Long-listed for The Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2026

'In this poetic and heartfelt journey through deep time, geologist Anjana Khatwa braids scientific knowledge and traditional stories to bring alive the lessons that rock both keeps and tells us - if only we know how to listen.' - Robert Macfarlane, author of Is a River Alive?

'Anjana Khatwa writes science in poetry. She bridges worlds with her words. I'll never touch rocks in the same way again.' - Dan Snow

From the sacred stones of Stonehenge to the rose red city of Petra, from towering mountains to the smallest grains of sand, rocks have had a profound influence on human life.

Anjana Khatwa, an award-winning earth scientist and TV presenter, has dedicated much of her life to geology. Here she tells us in beautifully descriptive writing how rocks have been shaped over the eons-but also how they have shaped us.

Boldly alternating between modern science and ancient lore, Khatwa takes us on an exhilarating journey through deep time from bursting volcanoes in the Andes to the wonder of the Dorset coastline, while honouring the Indigenous stories that have brought the land alive over the millennia.

She also explores how connecting with the earth has guided her through the toughest times and offers the hope of reconnection with the earth and its stories-if only we open ourselves to hear the wisdom in its whispers.