The 2018 Wainwright Book Prize – Longlist Announcement
It does not seem that long ago that we were gathered at Blenheim Palace and the Countryside Live event and watching as John Lewis-Stemple became the first winner to receive the Wainwright Book Prize for the second time with Where Poppies Blow: The British Soldier, Nature, The Great War.
Time has really moved on so quickly that on Wednesday 6th June the official announcement of the Longlist for the 2018 Wainwright Prize was released to the press. And such is the strength of the prize now we have 13 books on the longlist instead of the usual 12. The judges for this year’s prize are for the second year will be chaired by Julia Bradbury, and her fellow judges are: TV presenter Megan Hine; Waterstones non-fiction buyer Bea Carvalho; National Trust publisher Katie Bond and ex-chairman of the campaign to protect rural England, Peter Waine.
The 2018 Wainwright Book Prize Longlist:
21st Century Yokel by Tom Cox (Unbound)
A unique and personal look at our links with the landscape around us. There is much to love contained with the pages, a mix of humour, memoir, a book on nature and there is a great deal of Devon folklore as well as cats! Illustrated through the book by Tom’s photographs while he was out walking the countryside and linocuts by his mother. So there is a real personal feel to the book.
416 Pages.
Hidden Nature by Alys Fowler (Hodder & Stoughton)
Written by award winning Guardian writer, Alys Fowler explore the canals and waterways of Birmingham via a Kyak. A book of real beauty where she explores and finds nature in places many would not expect. But this is now just a nature book, it is a personal journey of losing and finding and opening up. Nature as well as a personal journey.
240 Pages
Outskirts by John Grindrod (Sceptre)
A social history of Britain’s green belt landscape. Conservationists and developers as well as politicians have come into conflict since the post wat years as more and more land is sought after. Hidden in the landscape that John explores are nuclear bunkers, landfill sites and on his journey meets those who fight for the protection of green belt land and those who seek to exploit it. This is a fascinating insight into today’s Britain and its social history.
368 Pages
Islander by Patrick Barkham (Granta)
Two large islands and 6,289 smaller islands. From island such as The Isle of Man to the Isles of Scillies to the much smaller islands that are uninhabited and deserted such as St Kilda. Patrick Barkham explores the islands that make up Britian and seeks their special uniqueness that are special places for wildlife and also for the people that live and make a living on these islands. From Nuns to Puffins Patrick explores and gives his own personal account. I reviewed Islander by Patrick Barkham in December 2017 Islander – A Review
368 Pages
The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young (Faber & Faber)
Welcome to the very secret lives of cows. Many of us have stood and watched cows in a field but how many of us have often thought of who they actually are and what they get up to. This is a very special book about the private lives of cows. They don’t just spend their days chewing grass. Often they can be seen playing. A bestseller.
160 Pages.
Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington (Guardian Faber Publishing)
Owls have been a favourite with people for seemingly forever. Seen as birds of wisdom and also doom. The author with her son Benji explores the UK seeking and finding every British Owl species. But it does not end there. She then seeks to see every European Owl species. This is a story of her travels and sometimes elusive Owl species. During the time of writing the book her son succumbs to a disabling illness so her quest is mixed with Owls and seeking a cure for her son. This is a remarkable personal quest and her journey takes her from the UK to the frozen landscapes of the borders with the arctic.
352 Pages.
The Dun Cow Rib by John Lister-Kaye (Canongate)
I have long been a fan of John Lister-Kayes writing since Song of the Rolling Earth was published in 2003. With his latest book that has made the longlist this is his memoir of growing up and finding that the natural world was about to become his life. From finding nature to founding the Aigas Field Centre in the Highlands, this is John’s memoir to this countries natural landscape and heritage.
368 Pages
The Last Wilderness by Neil Ansell – Tinder Press
Alone with nature in some of the remote parts of Britain. This is Neil’s personal account of time in solitude. A time spent as one with the natural world at a time when he was losing his hearing the sound and birdsong slowly are lost to him. A captivating memoir.
320 Pages.
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (Michael Joseph)
This is the true story of a couple who lost everything just days after learning that her husband was terminally ill. Everything they have worked so hard for is gone. With little time left they set about walking the entire 630 miles of the SW Costal Path. Coming to terms with what they have lost and what is to come, this is a deeply honest and life-affirming account of a couple and a journey. Nature has the power to cure and with every moment on their walk around the coastline they find beauty in the land, sea and sky.
288 Pages.
The Seabird’s Cry by Adam Nicholson (William Collins, Harper Collins)
There are ten chapters and each one is dedicated to ten seabirds. Charting their ocean travels and is set in the Scottish Shiant Isles a group of Hebridean islands in the Minch. With artwork by Kate Boxer this is look at these wonderful seabirds, with numbers now crashing this is timely and well researched book from a writer that has spent many years studying these wonderful seabirds. Were once the numbers where in many thousands they are now at a shocking level that one day soon could be lost forever and we will be left recalling reading about them in books. And that day could be very close.
416 Pages.
The Wood by John Lewis-Stemple (Doubleday)
Twice winner of the Wainwright Book Prize has made the shortlist with his latest book about his time managing Cockshutt Wood. Written in diary format this is a story of his time together with the wood and the wildlife that made the wood their home. It also proves to be a sanctuary for the writer himself. Interspersed with some recipes that John uses while working with the wood. A personal account of his time with the trees and the inhabitants of Cockshutt Wood. I reviewed The Wood in May. The Wood – A Review.
304 Pages.
A Wood of One’s Own by Ruth Pavey (Duckworth Overlook)
Ruth Pavey spent many years living in London and it was while she was exploring the Somerset Levels she discovered some land lost to time. She bought four acres and over time she planned and planted a wood tree by tree. This would bring plants and animals to her wood. This is her story and that of the landscape that is the Somerset Levels. Interspersed with her own drawings. An inspiring account of creating her own wood.
256 Pages
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris (Hamish Hamilton)
Overtime there have been words from the natural world that have been lost to children. Robert Macfarlane writes the poems that tells of those lost words that meant so much to those of us who grew to learn them and Jackie Morris provides the stunning artwork. An enchanting book that has now gone into many schools around the country. A wonderful book that has already won many accolades.
128 Pages.
For the first time in the longlist that was announced there is a children’s book The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. I have been a lover of the outside world and nature and nature writing since I was given a copy of the Observer Book of Birds when I was very young. There is a sense within nature writing that it can take a reader to places and to explore from the very comfort of their armchair and to encourage those to go out and explore nature in all its forms. Nature can cure and by the same right nature writing can also cure. My personal library contains books on nature writing going back decades and thanks to the Wainwright Book Prize we have seen a rebirth in nature writing and the quality of writing is just incredible now.
The shortlist will be announced on Thursday 5th July at an event at Waterstones Piccadilly and the winner will be announced at the BBC Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace on Thursday 2nd August.
When the shortlist is announced I will be running a prize draw to win an entire set of the books on the shortlist. This really will be worth looking out for. This will be run in conjunction with Mark Hutchinson Management. My thanks go to Laura Creyke at MHM for all her help and assistance.
Looking at the longlist it is going to be hard work reducing the list down to six or seven books.
The Wainwright Book Prize is named after the Lakelands much loved Alfred Wainwright, and is supported by White Lion Publishing (publisher of the world famous Wainwright Guides), Wainwright Golden Beer, the Wainwright Estate and in Partnership with The National Trust. The winner receives a cheque for £5,000.
For more information, visit The Wainwright Book Prize and you can follow on Twitter via: Wainwright Prize
Previous Winners:
2014: The Green Road into Trees: A Walk Through England by Hugh Thompson
2015: Meadowland: The Private Life of an English Field by John Lewis-Stemple
2016: The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
2017: Where Poppies Blow: The British Soldier, Nature, The Great War by John Lewis-Stemple.
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