Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I really enjoyed this collection of nature writing! I loved the variation and the way it introduced me to other nature writers, some of whom I’ve never read before and others that I’ve read previously in the online journal: The Willowherb Review.

An excellent selection.

This book provides a fascinating mix of perspectives and topics from writers with roots all over the world, though focusing on nature in the UK. Nature-writing collections are rarely disappointing and this one is no exception. I loved learning about things like how to make mud (from Alys Fowler) or the deep cultural memory of Romany people picking fruit and hops in a sadly bygone era.

Most of the essays are quite long, so the book hosts fewer writers than that of other collections. For some of the pieces, I enjoyed sinking deep into them, although I felt that others went on for too long; overall I would have liked a few more contributions. There was also something of a Bristol bias! (And I say that as someone who recently moved to Bristol).

One thing I am particularly grateful for is that only one essay focused on the pandemic; and that essay was an exceptionally beautiful one. While it's hard to get away from mentioning the pandemic these days, literature is an escape as well as a lens to the world around us, and I can't be alone in wanting to avoid it in my reading.

P.S. That cover is GORGEOUS

(With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review)