survival; how to read the weather, find shelter in a frozen snowscape, or live off the land as his Inuit neighbours had done for centuries. Today, Nicklen is a naturalist and wildlife photographer uniquely qualified to portray the impact of climate change on the Polar Regions and their inhabitants, human and animal alike. Whether he is diving off the floe edge in the Canadian Arctic or sitting on a piece of glacial ice in Antarctica to scout for leopard seals, Paul Nicklen goes to great lengths and depths to secure his award-winning images of life in the polar regions. This National Geographic-featured photographer and conservationist never shies away from extreme and challenging conditions as he feels urgently compelled to connect a global audience to the species and ecosystems he cares so deeply about. One of the world’s most acclaimed nature photographers, Nicklen focuses on marine wildlife and polar environments. For Nicklen, we must act now to save Earth’s delicate ecosystems and the precious diversity of life. Combining some of his most extraordinary photographs with personal experiences — learning and inspirational — this stunning Paul Nicklen photo compendium is both a remarkable collection of nature photography and a passionate rallying cry to stand up, have a voice, and enact positive change for our planet. Text in English, German and French.Trade Review"Will make you gasp, tremble, laugh and cry." -- WWF Action, October 2019;Table of ContentsForeword by Leonardo DiCaprio Arctic Antarctica Appendix

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Book SynopsisIn The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins crystallized the gene''s eye view of evolution developed by W.D. Hamilton and others. The book provoked widespread and heated debate. Written in part as a response, The Extended Phenotype gave a deeper clarification of the central concept of the gene as the unit of selection; but it did much more besides. In it, Dawkins extended the gene''s eye view to argue that the genes that sit within an organism have an influence that reaches out beyond the visible traits in that body - the phenotype - to the wider environment, which can include other individuals. So, for instance, the genes of the beaver drive it to gather twigs to produce the substantial physical structure of a dam; and the genes of the cuckoo chick produce effects that manipulate the behaviour of the host bird, making it nurture the intruder as one of its own. This notion of the extended phenotype has proved to be highly influential in the way we understand evolution and the natural world. It represents a key scientific contribution to evolutionary biology, and it continues to play an important role in research in the life sciences.The Extended Phenotype is a conceptually deep book that forms important reading for biologists and students. But Dawkins'' clear exposition is accessible to all who are prepared to put in a little effort.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade ReviewThe Extended Phenotype is a sequel to The Selfish Gene ... he writes so clearly it could be understood by anyone prepared to make the effort * John Maynard Smith, LRB *This entertaining and thought-provoking book is an excellent illustration of why the study of evolution is in such an exciting ferment these days. * Science *Table of ContentsAFTERWORD BY DANIEL DENNETT; GLOSSARY; AUTHOR INDEX; SUBJECT INDEX

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Book SynopsisFrom the monotonous lark to the rough-faced shag, these poor birds have us all asking: ARE ORNITHOLOGISTS OK?Some people will literally name all the birds instead of going to therapy, and this book exposes all the weird and wonderful monikers these poor feathered creatures have been tarred with. From the go-away-bird and the common loon to the sad flycatcher and the sombre tit, we seriously have to wonder why such disturbed ornithologists even went into this line of work.Tits, Boobies and Loons is for all fans of birds, language and rude words. Or anyone who secretly considers themselves a bit of a red-rumped bush tyrant.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Prix Renaudot 2019 A New York Times Best Book of 2021 ‘Extraordinarily beautiful… a long last loving glance at the planet.’ Carl Safina, author of Becoming Wild The Art of Patience sees the renowned French adventurer and writer set off for the high plateaux of remotest Tibet in search of the elusive snow leopard. There, in the company of leading wildlife photographer Vincent Munier and two companions, at 5,000 metres and in temperatures of -25ºC, the team set up their hides on exposed mountainsides, and occasionally in the luxury of an icy cave, to await a visitation from the almost mythical beast. This tightly focused and tautly written narrative is simultaneously a dazzling account of an exacting journey, an apprenticeship in the art of patience, an acceptance of the ruthlessness of the natural world and, finally, a plea for ecological sanity. A small masterpiece, it is one of those books that demands to be read again and again.Trade Review‘In The Art of Patience: Seeking the Snow Leopard in Tibet, the French writer Sylvain Tesson chronicles his rapturous journey through Tibet’s Chantang plateau with the wildlife photographer Vincent Munier. Tesson’s words, in a ravishing translation by Frank Wynne, paint pictures as vivid as any photograph.’ -- Liesl Schillinger, New York Times, 'Best Books of 2021', Travel‘Tesson is a transcendent travel writer… [The Art of Patience] inspires action, thought, silence – and perhaps also prayer.’ -- BBC Countryfile Magazine, Best Books of 2021‘A wonderful evocation of waiting and watching for nature.’ -- Tim Birkhead, author of Bird Sense‘Beautifully written, beautifully translated, intensely moving and totally absorbing.’ -- Stanley Johnson, author of Where the Wild Things Were‘The Art of Patience is extraordinarily beautiful, a narrative of prose that flows with poetry, a long last loving glance at the planet, a visit to the vital bedside of a living world determined to stay alive.’ -- Carl Safina, author of Becoming Wild: How Animals Learn to be Animals‘I found it hard to resist… there is so much more to this elegantly written book than the story of a search. It is also a philosophical consideration of the benefits of silence, waiting and personal reflection; an ode to the psychological effect of natural beauty; and a poetic eulogy to the planet.’ -- Big Issue‘[One of] the best books of the year.’ * Financial Times on Consolations of the Forest *‘I thought I’d rip through this book. But it’s not something you want to read fast. Tesson, who I came to like more and more, is trying to rearrange his relationship with time. Being alone, miles from anywhere, encourages him to sit still and watch things.’ * Spectator on Consolations of the Forest *‘He comes across as the brainiest, daftest, sternest, funniest, most companionable hermit you'll ever meet.’ * Guardian on Consolations of the Forest *

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Book SynopsisThis pocket-sized, easy-to-use guide to the birds of Zambia features 425 birds likely to be seen in the region, plus a few ‘specials’ sought after by birders. It is an invaluable introduction and guide for visitors to Zambia with its 20 national parks and 42 Important Bird Areas. Features include: an informative introduction to birding in the region, including habitat descriptions and a glossary; full-colour photographs illustrating diagnostic features and plumage differences; concise identification text, including key ID pointers, call description and favoured habitat of each species; up-to-date distribution maps. Lightweight and handy for use in the field, this will be an excellent guide for anyone interested in the birds of Africa. Sales points: compact, easy to use, for birders of all levels; colour photographs of all 425 featured species; distribution maps for each species; authors are regional experts.

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Book SynopsisAn honest, radical and moving account of life off the grid. It was 11pm when I checked my email for the last time and turned off my phone for what I hoped would be forever. No running water, no car, no electricity or any of the things it powers: the internet, phone, washing machine, radio or light bulb. Just a wooden cabin, on a smallholding, by the edge of a stand of spruce. In this upfront and lyrical account of a remarkable life without modern technology, Mark Boyle explores the hard won joys of building a home with his bare hands, learning to make fire, collecting water from the spring, foraging and fishing. What he finds is an elemental life, one governed by the rhythms of the sun and seasons, where life and death dance in a primal landscape of blood, wood, muck, water, and fire – much the same life we have lived for most of our time on earth. Revisiting it brings a deep insight into what it means to be human at a time when the boundaries between man and machine are blurring. *** ‘Boyle's memoir of his first year off-grid is fascinating… A poetic meditation on the almost-mystical benefits of falling in sync with nature.’ —New Statesman ‘A warts-and-all look at an extreme way of life, but one that, by the end of this engrossing book, makes the world around it seem dysfunctional.’ —Irish Independent, BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 ‘A beautiful and thought-provoking story that will inspire you to live differently. Mark asks the most fundamental questions then sets out to live the answers.’ Lily Cole, model and activistTrade Review‘Boyle is fascinating, often touching and funny, on the little fixes that a no-technology life requires, but he’s better when he digs into the deeper question of who we are.’ -- The Herald‘A warts-and-all look at an extreme way of life, but one that, by the end of this engrossing book, makes the world around it seem dysfunctional’ * Irish Independent, BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 *‘[An] honest and lyrical account of a remarkable life without technology’ -- Carlow People‘Boyle's memoir of his first year off-grid is fascinating… A poetic meditation on the almost-mystical benefits of falling in sync with nature.’ * New Statesman *‘[A] reflective, lyrical account… This genuine, warm-hearted analysis of the dysfunctions of our current world offers a surprisingly alluring alternative to our current malaise – if only we dared adopt it.’ * Manchán Magan, Irish Times *‘Don't buy my books: buy this instead, while there's still time for you to change. This one matters. Boyle is the real thing: vital, angry, and kind. And real things are terribly rare. You might think his ideas are dangerous, but in fact they represent the only possible safety.’ -- Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast‘A beautiful and thought-provoking story that will inspire you to live differently. Mark asks the most fundamental questions then sets out to live the answers.’ -- Lily Cole‘A revealing, humorous and deeply endearing witness statement on behalf of lovely, dirty reality.’ -- Jay Griffiths, author of Wild: An Elemental Journey‘Illustrates beautifully that giving up many of the things in life that we treat as indispensable may actually be less of a sacrifice than a liberation.’ -- Neil Ansell, author of Deep Country'A frank account of life in rural Ireland and a way of life that has been forgotten.' * Irish Sunday Times *'Eloquent, engaging account of life off the grid.' * The Simple Things *‘The Way Home paints a picture not only of how broken our culture has become, but of how to begin building a new one. It demands to be read – and then lived by.’ -- Paul Kingsnorth, author of The Wake and Confessions of a Recovering Environmentalist‘This memoir about living off the grid and tech-free in County Galway will inspire, connect and slow down the most impatient of readers, and that is a very good thing.’ * Shelf Awareness *‘Boyle knows few people can live like he does, but positive change seems inevitable if one follows his advice to resist material trappings, revolt against industrial ecological damage, and re-wild landscapes. Boyle’s anti-technology stance upsets many, making this a must-read.’ * Booklist *‘In a world more connected than ever before we have never been so disconnected. By shaking off technologies of modern man and stepping back in time, Boyle shows the hardships and beauty of living with the seasons. A thought-provoking read which encourages the reader to appreciate many of the things we take for granted and question the way we live in the modern world.’ -- Megan Hine, author of Mind of a Survivor‘The book is an intimate description of his struggles to go back to basics and draws the reader into the sinews of the experience… This book is not a polemic, nor is it a rant against the modern age and its technologies; rather it is an account of a life that is lived to the beat of a more ancient drum. It is a delight as it draws you into the author’s life, to its rhythms, its challenges and its rewards. After I had finished reading The Way Home I was lonesome for Boyle’s world; a sure sign of a great read.’ * Irish Independent *‘Beautifully written (with a pencil as opposed to a computer), The Way Home is a paean to a life largely forgotten by the majority of humanity, an existence which appears more wholesome, fulfilling and rewarding as Mark builds his cabin, brews his wine and lives off the land.’ * Fermanagh Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals is an adorable animal reference sure to be welcomed by parents and librarians alike. Filled with fluffy and scaly creatures big and small, this appealing book introduces the youngest explorers to the world of wildlife, using a child-friendly format inspired by the blockbuster National Geographic Little Kids magazine. This exciting new reference for the very young mirrors the magazine’s square shape, readable fonts, and fun content, to keep little ones thrilled with every colorful page.Little Kids First Big Book of Animals devotes four pages each to 32 high-interest creatures, including dolphins, tigers, butterflies, frogs, penguins, wolves, and pandas. More than 150 of National Geographic’s most charming animal photos illustrate the profiles, which feature just the kind of facts that little kids want to know—the creature’s size, diet, home, and more.Child-friendly

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Book SynopsisRabbits. We’ll never quite know why, but sometimes they decide they’ve just had enough of this world. A Box of Bunny Suicides follows over two hundred bunnies as they find ever more outlandish ways to do themselves in. From an encounter with the business end of Darth Vader’s light saber to hiding under an elephant’s footstool, no stone goes unturned (or undropped, or uncatapulted) as these twisted little cuties sign off in style.A Box of Bunny Suicides combines Andy Riley’s two cult favorite books, The Book of Bunny Suicides and The Return of the Bunny Suicides, and will appeal to anyone intouch with their darker side.

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Book SynopsisContaining 146 color photos, this book looks at the mammals and reptiles most likely to be encountered in the world-famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. It includes 89 species of mammal and reptile.Trade Review"The book is uniquely peppered with anecdotes and tips from six local safari guides working in the region. This human touch is a nice feature, and it's likely you'll come across one of the 'Big 6' on safari in the region... Animals of the Serengeti is an accessible and attractive photographic field guide, appropriate for the wildlife enthusiast who is looking for more than simply not going on safari empty handed."--Derek Kverno, Birding in Tanzania "Essential book if you are heading for the Serengeti... Excellent."--Derek Moore, Derek Bird Brain "Animals of the Serengeti: And Ngorongoro Conservation Area by Adam Scott Kennedy and Vicki Kennedy is an easy-to-use guidebook that is also very readable... The book is lightweight with each page filled with pictures and brief scientific explanations for each animal. Still, what I find most intriguing about the book, which I also think you will also enjoy, is the incorporation of short first-hand stories told by local guides... A great read."--Gabriel Thoumi, MongaBay.com "It's an indispensible companion for anyone thinking of making a visit to the region, to enhance your overall experience of the wildlife to be found there and inform you about the characteristics and behaviors that you will observe."--Wild Travel Magazine "A colorful, easy-to-read overview of the fascinating animals to be found on safari in Tanzania."--Library Journal "Filled with vivid anecdotes, Animals of the Serengeti will enable any safari traveler to identify the area's wildlife with ease."--BASE "Animals of the Serengeti is an accessible and attractive photographic field guide, appropriate for the wildlife enthusiast who is looking for more than simply not going on safari empty handed."--Birding Tanzania Blog "Animals of the Serengeti is an accessible and attractive photographic field guide, appropriate for the wildlife enthusiast who is looking for more than simply not going on safari empty handed."--Birding Tanzania Blog "These two guides are keys to prepare you for your journey, whether it is an actual safari or an imaginary one from the comfort of your home."--Dan R. Kunkle, Wildlife ActivistTable of ContentsAbout this book 7 About the guides 10 Geography of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) 12 The great migrations 14 Map of the 'Greater Serengeti area' 16 Where to watch wildlife in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) 20 MAMMALS Lion Panthera leo 24 Leopard Panthera pardus 28 Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus 32 Serval Leptailurus serval 36 Caracal Caracal caracal 37 Wild Cat Felis sylvestris 38 African Civet Civettictis civetta 39 Small-spotted Genet Genetta genetta 40 Large-spotted Genet Genetta tigrina 40 Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta 42 Aardwolf Proteles cristata 44 Striped Hyena Hyena hyaena 45 Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula 46 Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo 47 Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguineus 48 Ichneumon Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon 49 Marsh Mongoose Atilax paludinosus 50 White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 51 Zorilla Ictonyx striatus 52 Honey Badger Mellivora capensis 53 Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas 54 Side-striped Jackal Canis adustus 55 Golden Jackal Canis aureus 56 Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis 58 Wild Dog Lycaon pictus 59 Pangolin Smutsia temminckii 60 Aardvark Orycteropus afer 61 African Elephant Loxodonta africana 62 Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis 67 Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius 68 Cape Buffalo Syncerus caffer 70 Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus 73 Warthog Phacochoerus africanus 74 Plains Zebra Equus quagga 76 Maasai Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 80 Eland Tragelaphus oryx 84 Roan Hippotragus equinus 86 Bush Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 87 Steinbuck Raphicerus campestris 88 Oribi Ourebia ourebi 89 Kirk's Dik-dik Madoqua kirkii 90 Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 91 Mountain Reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula 92 Bohor Reedbuck Redunca redunca 93 Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 94 Defassa Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 95 Impala Aepyceros melampus 96 Grant's Gazelle Nanger granti 98 Thomson's Gazelle Eudorcas thomsonii 100 Coke's Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus 102 Topi Damaliscus lunatus 103 White-bearded Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus 104 Cape Hare Lepus capensis 108 Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis 108 Springhare Pedetes capensis 109 Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus 110 Grass Rat Arvicanthis niloticus 111 White-bellied Hedgehog Atelerix albiventris 112 Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata 113 Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis 114 Southern Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax arboreus 115 Bush Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei 115 Greater Galago Otolemur crassicaudatus 116 Lesser Galago Galago senegalensis 117 Guereza Colobus Colobus guereza 118 Patas Monkey Erythrocebus patas 120 Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis 122 Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus 124 Olive Baboon Papio anubis 126 Rufous Sengi Elephantulus rufescens 128 REPTILES Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 130 Savanna Monitor Varanus albigularis 132 Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus 132 Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis 134 Helmeted Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa 135 Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis 136 Striped Skink Mabuya striata 136 Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia 138 Cape Dwarf Gecko Lygodactylus capensis 139 Mwanza Flat-headed Agama Agama mwanzae 140 Red-headed Rock Agama Agama agama 140 Blue-headed Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis 141 Black-necked Spitting Cobra Naja nigricollis 142 Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis 143 Spotted Bush Snake Philothamnus semivariegatus 144 Velvety-green Night Adder Causus resimus 144 Puff Adder Bitis arietans 145 African Rock Python Python natalensis 146 Further reading and useful resources 148 Acknowledgements 149 Photographic credits 149 Index 150

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Book SynopsisCharles Darwin's account of the momentous voyage which set in motion the current of intellectual events leading to The Origin of Species  When HMS Beagle sailed out of Devonport on 27 December 1831, Charles Darwin was twenty-two and setting off on the voyage of a lifetime. His journal, here reprinted in a shortened form, shows a naturalist making patient observations concerning geology, natural history, people, places and events. Volcanoes in the Galapagos, the Gossamer spider of Patagonia and the Australasian coral reefs - all are to be found in these extraordinary writings. The insights made here were to set in motion the intellectual currents that led to the theory of evolution, and the most controversial book of the Victorian age: The Origin of Species. This volume reprints Charles Darwin's journal in a shortened form. In their introduction Janet Brown and Michael Neve provide a background to Darwin's thought and work, and this edition also includes notTable of ContentsVoyage of the Beagle - Charles Darwin List of maps and illustrationsAcknowledgmentsChronologyIntroductionA note on this editionCharles Darwin's Journal of ResearchesAuthor's prefaceAppendix One: Admiralty instructions for the Beagle voyageAppendix Two: Robert FitzRoy's "Remarks with reference to the Deluge"Biographical guide

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Myers (a seasoned specialist who gives bird tour guides with WINGS Birding Tours) presents an easy to use and colorful introduction to the fauna of Southeast Asia. The guide provides a very brief introduction to wildlife viewing skills and etiquette."--ChoiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments 6 Introduction 6 Geographic Coverage 6 Measurements 6 Basic Tips for Visitors 8 Guide to the Best Spots for Viewing Wildlife in Southeast Asia 10 Species Accounts Birds 26 Mammals 174 Reptiles 210 Frogs 226 Invertebrates 230 References 244 Photo Credits 244 Index 249

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