Deeper Into the Wood: a year in the life of an amateur naturalist, by the author of critically acclaimed ‘A Wood of One’s Own’

A beguiling memoir that explores the resilience of nature and the legacies we leave behind – from the author of A Wood of One’s Own. Following the success of Ruth Pavey’s debut memoir that introduced readers to her four-acres of verdant land in the Somerset Levels, Ruth reflects on the fate of her wood. Beneath the canopy of trees she spent 20 years planting, she sees nature’s forces changing rapidly with the diversity of species dwindling. When the rabbits suddenly vanish, she knew it was time to take a closer look at the undergrowth and what she could do to preserve the legacy of the wood for generations to come. Interwoven with Ruth’s candid descriptions of the practical challenges of land management are forays into the Levels’ local history, as well as thoughtful portraits of its inhabitants both past and present. Accompanied throughout by the author’s evocative hand-drawn illustrations, Deeper Into the Wood is a lyrical and inspiring story; a potent reminder of nature’s delicate balance and our responsibility toward its preservation. AUTHOR: Ruth Pavey is the Gardening Correspondent for the Ham & High (Hampstead and Highgate Express). She attended the Rusking School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford, and a selection of her illustrated works are included in A Wood of One’s Own, her debut memoir that was a Sunday Times Best Book of the Year and longlisted for the Wainwright prize. Pavey has reviewed books and written features for publications including the Observer, Guardian, New Statesman, Crafts, and the Garden, and was a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s programme Kaleidoscope.