Books of the Month
October
October brings a deeper shift into autumn across the British countryside. Leaves turn gold and copper, hedgerows are heavy with berries, fungi appear beneath the trees and misty mornings settle over fields and woods.
It’s a month of changing light, cosy evenings and settling in to the slower rhythms of the season.
To celebrate British nature in autumn, we’ve chosen four Books of the Month that invite you to explore the wildlife, landscapes and seasonal changes happening all around us this October.
Jo Wimpenny
Beauty of the Beasts: Rethinking Nature's Least Loved Animals
‘Zoologist Jo Wimpenny is out to have some fun in Beauty of the Beasts, a defence of snakes, wasps, crocodiles and the like, and why we should champion them amid catastrophic biodiversity loss.’ ― New Scientist
‘A brilliantly written and wildly entertaining tour de force. Beauty of the Beasts bites and snarls in its passion for the planet and our entangled life in amongst it all.’ ― Sophie Pavelle, author of To Have or To Hold
Wasps. Snakes. Cockroaches. Sharks. We fear them, dislike them and often dismiss them as pests, predators or villains. But how much do we really understand the animals we find most unsettling?
In Beauty of the Beasts, Jo Wimpenny takes a closer look at some of nature’s most misunderstood animals, exploring how our perceptions of wildlife are shaped and why we are so quick to label certain species as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Drawing on the latest research, she reveals the ecological importance and surprisingly complex lives of animals we might otherwise overlook.
From wasps and their role in natural pest control, to snakes and the potential medical uses of their venom, Wimpenny uncovers the often-overlooked importance of these species. She also explores the social behaviour of crocodiles and vultures, showing just how much there is to discover beyond our usual ideas about ‘pests’ and ‘dangerous animals’.
A fascinating nature book about misunderstood animals, Beauty of the Beasts is for anyone interested in wildlife, animal behaviour, biodiversity and the hidden roles species play in ecosystems. It might just change the way you look at some of nature’s most feared creatures.
Read this if you loved... ♡
Hidden Creatures by Dino Martins
Lia Leendertz
A Year in Nature
A Year in Nature is a beautiful celebration of the natural world through the changing seasons, inviting us to slow down and notice the small wonders that each month brings.
From the first blossoms of spring and the bustle of summer meadows to autumn leaves and the stillness of winter, this charming collection captures the rhythms of the natural world throughout the year. With birds, plants, weather and wildlife woven throughout, it encourages readers to look a little closer at the seasonal changes in nature and discover something to enjoy in every month.
A truly beautiful gift for nature lovers, A Year in Nature is a book to return to season after season, making it a thoughtful companion for anyone who loves wildlife, the countryside and observing the changing seasons. It sits alongside A Year in Story and Song and A Year of Feasting and Festivities.
Read this is you loved... ♡
Nature's Calendar by Kiera Chapman
Paul Lamb
Of Thorn & Briar: A Year with the West Country Hedgelayer
‘[A] beguiling book . . . this spare but elegant account is an unexpected delight, and as soothing as a walk down a tree-dappled lane at sunset’ Daily Mail
‘Gentle, evocative and compelling’ Patrick Barkham, The Oldie
‘This is a delightful book and one that deserves to enter the pantheon of distinguished Nature writing’ Country Life
Paul Lamb is a hedgelayer who lives in his wagon and follows the seasons across the south-west of England, working from late summer until spring to maintain the ancient hedgerows that have shaped the British countryside for generations.
As traditional hedgelaying skills disappear and modern farming changes the landscape, these vital habitats and the wildlife they support have declined. Paul has spent decades keeping this craft alive, restoring neglected hedgerows and preserving a little-known part of our rural heritage.
Of Thorn & Briar is an absorbing nature memoir about hedgerows, traditional countryside skills and life close to the land. Through Paul's work and travels, it offers a fascinating glimpse into a disappearing way of life and a fresh appreciation for one of the most familiar features of the British countryside.
Read this if you loved... ♡
Hedgelands by Christopher Hart
Thomas Crowther
Nature's Echo: Harnessing ancient feedback loops to heal a changing planet
'Crowther offers insights that are wide-ranging and compelling . . . Nature’s Echo’s identifies a shift in perspective' Spectator
'Earth-restoring and life-affirming with a vital message for our times. Dive in.' Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics
What happens when the delicate systems that keep nature in balance begin to unravel? And could understanding how ecosystems recover help us restore them?
In Nature’s Echo, leading ecologist Professor Thomas Crowther explores the interconnected ecosystems and natural processes that allow life to flourish. From the smallest interactions between species to the vast forces that have shaped life and the universe, he reveals how natural feedback loops can build momentum, helping ecosystems regenerate and adapt.
Combining cutting-edge ecological science, personal stories and examples of nature restoration around the world, this fascinating book explores the remarkable resilience of the natural world and the ways even small interventions can help it recover. An engaging nature book about ecosystems, biodiversity and ecological restoration, Nature’s Echo offers a fresh perspective on our relationship with the living world and the possibilities for a more hopeful future.
Read this if you loved... ♡
The Weight of Nature by Clayton Page Aldern