5 out of 5 stars

Britain has always liked to think of itself as a nation of animal lovers, we spend several billion pounds on our pets each year get outraged when people commit acts of cruelty towards our furry friends. This love of animals drives people who care about wildlife too. It wasn’t until 2013 that we finally voted for our own national animal, the hedgehog and there are a couple of million people in organisations such as the RSPB and the various wildlife trusts. The National Trust has now reached five million members. Programmes like Springwatch have made people far more aware of the amazing variety of wildlife in our country, they are more aware of environmental issues, try to put food out for the birds and make their gardens a little more friendly towards wildlife.

Cocker celebrates the achievements of the visionary people who have managed to save a landscape or a species, create some of our national institutions and inspire others to do the same. However, the reality is that our wildlife is suffering; species are going extinct, the whole ecosystem from the bottom up is reaching a critical tipping point that we may never return from. The numbers are pretty horrific, in the past 50 years, we have lost 50% of our biodiversity. That is the past 50 years, not since the industrial revolution. Just in the case of farmland birds, there are 44 million less now than there were in 1970. We only have 1% of our wildflower meadows left now.

So how did we reach the point where green concerns are on the rise just as the creatures people are beginning to care about fall off an actual and metaphorical cliff? In this really radical text, Cocker takes a long hard look at how we have got to this moment, what has caused this, and the people and systems to blame and boy, he does not hold back. He argues that the roots of this reach way back to almost 100 years ago after William invade with his Norman Army. This feudal system that he imposed on the country has shaped our politics and culture ever since. The landed classes manage to avoid almost all tax on their properties and still get large subsidies from the UK government and EU. They have no interest in preserving the fragile ecosystems unless it suits their narrow interests. He is prepared to criticise other organisations too, the Forestry Commission has a scathing attack on the monoculture of trees that they have imposed on regions that are totally unsuitable for them. Again they are another organisation that the elite has used for tax evasion, I mean efficient investments. The NT fairs a little better, but with its focus on maintaining the properties as the previous owners would have wanted and the continuation of their sporting activities, which mostly involves shooting, rather than making an effort to preserve the wildlife that they have on their extensive properties.

There are many other examples that make this essential reading, but as the subtitle says, is it too late? Whilst this is an intense polemic, he still manages to be lyrical, I was delighted by the writing whilst seething reading about the things that have happened. Part of his enthusiasm is driven by a small part of Norfolk that he has purchased and is slowly restoring to become a wildlife haven. Whilst he is doing his own small thing there are lots of people who aren’t. We are to blame in part too, for example, we have demanded cheaper food, meaning that agri-business has managed to make farms and fields outdoor factories that wildlife does not play a part at all. But can we make a difference? There are around 8 million of us in the RSPB, National Trust and the Wildlife Trusts, but only a handful are prepared to rattle the doors of the politicians and ask them some very difficult questions. Another problem is the small number of people that own vast swathes of the land, they have no desire to change at the moment and will fit all the way to stop this.

Would also recommend Wild Kingdom: Bringing Back Britain’s Wildlife by Stephen Moss and The Running hare by John Lewis-Stempel as must-read books in the same vein. It is not a book that you will like reading, but it demands to be read. Then acted on. Join a wildlife trust and start to make a difference.

5 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

If you go back millennia, the early human mind developed several elements to help it survive, fight or flight, communication and the ability to think strategically. Being immersed in the natural world all day must have had a deeper impact too as it is only over the past few years that the effects of us not having much contact with nature are becoming startlingly apparent.

There has always been a theory that being outdoors is good for you, but to prove that just being outdoors does have a real effect rather than just being hearsay. Florence Williams moved from Colorado to Washington DC and was missing the outdoors and open spaces decided to see how the evidence stacked up and to try some of these thongs out for herself. Her travels would take to the gardens of Singapore, to the Finnish forests, on a river trip with veterans suffering from PTSD, to investigate the ‘Forest bathing’ in Japan and how children with ADHD can dramatically reduce their drug intake by being outdoors for a period of time.

These are just a few of the many examples that she includes. They all have one common element though, being outdoors is good for your physical and mental health. This connection to nature is deep-rooted and as the evidence is now showing, essential. In this excellent book by Williams, she mixes solid science with a compelling narrative on all the benefits that others have gained from putting down the mobile device and getting outdoors. It needn’t be a monumental hike across the uplands either, just spending a minimum of five hours a month, even around your local parks will have a noticeable difference to your well being. This book is not just highly recommended, but I would argue requisite reading.

4 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Over the past four decades, Barnaby Rogerson has been fortunate to travel extensively across North Africa. He has visited with his family, as a writer and as a guide. He has delved into the richly complicated vein of history there, choosing six people from history that have intrigued him, that didn’t fit into a standard historical narrative and until now have been mere footnotes of history. Beginning with Queen Dido of Carthage he moves onto a well-known general Hannibal, son of Hamilcar and a Berber general Masinissa who was to prove his nemesis. We next encounter Juba II an African King before the Romans intrude with Septimius Severus. Lastly is St. Augustine a Christian saint. All of these people had a significant impact on the countries in North Africa leaving behind ruins, legacy and myths.

Woven into the six stories of the people who formed ancient North Africa, is Rogerson’s other love, travel. Details have been discovered whilst sitting on picnic rugs under the shade of an olive tree, taking groups of slightly nervous people up into the hills of Algeria to see the pyramids of Juba. Swimming off Leptis Magna, the ruined Roman city on the Libyan shore is an evocative scene, and is something that he tries to do every visit to this part of the coast, but it is also a time to catch up with old friends a uncover a little more about the place as they study the mosaics. The stories of Hannibal in North Africa, most famous for walking elephants across the Alps when battling Rome, are of a part of his life not often heard about and the tale of his final battle against the mighty Roman army that was to see the end of Carthage.

This fascinating account of his travels in this ancient landscape of North Africa is primarily focused on history, but as you’d expect, especially given Rogerson’s day job, there are strong elements of travel woven into the narrative. I am guessing that there have been some liberties with the stories that he is telling, but in certain cases, there is precious little to go on to make the stories flow so well. History is often written by the victors, but Rogerson has followed each lead tenaciously to get the answers that he wanted. This book only contains six well know people, but there must be many stories from this part f the world still to be told. There are photos of the places visited scatter throughout, but If I had one minor gripe, it would have good to read more about his own travels in these lands.

3 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

For some, the dream is to drop out of regular life and go and live half way up a mountain somewhere. But you can’t just go off grid without any knowledge at all as you will either be back fairly shortly or have something happen to you. To minimise the nasty stuff happening though you would this handy pocket-sized guide.

The essentials of living outdoors are food, water, fire and shelter. This guide has got lots of practical advice for making campfires, making shelters including how to build a log cabin, finding safe water sources, hunting and fishing, map skills and a suggested kit list.

It was an interesting book with reasonable detail for the various subjects covered and is full of useful survival tactics for those wishing to head for the hills. If you are thinking of doing this I’d recommend reading this and several other books on the subject before turning your phone off and walking into the woods.

2.5 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Mindfulness is a technique for improving your attention to things happening around you. It also teaches you to consider what you have seen and to reflect on your thought, emotions and sensations that happened. It aims to stop your mind drifting when trying to concentrate on something by using skills that can be learnt from meditation. This book is the Mindfulness’s team’s guide on how to respond to the benefits that the natural world can give.

It is full of outlines that aim to prompt you to think and focus on particular details or wider aspects of the natural world, for example, there is an idea on how to bring the outside world into your home, cloud spotting, meditations, poems, suggestions of things to spot and items to forage. For some people, this would be a great book, especially those that have spent far too long indoors away from the wild. There are lots of pointers for increasing engagement with the natural world. I get what they are doing here, using the mindfulness philosophy trying to remake the connection that people have lost from the natural world more accessible and not frightening or bewildering. Whilst this would be ideal for some people it is not entirely my sort of thing. A bit too head in the clouds for my liking.

3 out of 5 stars

Modern lives with the never-ending distractions, endless notifications from social media, 24 / 7 email and becoming pallid from the white glare of LEDs from screens. This adds to our stress, blood pressure and the lack of exercise is detrimental to our health too. And yet there is a cure; the evidence is growing that shows that our physical and mental health can be positively enhanced by going outdoors and re-connecting to nature. The same instincts that teach us flight or flight are possibly responsible for this fundamental connection.

Beginning with some scientific facts and stats about how the just taking a walk in the natural world can help us, she takes us through the seasons and the things to look for, activities to try such as wild swimming, taking a walk in the rain and benefits of taking a walk on a crisp winter day. There are suggestions on how to get the family away from the X-Box, ways of becoming closer as a couple, foodie suggestions and even natural beauty therapies.

Natural history books and memoirs are on the rise at the moment and there are a number of books coming out that are looking to give people suggestions on how to reconnect with the natural world. I have three of them to read this week but first is Sarah Ivens. In her book she is tapping into the connections to the wider world that other cultures have, from the Japanese shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing”) to the Scandinavia friluftsliv (“open-air life”) and has written Forest Therapy (a much nicer phrase that Forest Bathing…) as a way of sharing how nature helped her after a hectic life in New York and a messy divorce.

There was the odd thing in the book that didn’t necessarily appeal to me, there is a good number of ideas in here for people to try and more importantly to build on, as suits them, their partners and families. The important thing in here though is the message; go outside, live, breathe, absorb. It is going to do you a lot of good.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

These days finding out what the weather is going to be doing is as easy as looking at the app on your phone. I know as I have three on mine. One swipe and you have a fairly accurate prediction (mostly) of the weather for the next 24 hours or so. While these are good for giving a good general guide to the weather in your region they can sometimes fail in your own locale because of the particular microclimate.

Peter Wohlleben wants us to look a little harder next time we step outside, to look at the sky, study the clouds and take notice of the things that animals and insects are doing to really get a feel for what the weather is going to be doing outside your door. There are details on what to look for with plants and trees and the things that they do when faced with changing weather conditions.

From the weather, he moves on to observations and thoughts about the sun moon and planets and the night sky in general and then how the constant cycle of night and day affect the natural world. Moving on from there he talks about seasonal and climate changes that we need to look for. There are chapters on soil, natives and invasive species and how to experience the outdoors with all your senses too.

This is the third book that Wohlleben has written now with a focus on the natural world. Even though it is titled The Weather Detective, only around a third of the book is weather related and the second part was about elements of the natural world which I was a little disappointed with. It is still written in his easy-going style so is very readable though. He seems to be picking up on a theme here as re-connecting with nature is a big thing at the moment, I read Rewild by Nick Baker earlier this year that was about exploring the outside world with more than just your eyes. Not bad overall, but if you are hoping for a book purely on weather then be aware.