Explore this summer’s standout nature books – from lyrical journeys through landscapes to urgent reflections on climate, conservation and our changing relationship with the wild.
Nature is all around us. From the insects that crawl around in our back gardens to the mountains that tower over landscapes, our planet’s flora, fauna and ecosystems shape so many parts of our lives – and we, in turn, shape our surroundings too. The ways humans have interacted with nature – through burning fossil fuels and driving ecosystems to extinction, to the strong counter-efforts of rewilding and conservation – are varied enough to cover countless books and stories.
With so much to explore, we’ve made it easy to dive in. Our latest book guide dives into our top six nature books of the year, complete with a brief review to know exactly what you’ll be reading.
1. Land Beneath the Waves by Nic Wilson
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Recommended by our reviewer Mark Rowe
Far from your average nature-as-therapy memoir, this deeply personal yet universally resonant account explores how the natural world helped Nic Wilson navigate the shadows of chronic illness and inherited pain. With sharp emotional insight, flashes of humour, and moments of stunning nature writing, Wilson draws us into her ‘lichenous world of adventure,’ where bird’s nests, blackbird songs, and clematis become threads of meaning and memory. It’s a tender, complex portrait of resilience, acceptance, and the quiet, enduring companionship of the wild.
2. Ocean Art by Helen Scales
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Dive into a mesmerising celebration of the sea, where marine biologist Helen Scales charts the ways artists have captured the beauty of ocean life – from the spirals of seashells to the alien glow of deep-sea creatures. Rich in historical detail and visual wonder, this book explores how humans have tried to render the unreachable, translating the hidden biodiversity of the deep into pottery, painting and pattern. A perfect read for anyone enchanted by the artistry of the underwater world.
3. Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane
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Standing over Ecuador’s surging Rio Los Cedros, Robert Macfarlane asks whether a river can be a legal person – a question at the heart of this moving, richly observed journey. From the cloud forests of South America to the chalk streams of Cambridge and the dam-threatened waters of Canada, Macfarlane explores the crisis facing rivers worldwide and the growing movement to recognise them as living entities in both law and imagination.
4. Ocean by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield
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A companion to the landmark Disney+ film, this latest offering from Sir David Attenborough is a grand, immersive journey through the world’s oceans – from sunlit shallows to abyssal depths. Combining his signature clarity with striking imagery and up-to-date science, Attenborough unpacks the oceans’ role in sustaining life on Earth and the urgent need to protect them. It’s both a love letter to the sea and a powerful call to action, delivered by the most trusted voice in natural history.
5. The Cuckoo’s Lea by Michael J. Warren
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Blending natural history, etymology and memoir, Michael J Warren reflects on how birds once shaped our landscapes and lives, their presence still echoed in place names like Swallowcliffe and Cranbrook. As he traces the return of the goshawk and the vanishing call of the cuckoo, Warren explores how modern life has eroded our sense of place – and how rewilding might help repair it. Poetic, insightful and deeply rooted in the land.
Over the next few weeks, we will be diving into more of our recommended summer books – from the best of travel writing to geopolitical reads.
