Shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2025

Ingrained is a heartfelt love letter to trees, timber, craftsmanship and creativity, and a moving exploration of what it means to find your own voice.

Born the eldest son of a Master Woodworker, Callum Robinson grew up surrounded by wood and wilderness, learning the secrets of craft in his father’s workshop and playing beneath the sycamore, oak and Scots pine that framed his childhood. Apprenticeship followed, shaping bespoke pieces of exquisite beauty, until the call of independence pushed him into his own workshop and ever-larger, more commercial projects. But when the collapse of one major commission threatened to take everything with it, his business, his team, his future, Callum was forced to confront what truly mattered.

Blending memoir, woodworking, and nature writing, Ingrained is an uplifting meditation on the joy and struggle of working with your hands in the modern age. It is a story of inheritance and identity, of community and resilience, and of the timeless bond between people and the natural world.

For readers drawn to books about woodworking and craft, lovers of nature writing about trees, or anyone inspired by personal stories of creativity and connection, Ingrained is a beautifully written and unforgettable journey back to the roots of craft and belonging.