Nature writing is the latest literary phenomenon

[chesilbeach]

Interesting piece today about the rise in popularity of nature writing in publishing.

 

Hawks, butterflies, coasts and footpaths: how nature writing turned to literary gold

 

I love reading these type of books, so I'm looking forward to this summer if the quality of the books published is as high as those of the ones by authors mentioned in the article.

[vodkafan]

Interesting! I haven't read anything of this genre. Can you point me in the direction of any you would recommend to start me off Claire? I am talking of ones you have read yourself so far.

[chesilbeach]

I think you've already read the Kathleen Jamie books, haven't you?  After that, I'd definitely recommend Richard Mabey and Roger Deakin.  I've got a few around the house I haven't read yet including Mark Cocker and Robert Macfarlane, but my other half has read both and thought they were great, and he's usually a pretty good judge of non-fiction books for me.

[vodkafan]

No not read anything. Should I start with Kathleen Jamie then? 

[chesilbeach]

I could have sworn you'd already read her! Memory's not what it was

Yes, Kathleen Jamie is a great starting point - Findings precedes Sightlines but it doesn't really matter which order you read them in.

[vodkafan]

Hold the bus! Sightlines rings a bell....is that where she is in that remote Scottish Island watching whales and also in Bergen, Norway? In that case I have read it...your memory is better than my own it seems

[chesilbeach]

That's the one.  If you haven't read Findings, I'd try that one, otherwise Mabey or Deakin

[willoyd]

That's the one.  If you haven't read Findings, I'd try that one, otherwise Mabey or Deakin

I'd completely concur with you Claire about Sightlines (yet to read Findings) - adored it.

 

I'd also agree with your OH on Mark Cocker: Crow Country is one of my favourite non-fiction books, all about his fascination with corvids and his travels in their pursuit.

 

I'd also add the name of Oliver Rackham. More scientific perhaps but still brilliantly readable. If anything, I rate his History of the Countryside even higher than the Cocker, perhaps my favourite non-fiction book ever (!): erudite, passionate, and incredibly informative.

 

Two others I'd mention on the bird front: A Sparrowhawk's Lament by David Cobham, a fascinating survey of how British birds of prey are doing, and The Peregrine by JA Baker. I've read individual chapters of these rather than the whole books, although both are now lined up to read in their entirety soon, and both were absolutely gripping.

 

Hope that helps.

[Tiger]

I love nature writing! In fact it's one of my favourite genres. I am a huge lover of anything to do with nature, and my bookshelves are packed with nature books (and I'm an environmental science student who hopes to go into wildlife conservation/conservation education, so I've done a lot of reading about nature). It's hard to think of favourites as I like so many, but I'll narrow it down!

I like Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey, about how she came to study the mountain gorillas in the wild and came across several difficulties. In The Shadow of Man and Hope For Animals and Their World are both by Jane Goodall, and are two of my favourite books of all time. The former is about how she came to study chimpanzees in the wild and the realization that traits that we think of as "human" are not confined just to our species. The latter is about conservation success stories, such as with the American burying beetle and the Californian Condor. What Has Nature Ever Done for Us? by Tony Juniper is another favourite, and is actually one of the books put forward for recommended reading on my university course. Last  Chance To See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine is my favourite book in this genre though. It's about their travels to see some of the rarest animals on Earth, such as the kakapo, northern white rhino, Yangtze river dolphin, aye-aye and several other species. It's funny, sad, and eye opening at the same time. It's even sadder when you consider that the Yangtze river dolphin, or baiji as it is sometimes known, is now considered extinct (or near extinction), and there are only three northern white rhinos left and they cannot breed, so it's only a matter of time before they're gone, too. I liked the follow-up of the same name, but because Douglas is no longer with us, Carwardine took Stephen Fry with him, and there was a TV series, too (both the book, which I have a signed copy of, and the DVD series are favourites, too). When I am actually free, there are other books that I have lined up and ready to read.

Shark by Juliet Eilperin, which is actually exploring what sharks are "really" like (i.e. not vicious, blood-thirsty killing machines) and their relationships with humans. I'm a huge fan of sharks, so cannot wait to read this one. 

The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary by Caspar Henderson, a book that explores twenty-seven strange and peculiar animals of the 21st century, such as axolotls, honey badgers, goblin sharks and flatworms.  

The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen, about the author's travels to the Himalayas and Tibet to study bharals, but wanting to see a snow leopard.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Tiger

[chesilbeach]

Two others I'd mention on the bird front: A Sparrowhawk's Lament by David Cobham, a fascinating survey of how British birds of prey are doing, and The Peregrine by JA Baker. I've read individual chapters of these rather than the whole books, although both are now lined up to read in their entirety soon, and both were absolutely gripping.

I bought The Peregrine for my other half a few years back, and wanted to read it after he'd finished. He's never got round to reading it, so neither have I! I might have to just sneak it off the shelf.

[ian]

This is a genre that has passed me by up to now, but reading the article, I think it's something I would be interested in reading. Thanks for posting the article, Clare.

[chesilbeach]

You're welcome, Ian.  I hope you enjoy whatever you chose to read 

[Tiger]

Two more really good books in this genre:

 

The Sea Inside by Philip Hoare sets to explore the marine life of the world and the way in which the human race relies on and treats it.

Gerald Durrell's The Aye-Aye and I discusses his expedition to Madagascar to rescue the peculiar (but I think they're beautiful!) aye-aye lemur to take them back to Jersey zoo in an attempt to breed them. This account is great for so many reasons as it's eye-opening, as well as being told with Durrell's amazing humour. Would recommend!

[chesilbeach]

Thanks for the recommendations, Tiger.  I've added The Sea Inside to my wish list, and also Gerald Durrell's The Corfu Trilogy which doesn't include The Aye-Aye and I, but I feel like the trilogy is where I want to start with his books, as I don't know why I haven't read them before now. 

[Tiger]

You're welcome, and thanks for your suggestions, too! Another one I'd thoroughly recommend is Lawrence Anthony's The Elephant Whisperer. The author was an explorer and conservationist, and this one is about his work in a game park in South Africa. He saved the lives of a whole herd of eles that were to be shot for dangerous behaviour. It's a beautiful book about how he rescued the herd and turned their behaviour around.

 

I also would like to pick up a couple more books. Has anyone read H for Hawk? And if so, what's it like?

Edited April 2, 2015 by Tiger

[vodkafan]

Thanks Tiger lots of recommendations there I have put The Sea Inside and The book of Barely Imagined Beings  on my wishlist