Nature and the natural world: general interest Books

Book SynopsisThis is a book about the universe which begins with swimming salmon and ends with the starry sky. From the tiniest Earth dwellers to far-flung celestial bodies - considering everything from the similarity of gods to donkeys, to exploding stars and exploding sea cucumbers - Amy Leach rekindles our communion with the world. This stunning debut will leave you with a deeper understanding of the universe and a greater sense of the magic that surrounds us.Trade ReviewThis book is a thing of wonder. Amy Leach has found delight in the details of the world, and taken exuberant pleasure in putting that delight into the most unexpected words. Each paragraph carries phrases to underline and read aloud; each page offers another way of seeing the world anew. A sheer delight -- Jon McGregorNo amount of viewings of Planet Earth will prepare you for Leach's vision or her style, her tumultuous, incantatory rejoicing in the astonishing multiplicity of the Earth... Buy this book for everyone you know -- Olivia Laing * * Observer * *Like a descendant of Lewis Carroll and Emily Dickinson, Amy Leach brings new meaning to the world without us, and within. A reader entering this book to learn more about the universe will exit knowing much more about her own self. At once large and intimate, [Things That Are] introduces one of the most exciting and original writers in America -- Yiyun Li, author of Gold Boy, Emerald Girl and The VagrantsThings That Are is a joy. Every sentence is a surprise, bursting open like little pop-rocks -- Brian EnoThe 26 pieces here are short, pithy, and packed with information delivered in poetic but precise language. It is rich fare. Don't read too much in one sitting. These are the gold flakes you scatter on the rice dish of your everyday reading -- Julian Gough * * Guardian * *It's impossible not to be charmed by the way she finds the magical in the prosaic - but never loses sight of the science * * Metro * *Leach teases the written word like an elastic band, stretching time and belief and meaning... it's impossible to feel indifferent to her hymn-like prose that is reminiscent of a young Jeanette Winterson... you can't help but feel you've plunged down the rabbit hole with her in this unique book * * Stylist * *This slim book from the American essayist Amy Leach is a rarity * * Financial Times * *[Leach] conjur[es] onomatopoeia . . . in the contagious kind of way that should renew anyone's love of language . . . Leach manages to assert that desire is what makes all living things both alive and in peril -- JON McGREGOR * * Guardian * *Leach's prose tumbles and cascades, sweeping the reader along * * We Love This Book * *

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Book SynopsisThis vividly written and lavishly illustrated book challenges many cherished beliefs about the rose. It looks set to establish itself as the definitive history of the Queen of Flowers.Ever since Sappho planted roses at the shrine of Aphrodite, no flower has captured the imagination in quite the same way. Wherever it has grown, human beings have projected on to it their dreams and aspirations. Celebrated as a sacred symbol and as a token of womanhood, the rose unites Venus with the Virgin Mary, the blood of Christ with the sweat of Muhammad, the sacred and the profane, life and death, the white rose of chastity and the red rose of consummation.In The Rose, the acclaimed horticultural historian Jennifer Potter shows what, exactly, gives this most fragrant flower its potency in societies around the world. Beginning her story in the Greek and Roman empires, she travels across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas to unravel its evolution from a simple briar of the northern hemisphere to the height of cultivated perfection found in rose gardens today. Whether laying bare the flower's long association with sexuality and secret societies, questioning the Crusaders' role in bringing roses back from the Holy Land, or hunting for its elusive blooms in the gardens of the Empress Josephine at Malmaison, Jennifer Potter reveals why this flower, above all others, has provoked such fascination.Trade ReviewLavish, lushly illustrated... This ambitious book is richly kaleidoscopic without being bewildering, and Potter has succeeded in uncovering just why the rose has insinuated itself so tenaciously into the consciousness of every age and corner of the world. -- Kate Colquhoun, Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisLogically organized and richly illustrated-with more than two hundred color photographs and fifty-two maps-Turtles of the United States and Canada remains the standard for libraries, museums, nature centers, field biologists, and professional and amateur herpetologists alike.Trade ReviewAnyone interested in turtles will want this book! Birdbooker Report 2009 Any college-level natural sciences library serious about turtles must have this substantially revised, updated second edition of the classic reference: Turtles of the United States and Canada. New species names supplements color photos charts, maps, and more in an extensive, detailed reference that is a 'must' for any definitive library. Midwest Book Review 2009 The 645 pages of text, plus over 150 pages of references make it an almost limitless source of information on the chelonia of this part of the world. For such a well-presented and beautifully illustrated book, it represents excellent value for money for professional and amateur herpetologists alike. -- Christine Tilley British Chelonia Group Newsletter 2009 If I did for some reason need to limit my turtle library to a single volume this book would be the one. -- David S. Lee Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 2009 Ernst and Lovich have outdone themselves this time. The terms 'monumental' and of 'epic proportions' certainly come to mind... Truly amazing... This book is a real gem. -- Chuck Schaffer Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter 2009 This work will be a standard reference on the shelves of libraries and other institutions with an interest in turtles. -- Helen Ashton Reference Reviews 2010 This second edition is an impressive accomplishment. Summarizing so much provides information is a daunting task and this book provides an amazing gateway into the vast body of scientific literature on North American turtles. -- David Seburn Canadian Field-Naturalist Turtles of the United States and Canada continues to be among the best taxa-specific ecological references ever compiled. It should be on the shelf of every library, serious turtle expert, herpetologist, vertebrate ecologist, or natural history buff. -- Joshua M. Kapfer Natural Areas Journal 2010Table of ContentsPrefaceAbbreviationsConservation of the Turtles of the United States and CanadaIdentification of the Turtles of the United States and CanadaCheloniidae: Marine TurtlesCaretta caretta, Loggerhead SeaturtleChelonia mydas, Green SeaturtleEretmochelys imbricata, Hawksbill SeaturtleLepidochelys kempii, Kemp's Ridley SeaturtleLepidochelys olivacea, Olive Ridley SeaturtleChelydridae: Snapping TurtlesChelydra serpentina, Snapping TurtleMacrochelys temminckii, Alligator Snapping TurtleDermochelyidae: Leatherback SeaturtlesDermochelys coriacea, Leatherback SeaturtleEmydidae: Semiaquatic Pond and Marsh TurtlesActinemys marmorata, Pacific Pond TurtleChrysemys picta, Painted TurtleClemmys guttata, Spotted TurtleDeirochelys reticularia, Chicken TurtleEmydoidea blandingii, Blanding's TurtleGlyptemys insculpta, Wood TurtleGlyptemys muhlenbergii, Bog TurtleGraptemys barbouri, Barbour's Map TurtleGraptemys caglei, Cagle's Map TurtleGraptemys ernsti, Escambia Map TurtleGraptemys flavimaculata, Yellow-blotched Map TurtleGraptemys geographica, Northern Map TurtleGraptemys gibbonsi, Pascagoula Map TurtleGraptemys nigrinoda, Black-knobbed Map TurtleGraptemys oculifera, Ringed Map TurtleGraptemys ouachitensis, Ouachita Map TurtleGraptemys pseudogeographica, False Map TurtleGraptemys pulchra, Alabama Map TurtleGraptemys versa, Texas Map TurtleMalaclemys terrapin, Diamond-backed TerrapinPseudemys alabamensis, Alabama Red-bellied CooterPseudemys concinna, River CooterPseudemys gorzugi, Rio Grande CooterPseudemys nelsoni, Florida Red-bellied CooterPseudemys peninsularis, Peninsula CooterPseudemys rubriventris, Northern Red-bellied CooterPseudemys suwanniensis, Suwannee CooterPseudemys texana, Texas River CooterTerrapene carolina, Eastern Box TurtleTerrapene ornata, Ornate Box TurtleTrachemys gaigeae, Big Bend SliderTrachemys scripta, Pond SliderKinosternidae: Mud and Musk TurtlesKinosternon arizonense, Arizona Mud TurtleKinosternon baurii, Striped Mud TurtleKinosternon flavescens, Yellow Mud TurtleKinosternon hirtipes, Rough-footed Mud TurtleKinosternon sonoriense, Sonora Mud TurtleKinosternon subrubrum, Eastern Mud TurtleSternotherus carinatus, Razor-backed Musk TurtleSternotherus depressus, Flattened Musk TurtleSternotherus minor, Loggerhead Musk TurtleSternotherus odoratus, Common Musk Turtle or StinkpotTestudinidae: TortoisesGopherus agassizii, Desert TortoiseGopherus berlandieri, Berlandier's TortoiseGopherus polyphemus, Gopher TortoiseTrionychidae: Softshell TurtlesApalone ferox, Florida SoftshellApalone mutica, Smooth SoftshellApalone spinifera, Spiny SoftshellPalea steindachneri,Wattle-necked SoftshellPelodiscus sinensis, Chinese SoftshellGlossary of Scientific NamesBibliographyIndex to Scientific and Common Names

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Book SynopsisEdward O. Wilson--winner of two Pulitzer prizes, champion of biodiversity, and Faculty Emeritus at Harvard University--is arguably one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet his celebrated career began not with an elite education but from an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and drive to explore its mysteries. Called "one of the finest scientific memoirs ever written" by the Los Angeles Times, Naturalist is a wise and personal account of Wilson's growth as a scientist and the evolution of the fields he helped define. This 25th Anniversary Edition celebrates Naturalist as a modern classic. Wilson traces the trajectory of his life--from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to life as a tenured professor at Harvard--detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. With humor and insight, Wilson recounts his days as a student at the University of Alabama and decades at Harvard University, where he has achieved renown as both teacher and researcher. As the narrative of Wilson's life unfolds, the reader is treated to an inside look at the origin and development of ideas that guide today's biological research. Theories that are now widely accepted in the scientific world were once untested hypotheses emerging from one man's wide-ranging studies. At once practical and lyric, Naturalist provides fascinating insights into the making of a scientist, and a valuable look at some of the most thought-provoking ideas of our time. As relevant today as when it was first published, Naturalist is a poignant reminder of the deeply human side of science and an inspiring call to celebrate the little things of the worldTable of ContentsTable of Contents Prelude PART I. Daybreak in Alabama Chapter 1. Paradise Beach Chapter 2. Send Us the Boy Chapter 3. A Light in the Corner Chapter 4. A Magic Kingdom Chapter 5. To Do My Duty Chapter 6. Alabama Dreaming Chapter 7. The Hunters Chapter 8. Good-Bye to the South Chapter 9. Orizaba PART II. Storyteller Chapter 10. The South Pacific Chapter 11. The Forms of Things Unknown Chapter 12. The Molecular Wars Chapter 13. Islands Are the Key Chapter 14. The Florida Keys Experiment Chapter 15. Ants Chapter 16. Attaining Sociobiology Chapter 17. The Sociobiology Controversy Chapter 18. Biodiversity, Biophilia Afterword Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisSee the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman's whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.Nature Anatomy is the second book in Rothman's Anatomy series - you'll love Nature Anatomy Notebook, Ocean Anatomy, Food Anatomy, and Farm Anatomy, too!

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Book SynopsisKatharine Towers' second collection is a book of small wonders. From a house drowning in roses to crickets on an August day, from Nerval's lobster to the surrealism of flower remedies, these poems explore the fragility of our relationship with the natural world. Towers also shows us what that relationship can aspire to be: each poem attunes us to another aspect of that world, and shows what strange connections might be revealed when we properly attend to it. The Remedies is a lyric, unforgettable collection which offers just the spiritual assuagement its title promises, and shows Towers emerging as a major poetic talent.Trade ReviewThere is so much to praise about the writing: clarity, generosity and grace. There are no barriers between poem and reader. . .[Towers] writes with a marvellously gentle wit and a metrical intelligence. . .Quite how she manages the balancing act between entertainment and something that comes close to a prayer, that catches at your throat, is beyond me * Guardian *Each of these short poems shines with soft, lyrical grace; she writes about birds, flowers and objects in clear, generous language that reaches out towards the reader, embracing and never pushing away. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisCarolyn Highland's outdoor writing will drive readers and outdoor enthusiasts to get outside and experience all that the natural world has to offer.Out Here is a collection of essays that explores what the wilderness has to teach us about the human experience, using outdoor endeavours as extended metaphors for greater truths. Each carefully chosen piece embarks on a different physical and metaphorical journey: managing expectations and reality during a medical emergency in a 40-mile ski mountaineering race; staring down fear and consequences on exposed ski lines in Alaska; re-examining self-reliance and decision-making through heartbreak and snow science; and leaving room for unexpected magic as a female travelling through Patagonia.Highland's first book inspires a deeper connection to the wilderness, a deeper connection to ourselves, and will leave readers wanting more from this fresh new voice in mountain writing.

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Book Synopsis*WATERSTONES WELSH BOOK OF THE MONTH*My Family and Other Animals meets The Secret Life of Cows: this rediscovered gem tells the charming tale of how a baby llama transformed a Welsh farming family forever.Things llamas like:Snaffling cherry brandy, Easter eggs, and the Radio Times.Curling up in ''tea-cosy'' position by the fire.Orbiting, helicoptering, and oompahing. Locking victims in the lavatory. Things llamas dislike:Being adopted mother to an orphaned lamb.Invitations to star on Blue Peter. Snowdonia's rainfall. The dark. Ruth Ruck's family live on a Welsh mountain farm, no strangers to cow pats on the carpet and nesting hens in the larder. When dark days strike, they embark on a farming experiment to cheer them all up but raising a baby llama proves more of an adventure than expected Reissued with a new foreword by John Lewis-

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Book SynopsisDisgruntled tips and activities designed to put a frown on your faceFeaturing the sour expression of internet sensation Grumpy Cat: Internet sensation Grumpy Cat''s epic feline frown has inspired legions of devoted fans. Celebrating the grouch in everyone, Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book teaches the fine art of grumpiness and includes enough bad attitude to cast a dark cloud over the whole world. • Featuring brand new as well as classic photos, grump-inspiring activities, and games• Delivers unmatched, hilarious grumpiness that puts any bad mood in perspective• The original Grumpy Cat was a small cat with a big frown who inspired a hugely popular meme that made even the grumpiest people around the world smileTurn that smile upside down with the help of Grumpy Cat. Celebrating the grouch in all of us.• A perfect coffee table, bathroom, or bar top conversation-starting book• Makes a great stocking stuffer, holiday, birthday, or pick-me-up gift

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Book Synopsis36 new illustrations from the now legendary anarchist illustrator, together with an introduction from the writer Richard Boston.

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Book SynopsisThe new book from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom. Lose yourself in the calming world of woodland wildlife. Whether it’s statuesque pines or a steamy tropical forest, you will discover a wealth of beautiful and intriguing creatures that dwell in the world’s forests – from foxes, fireflies and fallow deer to lemurs, leaf frogs and lady bugs. Millie’s much-loved intricate drawing style will be irresistible for those who love to colour. Meander through a world of towering trees, leafy canopies, exquisite blossoms and underground burrows to meet a huge array of animals that make the woods their home. Featuring species from across the globe, this is a celebration of the world’s forests – vibrant and teeming with life – guaranteeing hours of relaxation and colouring fun.Trade Review'A new book from colouring extraordinaire Millie Marotta is always an occasion, and we’re happy to report that her latest, Woodland Wild, is another sensational addition to her catalogue.' * Papercrafter *

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Book SynopsisNow updateda highly informative guide to the joys of bunny ownership Rabbits For Dummies gives readers a well-informed look before hopping headlong into the wonderful world of raising rabbits. From choosing a rabbit and preparing its home to feeding, grooming, and training, this practical guide provides a wealth of hutch-tested tips. Packed with informative photographs and beautifully detailed illustrations, Rabbits For Dummies includes up-to-date veterinary information, explains rabbit body language, advises on treating common rabbit maladies, covers the latest on organic cuisine and homegrown feeding options, and suggests training tips for acclimating a new bunny into the household. P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release ofRabbits For Dummies(9781119696780). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics!Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part 1: Bringing on the Bunny Basics 7 Chapter 1: Jumping into Rabbit Ownership 9 Chapter 2: Choosing the “Right” Rabbit 25 Chapter 3: So Many Breeds, So Little Time 41 Chapter 4: Hiding in Shelters, Holes, and Shops 55 Part 2: Taking Care of Creature Comforts 71 Chapter 5: Shacking Up with an Indoor Rabbit 73 Chapter 6: Stocking Up on Carrots 97 Chapter 7: Cleaning Behind Those Great Big Ears and More 109 Chapter 8: Making Fitness and Fresh Air Fun for Your Bunny 123 Chapter 9: Nipping Common Health Problems in the Bud 137 Chapter 10: Coping with Other Health Woes and Aging Issues 163 Part 3: Rabbit Psychology: Behavior and Training 181 Chapter 11: Thinking Like a Rabbit 183 Chapter 12: Putting Boxing Gloves on Your Rabbit: Training 195 Chapter 13: Reckoning with a Bad Bunny 203 Part 4: Enjoying Your Fun Bunny 217 Chapter 14: Playing Around Isn’t Just for Dogs 219 Chapter 15: Getting Hoppy with Your House Rabbit 227 Chapter 16: Hitting the Road with Your Rabbit 243 Part 5: The Part of Tens 257 Chapter 17: Ten Signs That Require Emergency Action 259 Chapter 18: Ten Great Rabbit Web Sites 267 Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Make Your Bunny’s Day 271 Appendix: Rabbit Resources 277 Index 285

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE PEN ACKERLEY PRIZE 2020A uniquely strange and wonderful work of literature' Philip HoareAn exciting new voice' Mark Cocker, author of Crow CountryIn his late thirties, Edward Parnell found himself trapped in the recurring nightmare of a family tragedy. For comfort, he turned to his bookshelves, back to the ghost stories that obsessed him as a boy, and to the writers through the ages who have attempted to confront what comes after death.In Ghostland, Parnell goes in search of the sequestered places' of the British Isles, our lonely moors, our moss-covered cemeteries, our stark shores and our folkloric woodlands. He explores how these landscapes conjured and shaped a kaleidoscopic spectrum of literature and cinema, from the ghost stories and weird fiction of M. R. James, Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood to the children's fantasy novels of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper; from W. G. Sebald's The Rings of Saturn and Graham Swift's Waterland to the archetypal folk horroTrade Review‘Ghostland is a delicious, creepy, gothic gazetteer to a British landscape filled with folkloric, literary and filmic spirits, avian auguries, and natural history and a deeply touching personal grief that speaks to the hauntedness of childhood memory and teenage dreams. Obsessive, possessive, nostalgic, an act of vivid retrieval – this is a uniquely strange and wonderful work of literature’ Philip Hoare ‘Psychogeography at is finest, Ghostland is a personal meditation on the primal power of the British landscape to shape literature, film and television that tunes into the core collective experience of the Haunted Generation’ Cathi Unsworth, author of Weirdo ‘Part memoir of family to two parts brilliant excursion into folk-horror darkness and literary nooks and crannies’ Roger Clarke, author of A Natural History of Ghosts ‘Ghostland is both haunting and entertaining, echoing with an enthusiast’s love for that which is out of kilter with the everyday; things not quite right glimpsed from the corner of the eye’ Stuart Maconie, Mail on Sunday ‘A marvellous blend of travel writing, history and grief memoir, Ghostland provides not only a seance with the author’s lost family, but also a premonition of his dazzling literary future’ Paul Willetts, author of Members Only, filmed as The Look of Love ‘A skilful and intriguing weaving together, less of haunted houses as of haunted people, including MR James, Alan Garner, W G Sebald and the author himself, in places where the past has left its mark’ George Szirtes, author of The Photographer at Sixteen ‘His is a wonderfully evocative book, creating a sense of place and invoking the power of literature and nature.’ The Guardian ‘Throughout this impeccably researched book, there is…a fascination with figures in a landscape glimpsed out of the corner of the eye.’ Literary Review

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Book SynopsisBeat the boredom and take time out from screens with this pocket-sized book packed with facts, photos and fantastic spots for hours of fun!Kids will have fun collecting points on a visit to a castle with more than 140 things to find. From suits of armour to chamber pots, drawbridges to dungeons, they'll learn all about castles and their history along the way. And once they've scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge.With more than 30 i-SPY books to collect, there's something for everyone!For even more fun outdoors check out i-SPY Birds (ISBN 9780008386450).Trade Review“A fun, interactive way to encourage curious children to learn about the world around them.” – Parents In touch

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Book SynopsisOne of the world's first tree-top scientists, Meg Lowman is both a pioneer in her field - she invented one of the first treetop walkways - and a tireless advocate for the planet. In a voice as infectious in its enthusiasm as in its practical optimism, The Arbornaut chronicles her irresistible story. From climbing solo hundreds of feet into Australia's rainforests to measuring tree growth in the northeastern United States, from searching the redwoods of the Pacific coast for new life to studying leaf-eaters in Scotland's Highlands, from a bioblitz in Malaysia to conservation planning in India to collaborating with priests in Ethiopia's last forests, Lowman launches us into the life and work of a scientist and ecologist. She also offers hope, specific plans and recommendations for action; despite devastation across the world, we can still make an immediate and lasting impact against climate change.Trade ReviewThe Arbornaut captures the magic of that little-known world with its pioneering stories and clear, informative text. Readers everywhere will be fascinated and inspired to learn more about nature, and especially about how we need to conserve the world's forests. -- Jane GoodallThe Arbornaut is about a shy girl who loved to play outdoors and became a scientist who educated the world about the abundant life in the treetops. I loved it. -- Temple GrandinThe Arbornaut is, true to its name, an account of intrepid exploration at the upper reaches of terrestrial life, where branches and foliage touch the sky and all creatures awake to the first morning rays of the sun. -- Wade Davis, author of INTO THE SILENCEThis is the most exciting and innovative way of introducing science that I have seen in many years. Everyone will want to read this book. Meg Lowman is starting a whole new movement exploring the treetops! -- E. O. Wilson, author of HALF-EARTH: OUR PLANET'S FIGHT FOR LIFEA passionate look at the 'unexplored wonderland' of trees... Lowman shines in her ability to combine accessible science with exciting personal anecdotes that effectively convey the "thrill of aerial exploration" and bolster her case that trees - and sustainable ecosystems - are worth studying, protecting, and preserving. Nature lovers will find much to consider. * Publishers Weekly *Table of Contents1: from wildflower to wallflower: a girl naturalist in rural america 2: becoming a forest detective: first encounters with temperate trees from new england to scotland 3: one hundred feet in the air: finding a way to study leaves in the australian rain forests 4: who ate my leaves?: tracking-and discovering!-australian insects 5: dieback in the outback: juggling marriage and investigations of gum tree death in australia's sheep country 6: hitting the glass canopy: how strangler figs and tall poppies taught me to survive as a woman in science 7: arbornauts for a week: citizen scientists explore the amazon jungles 8: tiger tracks, tree leopards, and vedippala fruits: exporting my toolkit to train arbornauts in india 9: a treetop bioblitz: counting 1,659 species in malaysia's tropical forests in ten days 10: building trust between priests and arbornauts: saving the forests of ethiopia, one church at a time 11: classrooms in the sky-for everyone!: wheelchairs and water bears in the treetops 12: can we save our last, best forests?: promoting conservation through mission green

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A breathtakingly beautiful celebration, with photographs so intimate that you feel you are out with Bjorn and Fanny watching live animals in the wilderness.(…)This wonderful book will inspire love and respect for Asian wildlife and passion for its conservation." —Professor Nick Davies, University of Cambridge"This book is an important testament to why Asia's fabulous but threatened biodiversity needs to be cherished and protected. Stunning images complement the text to produce a book that is both a visual delight as well as informative to assist those planning a trip to the region's top wildlife sites. This book will remind policy planners and decision makers their responsibility to protect these outstanding sites for future generations." —Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Writer & Photographer, Chairperson- London Bird Club"We have and are losing so much of the living world. But this inspiring book catalogues, nation by nation, how a host of Asian nature reserves have succeeded in preserving thousands of irreplaceable species.(…) And, as always with Lai and Olesen, the photographs capture these species with breathtaking clarity and beauty" —Dr. John van Wyhe, Historian of Science and one of the world's leading experts on Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated natural history memoir that reminds the reader that re-storying our relationship with the plants of home can be our first step in restoring the world.In a world made precarious by human mobility, all of us can learn from those who root in place. Plants surround us, yet all too often we ignore their quiet and complex lives. When a new job brings botanist and artist Lyn Baldwin back to her childhood home in southern British Columbia, she is challenged to confront both the cost of her mobility and the assumptions of her profession. If nearly three decades spent in motion gave Lyn scientific credentials and a career, it also made her a stranger to home and country. Lonely and homesick, Lyn runs outside. She doesn't go farrarely more than a day's drive from Kamloops, BCbut within the pages of her field journal, the slow confluence of art and science allows Lyn to learn not just about but from the green wisdom of her neighbours.Tutored by the plants of forest and garden, wilderness and wetland, Lyn realizes that her botany never has been, and never will be, a placeless science. Instead, Drawing Botany Home gives Lyn the metaphors to reconcile the dark horror of settler/Indigenous relations and the hard edges of her own childhood: poverty, a traumatic fire, unwanted stepfathers, a hippie mother.

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Book SynopsisWhether you live between skyscrapers or in the suburbs, it’s easy to become disconnected from nature. But even in a concrete jungle, nature is still present. This deck offers 100 ways to rediscover and reconnect with the natural world, with plenty of ideas that are easy to integrate into your everyday life, from taking your lunch outside to mindful walking and community gardening. Learn about getting involved in seed exchanges, forest bathing, or how to become a citizen scientist, and find great ways to help with conservation efforts ¬¬– because no matter where we live, we can all heal with nature as we help it heal.

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Book Synopsis''A delight'' Hugh Warwick, ecologist and author of A Prickly Affair''Hilarious and heartbreaking'' Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell''A triumph'' Charles Foster, author of Cry of the Wild, Being a Human and A Little Brown Sea''A necessary nature book, with prose as sharp as prickles.'' John Lewis-StempelA body lies motionless on the ground. Small, with a snouty head and covered with spines, it is unquestionably dead before its time. And all of those gathered around the corpse are suspect. So which one of them is responsible for this crime - and for the disappearance of many many thousands of hedgehogs in recent decades?Is it the car driver, the badger, the farmer, the gardener ..? Who could possibly have it in for a hedgehog? In poll after poll they come out top as our favourite mammal. And yet their numbers are estimated to have halved in less than twenty years. Magnifying glass in han

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Book SynopsisHow did our relationship with nature become broken, why does it matter and how can we fix it? From a past in which we were embedded in the natural world, revolutions in farming, science and industry have seen the human bond with nature eroded with the promise of prosperity offering happiness and meaning in life. This mindset may have delivered comfortable living for many, but there is growing recognition that the root cause of wildlife loss and the warming climate is people’s disconnection from nature, which is also an important factor in our mental health. Yet solutions focus on technical fixes to treat the symptoms of that damaged relationship, such as reducing carbon emissions and increasing habitat. What we urgently need is a whole new way of thinking. Reconnection explores our hidden links with nature through the science of nature connectedness, setting out a way to revivify the relationship across society. Here is a route to a meaningful life that unites both human and nature’s wellbeing for a truly sustainable future. What's more, everybody has a role to play. From business leaders to conservationists, teachers to medics, from drivers to walkers, we can all reduce the damage we do and find new ways to bring nature into our lives. This timely book considers the problems scientifically, then offers simple, practical, positive steps for how we can all work towards a better world.Trade Reviewhighly stimulating... The author has impressive credentials and a great command of the social science literature (much of which he has been involved in writing). I was grateful that he brought in his own love for, and experience of, nature at frequent intervals because it showed that this wasn’t just an academic exercise – and it clearly isn’t. -- Mark Avery, author and environmental campaignerRichardson's manifesto for re-establishing our connection to nature is heartfelt and never dry. And it couldn't be more needed than now. -- Sam Pryah, Countryfile MagazineThis well-written book... emphasizes the importance of the psychological connection to nature and its role in promoting overall well-being. I found it particularly impressive how Richardson highlights the distinction between ‘exposure’ and ‘connection’ to nature, raising the possibility that the latter holds the greater influence. -- Masashi Soga, Nature Ecology and EvolutionRichardson makes his meticulously researched case in prose that a teenager would understand. He offers redress for the causes of our double ecological crisis rather than just describing the symptoms. My stand-out environmental book of the year. -- Mark Cocker * Spectator Books of the Year *Table of ContentsPreface Part I – The need for reconnection with nature 1. A Broken Relationship with Nature 2. The Great Theft 3. The Technological Ape 4. Hidden Connections with Nature 5. Nature Connectedness Part II – Benefits of reconnection with nature 6. Good for You: Wellbeing Benefits of Reconnection 7. How Does Reconnection Bring Wellbeing? 8. Good for Nature: Environmental Benefits of Reconnection 9. One Health Part III – Creating a new relationship with nature 10. The Good Things in Nature 11. Pathways to Reconnection 12. Scaling Up: Policies for Connection 13. Tools for Change 14. Creating a Nature-Connected Society 15. Designing a Connected Future Acknowledgements Notes Index

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Book SynopsisWe live in an increasingly urbanised world, but there are still many magnificent stretches of wilderness unaltered by humankind. From the most remote mountains and valleys in Alaska to the southern tip of Chile and Argentina, from Europe’s primeval forest on the Polish-Belarusian border to Norway’s fjords, and from the Namib Desert to Kamchatka in far-eastern Russia to canyons in Kurdistan and rainforests in Cambodia, The Wild celebrates the beauty of uncultivated landscapes all around the globe. Arranged by continent, the book roams across landscapes and climates, from Antarctica’s dry valleys to African burning deserts, from European marshlands to Arabian rugged peaks and on to Tanzania’s craters, Indonesia’s volcanoes and New Zealand’s bubbling mud pools. Each entry is supported with fascinating captions explaining the geology, geography, flora and fauna. In doing so, the book reveals some of the world’s most naturally bizarre places. Illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs, The Wild leads the reader to the planet’s least cultivated places, from jungles to tundras. Take a step into the wild.Table of ContentsIntroduction EUROPE Near Ilimanaq, Avannaata, Greenland Øfjord, Scoresbysund, Greenland Knoydart Peninsula, Highland, Scotland Highland Cattle, Lochaber, Scotland Connemara National Park, Galway, Ireland Northern Lights, Lofoten Islands, Norway Vestvågøya, Lofoten Islands, Norway Waggonwaybreen, Spitsbergen, Norway Arctic Ocean, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway Spitsbergen, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lapland, Finland Oulanka National Park, Northern Ostrobothnia-Lapland, Finland Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lapland, Finland Soomaa National Park, Viljandi, Estonia Białowieza Forest, Belarus–Poland Kellerwald-Edersee National Park, Hesse, Germany Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, France Doñana National Park, Andalucia, Spain Northern Velebit National Park, Lika- Senj, Croatia Durmitor National Park, Zabljak, Montenegro Drakolimni of Tymfi, Vikos–Aoös National Park, Greece Papingo Rock Pools, Vikos–Aoös National Park, Greece Horses, Danube Delta, Tulcea, Romania ASIA Koryasky Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia Putorana Plateau, Krasnoyarsk, Russia Upper Shavlinsky Lake, Chuya Belki, Altai, Russia Ergaki, Krasnoyarsk, Russia Lake Baikal, Irkutsk–Buryatia, Russia Iturup Island, Kuril Islands, Russia Kunashir Island, Kuril Islands, Russia Chukchi Peninsula, Chukotka, Russia Sakha, Russia Kamchatka Brown Bear, Kamchatka, Russia Lut Desert, Iran Karakum Desert Darvaza Gas Crater, Ahal, Turkmenistan Yamzho Yumco Lake, Tibet, China View from the Friendship Highway, Tibet, China Kham, Tibet, China Badain Jaran Desert, Inner Mongolia, China Baruun Büs, Mongolia Sükhbaatar, Mongolia Bayanzag, Gobi Desert, Ömnögovi, Mongolia Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang Uygur, China Xinjiang Uygur, China Tonlé Sap, Cambodia Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand Ijen, East Java, Indonesia Kawah Ijen, East Java, Indonesia Pulau Mawar, Johor, Malaysia Danum Valley, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia Bornean Orangutan, Borneo, Sabah, Malaysia Scout Park, West Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands AFRICA Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar Lakes of Ounianga, Ennedi, Chad Simien Mountains, Amhara, Ethiopia Hypersaline Pond, Danakil Depression, Ethiopia Great Rift Valley, Kiambu, Kenya Nabiyotum Crater, Lake Turkana, Kenya Lake Bogoria, Baringo, Kenya Ugandan Red Colobus, Kibale National Park, Western Region, Uganda Semuliki National Park, Western Region, Uganda Hwange National Park, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe Angolan Giraffe, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tanzania Lilac-Breasted Roller, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tanzania Blue Wildebeest, Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha, Tanzania Hippos, Serengeti National Park, Arusha, Tanzania Langevin River, Réunion National Park, Réunion Crowned Lemur, Montagne d’Ambre National Park, Madagascar Cascade Sacrée, Montagne d’Ambre National Park Andringitra National Park, Haute Matsiatra, Madagascar Namib Desert, Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia Deadvlei, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia Sehlabathebe National Park, Qacha’s Nek, Lesotho Mokala National Park, Northern Cape, South Africa Lango Bai, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of the Congo Cão Grande, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe Lopé National Park, Ogooué-Ivindo, Gabon Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, St Louis, Senegal Zakouma National Park, Guéra–Salamat, Chad Rhirhaia Valley, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco Canyon des Doigts du Singe, Dadès Valley, High Atlas, Morocco Tassili n’Ajjer National Park, Tamanrasset, Algeria OCEANIA & ANTARCTICA Mt Sonder (Rwetyepme), Northern Territory, Australia Ghost Gum, Northern Territory, Australia Mt Donna Buang, Victoria, Australia Cathedral Termite Mounds, Northern Territory, Australia Echidna Chasm, Purnululu National Park, Western Australia Pilbara, Western Australia Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, New Zealand Pohutu Geyser, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand Champagne Pool, Waiotapu, North Island, New Zealand Tongariro Alpine Crossing, North Island, New Zealand Adelaide Island, Antarctica Adelie Penguin, Brown Bluff, Antarctica Wright Valley, Antarctica Antarctic Ice Sheet, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica Wandering Albatrosses, South Georgia Vanderford Glacier, Wilkes Land, Antarctica Mt Waialeale, Kaua‘i, Hawaii Rock Islands, Palau Palmerston Atoll, Cook Islands Sprouting Coconuts, Palmerston Atoll THE AMERICAS Hay River, Willmore Wilderness Park, Alberta, Canada Arctic Poppies, King William Island, Nunavut, Canada Lac La Ronge Provincial Park, Saskatchewan, Canada Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada Hidden Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada Victoria Island, Northwest Territories, Canada Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada Lancaster Sound and Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada Dall’s Sheep, Denali National Park, Alaska, USA Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA Yukon River, Alaska, USA Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA Eureka Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California, USA Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada, USA Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah, USA Wind River Range, Wyoming, USA Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, USA El Nicho Waterfalls, Cienfuegos, Cuba Elqui Valley, Coquimbo, Chile Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru Chapada Diamantina National Park, Bahia, Brazil Tierra del Fuego National Park, Argentina Puna de Atacama, Salta, Argentina

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating' - Robert Macfarlane, author of The Old Ways'Truly a thing of wonder' - Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author of Thin Places'Lyrical [and] thoughtful' - Cal Flyn, author of Islands of AbandonmentVisiting Iceland as an anthropologist and film-maker in 2008, Sarah Thomas is spellbound by its otherworldly landscape. An immediate love for this country and for Bjarni, a man she meets there, turns a week-long stay into a transformative half-decade, one which radically alters Sarah's understanding of herself and of the living world.She embarks on a relationship not only with Bjarni, but with the light, the language, and the old wooden house they make their home. She finds a place where the light of the midwinter full moon reflected by snow can be brighter than daylight, where the earth can tremor at any time, and where the word for echo - bergmál - translates as 'the language of the mountain'. In the midst of crisis both personal and planetary, as her marriage falls apart, Sarah finds inspiration in the artistry of a raven's nest: a home which persists through breaking and reweaving - over and over.Written in beautifully vivid prose The Raven's Nest is a profoundly moving meditation on place, identity and how we might live in an era of environmental disruption.Trade ReviewA deeply thoughtful, vivid, enquiring, genre-traversing book, closely attentive to the people and the landscapes with which it dwells. It asks hard questions - and offers no easy answers - about what it means to belong to a place, and to live well upon a part of the earth. Sarah's writing - crisp in its details, patient in its rhythms - draws its readers northwards and inwards upon a fascinating journey. * Robert Macfarlane *Sarah Thomas' lyrical, thoughtful prose takes us on a journey, both physical and emotional, to the far north. * Cal Flyn, author of Islands of Abandonment *An insightful, intuitive introduction to Icelandic culture, folklore, mysticism, language and nature. * Times Literary Supplement *A quiet, generous and beautifully written meditation on what it means to try to belong to a singular culture on the 'edge' of Europe. * Literary Review *Thomas' writing is the stuff of dreams - not in any whimsical way - rather, in the way of bones and stones; light and dark; hopes and fears. She leads the reader through various portals - from a place of unknowing - to one of hope. This book maps the self, the world and the spaces in between with such tender care. Truly a thing of wonder. * Kerri ní Dochartaigh, author of Thin Places *A metamorphic book bursting with ideas and insights about belonging, acceptance, and supernatural joy. A chronicle of Iceland's ever-strange, prismic beauty and the myriad ways it works on the heart. * Dan Richards, author of Outpost: A Journey to the Wild Ends of the Earth *The Raven's Nest asks what it means to belong to a place from which we do not originate. Anthropological and tender in detail. * Abi Andrews, author The Word for Woman is Wilderness *The Raven's Nest is a candid yet beautiful memoir, an homage both to Iceland and a rapidly changing way of life, and a meditation on the constantly shifting nature of human identity. Thomas's evocative prose leaves striking images which glow in the memory long after the reading has ended. * Katharine Norbury, author of The Fish Ladder *Sarah Thomas evokes characters and the culture, a sense of time and the landscape in beautiful prose which makes my brain do cartwheels. * Nancy Campbell, author of The Library of Ice *The Raven's Nest is about a meeting of worlds. Sarah arrives in Iceland with a 'guest's clear eyes', as Icelanders say. A sincere and perceptive book that explores love, adventure and the search for connections in a big world. * Andri Snær Magnason, author of On Time and Water *A delicate cartography of emotional landscapes as well as place, The Raven's Nest is also a journey into to the heart of our planetary crisis. Beautiful, moving and fascinating. * Nick Hunt, author of Outlandish *Table of Contents1: Breaking Up 2: Landing 3: Shift 4: Tónleikar - Concert 5: Fjallafang - Embrace of the Mountains 6: Mataræði - Diet 7: Gíslholt 8: Seal Wife 9: Að smala og að slátra - Gathering and Slaughtering 10: Gos - Eruption/Gas/Fizzy Drink 11: Flytja - To Move 12: Krummi - Raven 13: Bogguhús 14: The Frozen Bell 15: A Floating House 16: Trúlofun - Engagement 17: Selur - Seal 18: Þakið - Roof 19: A Walk in My Valley 20: Göng - Passage/Corridor/Tunnel 21: Að snúa - To Turn; Snúið - Complicated 22: Innflytjandi - Importer/Immigrant 23: The Strangest Silence 24: Svartfuglsegg - 'Black-bird's-egg' 25: Hvalurinn - The Whale 26: Seljavallalaug - 'Shieling-plains-pool' 27: Herring Adventure 28: To Hell and Back 29: The Raven's Nest 30: Sjóndeildarhringur - Horizon

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

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Book Synopsis‘From the author of our former Non-Fiction Book of the Month Fifty Words for Snow comes a luminous collection of fascinating seasonal tales that explore everything from Tove Jansson's childhood to polar bird myths.’ Waterstones A treasure trove of nature tales from storytellers across the globe, bringing a little magic and wonder to every winter night. As the evenings draw in – a time of reckoning, rest and restoration – immerse yourself in this new seasonal anthology. Nature Tales for Winter Nights puts winter – rural, wild and urban – under the microscope and reveals its wonder. From the late days of autumn, through deepest cold, and towards the bright hope of spring, here is a collection of familiar names and dazzling new discoveries. Join the naturalist Linnæus travelling on horseback in Lapland, witness frost fairs on the Thames and witch-hazel harvesting in Connecticut, experience Alpine adventure, polar bird myths and courtship in the snow in classical Japan and ancient Rome. Observations from Beth Chatto’s garden and Tove Jansson’s childhood join company with artists’ private letters, lines from Anne Frank’s diary and fireside stories told by indigenous voices. A hibernation companion, this book will transport you across time and country this winter. ___ Praise for Fifty Words for Snow, a Waterstones Book of the Month: ‘Absolutely exquisite. This little book is a work of art.’ Horatio Clare, author of The Light in the Dark ‘This stunning book made me want to pack all my woolies, candles, ample firewood and enough books for a year – and head to as northerly a location as I could find.’ Kerri ní Dochartaigh, Caught by the River ‘A delightful compendium’ The Herald ‘Winter has its own special magic, and this collection from around the world makes you want to pull on your boots and get out there.’ Saga Trade Review‘From the author of our former Non-Fiction Book of the Month Fifty Words for Snow comes a luminous collection of fascinating seasonal tales that explore everything from Tove Jansson's childhood to polar bird myths.’ Waterstones ‘As we travel into the coldest season and approach the shortest day of the year, this book is a perfect companion to help you while away the long wintry nights’ The Countryman ‘Winter has its own special magic, and this collection from around the world makes you want to pull on your boots and get out there.’ Saga  ‘Rich, multi-layered and deeply meaningful. … This anthology isn’t twee or cutesy – it is profound, surprising and moving. It will transport you to another place and time and bring a new, nuanced understanding of our coldest season.’ Resurgence & Ecologist

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Book SynopsisA memoir of hope, healing and restoration, from star of TV's The Repair Shop, Suzie Fletcher.Suzie Fletcher is the warm and friendly face on TV's The Repair Shop that viewers look forward to watching every week as the resident leather expert - a craft she has honed over four decades and was born out of her love of horses. But while she tends to be the one repairing and offering a gentle kindness to others, Suzie has also been in a process of change, reflection, and healing.In her first book Suzie looks back over her life - which moves from England to Colorado and back again - and the places, people and experiences that have shaped the person she is today. We'll hear for the first time, how Suzie has overcome some of life's most difficult challenges, from complicated relationships to grief.A self-confessed free spirit with a deep connection to nature, Suzie's exceptional warmth and zest for life shine through on every page, making The Sun Over the Mountains a truly inspiring read that will resonate with anyone who has faced uncertainty but has the courage and power within them to overcome it.

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Book SynopsisAn ardent steward of the land, fearless traveller and unrivalled observer of nature and culture, Barry Lopez died after a long illness on Christmas Day in 2020. The previous summer, a wildfire had consumed much of what was dear to him in his home and the community around it – a tragic reminder of the climate change of which he’d long warned. At once a cri de Coeur and a memoir of both pain and wonder, this remarkable collection of essays adds indelibly to Lopez’s legacy, and includes previously unpublished works, some written in the months before his death. They unspool memories, both personal and political, among them tender, sometimes painful stories of his childhood in New York and California, reports from expeditions to study animals and sea life, recollections of travels to Antarctica and other extraordinary places on earth, and mediations on finding oneself amid vast, dramatic landscapes. He reflects on those who taught him, including Indigenous elders and scientific mentors who sharpened his eye for the natural world. We witness poignant returns from his travels to the sanctuary of his Oregon backyard and in prose of searing candour, he reckons with the cycle of life, including own and – as he has done throughout his career – with the dangers the earth and its people are facing. With an introduction by Rebecca Solnit that speaks to Lopez’s keen attention to the world, including its spiritual dimensions, Embrace Fearlessly the Burning World opens our minds and sounds to the important of being wholly present to the beauty and complexity of life.Trade Review‘The world is vast, and so are the heart and the curiosity of Barry Lopez. His voice is incomparable and necessary.’ -- David Quammen

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Book SynopsisThis powerful anthology brings together thirty-four writers - educators, journalists, poets, and scientists - to share their emotions in the face of environmental crisis. They share their solastalgia, their beloved places, their vulnerability, their stories, their vision of what we can create.

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Book SynopsisBreathing with the Climate Crisis offers a hopeful narrative about the climate crisis, a new, different perspective that could unleash the courage to act. Young people and farmers from the East, South, North and West asked at a world biodynamic conference, How can we find our own breath? Do we need more facts? More head? More heart? Feeling? Poetry?' Theysuggest that you begin with your own inquiry process, ask yourself your burning questions'. Think further. Also, think with your head, heart and hands

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Book SynopsisForest School Handbook is lively collection of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature-based play which will inspire kids to thrive outside. Whether just popping out for a walk, going camping or exploring in the woods, this handy-sized book will be your essential guide for connecting with the natural world. Packed with ideas and activities for children of all ages, there are bushcraft basics, survival skills, nature crafts and ideas for both energising and peaceful outdoor play. Encouraging controlled risk taking, boosting social skills, wellbeing and a healthy resilience, this is the ultimate way to avoid battles over screen time and classroom-induced fatigue. Build a shelter from what you find around you, design a natural collage, tie useful knots, get to know a tree, light a fire, filter dirty water, make charcoal, go on a night walk, make a bug hotel, create a mini village, whittle a stick and much more. Aimed at parents, outdoor teachers or anyone passionate about getting back to basics Grab-and-go size makes it easy to pack in your outdoor kit bag Written by award-winning outdoor specialists, with detailed knowledge of Forest School practices and who are experienced leading school groups either as a thrilling woodland class outing or online Includes traditional Forest School activities and beyond. Catering for older children who are ready to explore more involved primitive skills and bushcraft Playing and learning outside in nature has been shown to benefit children in many ways, such as improved moods, concentration, confidence and self-esteem Forest School Adventure has sold c.35,000 copies and been translated into French, German, Czech and Italian Trade Review5 STAR REVIEW Forest School Handbook is a fantastic forest school guide written by two absolute experts in bringing practical learning, fun activities and survival skills to children in the great outdoors. The book is packed with information, ideas and explanations that cover a huge range of bush craft skills. Outdoor play and experiences are at the forefront of ensuring the wellbeing and positive mental health of our children and this book is an excellent resource to use. It helps adults and children safely and confidently immerse themselves in nature themed learning and fun. It is a glossy, useful and delightful book - with obvious expertise and enthusiasm behind it. -- Jennifer Caddick, teacher * Reading Zone *This handy-sized book, easy to fit in your jacket pocket or rucksack, is perfect for taking on adventures outdoors with the kids! It includes over 75 activities for children ages 5 to 11 on how to build simple but effective shelters and dens, how to tie an array of useful knots, how to collect and filter water, how to forage safely and a multitude of other outdoor crafts that will give them confidence and a life-long love and appreciation for nature and enjoying it responsibly. * Right Start Online *Altogether a smashing little book that deserves to be in every family and class collection. -- Jill Bennett * Red Reading Hub *This little book is super handy to take outdoors and to get inspired in the nature classroom… It’s packed with exciting collection of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature based play to inspire children to thrive outside. * @the_treasure_outdoors *From beginner to expert, there's ideas here for everyone: nature awareness activities using the senses, crafts, den building and knots as well as skill building and survival ideas, such as fire lighting, water filters, first aid, foraging, cooking and primitive skills (perfect for a Stone Age topic). I can't wait to start using this brilliant book at home and school. I'd recommend a bit of planning before trying some of these activities, but it's the perfect size to pop in the rucksack so you're always prepared for an outdoor adventure! * @mrsbrownsbookbox *This is a wonderful book, I love the size of it too, fits nicely into my bag to take out and about! It’s full of lots of interesting activities to do with nature in particular forest school! * @the_little_adventurer_ *If you’re wondering what Forest School looks like, for activity inspiration or basic knots, this Forest School Handbook may be useful to you! It’s full of fantastic outdoor and nature activity ideas and inspiration, wild food knowledge, fire safety and tips, camp craft, primitive skills and more. From two highly knowledgeable practitioners, who specialise in bush craft and Stone Age skills, it’s rather valuable! * @homeplayexplore *BRILLIANT and full of activities, crafts, bushcraft skills and nature based play which will inspire kids to thrive outdoors! * @growingthroughplay *Do you enjoy being outdoors? Or are you looking for a book to inspire your kiddos to step away from screens and embrace nature? If so, The Forest School Handbook is the perfect summer read. It is packed with activities, crafts, and nature-based play. * @picturebookrecommendations *A remarkable compendium of fun, safe, and educational DIY outdoor activities, the "Forest School Handbook" will be an enduringly valued and appreciated resource for parents and teachers wanting to offer children attractive alternatives to their computer, phone, and television screens. "Forest School Handbook" is a critically important and valued addition to family, preschool, elementary school, middle school, and community library Nature Crafting & Activities collections. * Mid-West Book Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Playing in nature Nature Awareness Mini beast hunting Night vision Muddy tracks Sit spot Stalking walks Flour trail tracker Observation stations Get to know a tree Camouflage hands Outdoor games Outdoor crafts Bird feeder Bug hotel Playing with clay Leaf and flower plaques Natural collage and sculptures Goblin villages and mini dens Nest building Storytelling stones Leaf printing Nature weaving Shadow painting Leaf watercolour Nature journal Leaf bunting Stick boats Things to do with conkers Useful knots Knot terminology Clove hitch Double half hitch Sheet bend Siberian hitch Timber hitch Prusik Square lashing Slippery guy line Canadian jam knot Sledge knot Hanking cord Shelters and dens Lean-to shelter A-frame shelter Baker’s tarp Tarp bender Fire Safety Sources of tinder Firewood Lighting a fire with a fire steel Fire lays Making charcoal Making char cloth Carrying fire Group bow drill Water Collecting water Birch tapping Bottle filter Camp craft Cordage Giant grass rope Knife safety Sharpening a knife Carving a butter knife Leather tinder pouch Wilderness survival Making stretchers Signal fire Plants for first aid Primitive skills Slate arrow Pine pitch glue Atl atl and spear Fat lamps Nut lamps Grass mat Natural clay Cave art and natural paints

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Book SynopsisEver since Darwin, science has enshrined competition as biology’s brutal architect. But this revelatory new book argues that our narrow view of evolution has caused us to ignore the generosity and cooperation that exist around us, from the soil to the sky. In Sweet in Tooth and Claw, Kristin Ohlson explores the subtle ways in which nature is in constant collaboration to the betterment of all species. From the bear that discards the remainders of his salmon dinner on the forest ground, to the bright coral reefs of Cuba, she shows readers not only the connectivity lying beneath the surface in natural ecosystems, but why it’s vital for humans to incorporate that understanding into our interactions with nature, and also with each other. Much of the damage that humans have done to our natural environment stems from our ignorance of these dense webs of connection. As we struggle to cope with the environmental hazards that our behaviour has unleashed, it’s more important than ever to understand nature’s billions of cooperative interactions. This way, we can stop disrupting them and instead rely on them to renew ecosystems. In reporting from the frontlines of scientific research, regenerative agriculture, and urban conservation, Ohlson shows that a shift from focusing on competition to collaboration can heal not only our relationships with the natural world, but also with each other.Trade Review‘Deftly weaving together science, social thought, and a remarkable cast of characters, Ohlson's book uncovers the marvellous partnerships that make life possible, showing that cooperation, not competition, is the key to survival.’ -- Elizabeth Carlisle, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at UC Santa Barbara, and author of Healing Grounds: climate, justice, and the deep roots of regenerative farming‘Ohlson looks at nature through the lens of cooperation, from the intricate workings of one-celled creatures all the way to entire forests and cities (above and below ground). This deeply-reported and stunning book holds up a mirror to us humans, showing how we thrive when we embrace nature’s generous spirit.’ -- Judith Schwartz, author of The Reindeer Chronicles and Other Inspiring Stories of Working With Nature to Heal the Earth‘Journalist Ohlson pushes back against the Darwinian notion that “competition rules” in this vivid survey … Alongside the fascinating case studies, Ohlson reflects on her own connection to nature in oft-lyrical prose … This is as charming as it is enlightening.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A new attempt to rebalance our view of evolution.’ * New Scientist *‘The idea that evolution is driven by the survival of the fittest is so entrenched in the study of biology that research has largely focused on competition between species rather than co-operation. But, as Kristin Ohlson shows in this inspiring field-trip of a book, nature is full of ecosystems that thrive on harmony and balance rather than division and conflict … Ohlson explores the many forms of collaboration or “mutualism” in nature and how they offer a constructive template for our own interactions with the world.’ * The Sydney Morning Herald *‘In her fascinating book, Sweet in Tooth and Claw, American Kristin Ohlson argues that our slavish devotion to Darwin’s principle of the ‘survival of the fittest’, has blinded us to the cooperation that exists in nature … Insightful and interesting.’ -- Jeff Popple * Canberra Weekly *‘From microorganisms to fungi, to plants, fish and mammals, [Sweet in Tooth and Claw] examines interconnections in the natural world. The picture of how the world works that she reveals is both complex and beautiful … This is a great book for the non-scientist interested in how we humans live, how we produce our food, and our relationship with the rest of the natural world, from forests to coral to the microbiota of our guts. Clear and entertaining, Kristin Ohslon bridges the wide gap between current researchers and the curious.’ -- Penelope Cottier * The Canberra Times *‘Descriptions of nature as competitive … shaped the way people perceive it today. Sweet in Tooth and Claw debunks such concepts to reveal that, in fact, cooperation and generosity allow nature to thrive. It also speculates about what differences would be possible if human beings followed nature’s example … A rich and fascinating book, Sweet in Tooth and Claw is stunning in its vision of how, by embracing nature’s cooperative, generous spirit, human beings might do part of the great work of helping the planet and its inhabitants to thrive.’ -- Foreword Reviews, starred review‘Firsthand accounts of her time spent with researchers and practitioners are fascinating. Woven throughout are her thoughtful observations along with an abundance of striking, full-page colour photographs. Whether discussing individuals gardening with native plants or cities planning greener and more connected watersheds and ecosystems, Ohlson makes a compelling argument for working together and taking a lesson from the many instances of cooperation in nature.’ * Booklist *‘A book that reimagines what is possible when people see themselves as part of the ecosystem rather than as its predator. Refreshing, thought-provoking — and delightfully illustrated.’ * Civil Eats *‘Beautiful story-telling … The mutualism explored in Sweet in Tooth and Claw eases open our eyes, our hearts, our senses — guiding us to recognise countless examples of generosity and cooperation far beyond the pages of this book.’ * Medium *‘Kristin Ohlson … takes a deep, stimulating, and nuanced dive into the world of mutualism … What’s refreshing and, frankly, uplifting is Ohlson’s non-treacly pursuit of people seeking solutions. Bookshelves are already laden with tales of planetary gloom and doom that are, no doubt, scientifically accurate but also contributors to paralysis and hopelessness. At the core of Ohlson’s exploratory journey is her role as that trusted friend who can help humans of all stripes comprehend how cooperation within and among species undergirds a thriving natural world.’ -- Elizabeth McGowan * Washington Independent Review of Books *Praise for The Soil Will Save Us: ‘The author has a clear storytelling style, which comes in handy when drawing this head-turning portrait of lowly dirt.’ * Kirkus Reviews *Praise for Stalking the Divine: ‘Kristin Ohlson’s honesty, intelligence, and charm make this book irresistible. A nonbeliever who longs for a convincing spiritual experience, she writes about a community of cloistered nuns: women as honest, intelligent, and charming as she, who have centred their lives around prayer. Stalking the Divine is a delightful story about curiosity, by a writer who can’t be dispassionate about her subject and also can’t lie to herself.’ * Alice Mattison, author of The Book Borrower and Hilda and Pearl *Praise for Kabul Beauty School: ‘Colourful, suspenseful, funny … witty and insightful.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *

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Book Synopsis‘A sensitive and poetic work, full of anecdote and poignant self-disclosure’ The Enquiring Eye ‘An enchanting celebration of eight restorative moments in nature’s cycle’ Caught by the River Nurture yourself through the turning seasons with the Wheel of the Year: an enchanting celebration of eight restorative moments in nature’s cycle – from solstices and equinoxes to those midpoints in-between. Let Rebecca Beattie – Wiccan priestess and nature lover – take you on a magical journey around the Wheel of the Year, from Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain to the Spring Equinox, Midsummer, Autumn Equinox and Yule. Rooted in an appreciation of the rhythms of the seasons, every six weeks the Wheel of the Year allows us a moment to pause and still the chaos of modern life. This book is alive with what is happening in the ebb and flow of the natural world, helping us to connect with its rejuvenating power and offering rituals to celebrate each seasonal festival, its enchanting folklore and traditions. The Wheel of the Year will connect you to the turning of your personal seasons too, enabling you to chart your own moments of transition, reflection and healing alongside the changes in the outside world. Get to know your true inner self and rediscover wisdom and wonder as you start to live in step with nature.Trade ReviewAs heard on Lauren Laverne’s BBC Radio 6 ‘Supernature’ ‘A sensitive and poetic work, full of anecdote and poignant self-disclosure’ The Enquiring Eye ‘A wonderful read … a beautiful guide on how to connect with nature, with a dash of historical/societal reflection’ a Waterstones bookseller ‘A lovely volume, beautifully written and full of inspiring ways to develop a nature-based spiritual path’ A Bad Witch’s Blog ‘An enchanting celebration of eight restorative moments in nature’s cycle’ Caught by the River ‘This book will be of interest to many who appreciate nature and the changing seasons’ The Countryman The Bookseller – Editor’s Choice ‘It’s a book to help you connect with your world, the seasons and nature and to yourself’ Netgalley reader

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Book Synopsis*Shortlisted for the Lukas Prize Project*The tree was poached in a two-part operation. It was felled one night and taken another.Here was a murder mystery in the deep woods: who had taken the cedar, how had they done so, and - most importantly - why?__________A gripping account of the billion-dollar timber black market -- and how it intersects with environmentalism, class, and culture.In Tree Thieves, Lyndsie Bourgon takes us deep into the underbelly of the illegal timber market. As she traces three timber poaching cases, she introduces us to tree poachers, law enforcement, forensic wood specialists, the enigmatic residents of former logging communities, environmental activists, international timber cartels, and indigenous communities along the way.Old-growth trees are invaluable and irreplaceable for both humans and wildlife, and are the oldest living things on earth. But the morality of tree poaching is not as simple as we might think: stealing trees is a form of deeply rooted protest, and a side effect of environmental preservation and protection that doesn't include communities that have been uprooted or marginalized when park boundaries are drawn. As Bourgon discovers, failing to include working class and rural communities in the preservation of these awe-inducing ecosystems can lead to catastrophic results.Featuring excellent investigative reporting, fascinating characters, logging history, political analysis, and cutting-edge tree science, Tree Thieves takes readers on a thrilling journey into the intrigue, crime, and incredible complexity sheltered under the forest canopy.__________'Bourgon brilliantly shows that while following the scientific theory seems simple from a concrete jungle, for those educated under the shade of the trees it is obscure, often weaponized. Her unique insight in this book is that between the law and the science lies the chainsaw's edge.' -- London Review of BooksTrade Review'Tree Thieves is both an absorbing true-crime story and a fascinating examination of the deep and troubled relationship between people and forests. From Sherwood Forest to the California redwoods to the Peruvian Amazon, Lyndsie Bourgon illuminates the violent conflicts over power, class, and identity that continue to shape and scar the forests we depend on.' - Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction'Tree Thieves is a deeply researched examination of the past, present, and future of our forests, told through stories of timber poaching. Lyndsie Bourgon shows us that we must take into account all the complexities of human-nature relationships if we are to have any hope of keeping our standing giants alive.' - Gina Rae La Cerva, author of Feasting Wild: In Search of the Last Untamed Food'Tracking thieves, poachers, and capitalists, Lyndsie Bourgon masterfully takes on the role of detective shining a light on the complex and camouflaged world of the timber black market. The result is a meticulous investigation and a powerful testimony to the trees silently taken and the consequences of their fall that reverberate well beyond the forest.' - Harley Rustad, Author of Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas'A fascinating blend of history and boots-in-the-mud journalism, which manages to dig into ancient and thorny questions about who really owns wild land and who is allowed to live off it. To poach of course means to steal. But is wilderness preservation also a form of theft, only on a larger scale? This book does what all great books should: it leaves your mind broader, deeper, and more nuanced.' -Robert Moor, bestselling author of On Trails: An ExplorationBourgon brilliantly shows that while following the scientific theory seems simple from a concrete jungle, for those educated under the shade of the trees it is obscure, often weaponized. Her unique insight in this book is that between the law and the science lies the chainsaw's edge. * London Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 'I loved this book... An exhilarating romp through Orwell's life and times' Margaret Atwood 'Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening' George Orwell In 1936 Orwell planted roses at his cottage in Hertfordshire. Over eighty years later Rebecca Solnit encounters them, and is inspired to explore a different side to the great writer and activist to the one we know so well. Following his journey from the coal mines of England to taking up arms in the Spanish Civil War, and his explosive critiques of Stalin and authoritarianism, here Solnit finds a more hopeful Orwell. And in her dialogue with the author and his fascination with nature, she makes unexpected connections with the colonial legacy of the flower garden, discovers photographer Tina Modotti's extraordinary roses, and reveals Stalin's strange obsession with growing lemons in impossibly cold conditions. A fresh reading of a towering figure of the twentieth century, Orwell's Roses finds solace and solutions for the political and environmental challenges we face today, and is a remarkable reflection on pleasure, beauty, and joy as acts of resistance. 'Luminous...It is efflorescent, a study that seeds and blooms, propagates thoughts, and tends to historical associations' New Statesman 'A genuinely extraordinary mind, whose curiosity, intelligence and willingness to learn seem unbounded' Irish TimesTrade ReviewI loved this book, and so will many... an exhilarating romp through Orwell's life and times and also through the life and times of roses -- Margaret AtwoodThis book is brilliant because it is true, and because it rescues Orwell from a kind of dourness and seriousness, and gives him back his humanity and yes, his Englishness. -- James Rebanks, author of English Pastoral and The Shepherd's LifeI so loved this book. It unfolds like the petals of a rose - the political rose, the personal rose - and enacts its subject in the ethics of its beauty and the grace of its resistance -- Jay Griffiths, author of Why RebelWe all know what Orwell hated but Solnit pays attention to what he loved. Orwell's Roses is an ingeniously fresh and unpredictable take on his life and times, and the values he held dear -- Dorian LynskeyThere is nothing more political than a garden, and Rebecca Solnit brings Orwell's life and writing vividly alive through his quiet determination to love the surface of the earth. Orwell's Roses shows how intimately aesthetics is intertwined with ethics, and in doing so, Solnit has given us a truly beautiful book -- Alex Christofi, author of Dostoevsky in LoveThis an enchanting book, as powerful in its arguments as it is enjoyable to read. From a surprising close-up of George Orwell planting three Woolworth roses, Solnit pans to a bracing new vista of the man and his fierce political aesthetic, taking in the injustices of the rose industry and lying Soviet science as she goes. Brilliant -- Lisa AppignanesiThis elegant rambling rose of a book muses on Orwell with all Rebecca Solnit's luminous intelligence and trademark optimism. If "Orwellian" has become synonymous with darkness and oppression, she opens up his life affirming love of gardening, of wild nature and life's physical pleasure, his antidote to the grim puritanism of ideologues -- Polly ToynbeeA tribute by one fine essayist of the political left to another of an earlier generation... the great pleasure of reading [Solnit] is spending time with her mind, its digressions and juxtapositions, its unexpected connections. Only a few contemporary writers have the ability to start almost anywhere and lead the reader on paths that, while apparently meandering, compel unfailingly and feel, by the end, cosmically connected . .. The book provides a captivating account of Orwell as gardener, lover, parent, and endlessly curious thinker -- Claire Messud * Harper's Magazine *The green-fingered and the politically committed alike will want to curl up with this book as the gardening year draws to a close and we reflect on a time during which nature has been more of a solace than usual. * Observer *Elegantly light-footed and freewheeling... a marvellously bracing ramble that passes through a variety of intellectual terrain and physical landscapes * Daily Telegraph *Expansive and thought-provoking... In the hands of a skilled novelist or essayist like Solnit, biography becomes something else entirely * Independent *Idiosyncratic, immensely original work * i paper *Luminous ... part biography, part memoir, a historical and cultural analysis and a work of literary criticism, Solnit's book is a love letter in prose to those roses, to Orwell and to the enduring relevance of his ethical sensibility. It is efflorescent, a study that seeds and blooms, propagates thoughts, and tends to historical associations * New Statesman *The book itself, like petals of a rose unfurling, conveys hope for a better future... a genuinely exceptional mind, whose curiosity, intelligence and willingness to learn seem unbounded * Irish Times *An absorbing read for those with interests in politics and gardening alike * Sunday Telegraph *An entertaining ramble through the author's life and Solnit's consciousness... this rhizomatic exercise yields great blooms * Big Issue *Solnit makes us rethink "Orwellian" to mean not just what he was against but what he was for - nature. Her brilliant essays give colour back to an author we often think of as grey * Daily Telegraph *This hybrid volume blossoms with... insights, non sequiturs and epiphanies -- Margaret Drabble * TLS *A pleasing meditation on the small pleasures and intricate beauties of nature, and a book to see you through to spring -- Books of the year * The Times and Sunday Times *Wonderful and moving... Fine and thoughtful * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling authors of Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura comes a nature book like no other—a dazzling, over-the-top collection of the world's most extraordinary wild species that takes you to all seven continents and beyond. It's more than a field guide–it's an adventure.  From the curious minds of Atlas Obscura, authors of #1 New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura and Gastro Obscura, comes an unputdownable celebration of the world's living wonders. Learn how dung beetles navigate by the stars, and trees communicate through their roots. Meet one of the strongest animals in the world: the puny peacock mantis shrimp. Pay your respects to a 44,000 year old shrub, float along flying rivers, and explore a garbage dump overseen by endangered storks. Examine old examples of bird song notation written on sheet music. Also, first p

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Norman Wirzba has done it again: this is—literally and figuratively—the most grounded (and grounding) book I've read in a long age. It will lead you to contemplation, and then, if you're lucky, to change." —Bill McKibben, author of The Comforting Whirlwind"With uncommon depth and breadth, Norman Wirzba’s Agrarian Spirit urges us to embrace and celebrate human and non-human creatures as co-becoming, embodied expressions of God’s creating and sustaining love. He urges us to acknowledge our self-insufficiency and our dependence on others as a gift and as a challenge to develop the nurturing relationships that can heal our world and inspire our hope." —Steve Bell, author of the Pilgrim Year book series"Norman Wirzba's agrarian spiritual exercises reposition us 'down and among' all living things, close to the God who sustains the life of every creature. Agrarian Spirit renews our desire to make a home in this world and to keep faith with the generations coming after us." —Stephanie Paulsell, co-editor of Goodness and the Literary Imagination "If 'incarnate spirituality' sounds like an oxymoron to you, let Norman Wirzba be your guide to the agrarian arts of faith. This book is the culmination of decades of thinking and writing and work, and there is no writer better equipped to articulate how an agrarian sensibility should shape our spiritual practices.” —Jeffrey Bilbro, author of Reading the Times and editor-in-chief at Front Porch Republic“Agrarian Spirit isn’t luddite, nostalgic, or angry. Rather, it’s a gentle, wise, and hopeful call forward, casting a vision for how to live as God’s people in God’s world. I loved this book, and it flooded my imagination with pictures of what the Kingdom of Heaven could be, right now, right in my neighborhood.” —Andrew Peterson, author of The God of the Garden"This is an inspiring synthesis of current ecological thought and spiritual reflection in the Christian tradition. . . . Wirzba acknowledges the difficulties in constructing this vision alongside the spotty record of ecological care in Christianity's past, yet he still finds possibilities within the tradition to create a framework that draws on religious meaning and energy to advocate a holistic, responsively ecological way of living." —Library Journal"There are multiple books on the philosophy and history of American agrarianism, but Norman Wirzba provides—for the first time—a comprehensive 'spirituality' of agrarian consciousness. . . . Wirzba’s book comes at the right moment, pointing us to the shared vulnerability—the deep interconnectedness—that is at the same time our plight and our salvation." —Current"This is an outstanding place to start for both personal and communal work in the redemption of our earthly call to live fully within God’s creation and live wholly in our creaturely selves. . . . Wirzba offers this gift to the church as a way for all of us to cast aside an ideology we may not have known we have, one that puts humans in a singular relationship with God and leaves all the rest of His good creation as merely a backdrop." —Christian Scholar's Review"I knew this would be a good book, and it is. In his typical clear style, Norman Wirzba takes complex philosophical arguments, agrarian practical insights, and solid theological teaching and mixes them together in accessible prose to encourage and challenge readers." —The Christian Century“At its heart, this book is an attempt to prompt readers to think more deeply about themselves as but one creature among many in God’s creation and to live more lovingly and gently in creation as a result. . . . Readers will find this a source of inspiration for pursuing a more bountiful way of life among God’s other creatures.” —Reading Religion"Our current economic habits reveal a vision of the world in which people and creation are disposable capital, to be caught up in the machinery of production and profit. In Agrarian Spirit, Wirzba offers a balm—a restorative perspective that undermines the values of disposability and exploitation." —Englewood Review of Books“Genuine, theologically nuanced and inviting.... Embodying the very dispositions he advocates in the book, Wirzba demonstrates in word and spirit how loving neighbour and place brings one closer to God's loving power, at work in the depths of the world.” —Scottish Theological Journal"Agrarian Spirit makes an important contribution to the church and academy alike. . . . Refreshingly, it is a work to be used as much as read." —International Journal of Systematic Theology"Lush. . . . a teeming garden of theological interlocutors, considerations, and concerns." —Studies in Christian Ethics"With the wisdom of a sage living close to Scripture and the land, and with the motivation of a philosopher analyzing the existential threat of today’s Anthropocene, Norman Wirzba launches readers on a spiritual journey to embrace their creaturehood and awaken to the grace and sanctity of life....A book study group, inside or outside the church, would find Agrarian Spirit a fascinating read that challenges common Gnostic-informed assumptions about spirituality, the Christian faith, and life. For pastors, church educators, and spiritual directors the book provides a wealth of material for developing various sermon series, Bible studies, and spiritual counseling resources that help seekers and people of faith reconnect Christian faith with ecology, economic life, and embodied spirituality.... In a world that seems to be racing towards ecological collapse even as it promises a technology-supported transhumanist future, Wirzba provides a spiritual path to honor and protect our creaturely humanity—no matter what trials and uncertainties the future holds."—Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and TheologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Part I – Agrarian Fundamentals 1. On Not Losing Creation 2. Why Agrarian? 3. Placing The Soul Part II – Agrarian Spiritual Exercises 4. Learning to Pray 5. Learning to See 6. Learning Descent 7. Learning Humility 8. Learning Generosity 9. Learning to Hope

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This visually striking guide honors the beautiful American landscape as it appears today."---Dave Pugl, Library Journal, starred review"[A] volume that must be savored. Turning each page is a delight for birders and nature enthusiasts alike."---Maileen Hamto, Seattle Book Review"This is a book for the naturalist, the scientist, the artist and the dreamer. It has both visual appeal and an important message for everyone. Read it, gaze at the illustrations with wonder and share it with others. Your day will be the better for having done so."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"[A book] that would make a thoughtful gift for a young aspiring writer or artist." * Another Bird Blog *"A sumptuous book, packed full of art and history with a narrative that carries one along like a Mississippi Steamboat."---Bo Beolens, Fat Birder"Glorious watercolours and sketches."---Lorraine Connolly and Hadiyah Ilyas, The Countryman"[A] lovely book."---Mark Gamin, 10,000 Birds"Both fascinating and beautiful, and the mix of history and art is likely to appeal to anyone with an interest in either [nature or art]."---Stephen Menzie, British Birds

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Book Synopsis'Agile, wryly funny and wise' Robert Macfarlane A search for nearby nature and wildness After years of expeditions all over the world, adventurer Alastair Humphreys spends a year exploring the detailed local map around his home. Can this unassuming landscape, marked by the glow of city lights and the hum of busy roads, hold any surprises for the world traveller or satisfy his wanderlust? Could a single map provide a lifetime of exploration? Discovering more about the natural world than in all his years in remote environments, he learns the value of truly getting to know his neighbourhood. An ode to slowing down, Local is a celebration of curiosity and time spent outdoors, as well as a rallying cry to protect the wild places on our doorstep.Trade Review"Agile, wryly funny and wise." - Robert Macfarlane 'Alastair Humphreys is the consummate roamer: big of heart, curious of mind, light of step' - Amy-Jane Beer, winner of the 2023 Wainwright Prize 'A paean to the benefits of determined noticing. What really shines through its pages is Humphreys' omnivorous curiosity' Financial Times 'Thanks to some genuinely thoughtful writing about planet, place and political purpose, Humphreys finds beauty in the scruffy margins and makes readers look anew at what might easily be familiar or forgotten' The Observer 'A vivid, wry, angry, passionate read from Mr Adventure' Saga Magazine 'I wholeheartedly recommend the book. Anything that establishes the view that exploration is an attitude, not an activity, has to be a good thing. The physical bounds of our children will be smaller than ours. It is up to us to show that by rewilding the mind and finding adventure in the commonplace, a life constrained by necessity is still a life worth living' Chris Gibson Wildlife 'Witty and gritty, affectionate and mildly censorious, eager and sometimes weary. This is still a book of a traveller and adventurer - it's just he can cycle home quite quickly each day. Readable, well-written, stimulating' Mark Avery

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Book Synopsis___ Live a life in step with the seasons. In this enchanting book, Rebecca Beattie – a Wiccan priestess who has practised witchcraft for over twenty years – takes us on a magical journey around the Wheel of the Year. Every six weeks, from the Spring Equinox to the Summer Solstice, from the Autumn Equinox to Imbolc, these restorative moments in nature’s cycle offer a moment to pause and reflect, to reconnect with the seasons and ourselves. The Wheel of the Year is alive with the ebb and flow of the natural world, full of nurturing rituals, rejuvenating wisdom and journal prompts to help you sow seeds of change and thrive. ‘Warm, friendly… Encourages us to pause, rather than rush headlong through life. It's a way to make time and space to really experience the world around us.’ Resurgence & Ecologist ‘An enchanting celebration of eight restorative moments in nature’s cycle’ Caught by the RiverTrade ReviewAs heard on Lauren Laverne’s BBC Radio 6 ‘Supernature’ 'A powerful concoction of poems, spells, incantations and rituals' Resurgence & Ecologist ‘A sensitive and poetic work, full of anecdote and poignant self-disclosure’ The Enquiring Eye ‘A great guidebook to assist one to live life in step with the seasons of nature’ Pagan Pages  ‘A lovely volume, beautifully written and full of inspiring ways to develop a nature-based spiritual path’ A Bad Witch’s Blog ‘An enchanting celebration of eight restorative moments in nature’s cycle’ Caught by the River ‘This book will be of interest to many who appreciate nature and the changing seasons’ The Countryman The Bookseller – Editor’s Choice ‘It’s a book to help you connect with your world, the seasons and nature and to yourself’ Netgalley reader

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the Non-Obvious Book Awards""The subtitle says it all—Bjornerud and graphic artist Hagerman have compiled a wonderfully quirky collection of 'curiosities' that, collectively, detail the Earth’s transformation over eons and illustrate how our understanding of the planet has deepened through time. . . . A charming work, chock-full of information."---Laurie Selwyn, Library Journal, starred review"This is a garnet of a geology book: rooted in the planet, jewel-like and multi-coloured."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"[Geopedia] is a buffet of bite-size chapters perfect for dipping in and out of. . . . Its pocket-size format makes it perfect as a traveling companion, and its short chapters suit our frazzled attention spans, making it a fun alternative to night-time doomscrolling or heavier nonfiction. No matter if you’re a hard-core rockhound or a geological outsider, you’ll get something worthwhile from this little gem of a book."---Howard Lee, Ars Technica"A neat little book . . . . Take a dip into Geopedia for a bit of quirky fun." * Descent *"A fascinating, illuminating read. Organized alphabetically, the articles span the gamut of the sub-disciplines. Bjornerud explores both the etymology of the scientific terms and their scientific import. Readers who pick it up will learn a lot."---I. D. Sasowsky, Choice"perfect for casual reading .... Bjornerud...is a gifted writer" * Choice *"A cute little book of curiosities to dip in and out of but, like a box of rich chocolates, you probably will not want to finish it off all in one sitting."---Helen Coombs, Proceedings of the Open University Geological Society

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Book SynopsisAn exquisite, lovingly crafted meditation on plants, trees, and our place in the natural worldTrade Review“With . . . tender attentiveness to the non-human, [this] narrative speaks of more compassionate and resilient modes of existence than those devised by the perennially agitated makers of history.”—Pankaj Mishra, The Guardian, “Summer Reading”“Sumana Roy has written—grown—a radiant and wondrous book, which roots and branches in complex, provocative ways, helping us recognize trees for the ‘strange strangers’ they are, companion-citizens with which we think and remember, yes, but also alien beings that draw love, hate, indifference, and even lust from us humans.”—Robert Macfarlane, author of The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot“This is one of the most original, delightful, inspiring books I have read in a long time. It will enchant and move the reader with its unique imaginative mindset, its humorous touches, and its defiance of convention.”—Mary Evelyn Tucker, Yale University“A poetic, probing meditation on how trees are, to paraphrase Lévi-Strauss, ‘good to think with.’ Sumana Roy gives us a fresh and surprising look at a topic as old as the Epic of Gilgamesh, or to put it another way, almost as old as the oldest living trees.”—Robert Moor, bestselling author of On Trails: An Exploration“A genuinely exceptional work that is as poetic as it is scholarly—quirky, enlightening and enriching.”—Chandak Sengoopta, Birbeck College, University of LondonPraise for Sumana Roy: “A one-of-its-kind meditation. . . . Deliciously engaging.”—Supriya Sharma, Hindustan Times “Sumana Roy’s writing brims with rare originality.”—Areeb Ahmad, The Medley “An ode to all that is unnoticed, ill, neglected and yet resilient. . . . Roy’s true spiritual ancestor . . . is Annie Dillard. . . . Both Roy and Dillard craft remarkable, poignant sentences. Both have the ability to make mundane situations lead up to profound, even apocalyptic consequences.”—Rini Barman, Wire India “Sumana Roy’s book shimmers like silver poplar leaves.”—Sylvia Straube, Frankfurter Rundschau “A book like a jungle: from the wide sky to sticky leaves and unsightly thorns, everything is included.”—Susanne Billig, Deutschlandfunk Kultur

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Book SynopsisExplore Scotland with i-SPY facts, photos and fantastic spots!Beat the boredom and take time out from screens with this pocket-sized book packed with facts, photos and fantastic spots for hours of fun! It's ideal for holidays, family road trips or simply exploring your local area.Kids will have fun collecting points with more than 140 things to find in Scotland. From mountains and lochs to landmarks and attractions, they'll learn all about the country and its history along the way. And once they've scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge.With more than 30 i-SPY books to collect, there's something for everyone!For even more spotting fun check out:i-SPY On a Car Journey (ISBN 9780008386443)i-SPY On a Train Journey (ISBN 9780008431730)i-SPY At the Seaside (ISBN 9780008386528)i-SPY Nature (ISBN 9780008386467)Trade Review“A fun, interactive way to encourage curious children to learn about the world around them.” – Parents In touch

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Book SynopsisGrasses of East Africa describes 100 species of common, ecologically important or remarkable grasses found in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Grasses comprise one of the largest plant families on Earth, but are possibly the most overlooked. Yet it is these ubiquitous and important plants that have the greatest impact on our daily lives – providing a wide range of staple foods for humans globally, a fundamental source of grazing for livestock, and food and shelter for an infinite variety of wildlife. This book includes: Clearly laid out and easy-to-use species descriptions; beautiful line and watercolour illustrations with labels highlighting notable features; full-colour photographs; a concise introduction covering the economic significance of grasses, their ecology, habitats and conservation. Grasses of East Africa will prove invaluable to students, scientists, travellers and nature lovers as it aids identification while also highlighting the functions of these important and often beautiful plants. Sales points: Accessible descriptions of 100 East African grass species; exquisite illustrations; full-colour photographs of all featured species; expert author.

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