2020 Longlist for Nature Writing
13 books in the long list and out of these I've tried 2 but didn't
finish either. Several had popped up on my recommended for you amazon
list but there are two there that I hadn't come across at all. I've added several to my list to order when libraries get going again. One is on order waiting until it comes out in paperback - free with my Shop4all voucher and one I decided to buy straightaway as it sounded so good.
Bird Therapy by Joe Harkness
When Joe Harkness suffered a breakdown in 2013, he tried all the
things his doctor recommended: medication helped, counselling was
enlightening, and mindfulness grounded him. But nothing came close to
nature, particularly birds
Dancing with Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard
Dancing
with Bees is Brigit Strawbridge Howard’s eloquent, captivating account
of her ‘return to noticing’ the natural world around her. With special
attention to the plight of pollinators, Brigit shares her journey to
rediscover nature; filled with fascinating details of the lives of flora
and fauna that bring her ever-increasing wonder and delight.
Dark, Salt, Clear by Lamorna Ash
A
captivating portrait of life in the Cornish town of Newlyn, the largest
working fishing port in Britain, from a strikingly original new voice.
Dark, Salt, Clear is an evocative journey of personal discovery replete
with the poetry and deep history of our fishing communities.
Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty
Diary
of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of 15-year-old Dara
McAnulty’s world. From spring and through a year in his home patch in
Northern Ireland, Dara spent the seasons writing. These vivid, evocative
and moving diary entries about his connection to wildlife and the way
he sees the world are raw in their telling
Native: Life in a Vanishing Landscape by Patrick Laurie
Galloway
is a place forgotten – a vague, half-imagined corner of Scotland that
has fallen off the map. Patrick Laurie returns to his homeland, to
establish a herd of native cattle on the hills above the Solway Firth
and encounters the final passing of an ancient rural heritage.
On the Red Hill by Mike Parker
On
the Red Hill is the story of Rhiw Goch, ‘the Red Hill’, and its
inhabitants, but also the story of a remarkable rural community and a
legacy that extends far beyond bricks and mortar. It is a story that
celebrates the turn of the year’s wheel, of ever-changing landscapes,
and of the family found in the unlikeliest of places.
Rootbound by Alice Vincent
When
she suddenly finds herself uprooted, heartbroken, living out of a
suitcase and yearning for the comfort of home, Alice Vincent starts to
plant seeds. She nurtures pot plants and vines on windowsills and
draining boards, and with each unfurling petal and budding leaf, she
begins to come back to life.
Surfacing by Kathleen Jamie
In
her luminous new essay collection, Kathleen Jamie visits archaeological
sites – a Yup’ik village at the edge of the Bering Sea, the shifting
sand dunes of an Orkney island – and mines her own memories and family
history, to explore what surfaces and what reconnects us to our past.
The Frayed Atlantic Edge by David Gange
In
one brilliant adventure over the course of a year, David Gange kayaked
the coasts of Atlantic Britain and Ireland, every inlet and every
island. This book tells that story, and gives a social history of our
coasts which for centuries were vital hubs for communication and trade
but can often now be neglected.
The Well Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith
How
can working with nature help us to cultivate our mental health? In a
powerful combination of neuroscience, psychology and brilliant
anecdotes, this book uncovers the enormous value of gardening and
getting outdoors from prison rehabilitation programmes to PTSD recovery
to the benefits for the everyday gardener.
Wanderland by Jini Reddy
Wanderland
is about Jini’s journey to connect with the magical ‘other’ the
landscape in Britain, to develop a more spiritual, intimate and
reciprocal relationship with nature. It has a timely eco-spiritual edge
and is a blend of memoir and nature writing which touches on themes of
well-being, identity and belonging.
Wild Child by Patrick Barkham
From
climbing trees and making dens, to building sandcastles and
pond-dipping, many of the activities we associate with a happy childhood
take place outdoors. And yet, the reality for many contemporary
children is very different.
Wintering by Katherine May
Wintering
is a poignant and comforting meditation on the fallow periods of life,
times when we must retreat to care for and repair ourselves. Katherine
May thoughtfully shows us how to come through these times with the
wisdom of knowing that, like the seasons, our winters and summers are
the ebb and flow of life.
