Few books are more intimidating than a conventional field guide. There are simply too many birds in them. This book introduces the reader to Britain's most obvious birds. But it does more than that: it also explains them. It explains the way that different birds do different things, eat different food, sing different songs and live different lives, and it explains why they are different. If you are a would-be birdwatcher but don't know where to start, A Bad Field Guide is for you. It will ...

Chosen by WATERSTONES as one of their BEST NATURE WRITING BOOKS of 2024Can you tell a tomato from a grape? Lawn from an oak tree? Then congratulations - you are a botanist.Self-confessed bad birdwatcher Simon Barnes thought he knew nothing about plants. He didn't object to them: trees are interesting, because birds perch in them; plants are useful as they create habitats and birds live in habitats. But while admiring the tenacity of some sea kale and yellow...

'Such a simple, clever book.' Rosemary Goring, The HeraldWe're not just losing the wild world. We're forgetting it. We're no longer noticing it. We've lost the habit of looking and seeing and listening and hearing.But we can make hidden things visible, and this book features 23 spellbinding ways to bring the magic of nature much closer to home.Mammals you never knew existed will enter your world. Birds hidden in treetops wi...

In My Natural History Simon Barnes, like a modern-day Gerald Durrell, weaves together the story of his life via the animals and the natural encounters that have shaped it. From the greater horseshoe bat that transported Barnes from the dull classrooms of his youth, to the great whale which marked the moment he knew he was going to be a writer.

Learn the venture capital process and industry from the inside-outIn Building Value: The Business of Venture Capital, renowned professor and venture capital (VC) firm partner Simon Barnes delivers an easy-to-read guide to the often-mysterious world of venture capital and how entrepreneurs and venture capitalists should engage with each other to arrive at constructive start-up investment deals. In the book, you'll discover why successful entrepreneurial fin...

'He does write beautifully, especially of his greatest love — our wild birds...On The Marsh is a delightful read.' – Christopher Hart, Daily MailHow the rewilding of eight acres of Norfolk marshland inspired a family and brought nature even closer to home.When writer Simon Barnes heard a Cetti's warbler sing out as he turned up to look at a house for sale, he knew immediately that he had found his new home. The fact that h...

A funny, romantic, evocative novel set against the safari tourism business in East Africa, written by an award-winning journalist.After the death of his beloved, bankrupt gambler of a father, Dan Lynch follows his university degree in zoology to a run-down safari camp, where he can work as a trainee guide and, most important, be near George Sorensen, the owner. George is a wildlife genius, but no great businessman, and the camp is threatened by lack of visitors, competition from th...

Praise for The Green Planet (BBC One)'David Attenborough's gobsmacking, awe-inspiring return' The Guardian'The Green Planet reveals the secret lives of plants in the same way The Blue Planet opened our eyes to the oceans' New ScientistThere's something new under the sunPlants live secret, unseen lives - hidden in their magical world and on their timescale. From the richest jungles to the harshest deserts, f...

A unique and all-encompassing exploration of the wonders of flight and the waydifferent species have evolved different solutions to the problem of defying gravity – including humans.Flight fascinates us. We thrill to birds, we adore butterflies, we're baffled by bats and we can hardly believe in pterodactyls. We worship angels and we compare love, religious ecstasy and artistic achievement to flight. We love the idea of flight so much we invented machines that at l...

THE BESTSELLING BIRDWATCHING CLASSIC - 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION'A delightful ode to the wild world outside the kitchen window - leaves you with the warm feeling that a shared love conquers all' - The Daily Telegraph'A witty, perceptive book; thoughtful, instructive and full of simple wisdom' - The Daily MailLook out the window. See a bird. Enjoy it. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now a bad birdwa...

A wonderfully engaging novel about a man and the horse he falls in love with – the idiosyncratic Miss Chance.‘Get a motorbike. Get laid. The order doesn’t matter.’When teacher Mark Brown’s celebrated wife leaves him, his best friend Callum prescribes a swift return to adolescence.Mark does indeed turn back the clock, but not towards motorbikes. He returns to his first passion – horses. Getting back into the swing of riding after twelve years, Mark begins to put toge...

Fork Them! is a cheeky, laugh out loud story about feeling left out, finding your confidence, and discovering that everyone has something special to offer... even a Fork! Packed with giggles, fart noises, and heart, Fork Them! is a delightful reminder that being yourself is more than enough, it’s what makes you shine. Perfect for kids who love silly humor and adults who enjoy a playful wink, this story celebrates belonging, bravery, and the joy of finding your place at the table.