Nature and the natural world: general interest Books

Book SynopsisFull of never-before-published facts, observations, and intricate details for hunters, environmentalists, and photographers, here is a truly the indispensable guide for understanding, respecting, and preserving the future of this majestic species.Although the whitetail population is at an all-time high, the lives of North America’s most abundant and controversial deer are still shrouded in mystery. So few whitetail activities are ever witnessed that many unique traits, social habits, and day-to-day experiences have gone undocumented—until now.Here, renowned wildlife author–photographer Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III shares his lifelong research. Blending unrivaled knowledge, the latest scientific research, and personal anecdotes and observations with over 250 astounding photographs, Rue brings to life the secret world of the whitetails.From the classifications of the Cervidae family to field dressing a deer, from the science behind tree rubs to the number of spots on a fawn’s coat, Rue explains every conceivable aspect of these popular and spirited large mammals. This book is a must for anyone interested in whitetails: nature buffs, deer lovers, deer haters, wildlife managers, homeowners, photographers, highway troopers, and—not least—deer hunters.

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Book SynopsisChew on this. As humans, we have a deep need to believe . . . a need to relate to something greater and more ideal than ourselves. Perhaps that’s why so many millions believe in Dog. Man’s devotion to Dog has come to rival the great -isms and -ologies of the world. This thing has gone way beyond a hobby.We may not literally worship dogs, but we come pawfully close. This rabid reverence for Rover has a name: Dogtology. Dogtology is for the dog lover who has bailed on a date because they didn’t want Twinkles to be left home alone. It is for the human whose dog owns a more festive holiday wardrobe than they do, whose pups dine on free-range bison burgers while they live off ramen, or whose smartphones have more photos of their dog than of the humans in their family. In this sacred dogtrine, the case is made that Dogtology has become a bone-a-fide belief system on par with the world’s great philosophies and religions.Trade Review“I think the concept of Dogtology is as fresh and unique as Chicken Soup for the Soul was two decades ago.” —Jack Canfield, cocreator, Chicken Soup for the Soul series

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Book SynopsisIn 1857 Henry David Thoreau moved to a small cabin in the woods near Walden Pond where he lived as a recluse from society for just over two years. In his time of self-prescribed isolation, Thoreau recorded his daily routine and reflections in an effort to get away from the noise brought about by a mainstream society. His work became one of the most influential American literary works of all time. Thoreau’s daily journal entries became the foundation for one of the most well-known works of Transcendental philosophy to this day. Published as one title, Walden is a quasi-memoir and naturalist manifesto that has withstood the test of time. The work continues to inspire generations to switch it up, unplug, and revert to the higher calling of nature.

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Book SynopsisThe Land of Little Rain (1903) is a collection of essays and short stories by Mary Hunter Austin. Originally published with photographs taken by acclaimed American photographer Ansel Adams, The Land of Little Rain is a classic work of nature writing. Austin is now recognized as an early feminist and conservationist who understood the intricacy and fragility of ecosystems as well as the extent to which human civilization threatens their continued existence. In a series of stories and essays on the animals, landscapes, and peoples that make up the American Southwest, Mary Hunter Austin proves that the foremost responsibility of a writer is to look. With an attentive and deeply respectful eye, Austin describes the heat and violence of desert weather, the tracks made by disparate animal species as they travel in search of water, and the scavengers that depend on death for life. Within this collection are brief stories about the people and communities scattered throughout the harsh Mojave desert: a miner who longs for wealth and civilization but returns to the wild and unpredictable life of speculation; a Shoshone medicine man captured by the Paiute tribe who misses his people and home; a town where people live simply, depending on nothing but the land and its bounty for their daily existence and abundant happiness. The Land of Little Rain is both informative and moving, an intricate tapestry that celebrates the diversity of life while making an incontrovertible case for its continued preservation. Mary Hunter Austin was a gifted writer and an environmentalist ahead of her time. In a world faced with the catastrophic effects of a global climate crisis, we need writers such as Austin for not only the wisdom and knowledge they offer, but the monumental change their words can inspire. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Hunter Austin’s The Land of Little Rain is a classic of American literature and nature writing reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive work on Minnesota’s natural history and ecology—updated, expanded, and copiously illustrated to account for profound changes to the state’s natural landscape over the past twenty-five years The story of Minnesota’s natural landscape, reaching back to the time of the glaciers, covers at least 12,000 years. Yet even against that vast expanse, recent decades have significantly transformed the natural world that is Minnesota’s greatest resource. In the twenty-five years since the first publication of Minnesota’s Natural Heritage, the definitive volume on the state’s natural history and ecology, human activity and climate change have profoundly altered the major ecosystems that give our state its rich and varied character. The second edition of Minnesota’s Natural Heritage introduces readers to these ecosystems—the lakes and rivers, forests and prairies, farmlands and wetlands—and explains how they have come to be, how they function, and how they have changed so rapidly and dramatically in recent years. Full-color illustrations document the state’s striking natural beauty in all its vigor and fragility, while maps, drawings, diagrams, and graphs amplify points of historical, ecological, and geological interest. The most complete treatment of Minnesota’s natural environment, compiled and accessibly written by scientists whose collective knowledge spans the book’s expansive content, Minnesota’s Natural Heritage is the one indispensable companion for both visitors and inhabitants, as enlightening to page through as it is valuable to study.Trade Review"Anyone with a deep affection for Minnesota’s natural resources, highly seasonal and variable climate, diverse ecosystems, and beautiful landscapes should read the second edition of Minnesota’s Natural Heritage. This book chronicles the evolution of our state’s natural systems and the challenges of sustainably managing them in the context of climate change. It should be part of every home reference library."—Mark Seeley, author of Minnesota Weather Almanac"This second edition of Minnesota's Natural Heritage is just as engaging as the first and is supported with beautiful photos, illustrations, and graphs. But now readers learn of new and serious threats facing Minnesota’s prairies, forests, and waters. Will we restore and protect this natural legacy for future generations? For anyone who cares about nature, this book is a must read."—Peggy Ladner, former director, The Nature Conservancy in Minnesota"Dr. Tester was my favorite professor at the University of Minnesota. I bought his book’s first edition immediately when it came out, and I have waited with anticipation for the update. It does not disappoint. His immense knowledge of ecology and of Minnesota are in full display and in a voice that everyone can understand. Outstanding!"—Tom Landwehr, executive director, Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters"John R. Tester and colleagues’ new edition inspires Minnesotans—and others who appreciate this great state—with information about our precious natural resources, including ways to protect and restore them from long-standing environmental problems and new challenges such as climate change. The book explores each of the biomes in Minnesota, listing the species and ecology one can find there and the ways we can work to restore its glory."—Jessica Hellmann, director, Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota"Well organized and infused with amazing photographs of the landscape and wildlife that makes this area so special."—Rochester Post-Bulletin "With lovely photos, illustrations, and tables of information, this is a great book for the cabin owner or traveling summer cabin user to enjoy whether checking a specific topic or settling down with a long read."—Ely Echo"The book takes definitive looks at our landscape, climate and weather, forests, prairie, wet-lands, lakes, streams and rivers. It concludes with important comment on the future of this marvelous state, and how we should care for it."—Star Tribune Table of ContentsContentsPreface to the Second EditionPreface to the First EditionAcknowledgments1. The LandscapeGeologic HistoryChanging Landscapes Since GlaciationThe Present Landscape2. Climate and WeatherSolar RadiationTemperaturePrecipitationCloudsWindObserved Climate Change3. Principles of EcologyEnvironmentEcosystem Structure and FunctionPopulations and Communities4. Deciduous ForestDeciduous Forest EcologyAnimals and Community InteractionsForest Management and Conservation in Minnesota5. Northern Coniferous ForestNorthern Coniferous Forest EcologyAnimals and Community InteractionsPresent Status of the Northern Coniferous Forest6. Tallgrass PrairiePrairie Forest BorderTallgrass Prairie EcologyAnimals and Community InteractionsPresent Status of the Tallgrass Prairie7. WetlandsPrairie WetlandsAnimals and Community Interactions in Prairie WetlandsPeatlandsAnimals and Community Interactions in PeatlandsOther Wetlands Occurring in MinnesotaPresent Status of Wetlands8. LakesFormation and DistributionPhysical and Chemical CharacteristicsLake CommunitiesEcosystem FunctionAnimals and Community InteractionsMinnesota’s LakesPresent Status of Minnesota’s Lakes9. Streams and RiversOrigins of Streams and RiversPhysical and Chemical CharacteristicsStream CommunitiesEcosystem FunctionRiver Continuum ConceptAnimals and Community InteractionsMinnesota’s Streams and RiversPresent Status of Minnesota’s Streams and Rivers10. The FutureStemming Habitat LossFeeding a Growing Human Population SustainablyAdapting to a Changing ClimateReversing the Spread of Invasive SpeciesReducing Damaging Chemicals in the EnvironmentRecovering Threatened Species PopulationsPlanning Statewide Conservation ActionRestoring EcosystemsA Perspective to Live WithAppendixesA. Counties and Major Rivers in MinnesotaB. Trees and Shrubs Found in MinnesotaC. Common Herbs Found in MinnesotaD. Mammals Found in MinnesotaE. Birds Breeding in MinnesotaF. Amphibians and Reptiles Found in MinnesotaG. Fishes Found in MinnesotaH. Metric Equivalents of English Weights and MeasuresLiterature CitedPermissionsIndex

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Book SynopsisA soul-satisfying journey through the wilderness that uncovers hope, healing, and the abiding grace of wild things A Wild Path is author Douglas Wood’s highly anticipated followup to the critically acclaimed memoir Deep Woods, Wild Waters. He again leads readers along a meditative path through a wilderness of many dimensions—from the lakes and islands of his beloved Canoe Country to rugged ocean coasts to a mountain chasm, from camping on the Canadian Shield to listening to the soft strains of Beethoven in the pines, and from the pain of childhood wounds to appreciation for a life rich with nature. As on every good journey, there is plenty of laughter, warmth, and humor on the trail. With the generosity and compassion of a good wilderness guide, Douglas Wood welcomes readers to accompany him as he navigates his life-path from struggling student and “worst reader in the class” to prolific writer and best-selling author. He offers courage and hope to those who feel different or left behind, and he shares how he found, through the counsel of rocks, trees, and waters, his own way toward joy and wonder and an unshakable sense of belonging. Exploring the meanings of myriad outdoor experiences, Wood seeks to understand the importance and existence of beauty, the emotional poignancy of a wilderness sunset, and the realization of dreams, while also honoring his outdoor and literary mentors, including Sigurd Olson and Aldo Leopold. Traveling across continents, over oceans, and through the landscape of time, A Wild Path ranges from solitary shorelines of introspection to peaks of triumph, finding rest and tranquility in a simple cup of jasmine tea, sipped by a campfire under the stars. Trade Review "There’s a world between these covers—a world of truth, grace, and beauty where gravity keeps your feet on the ground and levity lifts your spirit high. It’s a world of many dimensions: the challenge of the North Woods and the comfort of Beethoven in the pines, the glories of the night sky and the trustworthy wisdom of elders, the savvy to canoe the wilderness for weeks and the compassion to lift the spirits of children who weep because they are ‘different,’ all laced with the humor that is the spice of life. This world exists because Douglas Wood has the experience and the gifts required to bring it to life, giving his readers a chance to dwell in it for a while and return refreshed, even healed, to their own lives. That’s why I’ve been reading him for twenty years. Doug’s gifts are many, reaching beyond writing and illustrating to speaking, making music, and guiding wilderness expeditions. But what I value most about him is his artistry at being human, fully and simply human. I've returned to this book time and again to refresh my own humanity. I'd bet good money that you'll find yourself doing the same."—Parker J. Palmer, author of On the Brink of Everything, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and Healing the Heart of Democracy "The magic and awe of the natural world, childhood challenges and love of family, and the redemption of the wilderness are all shared by Douglas Wood in his new collection, A Wild Path. Doug writes with bravery and honesty about childhood traumas, learning difficulties, bouts with depression, and how the ‘therapy of wilderness’ brought peace, perspective, and feelings of self-worth. You’ll find yourself laughing, crying, and breathing in the forest air while reading Doug’s stories. You might even discover yourself in these essays, through the gentle, understanding, and insightful words of Douglas Wood."—Patsy Mogush, president, Listening Point Foundation "In his compelling collection of essays, A Wild Path, Douglas Wood provides an intimate and revealing portrait of his relationship with nature, and the family and friends who are part of his life’s journey. In a lifetime spent close to the natural world, he found the therapy of wilderness—what he calls the ‘psychology of green things’ and the ‘counseling of rocks.’ He was rescued through the process of loving—and learning to share his love of—wild places and wild things. Wood’s love of wild nature is expressed in every page and essay."—Chris Knopf, executive director, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness "Douglas Wood’s A Wild Path reaches deep into the heart—his, mine, and surely yours as well. His stories reflect the lives of our generation drawn to the woods and lakes of the North and toward a simpler life. They are stories of a life well-lived, told in such vivid detail they will give you pause to reflect on the stories and meanings of your own life."—Steve Piragis, co-owner, Piragis Northwoods Company "In A Wild Path, Douglas Wood captures the magic, wonder, and awe of experiencing the wilderness. This collection of essays is honest, authentic, and laugh-out-loud funny. A real treat."—Rebecca Otto, executive director, Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation "Ever the expert naturalist, guide, and storyteller, Douglas Wood alternates between captivating prose and lyrical poetry in A Wild Path. One moment Doug takes us on a strenuous paddle across big water and in the next, a gentle stroll under towering pines. Every essay connects, or reconnects, us with family and friends, flora and fauna, and all the beauties of this vast and vibrant world."—Buddy Huffaker, executive director, Aldo Leopold Foundation "Douglas Wood has always been able to express the magic in this world like no one else I know. He sees relationships between the grand and all-encompassing and the simplest of things. Every essay in this book, from raucous hilarity to serious contemplation—the ironies, the wisdom, the guffaws, and the tears from those beautiful places in Doug’s heart—seems a personal gift to me. I suspect that will be the case for all who read it."—Denny Olson, writer, teacher, actor, and naturalist "This is a great book. Through its stories Douglas Wood helps us perceive the worlds within and beyond the surfaces of Earth—and there, ‘in the company of trees,’ as he puts it, to discover health and hope."—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and Our Wild Calling "As a writer, Douglas Wood is like John Burroughs in his vivid descriptions of the natural world. But in his delightful storytelling style and mastery of his craft, he is akin to Mark Twain."—Marlene Warren Ehresman, founder and executive director, Iowa Wildlife Center "This is a book filled with fun and fascinating tales, but it also contains lessons that, once learned, are as valuable outside the wilderness as within it. A Wild Path is far more than just a journey into wild places. It is a journey into living a full life, written with skill and insight."—Michael Furtman, outdoor writer and photographer "A Wild Path is as good as it gets for capturing the essence of the wilderness experience and inspiring us all to explore our own pathways into the wild."—Stuart Osthoff, publisher, Boundary Waters Journal

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Book SynopsisA playful reflection on animals and video games, and what each can teach us about the other Video games conjure new worlds for those who play them, human or otherwise: they’ve been played by cats, orangutans, pigs, and penguins, and they let gamers experience life from the perspective of a pet dog, a predator or a prey animal, or even a pathogen. In Game, author Tom Tyler provides the first sustained consideration of video games and animals and demonstrates how thinking about animals and games together can prompt fresh thinking about both.Game comprises thirteen short essays, each of which examines a particular video game, franchise, aspect of gameplay, or production in which animals are featured, allowing us to reflect on conventional understandings of humans, animals, and the relationships between them. Tyler contemplates the significance of animals who insert themselves into video games, as protagonists, opponents, and brute resources, but also as ciphers, subjects, and subversive guides to new ways of thinking. These animals encourage us to reconsider how we understand games, contesting established ideas about winning and losing, difficulty settings, accessibility, playing badly, virtuality, vitality and vulnerability, and much more.Written in a playful style, Game draws from a dizzying array of sources, from children’s television, sitcoms, and regional newspapers to medieval fables, Shakespearean tragedy, and Edwardian comedy; from primatology, entomology, and hunting and fishing manuals to theological tracts and philosophical treatises. By examining video games through the lens of animals and animality, Tyler leads us to a greater humility regarding the nature and status of the human creature, and a greater sensitivity in dealings with other animals.Trade Review "With his characteristic combination of wit and erudition, Tom Tyler explores the powers of virtualization that stretch from the OED and the literary canon to video games both old and new. As he demonstrates, the power of reading closely, watching keenly, and listening carefully is an invitation to play otherwise, to push back against the force of the generic, whose foremost example might well be what we call, dumbly, ‘the animal.’"—Cary Wolfe, author of What is Posthumanism? and founding director, 3CT: Center for Critical and Cultural Theory, Rice University "Ducks, dogs, sheep, and squid—not to mention dung beetles. These and many more creatures roam through Tom Tyler's lively ruminations on the nature of animals in video games. With its delightful zigzags through etymology, folklore, literature, and history, Tyler shows how thinking about video games by considering the animals within defamiliarizes videogames, recenters the nonhuman, and revitalizes our sense of our own humanness."—Mark Sample, Davidson College "A brisk, insightful, and accessible study of the myriad relationships between animals and games . . . Tyler’s Game is a thoughtful reflection on what it means to be human in a hypermediated world on the verge of breakdown, with an eye toward a more ethical multispecies future to come. "—Ancillary Review of Books "A delightful and quirky stroll through everything from game design to primatology and Shakespearean tragedy to the sitcom Frasier."—Animal Studies Journal "In an era of egregious mistreatment and collective willed ignorance about animals and their lives, Game knowingly offers innocent fun with its roster of virtual beasts, alongside an unapologetic investment in the welfare of real animals."—Gamers with Glasses "The book is explicitly designed as a Trojan horse that might appear to be a playful series of essays about the role of animals in video games, but actually poses deep-rooted philosophical questions about what it means to be human."—New Formations "Tyler is clearly having fun with his work—in his crafty wordplay, in his deep engagement in the mechanisms and movements and scenes of games."—ISLE "The unpretentious writing style, the varied selection of theory and games, the entertaining structure, and the many telling puns allow the reader to gain insights even without previous specialist knowledge. With Game, Tyler presents a hybrid book that is neither fish nor fowl, but rather consists of all kinds of different species of texts."—Press Start "Game, by Tom Tyler, is a collection of twelve interesting and engaging essays on the nature of humanity, animality, and play."—H-Net Reviews "Game has an enormous sweep: Tyler’s erudition supports and adds gravitas to his playful style and subject matter. If you’d enjoy massively evocative, wide-ranging occasions for thought about “animals, video games, and humanity,” here you go."—Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism "The book brings to bear Tyler’s broad knowledge of how animals have figured in language and culture through centuries of coexistence with people, while also assessing the new representational possibilities for animals posed by video games. "—Afterimage "The reader is drawn into Tyler's witty style and gradually exposed to the difficulties of encountering animals in both games and real life."—Ecozon@ Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. Game2. A Singular of Boars3. How Does Your Dog Smell?4. Enumerating Ruminants5. An Inkling6. Playing Like a Loser7. A Thing Worth Doing8. Cows, Clicks, Ciphers, and Satire9. Meanings of Meat10. Total BS!11. Misanthropy without Humanity12. Difficulties13. Trojan HorsesNotesBibliographyLudographyPublication HistoryIndex

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Book SynopsisA richly illustrated tour of Minnesota’s premier natural history museum after 150 years From its humble start in 1872 as a one-room cabinet of curiosities, the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of natural history has grown to be one of the state’s most important cultural institutions. Within its walls are displayed the natural wonders of Minnesota and the world beyond, a standing invitation to explore, understand, and appreciate our natural environment—and, for visitors of all ages, both seasoned observers and curious onlookers, to experience the delight of discovery. A Natural Curiosity is a tale well told, a lively ride across 150 years of important scientific advancement. Drawing on a wealth of materials unearthed during the museum’s recent move to its new building, this gorgeously illustrated book chronicles the remarkable discoveries, moments, and personalities that have made the Bell Museum what it is today. Among the stories of ornithologists, botanists, tycoons, and conservationists, readers will encounter the magnificent dioramas created by renowned artist Francis Lee Jaques, the adventures behind some of the Bell’s more curious specimens (like the bones of Philippine orangutans and moonrats, a high-flying moose, and a simple fungi sample that saved a man’s life), and the dramatic accounts of the critical advances made by the museum in wildlife telemetry, conservation biology, and scientific learning—all in defense of our planet’s threatened biodiversity. In a photographic finale, readers will be treated to a tour of the new, reimagined museum, complete with the planetarium that inspired one Minnesota boy to become a NASA astronaut.From its conception as part of a state-mandated geological and natural history survey, to its most recent ventures into technology, environmental science, and DNA sequencing, the Bell Museum has informed, explained, and expanded our relationship to the natural world. Its story, engagingly told in A Natural Curiosity, reveals and explores the profound changes undergone by society, science, and the natural landscape over the museum’s lifetime.Trade Review"The book is beautiful, with full-color pages packed with illustrations and photos."—Racket"Drawing on a wealth of materials unearthed during the museum’s recent move to its new building, this gorgeously illustrated book chronicles the remarkable discoveries, moments, and personalities that have made the Bell Museum what it is today."—The Timberjay"The story of this natural history museum is well told in the lavishly illustrated volume."—Minnesota Alumni"This volume documenting the 150-year history of the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum is a must for your coffee table so you can easily dip into the stories behind our state's only natural history museum."—MSP Home & Design"A Natural Curiosity serves as a well-written and abundantly illustrated introduction to the history of the Bell Museum."—H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsContentsForewordFord W. BellIntroductionBell Museum Timeline1. A Museum is Born, 1872–1940Documenting Minnesota: The Geological and Natural History SurveyThe Menage Expedition: How Orangutan Bones Landed in the Bell Museum CollectionsJosephine Tilden: Paving the Way for Women in ScienceT. S. Roberts: Naturalist, Doctor, DirectorMaking a Museum for the Public: The Early Dioramas2. Growing an Institution, 1920s–1950sThe Many Talents of Walter BreckenridgeEarly Public Education: Reaching “the whole people . . .”James Ford Bell: The Man Behind the NameHeyday of the Dioramas: Windows into NatureTaking Flight: The Artistic Journey of Francis Lee Jaques3. Wildlife Explorations, 1940s–1980sAt the Poles: Arctic and Antarctic ResearchThe Bride Wore . . . Boots?Migrations: The Life and Times of Dwain WarnerTracking Nature: The Rise of Wildlife TelemetryMystery of the Missing Toads4. The Museum in the Environmental Era, 1960s–1990sTouch and See: Pioneering Hands-On LearningPublic Programs: From Education to EngagementInterpreting Nature: The Student Guide ProgramFrom Student Guide to College ProfessorMaking Movies: Reaching a Bigger AudienceHoneybees on the Roof: Sweetening Science EducationWidening the Inquiry: Bringing together Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorNature vs Nurture: Frank McKinney and the Evolution of Animal BehaviorMinnesota’s Rarest: Naming the State’s Endangered Flora and FaunaFlight of the Peregrine: Bud Tordoff and the Return of an Endangered SpeciesArt and Natural History: The Evolution of a LegacyScience through the Lens of Art: Resident Artists at the BellChange Comes to the “Eternal” Museum: Temporary and Traveling Exhibits5. Rediscovering the Collections, 1980s–2022Collections offer Clues to Environmental ChallengesA Botanical Treasure: The University of Minnesota HerbariumThe DNA Revolution Comes to the Bell MuseumRe-thinking the Tree of LifeBell Museum Scientists on the Global StageBiodiversity Research: Understanding Life’s Threatened Diversity100 Years Later: Minnesota Updates its Natural History SurveyCollections Go Online6. A Museum for the Twenty-first Century, 1990s–2022Saving an Endangered Museum: Surviving and Thriving in a University SettingFrom the Earth to the Cosmos: The Journey of Minnesota’s PlanetariumThe Ride of His LifeThe Road to a Re-Imagined MuseumDesigning with Nature: The Bell Museum’s New HomeMoving Minnesota: Dioramas in a New HabitatThe Experience: A Journey through TimeAfterwordDenise YoungAcknowledgmentsAppendixesThe Bell DioramasSelect Exhibitions at the Bell MuseumPublications of the Bell MuseumSelect ReferencesContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisAmid the historical decimation of species around the globe, a new way into the language of loss An endling is the last known individual of a species; when that individual dies, the species becomes extinct. These “last individuals” are poignant characters in the stories that humans tell themselves about today’s Anthropocene. In this evocative work, Lydia Pyne explores how discussion about endlings—how we tell their histories—draws on deep traditions of storytelling across a variety of narrative types that go well beyond the science of these species’ biology or their evolutionary history.Endlings provides a useful and thoughtful discussion of species concepts: how species start and how (and why) they end, what it means to be a “charismatic” species, the effects of rewilding, and what makes species extinction different in this era. From Benjamin the thylacine to Celia the ibex to Lonesome George the Galápagos tortoise, endlings, Pyne shows, have the power to shape how we think about grief, mourning, and loss amid the world’s sixth mass extinction.

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Book SynopsisA personal journey through the ever-changing natural and cultural history of Lake Superior’s South Shore Lake Superior’s South Shore is as malleable as it is enduring, its red sandstone cliffs, clay bluffs, and golden sand beaches reshaped by winds and water from season to season—and sometimes from one hour to the next. Generations of people have inhabited the South Shore, harvesting the forests and fish, mining copper, altering the land for pleasure and profit, for better or worse. In Impermanence, author Sue Leaf explores the natural and human histories that make the South Shore what it is, from the gritty port city of Superior, Wisconsin, to the shipping locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. For Leaf, what began as a bicycling adventure on the coast of Lake Superior in 1977 turned into a lifelong connection with the area, and her experience, not least as owner of a rustic cabin on a rapidly eroding lakeside cliff, imbues these essays with a passionate sense of place and an abiding curiosity about its past and precarious future. As waves slowly consume the shoreline where her family has spent countless summers, Leaf is forced to confront the complexity of loving a place that all too quickly is being reclaimed by the great lake. Impermanence is a journey through the South Shore’s story, from the early days of the Anishinaabe and fur traders through the heyday of commercial fishing, lumber camps, and copper mining on the Keweenaw Peninsula to the awakening of the Northland to the perils and consequences of plundering its natural splendor. Noting the geological, ecological, and cultural features of each stop on her tour along the South Shore, Leaf writes about the restoration of the heavily touristed Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to its pristine conditions, even as Lake Superior maintains its allure for ice fishers, kayakers, and long-distance swimmers. She describes efforts to protect the endangered piping plover and to preserve the diverse sand dunes on the Michigan coast, and she observes the slough that supports rare intact wild rice beds central to Anishinaabe culture. Part memoir, part travelogue, part natural and cultural history, Leaf’s love letter to Lake Superior’s South Shore is an invitation to see this liminal world in all its seasons and guises, to appreciate its ageless, ever-changing wonders and intimate charms. Trade Review "Sue Leaf's Impermanence is a fascinating combination of personal memoir, natural history, and cultural history. She writes beautifully about Lake Superior's South Shore and its forests, wetlands, and peoples. Her reflections on her family cabin on Lake Superior, and her grief about its potential loss from bluff erosion due to climate change, are particularly evocative. Anyone who loves Lake Superior will find this book rewarding."—Nancy Langston, author of Sustaining Lake Superior and Climate Ghosts "Sue Leaf has given us a gift: a vivid and meticulously researched portrait of one of the most remarkable freshwater coasts in the world. I thought I knew the place well, but I learned something new and fascinating on nearly every page."—Jerry Dennis, author of The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas and The Windward Shore: A Winter on the Great Lakes

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Book SynopsisStories from survivors of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness’s epochal weather disaster On July 4, 1999, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), a bizarre confluence of meteorological events resulted in the most damaging blowdown in the region’s history. Originating over the Dakotas, the midsummer windstorm developed amid unusually high heat and water-saturated forests and moved steadily east, bearing down on Fargo, North Dakota, and damaging land as it crossed the Minnesota border. Gunflint Falling tells the story of this devastating storm from the perspectives of those who were on the ground before, during, and after the catastrophic event—from first-time visitors to the north woods to returning paddlers to Forest Service Rangers. The pre-dawn forecasts from the National Weather Service in Duluth for that Sunday of the holiday weekend predicted the day would be “warm and humid. Partly sunny with a thirty percent chance of thunderstorms.” But as the afternoon and evening settled over the Boundary Waters, the first eyewitness accounts began to tell a dramatic and terrifying story. Five friends camping on Lake Polly watched in wonder as the sky turned green and the winds began to whip. They scrambled to pull canoes on shore and secure tarps when a tree snapped and struck one of them in the head, rendering her unconscious. Three women enjoying their last day of a camping trip near the end of the Gunflint Trail took shelter in their tent as winds increased. Water drenched the nylon walls as trees crashed around them, one flattening the tent and pinning a woman beneath its weight. A family vacationing at their cabin dodged falling trees and strained against straight-line winds as they sprinted from the cabin to the safest place they knew: a crawl space underneath it. They watched in awe as trees snapped and toppled, their twisted root balls torn out of the water-logged earth—as they prayed their cabin would hold. By the time the storm began to subside, falling trees had injured approximately sixty people, and most needed to be medevacked to safety. Amazingly, no one died. The historic storm laid down timber that would later blaze in the Ham Lake fire of 2007, ultimately reshaping the region’s forests in ways we have yet to fully understand. Trade Review "Cary J. Griffith makes full use of his impressive talents for interviewing people to obtain truly interesting and previously unknown perspectives and details on the 1999 blowdown. He skillfully weaves these interviews into a complex and captivating story that conveys how incredible this event was and why it deserves a prominent place in Minnesota’s history."—Lee E. Frelich, director, Center for Forest Ecology, University of Minnesota "In the tradition of The Perfect Storm, Cary J. Griffith brings readers into the Boundary Waters moment by moment as an epic gale sweeps through. Ample maps and in-depth interviews with witnesses both immerse us in one terrifying day and offer a glimpse of the past and future of Minnesota’s boreal forest."—Kim Todd, author of Sensational: The Hidden History of America’s “Girl Stunt Reporters” "In Gunflint Falling, Cary J. Griffith provides an accurate, comprehensive narrative of those impacted by one of the region’s most devastating storms. The damage and pain brought by the derecho storm was more severe than anything previously experienced in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The reader is taken into the personal experiences of the injured and those searching for them for fourteen days in the million-acre wilderness, and Griffith’s narrative of these experiences demonstrates how, when faced with an emergency, we come together to help one another."—Jim Sanders, retired forest supervisor, Superior National Forest (1996-2011), USDA Forest Service

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Book SynopsisA year of Oregon’s natural beauty, from flora laden mountains to otherworldly ancient rock formations, captured by the world-class photographers of Photo Cascadia. EXPLORE OREGON: Experience Oregon’s majesty with twelve months of beautiful landscapes, including Harris Beach State Park, Lake Abert, Silver Falls State Park, and others. GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHY: Breathtaking high-quality photos by Photo Cascadia, a collective focused on exploring the natural beauty of the region, encouraging stewardship and conservation, and following the Nature First principles of responsible photography. GREAT GIFT: Perfect for nature lovers, proud Oregonians, or anyone who wishes they could spend all year in the state’s beautiful wilderness. NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Workman wall calendars are completely plastic-free! Now printed with an extended paper flap closed with a fully recyclable seal—no more shrink-wrap!

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Book SynopsisWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY MARGARET ATWOOD Featured in the vast majority of mythologies and religions, birds are generally associated with creativity and the human spirit. From the Christian dove to Quetzalcoatl (the Aztec plumed serpent), and from Raven Man to Plato's description of the soul growing wings and feathers, birds have represented the soul in contrast to the body, the spiritual as opposed to the earthly. The Bedside Book of Birds is an unexpected and fascinating treasure trove of paintings, drawings, essays and scientific observations: it marvellously conveys the hope, the longing and the enchantment that birds have evoked in humans in all cultures and all times. Beautifully produced, the book contains more than one hundred illustrations, ranging from early cave paintings through works by Audubon, Morris and Gould, to Inuit and other works created in the twentieth century. There are writings by naturalists like W.H. Hudson, Laurens van der Post, Peter Matthiessen and Barry Lopez, and by classical authors such as Shakespeare, Coleridge, Melville and Poe. There is also a rich seam of contemporary work by Jorge Luis Borges, Ted Hughes, Italo Calvino, Bruce Chatwin and Haruki Murakami, among many others. The Bedside Book of Birds is a book to explore, to savour, and to learn from - a book for the winged soul in all of us.Trade ReviewThe most compulsively readable of a clutch of bird-themed books out this autumn. Taking in everything from classic nature-writing to poetry via folklore and Mayan creation myths, The Bedside Book Of Birds is by no means for 'twitchers' only * Daily Mail *The perfect book for armchair ornithologists with an eye for words as well as feathers * Daily Telegraph *A wonderful collection of poetry and prose, folk tales and myths, which pay tribute to our feathered friend ... A perfect Christmas present, even for non-anoraks * Mail on Sunday *Anyone who has watched birds, studied them, given them the least attention, will find this a treat. It is a compilation of writings that celebrate themany ways people have engaged with birds - made companions of them, mythologised them, hunted and eaten them. There's an account of a mocking thrush drinking from Charles Darwin's hand on the voyage of the Beagle, and of a woman in Ohio who incubated 50 hens' eggs by laying them alongside the body of her dying, fevered husband. This book is well worth buying for the illustrations alone * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Important and empowering' - BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH 'Get this great guide and be inspired' - STEPHEN FRY 'A handbook of hope ... Buy it, read it, start changing things right now' - JOANNA LUMLEY _______________ The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. How can an individual ever make a difference? Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell know firsthand how spectacularly nature can bounce back if you give it the chance. And what comes is not just wildlife in super-abundance, but solutions to the other environmental crises we face. The Book of Wilding is a handbook for how we can all help restore nature. It is ambitious, visionary and pragmatic. The book has grown out of Isabella and Charlie’s mission to help rewild Britain, Europe and the rest of the world by sharing knowledge from their pioneering project at Knepp in Sussex. It is inspired by the requests they receive from people wanting to learn how to rewild everything from unprofitable farms, landed estates and rivers, to ponds, allotments, churchyards, urban parks, gardens, window boxes and public spaces.. The Book of Wilding has the answers. _______________ 'Brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working' - HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL 'A deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet' - GEORGE MONBIOTTrade ReviewRewilding is possibly the most important and empowering revolution to have evolved out of the conservation movement in the last hundred years. This book shares the knowledge and wisdom of that movement that we all need to better understand how we can all play our part in helping nature restore the planet * Benedict Cumberbatch *As the Roman poet Horace said, "Drive nature out with a pitchfork and she’ll come roaring back". That hopeful and demonstrably true observation lies behind the urgent optimism of this wonderful book. Rewilding works and it works fast: nature does reclaim with stunning speed and power. In The Book of Wilding Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell take us on a fabulous adventure that demonstrates how almost every single one of us can contribute to the grand project of rewilding. Beauty, wonder and dazzling variety are the rewards for surprisingly small amounts of input and labour. Get this great guide and be inspired to go wilding yourself, no matter how small the patch of our earth you call your own * Stephen Fry *Five Years ago, Isabella Tree’s phenomenal book Wilding started a national conversation about restoring our flat-lining landscape. The Book of Wilding, co-authored with her husband Charlie Burrell, takes that conversation to the next level. It is both brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working, offering all of us the opportunity to get involved. Let’s do it! * Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall *This is a deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet * George Monbiot *The definitive wildlife survival manual ... Visions of paradise with all the practical advice to make it * Chris Packham *One of the wisest women alive, Isabella Tree has produced a handbook of hope. Her advice is invaluable; it reaches everyone who wants to make a better world out of the mess we humans have created. Buy it, read it, start changing things right now * Joanna Lumley *What an amazing book, a profound and passionate guide to returning the land to its natural state, a must, I think, for anyone who hopes for a sustainable future * Raynor Winn *A revolutionary and realistic recipe for restoring nature, nurturing new life and filling our homes, habitats and hearts with more wild joy * Patrick Barkham *Rewilding offers new hope for our beleaguered biodiversity. Buy this inspiring book and get rewilding! * Dave Goulson *This beautifully written and lavishly illustrated book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in rewilding, landscapes or indeed nature * Tristan Gooley *Protecting the ecosystems we have left is no longer enough. Given our long delays we must actively support the regeneration of our web of life. This brilliant book tells us how * Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change *Rewilding has a firm place in my heart and it's great to see it presented as a possibility for everyone, regardless of where they live. This book answered all my rewilding questions. I'm inspired to give my modest garden back to nature * Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking *[The Book of Wilding] is an eloquent yet hard-hitting synthesis of how a little helping hand can allow nature to heal itself, resulting in astounding outcomes for wildlife, while enriching our own lives in every conceivable way. With rare honesty and thoughtful reflections, the authors share their experiences and vision for greening farmscapes and cityscapes at every scale. This book is not merely important, it is epoch-making and world-building * Dr Gabriel Hemery, author of The New Sylva *All is not lost. Nature’s capacity to heal can still overcome our tendency to disrupt and destroy. This inspiring book shows how it can be done * Eric Schlosser, author of Command and Control *This beautiful book is both highly accessible and deeply practical and does a lot to break down any idea that wilding is only for those with vast wealth and large tracts of land. It should be compulsory reading for all Master Planners, landowners and gardeners as it will become a handbook for anyone seeking to create a wilder world. I love this book because it is at once humble and expansive, spiritual (with a small s) and resolutely practical. If you know anyone owning a window box or a country estate buy them this book, it will inspire them … A Bible for a new green enlightenment * Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project *A game changer for sure. Informed and visionary. Easy to digest and persuasive. Just jolly well buy this book. It's a lifetime must that's essential * Derek Gow *Just in case you’re someone who thinks that ‘rewilding is an exotic, elite activity for a few rich landowners,’ The Book of Wilding will more than set you straight on that score! It’s something very different: a way of seeing, thinking, affirming, sharing and recrafting our relationship with the natural world * Sir Jonathon Porritt, Environmentalist *We know we need Nature back, and that’s why national laws and global agreements now say it must happen. The gap between ambition and practical action is, however, vast. In The Book of Wilding Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell make a powerful case for action and with many examples show how we can achieve Nature’s recovery from the scale of entire landscapes to small gardens, and from wild wetlands to urban centres. I thoroughly recommend [The Book of Wilding] to anyone who wants to be part of the solution to fixing our depleted world * Dr Tony Juniper CBE, Environmentalist and Chair of Natural England *A gloriously produced and carefully researched educative guide to rewilding. Full of valuable advice for all who want to help restore nature -- whether you have a country estate or a window-box on an estate, this book will help you on your rewilding journey * Dr James Canton, author of The Oak Papers *What stands out from this beautiful book is the invitation for us, as humans, to become and create the wild at whatever scale we are able. As well as being full of practical examples of what we can do in our gardens, it highlights our birth-right and responsibility as a keystone species to enhance the natural world for all other species, as well as ourselves * Frances Tophill *When it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, rewilding restores 'a sense of agency and ambition'. With their comprehensive and timely book, the authors are passing that agency onto others * Geographical *Whether you own a window box or run a community garden, this illustrated hardback will leave you inspired and hopeful * BBC Wildlife *A giant, handsome yet incredibly accessible doorstop of a tome, The Book of Wilding works as an A-Z guide to how and why to bring nature back to the land * Caitlin Moran *

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Book SynopsisIn this acclaimed travel memoir Jamaica Kincaid chronicles a spectacular and exotic three-week trek through the Himalayan land of Nepal, where she and her companions are gathering seeds for planting at home. The natural world and, in particular, plants and gardening are central to Kincaid’s work. Among Flowers intertwines meditations on nature and stunning descriptions of the Himalayan landscape with observations on the ironies, difficulties and dangers of this magnificent journey.For Kincaid and three botanist friends, Nepal is a paradise, a place where a single day’s hike can traverse climate zones, from subtropical to alpine, encompassing flora suitable for growing at their homes, from Wales to Vermont. Yet as she makes clear, there is far more to this foreign world than rhododendrons that grow thirty feet high. Danger, too, is a constant companion – and the leeches are the least of their worries. Unpredictable Maoist guerrillas live in these perilous mountains, and when they do appear – as they do more than once – their enigmatic presence lingers long after they have melted back into the landscape. And Kincaid, who writes of the looming, lasting effects of colonialism in her works, necessarily explores the irony of her status as memsahib with Sherpas and bearers.A wonderful blend of introspective insight and beautifully rendered description, Among Flowers is a vivid, engrossing, and characteristically frank memoir from one of the most striking voices in contemporary literature.Part of the Picador Collection, a new series showcasing the best in modern literature.Trade ReviewKincaid takes her authenticity with her wherever she goes…engaging and stealthily funny * San Francisco Chronicle *What a writer – elegant, uncompromising, simultaneously direct and layered and complex. -- Ali SmithI’ve read everything by Jamaica Kincaid, and I’ve still never read anyone like her. If you are new to Kincaid, I envy you. -- Jackie Kay

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Book SynopsisWe don't know what we've got until it's gone...This brief, lucid book by the Director of Science at Royal Botanical Gardens takes you on an unforgettable tour of the natural world, showing how biodiversity - the rich variety of life in the world and in our own backyards - provides both the source and the salvation of our existence. Combining inspiration stories and the latest scientific research, Alex Antonelli reveals the wonders of biodiversity at a genetic, species and ecosystem level - what it is, how it works, and why it's the most important tool in our battle against climate change.A deeper understanding of biodiversity has never been more important, as the slow violence of habitat loss has put the fate of almost one-fifth of all species on Earth at risk of extinction in the coming decades. These building blocks of life form a network that underpins almost every aspect of our lives, providing invaluable sources of food, medicine, fibre, clothing, building material and more. With simplicity and clarity, The Hidden Universe shows you not only what's at stake, but what can be done (and is already being done) to protect and restore biodiversity around the world. It marks the arrival of a bold new voice in popular science.Trade Review'Engaging and urgent' * Nature *'The Hidden Universe is a smooth read ... biological facts are leavened by personal stories Antonelli tells of his "adventures" as a botanist traveling the world in search of plants.' * NewCity Lit *'For anyone who still needs winning around to our planet's beauty - and wants to know how we can save it - this is the book they should read.' * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF BOOK OF THE YEAR, NARRATIVE NON-FICTION BRITISH BOOK AWARDS 2021Rediscover the natural world with the multi-award winning phenomenon and youngest ever major literary prize winner in UK history.'Miraculous memoir . . . profoundly moving' Observer 'Dara is an extraordinary voice and vision: brave, poetic, ethical, lyrical' Robert Macfarlane 'It's a diary but essentially timeless . . . It's really, really special' Chris PackhamALSO WINNER OF: THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 2020, AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARD FOR NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2020, BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDS FOR NON-FICTION 2020; SHORTLISTED FOR: WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 & LONGLISTED FOR: THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2020 ___________ 'This diary chronicles the turning of my world, from spring to winter, at home, in the wild, in my head.'Evocative, raw and lyrical, this startling debut explores the natural world through the eyes of Dara McAnulty, an autistic teenager coping with the uprooting of home, school, and his mental health, while pursuing his life as a conservationist and environmental activist.Shifting from intense darkness to light, recalling his sensory encounters in the wild - with blackbirds, whooper swans, red kites, hen harriers, frogs, dandelions, Irish hares and more - McAnulty reveals worlds we have neglected to see, in a stunning world of nature writing that is a future classic.Diary of a Young Naturalist is a powerful and scintillating portrayal of the beauty of the natural world, as it shines a light on autism and of overcoming severe anxiety. It is a story of the binding love of family and home, and how we can help each other through the most difficult of times. ___________ BIG ISSUE BOOK OF THE YEAR HAY FESTIVAL BOOK OF THE YEARA TIMES NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR 'An extraordinary diary' The Times'A torrent of pure, unmediated fervour . . . This is writing at its wild and unruly best' Dr Rachel Clarke 'Diary of a Young Naturalist is not only one of the finest pieces of modern nature writing produced on this island in recent years, McAnulty is one of our best young writers in any genre' Irish Independent'An exceptional new voice. Dara McAnulty celebrates nature in such a fresh way and illuminatesour understanding of autism' Martha Kearney, chair of the Baillie Gifford Prize 2020'One of the most talented and passionate writers of our era' Steve Silberman, award-winning author of NeuroTribes ___________Trade ReviewDara's is an extraordinary voice and vision: brave, poetic, ethical, lyrical, strong enough to have made him heard and admired from a young age. * Robert Macfarlane *It's a diary but essentially timeless. It's about enduring, it's about passion, beauty and connection. It's really, really special. * Chris Packham *Dara is only 16 and autistic, and is already on his way to becoming one of the most talented and passionate writers of our era. * Steve Silberman, author of Neurotribes *Feeling illuminates every page of this miraculous memoir ... His portrait of loving parents raising three neurodivergent children on poetry, punk and puffins is profoundly moving ... intimate, sensitive, deeply felt * Observer *Like reading William Blake or Ted Hughes, it really is a strange and magical experience...surely one of the most talked about nature books, or any books, this year * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisA powerful work of memoir and storytelling that will change the way we think about the natural world.Like many diasporic people of colour, Claire Ratinon grew up feeling cut off from the natural world. She lived in cities, reluctant to be outdoors and stuck with the belief that success and status could fill the space where belonging was absent. But a chance encounter with a rooftop farm was the start of a journey that caused her to rethink the life she'd been creating and her beliefs about who she ought to be. Enlivened, she turned her hand to growing food in London before finding herself yearning for a small parcel of land to call her own. Unearthed tells the story of her leaving the city for the English countryside - and her first garden - in the hope of forging a pathway towards the embrace of the natural world and a sense of belonging cultivated on her own terms.'Ratinon's story will change hearts and minds' Alice Vincent'A beautiful book about nature...I recommend it' Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)Trade ReviewA beautiful book about nature, and how reengaging with the foundational experience of our species of growing and cultivating crops can be a source of healing and spiritual truth... I recommend it -- Afua HirschThis is an outstanding work of storytelling and nature writing. It's also a hard-hitting and educational read * Gardens Illustrated, *Books of the Year* *It is rare for a book to come along that tells a story that has never been heard before. Unearthed is just that and more. Deeply felt, deeply told, deeply generous, Claire Ratinon's story of trying to find a place of belonging in a post-colonial landscape is one that will change hearts and minds. How vitally we have needed this narrative, how beautifully it has been told. -- Alice Vincent, author of RootboundExquisite * Nova Reid, Author of The Good Ally *Poignant and groundbreaking... we are tenderly offered a new possibility of deeper wonder, awe and profound hope as we unearth the truth that grows in all our gardens * The Garden *

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Book Synopsis'Charming miscellany of rhymes and reflections celebrating the garden'CHOICE***The perfect bedside book for the green-fingered - hilarious and touching poems on a gardening theme written and introduced by the nation's favourite gardener and presenter of ITV's Grow Your Own At Home and Love Your Garden, Channel 5's Secrets of the National Trust and with his own show on Classic FM.From touching poems on the peony, the snowdrop and the sweet pea to hilarious verse on Emily the Gardener and the Garden Design Course, this is Alan Titchmarsh's heartfelt and entertaining celebration of his favourite space - the garden.Trade Review'Charming miscellany of rhymes and reflections celebrating the garden' * Choice *

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Book SynopsisONE OF THE GUARDIAN'S BEST NATURE BOOKS OF 2020SHORTLISTED FOR THE RICHARD JEFFERIES SOCIETY & WHITE HORSE BOOKSHOP LITERARY PRIZE'Lovely: full of fascinating detail and anecdote, but the undertow of the virus moving in real time beneath its sunlit surface gives it a unique emotional heft.'-The Times'A literary window into the wonderful wild world during lockdown... a charming book.'-Daily Mail'An entrancing testament to nature's power to restore us to ourselves.'-Ruth PadelNature took on a new importance for many people when the coronavirus pandemic arrived, providing solace in a time of great anxiety - not least because the crisis struck at the beginning of spring, the season of light, growth, rebirth and renewal.Three writers, close friends but living in widely separated, contrasting parts of the country, resolved to record their experiences of this extraordinary spring in intimate detail, to share with others their sense of the wonder, inspiration and delight the natural world can offer.The Consolation of Nature is the story of what they discovered by literally walking out from their front doors.Trade ReviewA literary window into the wonderful wild world during lockdown...a charming book * Daily Mail *A significant and beautifully written historical record of a unique English spring -- Adam gretton * The Harrier *As our lives constrict again, the long spring lockdown already seems a lifetime ago. But that beautiful and frightening time has been perfectly captured in The Consolation of Nature by the naturalists Michael McCarthy, Jeremy Mynott and Peter Marren. Each reports from their home patches - Richmond, West Suffolk and North Wessex, respectively - to describe the progress of a record-breakingly sunny spring as human activity slowed and stilled. As a set of nature diaries it's lovely: full of fascinating detail and anecdote. But the undertow of the virus moving in real time beneath its sunlit surface gives it a unique emotional heft. When we emerge from this crisis our relationship with the natural world must change. This book surely is a record of the beginnings of that shift. -- Melissa Harrison * The Times *A powerful and moving reflection on the solace brought by nature and its power as a balm for stressed-out lives -- Caroline Lucas MPWhat joy - three of our greatest nature writers in one book! What they felt under lockdown is surely what we all felt, that primal need to be out in nature - balm for body and soul. There's acute and beautiful observation on every page, thrown into exquisite relief by the poignancy of the circumstances. Against the backdrop of anxiety and doubt, their experiences bear witness to the inspiring and ever-hopeful lesson that nature can heal itself - and us - if we let it. -- Isabella TreeThe Consolation of Nature is as scintillating, perceptive and every bit as readable as Gibert White's Selborne -- Professor Tim Birkhead, FRSThe book is an entrancing testament to nature's power to restore us to ourselves. To read it is to open your eyes to everything around you, from an egg-laying butterfly to the value of cowpats. In the company of three generous naturalists, you wander down a Lovers' Lane of close observation plus humane imagination, into the tangled bank of wild and hidden life that still goes on, despite all we have done to it, in our countryside and parks. The Consolation of Nature is a consolation in itself. -- Ruth PadelThese three distinguished writers are all steeped in the natural world, yet each is of highly individual sensibility and comes from a very distinct part of the country. For all the differences between them, they have produced a book of fundamental unity with a singular conclusion: that coronavirus and all its consequences reveal the central importance of nature to the British as a nation and to humans as a species. Their message could not be more timely. -- Mark CockerProbably the best tribute to spring since Edward Thomas's In Pursuit of Spring... A spell-binding paean to the best and worst spring ever which shows how deeply Nature absorbs, stimulates and nurtures us. -- Matthew OatesThey all write superbly and their styles and perspectives are sufficiently different to add variety to the passage... but not so different that any grates with the others. It is so beautifully written -- Mark AveryAs expected from these three authors, it is beautifully written, but it is also extremely evocative. -- Martin Harper, Global Conservation Director RSPBI was entranced by the close observations of wildlife by three eloquent and experienced naturalists during the 'lockdown year', proof, if any were needed, that nature provides succour when it is most required -- Richard Fortey, FRSCredit to three of our most distinguished nature writers...This is an entertaining and insightful diary of lockdown, which really manages to capture the essence of the unique spring of 2020 -- Stephen Moss * 2020 Round-up of Nature Books *The joy of The Consolation of Nature is the privileged glimpse into the minds of really good naturalists - and they are admirably good. There is much written about nature and about its importance to humanity, and no lack of earnest rhetoric, but to see into the intimate and personal chambers of the minds of people who love nature, who live and breathe it, who cherish it and who find it an endless source of wonder, this is the delight of this book. There are no great messages, no edicts, no cajoling of our consciences, this is simply the everyday joy that the natural world provides at a time when we need it the most. I loved savouring it, small sections at a time, the reading equivalent of a slice of cake with tea - something to look forward to and enjoy for no other reason than it is a treat. That is not to say it is without wisdom, there is so much understated wisdom on every page, but it is for the reader to find and absorb for themselves and to ponder in a gentle way, like turning over a leaf and finding butterfly eggs, or suddenly spotting a buzzard high over London. J B Haldane was right when he said the world will not perish for lack of wonders but lack of wonder. This is a book that infuses the reader with wonder on every page. -- Mary Colwell-Hector

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Book Synopsis'Rousing, polemical and heartfelt' - Gardens Illustrated'An invitation to take action' - The ObserverOne thing has become clear this year - we need nature more than ever. And it needs us too.From our balconies and gardens to our woodlands, national parks and beyond, Back to Nature captures the essence of how we feel about the wildlife outside our windows. Through personal stories, conservation breakthroughs and scientific discoveries, it explores the wonder and the solace of nature, and the ways in which we can connect with it - and protect it.Trade ReviewWell-researched and more nuanced than you might expect... And so Back to Nature is also an invitation to take action, showing how ordinary people can become activists. * The Observer *The main text is scattered with sparkling jewels of fascinating science on everything from how trees communicate to what birds dream of when they sleep. There are some truly inspiring tales... Rousing, polemical and heartfelt, Back to Nature is not afraid to challenge the status quo and it will fill you with a determination to take action. * Gardens Illustrated *Engaged, resolute and convincing... this could also be the most important book you've read in a long time. * BBC Countryfile *

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Book Synopsis'Utterly fascinating and intriguing' Neil Ansell, author of The Last Wilderness'A captivating dive into the mysteries of nature' Lee Schofield, author of Wild FellIn 1913 all the musk plants in the world stopped smelling. Unable to resist the lure of this mystery, Bob Gilbert turns detective, determined to find the truth in the tale. Mixing history, memoir, science and nature writing, The Missing Musk takes the reader on a journey of discovery, uncovering the truth behind six mysteries and myths from across the natural world.From the darkest corners of Britain's churchyards to Scotland's Pentland Hills, Bob travels the length of the UK, seeking answers to questions that have intrigued him throughout his life. In search of the musk's long-lost fragrance, he discovers a possibly murderous story. Investigating the true origins of 'star jelly' leads to encounters with unexplained sightings and substances. Faced with the urban myth-like stories of mosquitoes thriving in the London Underground, Bob digs deeper.Motivated by the curious, unexplained phenomena found in wild places and on urban streets, Bob peers into microscopes, delves into horticultural archives and chases a glimpse of the strange 'water bear', finding that, when it comes to mysteries, the joy is found as much in the search as in the answer it leads you to . . .Trade ReviewA brilliantly researched investigation into some of nature's most enduring mysteries. Never less than utterly fascinating and intriguing -- Neil Ansell, author of THE LAST WILDERNESSThe Missing Musk is a joyful celebration of intelligent curiosity. Absorbing, fascinating, and a positive invitation to explore the natural world around us -- Lev Parikian, author of INTO THE TANGLED BANKImpeccably researched and endlessly fascinating, The Missing Musk is a captivating dive into the mysteries of nature -- Lee Schofield, author of WILD FELLMeticulously researched, thought-provoking and enlightening, The Missing Musk is a perfect mix of whodunnit and wonder for the natural world. A truly unique, fun and inspirational book that dispels common myths without detracting from the wonder of its subject -- James Aldred, author of GOSHAWK SUMMERThe Missing Musk is not really about finding answers, but challenging the systems that govern our thinking . . . we are asked to celebrate the "confusions and contradictions" of nature, acknowledging what we cannot know while valuing all perspectives, from the metaphysical to the biological -- Kate Simpson * Times Literary Supplement *Brimful of fascinating observations and beautifully written, this is a wonderfully engaging book * Simple Things Magazine *PRAISE FOR GHOST TREESA joyous hymn to the urban wild -- Patrick Barkham, author of Wild Green WondersProfoundly uplifting * Guardian *Lyrical and beautifully evocative . . . A delight * BBC Countryfile Magazine *Gilbert weaves his vast knowledge lightly and shares it engagingly and entertainingly * Caught by the River *

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Book Synopsis 'A generous book, offering the small stories - of childhood, family, place, of growth and falling away and regrowth - that enable the big connections with the flow of the world.' - Mark Goldthorpe, Climate Cultures'A meander through the seasons that is filled with lyrical gifts and new ways of seeing the world. This is new nature writing - as diverse, original and ceaselessly surprising as the wild world it celebrates.' Patrick Barkham, Natural History correspondent for The Guardian and author of Islander, Badgerlands, The Butterfly Isles and Wild Child: Coming Home to Nature.'A wonderfully diverse collection of poetry and long-form prose, celebrating the four seasons of the year in a fresh and ultimately life-affirming way.' Stephen Moss'These essays urgently reimagine what nature writing can be-and whose stories belong in that canon. Gifts of Gravity and Light is generous, unsentimental, and bursting with talented voices that will shape this genre for decades to come.' Jessica J. Lee, author of Two Trees Make a Forest and Turning, and editor of The Willowherb Review***'I learned something new from each enjoyable essay and by the end realised that nature is integral to how we live on this planet, not a subsidiary to life, but at the heart of it.' - Bernardine EvaristoThe changing seasons of the year are an endless source of strangeness and wonder. Gifts of Gravity and Light invites you to experience Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter through fourteen different voices. Greet the arrival of spring in East London with a Cambodian new year's dance; watch sea otters at play in the summer sun; gather armfuls of hops in a Romany song to the autumn; yield to the icy stillness of winter in the Cairngorms or pine for 'sun drunk' days of a Jamaican childhood.With a foreword by Bernardine Evaristo and contributions from Jackie Kay, Kaliane Bradley, Pippa Marland, Testament, Michael Malay, Tishani Doshi, Jay Griffiths, Luke Turner, Anita Roy, Raine Geoghegan, Zakiya McKenzie, Alys Fowler, Amanda Thomson and Simon Armitage, this almanac reflects not only the diversity of the writers featured, but the endlessly changing natural world itself.Trade ReviewThis is a generous book, offering the small stories - of childhood, family, place, of growth and falling away and regrowth - that enable the big connections with the flow of the world. * Climate Cultures *

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Book Synopsis 'A generous book, offering the small stories - of childhood, family, place, of growth and falling away and regrowth - that enable the big connections with the flow of the world.' - Mark Goldthorpe, Climate Cultures'A meander through the seasons that is filled with lyrical gifts and new ways of seeing the world. This is new nature writing - as diverse, original and ceaselessly surprising as the wild world it celebrates.' Patrick Barkham, Natural History correspondent for The Guardian and author of Islander, Badgerlands, The Butterfly Isles and Wild Child: Coming Home to Nature.'A wonderfully diverse collection of poetry and long-form prose, celebrating the four seasons of the year in a fresh and ultimately life-affirming way.' Stephen Moss'These essays urgently reimagine what nature writing can be-and whose stories belong in that canon. Gifts of Gravity and Light is generous, unsentimental, and bursting with talented voices that will shape this genre for decades to come.' Jessica J. Lee, author of Two Trees Make a Forest and Turning, and editor of The Willowherb Review***'I learned something new from each enjoyable essay and by the end realised that nature is integral to how we live on this planet, not a subsidiary to life, but at the heart of it.' - Bernardine EvaristoThe changing seasons of the year are an endless source of strangeness and wonder. Gifts of Gravity and Light invites you to experience Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter through fourteen different voices. Greet the arrival of spring in East London with a Cambodian new year's dance; watch sea otters at play in the summer sun; gather armfuls of hops in a Romany song to the autumn; yield to the icy stillness of winter in the Cairngorms or pine for 'sun drunk' days of a Jamaican childhood.With a foreword by Bernardine Evaristo and contributions from Jackie Kay, Kaliane Bradley, Pippa Marland, Testament, Michael Malay, Tishani Doshi, Jay Griffiths, Luke Turner, Anita Roy, Raine Geoghegan, Zakiya McKenzie, Alys Fowler, Amanda Thomson and Simon Armitage, this almanac reflects not only the diversity of the writers featured, but the endlessly changing natural world itself.

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Book Synopsis'A call to arms for everyone' Steve Backshall'Eye-opening' New ScientistThe diversity of life on earth is astounding, with each species perfectly adapted to its environment. Sharks can navigate the ocean using electromagnetic fields; sloths use algae as camouflage; albatross can fly for hours without beating their wings; and orca pods each have unique cultures and languages. But every hour, three species disappear. Our incredible world is at risk.Megan McCubbin reveals the stories of the scientists, rangers and conservationists who are fighting to save these extraordinary creatures from extinction. An Atlas of Endangered Species shows us that the battle is on for their survival - and we all have a part to play.'Joyful and heartbreaking, an inspiring celebration of some of our planet's most endangered species and those who champion them' - Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth'A powerful, passionate plea for a wilder future' - Sophie Pavelle, author of Forget Me NotTrade ReviewNot only is Atlas of Endangered Species a fascinating, immersive exploration of iconic and overlooked species, but most importantly it's a powerful, passionate plea for a wilder future alongside nature. Her rigorous research and friendly tone carves a clear, hopeful path towards a more harmonious relationship with the nature world. I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful book! -- Sophie Pavelle, author of Forget Me NotBy turns joyful and heartbreaking, an inspiring celebration of some of our planet's most endangered species and those who champion them -- Dave Goulson, author of Silent EarthBeautifully written, capturing the wonder and personality of each creature, big and small perfectly. Megan's words make you befriend and root each of the animals she describes and gives you hope for a better future -- Dr Amir KhanAn inspiring journey... From the early naturalist to the experienced adult, this book will fascinate and inspire -- Benedict Macdonald, award-winning author of Rebirding'An antidote to any eco-anxiety , here are the people and the creatures who are fixing planet earth' -- Chris PackhamThis is a lovely book, well written and beautifully illustrated. With a third mass extinction on our doorstep, it's also very timely, and I'm delighted to see that it's been written by one of the foremost of the generation of new, young naturalists that are helping to change our perception and appreciation of the natural world. More power to their elbows! -- Iolo WilliamsPacked full of wonderful pictures and deep insights into the lives of the beautiful plants and creatures the planet is in grave danger of losing - don't miss this book! -- Dale Vince, OBE, UN Ambassador for Climate Change and Founder of EcotricityA truly inspiring and timely piece, one which should be imperative reading and on everyone's shelves -- Hannah StitfallMegan's enthusiasm is catching . . . An Atlas of Endangered Species weaves a narrative of hope and champions nature's underdogs, and instils a deep love for nature and people alike * Lucy Lapwing *An elegant blend of science, exploration, insight and optimism. Much like her presenting style, Megan McCubbin's writing has an effortless appeal to a diverse audience, from the curious child to the most seasoned of conservationists. An Atlas of Endangered Species is a masterpiece of scientific communication -- Dr Ruth Tingay, Co-Director, Wild Justice

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Book Synopsis'An extraordinary and powerful book, full of vitality. Every page celebrates the way traditional skills can shape who we are' Tristan Gooley'Lyrical, moving and never self-pitying . . . a lovely book' The TimesBen Short has a successful career in advertising, a flat in a trendy part of London, a flashy motorbike. But after years of suffering with anxiety, he's a wreck. A drastic change is needed.For a time, he finds solace working with a forester, then as an apprentice to a Gypsy woodman, setting up home in a dilapidated wagon with just a rescue dog for company. However, it is not until he feels the call of the furnace, a glowing charcoal kiln in the Dorset woods, that he can truly re-forge his thoughts, put the years of suffering behind him, and start afresh by immersing himself in the old ways of woods and fire.Exquisitely written and deeply honest, Burn is a hopeful story of transformation, a celebration of manual work and craft, and a love letter to the English countryside.'Beautifully written . . . reading it leaves you feeling ruffled but alive' Mail on SundayTrade ReviewLyrical, moving and never self-pitying . . . a lovely book. * The Times *Short's story is as much about work as it is escape and landscape; he illuminates the value of doing rather than thinking. Beautifully written, Burn is melancholy and hopeful in equal measure. Like taking a forest ramble in changeable weather, reading it leaves you feeling ruffled but alive * Mail on Sunday *An intriguing, touching and beautifully written book, about how it feels to be in a dark place spiritually, to move into the woods but enter an increasingly lighter place, to be practising the ancient skills of coppicing and charcoal burning, to love a dog. -- Ruth PaveyIn this candid memoir, [Ben] learns the benefits of living simply . . . above all, Ben discovers the joys of risking everything in the search for personal happiness. * The Countryman *A most excellent read. Destined to become a classic in its field, much like Walter Rose's memoir, The Village Carpenter -- Sean HellmanAn extraordinary and powerful book, full of vitality. Every page celebrates the way traditional skills can shape who we are. -- Tristan Gooley

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Book SynopsisINTRODUCED BY PAUL KINGSNORTH, Booker-shortlisted author of The Wake'I thought that there were two rules in life - never count the cost, and never do anything unless you can do it wholeheartedly. Now is the time to live.' Artist and wanderer Everett Ruess left home at the age of sixteen to immerse himself in the harsh desert landscapes of the American Southwest. With only his donkeys for company, driven by an insatiable longing for beauty and experience, he ventured ever further from civilisation and into the wilderness of Navajo country. In 1934, at the age of twenty, he vanished without trace in Utah, a disappearance that remains unsolved to this day. Through letters, diary excerpts and poems - charting not only his rugged adventures and his exquisite nature writing but his progression as a writer, and into adulthood - and with commentary by W. L. Rusho, A Vagabond for Beauty tells his remarkable story.

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