Hidden Nature
Wainwright Prize 2018 Shortlisted
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Hodder & Stoughton
Published:8th Feb '18
Should be back in stock very soon
Alys Fowler's Hidden Nature intertwines her journey through Birmingham's canals with her personal story of coming out, exploring themes of beauty and self-discovery.
In Hidden Nature, Alys Fowler embarks on a heartfelt exploration of both the urban landscape of Birmingham's canal network and her personal journey of self-discovery. Leaving her garden behind, she navigates the waterways in an inflatable kayak, seeking beauty in the overlooked corners of nature. Through her vivid observations, Fowler reveals the wildness that thrives in the most unexpected places, challenging readers to find joy and inspiration amidst the disarray of modern life.
This memoir is not just a reflection on nature but also a poignant account of Fowler's experience coming out as a gay woman. As she maps the intricate waterways, she parallels her emotional journey, illustrating the connections between her external explorations and her internal struggles. The book beautifully captures the fragility of human emotions while celebrating the resilience found in both nature and personal identity.
Hidden Nature invites readers to witness the delicate interplay between the environment and the heart. With each chapter, Fowler encourages us to look beyond the surface, to appreciate the beauty in neglected spaces, and to embrace the journey of self-acceptance. This is a compelling memoir that resonates with anyone who has sought to find their place in the world, blending the themes of love, loss, and the transformative power of nature.
"I felt as if I'd paddled into a new country." The gardening author and Guardian columnist with a distinctive memoir in which she forsakes her garden and takes to paddling Birmingham's little-used canal network in an inflatable kayak. The time and space she allows herself for nature observation--kingfishers, waterlilies, pikes, freshwater mussels and blackberries are all beautifully reflected on--is mirrored by her exploration of her internal self, particularly in the light of leaving her marriage and coming out as gay. An enchanting book which somehow manages to be both gutsy and delightfully soothing. * The Bookseller *
In the beautiful memoir Hidden Nature: A Voyage of Discovery, TV gardener Alys Fowler steers a barge around Birmingham's waterways, noting the plants and realising, after 12 years as wife and carer to her husband, that she has fallen in loe=ve with a woman. * Good Housekeeping *
This candid book is as much about mapping the heart as it is about mapping the paths of waterways. Lovely.
* Simple Things *She writes wonderfully about the species that have carved out a place for themselves amid the discarded shopping trolleys, condom packets and industrial waste * Guardian *
Gentle, brave and acutely observant * Woman's Weekly *
Hidden Nature is one of the most thrilling things I've read in a long time. * Waterways World *
Thoughtful and heartbreakingly honest ...Beautiful. * Press Association *
ISBN: 9781473623026
Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 14mm
Weight: 175g
240 pages