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The Best Nature Writing Books of 2024

Posted on 17th October 2024 by Mark Skinner

From John Lewis-Stempel to Olivia Laing, here are the nature writing books we've loved this year.

 

 

Whether immersing yourself in the lore and traditions of the British landscape courtesy of Lia Leendertz's perennially bestselling Almanac, discovering the astounding diversity of the nation's wildlife with John Lewis-Stempel or educating yourself on the appalling state of land stewardship in the British Isles with Guy Shrubsole, there is highly fertile terrain to be explored in this year's best writing on landscape and countryside. 

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The bestselling guide to the seasons returns with more invaluable information on everything from meteor-spotting to beach holidays.
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From coast to moor and park to village, the acclaimed naturalist and author of Meadowland weaves an elegant natural history of England in luminous prose.
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£22.00 £11.00
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A trenchant critique of land stewardship in the UK and how large landowners are responsible for the destruction and degradation of huge swathes of the countryside, Shrubsole's urgent volume also shines a spotlight on the farmers and community groups fighting against such rank injustice.
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In this mesmerising meditation on friendship, the past and redemption, the award-winning author of The Shepherd's Life and English Pastoral recounts the story of his transformative encounter with an old woman living in the Vega archipelago off the North coast of Norway.
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£16.99
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An endlessly fascinating portrait of Scotland from social media sensation Andy the Highlander, Lochs and Legends takes the reader on a mesmerising journey through the landscapes, history and folklore of Caledonia.
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£20.00 £17.99
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Tracing forgotten pathways around Britain once built in the pursuit of commerce, war, escape and leisure, Cornish sheds light on the enthralling stories and information about the country’s cultural and environmental past embedded in them.
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From the author of A Short History of the World According to Sheep comes a deeply fascinating exploration of a fast-vanishing way of life as Coulthard chronicles the countryside through tools, toys, domestic objects and more.
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From sixteenth-century botanists to rewilding reserves in modern-day South Africa, Forrester collates the stories of women who - like her - have chosen to live and work in the wilds of nature.
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More hilarious agricultural agony for Jeremy Clarkson and his ramshackle farming enterprise, as crops fail, animals rebel and petty bureaucracy continues to get in the way.
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There has been no shortage of famous faces eager to sing the praises of our four (mostly) legged friends this year, with Bill Bailey, Martin Clunes and Noel 'Supervet' Fitzpatrick all producing uplifting volumes about the immutable bond between humans and animals - as well as Chloe Dalton's genuinely moving account of raising a leveret in lockdown.  

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Perfect reading for fans of H is for Hawk and George: A Magpie Memoir, Dalton's charming account of unexpectedly raising a leveret during lockdown is a feel-good, life-affirming treat.
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From terriers to the orangutans of Sumatra, the beloved comedian, actor and musician shares hilarious and moving stories of important animals in his life in this endlessly entertaining memoir.
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The journalist and author of the bestselling Ruskin Park delivers a moving and hopeful account of how he and his family, after losing their beloved Collie Cross, opened their hearts and home to a Romanian rescue dog.
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Combining Martin Clunes' personal memories of remarkable creatures with inspiring stories from history, this heartwarming and uplifting volume is a tribute to the courage and kindness of the animal kingdom.
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Heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure, Dogs and Their Humans revisits a wide range of canine cases from Noel 'Supervet' Fitzpatrick's consulting room.
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Maverick rewilder and author of Bringing Back the Beaver unravels the myth and history of wolves in Britain in this hugely entertaining and unexpectedly moving volume.
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Poignant and inspirational, Mountjoy's account of how a herd of cows enabled him to move on from the tragic death of his brother is a ringing testament to the healing power of the natural world.
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A perfect gift for all bird and nature lovers, this gorgeous volume from Jim Moir is filled with more of his stunning bird paintings combined with fascinating facts about each feathered friend.
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A perfect present for a nature lover, 60 Years of Wildlife Photographer of the Year brings together over 240 breathtaking pictures that showcase an incredible variety of styles, skills and approaches.

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Let bestselling author Simon Barnes lead you by the hand on your first foray into the wonderful world of plants with How to be a Bad Botanist, whilst Richard and Susan Ogilvy explore the art of the leaf and Daniel Lewis hymns the diversity of trees.  

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From the bestselling author of Rewild Yourself comes a fascinating and funny novice's guide to discovering the secrets of the plant world that encourages us to notice and relish the daily wonders happening all around us.
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Boasting exquisitely detailed images from botanical painter Ogilvy, this enchanting and informative volume traces the multiplicity of stories that can be read from the leaves of British trees.
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A luminous exploration of how human and plant worlds interact, this endlessly fascinating mix of memoir, science writing and history is an abiding meditation on the idea of roots, borders and what it means to belong.
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Exploring the incredible interactions of a dozen well-chosen trees from around the world, Professor Daniel Lewis' fascinating volume is both a treasury of information on the histories and personalities of these species as well as a compelling clarion call to protect them.
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One of the nation's most beloved artists of the natural world Angela Harding follows up A Year Unfolding with a stunning new collection of lino-cut prints that pay tribute to the UK's waterways, whilst Lara Maiklem delivers another joyous and evocative celebration of mudlarking along the banks of the River Thames.  

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The esteemed printmaker and author of A Year Unfolding delivers a characteristically exquisite volume of lino-cut prints and pen and ink drawings concerned with UK's waterways.
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Maiklem's luminous sequel to the bestselling Mudlarking is an eloquent celebration of a year spent scouring the banks of the Thames for hidden treasures, from Tudor love tokens to Victorian pottery.
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So evocative of the sea that you can practically taste the salty tang on each page, Smillie's inspiring memoir-cum-travelogue chronicles her thrilling voyage of self-discovery from Lands' End to the shores of Greece.
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From practical horticultural guides to illuminating volumes on the role of the garden from Olivia Laing and Richard Mabey, hone those green fingers with our pick of 2024's gardening books.   

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The essential annual guide for all enthusiastic gardeners, the National Trust's horticultural almanac covers everything from pruning and recycling to wildflowers and house plants.
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£26.00 £21.99
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Crafting a small garden from scratch, Gardeners' World star Frances Tophill takes readers through all the steps required to create something truly special in this wonderfully accessible guide.
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£20.00 £10.00
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Combining history, horticulture, art and biography, this stunning and erudite meditation on the role of the garden through Western culture from the author of The Lonely City ranges from John Milton to Derek Jarman in peerless prose.
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Arguably our greatest living nature writer delivers a characteristically thoughtful and erudite meditation on the battle for supremacy in our gardens, between humans who are convinced of their innate superiority and other organisms quietly going about their vital business.
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£27.00 £22.99
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The much-loved gardener and author of A Year Full of Veg and A Year Full of Flowers delivers an accessible and joyous guide to planting for any kind of space and location.
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Best Books of 2024

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