Britain’s most-influential nature writer reflects on a lifetime of close observation and celebrates the positive force of the natural world

‘One of our greatest nature writers’ Guardian

For over fifty years, Richard Mabey has been a pioneering voice in modern nature writing. This book collects pieces across his rich career, tracing his continually evolving ideas as much as the profound changes in our environment. From the rediscovery of food foraging in the 1970s, to reflections on the musicality of birdsong, these essays show Mabey’s passionate belief that our planet is a commonwealth for all species, and that our reconnection with the living world is more vital than ever.

‘If such a thing as nature writing exists and flourishes today it is thanks almost entirely to Richard Mabey’ Tim Dee

‘Poised where nature meets culture, Mabey is knowledgeable, politically savvy and wry, and an excellent naturalist’ New Statesman