England

Our landscape is iconic. It is a series of distinctive habitats that unite to create a portrait of our country's natural history. In England. , John Lewis-Stempel explores each in turn, taking us from coast to moor, from downs to field, from the park to the village. In his trademark lyrical prose, John 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 England. Beautifully illustrated throughout, England: A Natural History. is the definitive volume on the landscapes that define England and the capstone of John Lewis-Stempel's nature writing.