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Claire Scarr was the lucky winner of the giveaway! Congratulations, Claire!
In today's post, we are going to take a little look at five of the books on my reading list, those that appeal to my love of nature and wildlife. And make sure you read to the end because I am going to be giving one of the books on this list away to one lucky reader!
1. Hokkaido Highway Blues by Will Ferguson
In Japan, the arrival of spring each year is celebrated as the cherry blossoms bloom, sweeping from the south to the northern most tip of the country - Hokkaido.
In this excellent piece of travel writing, Will Ferguson follows the season of spring, and the blooming of the cherry blossom, across the country. Hitchhiking all the way, he relies on the kindness of strangers . . .
The main method by which I explore my love for nature and wildlife is taking to footpaths and rambling for hours, so books on rambling and wandering appeal to me. And a book in which the author follows one of the most wonderful displays of seasonal change in the world definitely caught my eye!
You can purchase Hokkaido Highway Blues by Will Ferguson here.
2. The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs by Tristan Gooley
A companion for any walker that loves to go rambling in nature, as I do!
This book is a guide to what the sun, moon, stars, trees, plants, animals, sky, and clouds can reveal to the walker who knows what to look for.
The author, Tristan Gooley, has spent decades in the outdoors. And, after years of instructing, researching and writing, he wrote this comprehensive guide that would be valuable to any lover of rambling!
You can purchase The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs by Tristan Gooley here.
3. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
" . . . we call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
From the blurb: When his beloved owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty leaves his life as a young, care-free colt behind him and embarks on a working life of misery.
Now regarded as something of a book for younger readers, this book inspired the better treatment of working horses when it was published, in 1887. Having suffered health problems for years, Anna Sewell died only months after this classic was published. But, her work inspired animal welfare advocates, and other writers who spoke for the animals that could not.
You can purchase Black Beauty by Anna Sewell here.
4. The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes
This book is about those parts of the country that the vast majority of us are banned from setting foot upon; the law of trespass excluding us from 92 per cent of the land, and from 97 per cent of the waterways. This is a book that takes the reader behind the walls of the United Kingdom.
You can purchase The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes here.
5. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
We finish this little list on a light note with this classic book about three men, to say nothing of the dog!, who take themselves off on a boat along the Thames.
Though not exactly an example of nature or wildlife writing, this comic novel nevertheless, with its protagonists immersing themselves in the joys of roughing it along the river and baring themselves to the gloriousness of English weather, appeals to the free spirit in me that wanders the outdoors.
This hilarious story is a classic of English literature, and it casts a lighthearted eye over those who look for joy and peace in the outdoors.
You can purchase Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome here.
The Giveaway!
I have a copy of the classic, Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, to giveaway to one lucky reader!
When this book was published in 1877, it did much to open up discussions about the treatment of working animals in Great Britain.
Black Beauty was Anna Sewell's only novel, and she died only months after its publication, but her work achieved what she wanted it to - it inspired action in bettering conditions for working horses, and it inspired others who were concerned for animal welfare.
To be in with a chance of taking this book off my hands, go follow me on Twitter, and then comment underneath my pinned tweet with the hashtag #MonstaWildGiveaway
This giveaway runs until 9a.m. on Thursday, 10 February, 2022, UK time, and a winner will be selected and announced that day. The winner will then be contacted, through Twitter's direct messaging, to arrange posting of the prize. This giveaway is only open to UK residents.
With Valentine's Day on the way, I was wondering whether I could ask a favour from any admirers out there. You see, I really love writing about nature and wildlife, and I have loved watching my readership grow. And I was wondering whether you might consider supporting this blog with a coffee from ko-fi.com - the caffeine keeps me going.
Sometimes this blog links to an affiliate (bookshop.org), but has not allowed ad space. I would prefer that the writing is uninterrupted as much as possible and is driven by my passion for the subject, rather than an attempt to sell products.
Though I am happy to provide this content for free, I would very much appreciate any support that you can offer. You'd be surprised how long it can take to research, write, proofread, edit, publish, and market these posts!
Check out my ko-fi page, and I will see you all again soon!
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