SHORTLISED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2025

An enormously moving and inspiring story about war, trauma, nature and rebirth, written with infectious passion and unsparing honesty. I loved it. – DOMINIC SANDBROOK

Scholarly, wise, funny, charming, terrifying and thrilling… I adored it all, every page. – JOANNA LUMLEY

Both a comfort and an inspiration – CHLOE DALTON, author of Raising Hare

This is a lovely book – wise, brave, thoughtful, painfully intimate – but with a remarkable spiritual and environmental vision. – RORY STEWART

An extraordinarily courageous, urgent and powerful book. – ISABELLA TREE

Deeply compelling… emotional, informative, pleasurable. I believe that this is an important work with planet-sized dreams and ambitions. Perhaps the greatest philosophy or teachable lesson that came to me off the page is that dominion comes with responsibility. – RUSSELL CROWE

I love this book. – RICK STEIN

Powerfully enchanting, written with verve and imbued with hope. – GUY SHRUBSOLE