Into the Tangled Bank: In Which Our Author Ventures Outdoors to Consider the British in Nature

Lev Parikian

Longlisted for The Wainwright Prize 2021 for UK Nature Writing

We are, allegedly, a nation of nature lovers; but what does that really mean? For some it's watching racer snakes chase iguanas on TV as David Attenborough narrates, a visit to the zoo to convene with the chimps; for others it's a far-too-ambitious clamber up a mountain, the thrilling spectacle of a rare bird in flight.

Lev Parikian embarks on a journey to explore the many ways that he, and we, experience the natural world. Starting in his own garden plot, he gradually moves outwards to local patch, wildlife reserve, craggy coastline and as far afield as the dark hills of Skye. He visits the haunts of famous nature lovers to get up close to their insatiable curiosity and follows their lead with tired and sometimes soggy-socked footsteps.

And everywhere he goes there we are, too, each experiencing nature in our own way: ramblers, dog-walkers, photographers; loving couples, grumpy singles, families; kite-flyers, den-builders, grass-loungers; young whippersnappers, old farts, middle-aged ne'er-do-wells; beginners, specialists, all-rounders; or just people out for a stroll in the sun doing their thing.

Warm, humorous and full of telling detail, Lev Parikian's new book puts the quirks, habits and foibles of 'how we are in nature' under the microscope. And in doing so, he explores how our collective relationship with nature has changed over the centuries, what being a nature lover in Britain means today, and what our actions mean to nature. 304 pages.

Softback £9.99 £8.99