Inspiring Lessons from the Underdogs of the Natural World to Make Life More or Less Bearable

The Wisdom of Nature

Author and travel writer Dixe Wills likes to champion the underdog. In this new book, he celebrates 70 living things from the world of nature that are unfairly maligned by humans and yet manage to beat the odds in some inspiring or uplifting way.From bacteria and bluebottles, to puddles and wasps, there&#39;s so much we can learn from the curious creatures and the natural world around us. Take the slug, for example: "Slugs, like us, yearn to be the object of a little human love and sympathy. Unlike slugs, you have a chance of this dream coming true. Also, beer will not kill you. Not immediately, anyway."Written in Dixe&#39;s inimitable style, this charming book is sure to delight his many fans and gain him new readers with an interest in the natural world.

Dixe Wills is an author, travel journalist and radio performer. He writes for the Guardian, the Observer, Countryfile and LandScape magazines and regularly features on BBC radio. His previous best-selling books include Tiny Islands, Tiny Stations and Tiny Histories.

Dixe Wills

Trivial Events and Trifling Decisions that Changed British History

Tiny Histories is a fond, fun and informative look at the seemingly insignificant coincidences, decisions and tiny moments that triggered major events and changed the course of British history.It might be difficult to believe when watching the news but the world we live in is often shaped not by the whim of governments and the decisions of world leaders but by tiny, apparently trivial events. In many cases, they can have enormous repercussions that mould both the society we live in today and the people we are.From the innocent wrong turn by a chauffeur driving Archduke Ferdinand in June 1914 that led to World War I, to the Saxon leader, Byrhtnoth&rsquo;s act of chivalry in 991 that paved the way for British comedy as we know it today, this brilliant new addition to Dixe Will&#39;s bestselling books Tiny Churches, Tiny Islands and Tiny Stations &shy;looks behind the scenes of wars, politics, the arts, food, science, and even health and safety.Perfect for history buffs and pub-quiz fans, this brilliant book also serves to make us all more aware that in an age of so many dramatic changes, challenges and unknowns, it is not always what makes the headlines that shapes the future for generations to come.

Dixe Wills

Books by Dixe Wills

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