England : A Natural History

'' A brilliant gift for anyone who loves the countryside'' - Independent

''''This extraordinarily fine writer tours England with an eye for every living thing. A work of beauty, deeply informed, a fantastic gift.'' - Saga

''A masterpiece'' - Daily Mail

''Britain''s finest nature writer'' - Telegraph

''Full of evocative detail, this celebration of nature and place is bursting with historical details and lyrical observations of wildlife and landscape.'' - Countryfile magazine

‘What we have here is the best of John Lewis-Stempel and the best of his vision of England.'' - The Tablet

‘That John Lewis-Stempel is one of the best nature writers of his generation is undisputed.’ – Country Life


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Now in paperback, with map and illustrations, England: A Natural History is the definitive volume on the English landscape and the capstone of John Lewis-Stempel''s nature writing.

The English countryside is iconic: a series of distinctive habitats that unite to create a landscape that is unique for the rich diversity of our flora and fauna. In England, his most magisterial book to date, John Lewis-Stempel explores each in turn, taking us from coast to moor, from downs to field, from the park to the village to create a vivid living portrait of our natural history.

In his trademark lyrical prose, Lewis-Stempel reveals the hidden workings of each habitat: the clear waters and dragonflies; the bluebells, badgers and stag beetles; wild thyme; granite cliffs; rock pools and sandy beaches; red deer standing at ancient oaks; the wayside flowers of the lane; hedgehogs and hares; and snow on the high peak. Each landscape - be it calm green or wild moor, plunging cliff or flatland fen - has shaped our idea of ourselves, our sense of what it is to be in England.

In a stunning package, complete with decorated boards, endpapers, chapterheads and a map, England: A Natural History is the definitive volume on the English landscape and the capstone of John Lewis-Stempel''s nature writing.