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Land Beneath the Waves: How the Natural World Helped One Woman Navigate Chronic Illness, Self-Acceptance and Belonging (Hardback)
  • Land Beneath the Waves: How the Natural World Helped One Woman Navigate Chronic Illness, Self-Acceptance and Belonging (Hardback)
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Land Beneath the Waves: How the Natural World Helped One Woman Navigate Chronic Illness, Self-Acceptance and Belonging (Hardback)

(author)
£18.99
Hardback 304 Pages
Published: 12/06/2025
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A moving, honest and revealing memoir of living with chronic illness, and an examination of the ways a relationship with the natural world can affect us, from debut author and nature writer Nic Wilson

When Nic Wilson begins researching the history of her local landscape and its wildlife, the last thing she wants to do is consider her own past. But as she unearths tales of giant sequoias, puss moths, nightingales and chalk streams, Nic realises her affinity with the nearby wild began as a way to handle growing up with a mother who lived with a debilitating chronic illness.

Now in her forties, and struggling with mental and physical health herself, Nic revisits her childhood to trace the influence of the natural world on her life. As she grapples with revelations from the past, the boundaries between self and land become increasingly porous, and the lure of the wetlands around her home threatens to engulf her. Can she find the strength to face the waves of chronic illness - past and present - and learn to reach for steady ground?


With the natural world facing more threats than ever before, Land Beneath the Waves inspires us to develop a meaningful bond with our local natural spaces and landscapes, illuminating a hopeful path towards a better future for human and non-human life.

Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781837996223
Number of pages: 304
Dimensions: 222 x 141 mm


MEDIA REVIEWS

An incredible journey, beautifully written, of nature's transformative powers. - Benedict Macdonald, author of Rebirding

With Nic Wilson's memory fragmented, her story is one that illustrates how our deep connection with the world around us is innate and how, irrespective of memory, it has the power to shape who we are. A heartfelt, honest memoir, lovingly told, that will invite you to value the nature on your doorstep. - Hannah Bourne-Taylor, author of Fledging

A deeply honest, forensically detailed account of a life blighted by ill-health, yet redeemed by a profound connection with nature - a delight to read. - Stephen Moss, author and naturalist

The natural world beats to its own rhythm, and when we tune in, we change state to become part of something much bigger than ourselves. When facing daily pain, both mental and physical, that can be a godsend. In Land Beneath the Waves, Nic Wilson demonstrates with gritty realism and deep feeling just how important nature is, no matter what our state of health. A moving book with depth and perception, and laced through with hope. Nature as friend, comforter and counsellor. - Mary Colwell, environmentalist author and producer

I loved Land Beneath the Waves. An honest and touching memoir, beautifully observed and written, and a wonderful advertisement for the importance of connection with the natural world. - Lev Parikian, writer and conductor

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