Lev Parikian

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2023* ‘This book soars… Parikian is a nature writer at the top of his game.’ Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs ___ This is the miracle of flight as you’ve never seen it before: the evolutionary story of life on the wing. A bird flits overhead. It’s an everyday occurrence, repeated hundreds, thousands, millions of times daily by creatures across the world. It’s something so normal, so entirely taken for granted, that sometimes we forget how extraordinary it is. But take that in for a moment. This animal flies. It. Flies. The miracle of flight has evolved in hugely diverse ways, with countless variations of flapping and gliding, hovering and diving, murmurating and migrating. Conjuring lost worlds, ancient species and ever-shifting ecologies, this exhilarating new book is a mesmerising encounter with fourteen flying species: from the first fluttering insect of 300 million years ago to the crested pterosaurs of the Mesozoic Era, from hummingbirds that co-evolved with rainforest flowers to the wonders of dragonfly, albatross, pipistrelle and monarch butterfly with which we share the planet today. Taking Flight is a mind-expanding feat of the imagination, a close encounter with flight in its myriad forms, urging us to look up and drink in the spectacle of these gravity-defying marvels that continue to shape life on Earth. ‘[Lev Parikian] brings a sense of infectious enthusiasm to his account of the evolution of flight in the natural world, from mayflies and bees to bats and hummingbirds by way of pterosaurs and archaeopteryx, combining a wealth of information with a sense of wonder.’ The Observer ‘This accessible account of the animal kingdom’s development of flight exhibits a layman’s enthusiasm for an everyday wonder.’ Rebecca Foster, TLS

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2023* ? ‘This book soars… Parikian is a nature writer at the top of his game.’ Steve Brusatte, author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs ___ This is the miracle of flight as you’ve never seen it before: the evolutionary story of life on the wing. A bird flits overhead. It’s an everyday occurrence, repeated hundreds, thousands, millions of times daily by creatures across the world. It’s something so normal, so entirely taken for granted, that sometimes we forget how extraordinary it is. But take that in for a moment. This animal flies. It. Flies. The miracle of flight has evolved in hugely diverse ways, with countless variations of flapping and gliding, hovering and diving, murmurating and migrating. Conjuring lost worlds, ancient species and ever-shifting ecologies, this exhilarating new book is a mesmerising encounter with fourteen flying species: from the first fluttering insect of 300 million years ago to the crested pterosaurs of the Mesozoic Era, from hummingbirds that co-evolved with rainforest flowers to the wonders of dragonfly, albatross, pipistrelle and monarch butterfly with which we share the planet today. Taking Flight is a mind-expanding feat of the imagination, a close encounter with flight in its myriad forms, urging us to look up and drink in the spectacle of these gravity-defying marvels that continue to shape life on Earth. ‘[Lev Parikian] brings a sense of infectious enthusiasm to his account of the evolution of flight in the natural world, from mayflies and bees to bats and hummingbirds by way of pterosaurs and archaeopteryx, combining a wealth of information with a sense of wonder.’ The Observer ‘This accessible account of the animal kingdom’s development of flight exhibits a layman’s enthusiasm for an everyday wonder.’ Rebecca Foster, TLS

___ See the British year afresh and experience a new way of connecting with nature – through the prism of Japan’s seventy-two ancient microseasons. Across seventy-two short chapters and twelve months, writer and nature lover Lev Parikian charts the changes that each of these ancient microseasons (of a just a few days each) bring to his local patch – garden, streets, park and wild cemetery. From the birth of spring (risshun) in early February to ‘the greater cold’ (daikan) in late January, Lev draws our eye to the exquisite beauty of the outside world, day-to-day. Instead of Japan’s lotus blossom, praying mantis and bear, he watches bramble, woodlouse and urban fox; hawthorn, dragonfly and peregrine. But the seasonal rhythms – and the power of nature to reflect and enhance our mood – remain. By turns reflective, witty and joyous, this is both a nature diary and a revelation of the beauty of the small and subtle changes of the everyday, allowing us to ‘look, look again, look better’. It is perfect gift to read in real time across the British year. ___ ‘A fresh new look at the microseasons of nature’s calendar, seen through Lev Parikian’s eyes – with his usual humour, attention to detail and beautifully written prose.’ Stephen Moss ‘Buy this book. Plant it somewhere handy and whenever you’re in need of a “spark of joy” pick it up and read a few pages. Its wit will make you smile. It will transport you to a wilder, gentler, more beautiful world.’ Ann Pettifor

___ See the British year afresh and experience a new way of connecting with nature – through the prism of Japan’s seventy-two ancient microseasons. Across seventy-two short chapters and twelve months, writer and nature lover Lev Parikian charts the changes that each of these ancient microseasons (of a just a few days each) bring to his local patch – garden, streets, park and wild cemetery. From the birth of spring (risshun) in early February to ‘the greater cold’ (daikan) in late January, Lev draws our eye to the exquisite beauty of the outside world, day-to-day. Instead of Japan’s lotus blossom, praying mantis and bear, he watches bramble, woodlouse and urban fox; hawthorn, dragonfly and peregrine. But the seasonal rhythms – and the power of nature to reflect and enhance our mood – remain. By turns reflective, witty and joyous, this is both a nature diary and a revelation of the beauty of the small and subtle changes of the everyday, allowing us to ‘look, look again, look better’. It is perfect gift to read in real time across the British year. ___ ‘A fresh new look at the microseasons of nature’s calendar, seen through Lev Parikian’s eyes – with his usual humour, attention to detail and beautifully written prose.’ Stephen Moss ‘Buy this book. Plant it somewhere handy and whenever you’re in need of a “spark of joy” pick it up and read a few pages. Its wit will make you smile. It will transport you to a wilder, gentler, more beautiful world.’ Ann Pettifor

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 'Funny, accessible and full of wonders' Melissa Harrison, author of The Stubborn Light of Things Lev Parikian is on a joyful journey to discover the quirks, habits and wonders of how we experience nature. ___ It’s often said that we're a nation of nature lovers, but what does that really mean? Lev Parikian sets out to explore the many ways that he, and we, experience the natural world - from pavement to garden and from wildlife reserve to far-flung island. He visits the haunts of famous nature lovers to examine their insatiable curiosity; meets ramblers, birders and den-builders; and gets up close and personal with the nature he finds everywhere - including the kitchen sink. Open a window, hear the birds calling and join this warm and generous journey into the tangled bank. ___ ‘If, like me, you've got more *into nature* in the last few months, but sometimes feel a bit excluded by nature writing, then this book will make you feel included and welcomed.’ Tracey Thorn ‘A witty, touching and profound book about one man's burgeoning relationship with the natural world - and it's also a joy to read.’ Stephen Moss ‘Lev's endearing child-like joy at even the smallest of encounters is infectious.’ BBC Wildlife Magazine

At twelve years old, Lev Parikian was an avid birdwatcher. He was also a fraud, a liar and a cheat. Those lists of birds seen and ticked off? Lies. One hundred and thirty species? More like sixty.Then, when he turned fifty, he decided to right his childhood wrongs. He would go birdwatching again. He would not lie. He would aim to see two hundred British bird species in a year.Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? is the story of that year, a story about birds, family, music, nostalgia, the nature of obsession and obsession with nature. It’s about finding adventure in life when you twig it’s shorter than you thought, and about losing and regaining contact with the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world.It’s a book for anyone who has ever seen a small brown bird and wondered what it was, or tried to make sense of a world in which we can ask, ‘What’s that bird?’ and ‘What’s for lunch?’ and get the same answer.

Today’s reader has choices: books about love, about life, about death – and everything in between. The variety is overwhelming, bewildering. But what if the reader could play a part in producing something different, something about everything, about nothing, about everything and nothing at the same time? What if the reader could tell the writer what to write about? Lev Parikian asked his readers those very questions, gathered their responses and then set out to write that book. Music to Eat Cake By is the result, a collection of essays exploring everything from the art of the sandwich and space travel to how not to cure hiccups and, of course, his beloved birdsong. Lev considers each subject with his signature wit and warmth, inviting the reader to wonder: what might we ask him to write about next?

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 'Funny, accessible and full of wonders ' a genuine breath of fresh air.' - Melissa Harrison, author of All Among the Barley and The Stubborn Light of Things Lev Parikian is on a journey to discover the quirks, habits and foibles of how the British experience nature. Open a window, hear the birds calling and join him. --------- It's often said that the British are a nation of nature lovers; but what does that really mean? Lev Parikian sets out to explore the many, and particular, ways that he, and we, experience the natural world - beginning face down on the pavement outside his home, then moving outwards to garden to wildlife reserve and as far afield as the dark hills of Skye. He visits the haunts of famous nature lovers - reaching back to the likes of Charles Darwin, Etta Lemon, Gavin Maxwell, John Clare and Emma Turner - to examine their insatiable curiosity and follow in their footsteps. And everywhere he meets not only nature, but nature lovers of all varieties: ramblers, dog-walkers, photographers; kite-flyers, den-builders, grass-loungers; beginners, specialists, all-rounders; or just people out for a stroll in the sun. Warm, humorous and full of telling detail, Into the Tangled Bank celebrates our collective relationship with the natural world and what it might mean to be a nature lover in Britain today. --------- 'Lev Parikian is one of those rare beasts: a nature writer with a sense of humour. This is a witty, touching and profound book about one man's burgeoning relationship with the natural world - and it's also a joy to read.' - Stephen Moss, naturalist and author 'If, like me, you've got more *into nature* in the last few months, but sometimes feel a bit excluded by nature writing, like you don't know enough, then this book will make you feel included and welcomed.' - Tracey Thorn

At twelve years old, Lev Parikian was an avid birdwatcher. He was also a fraud, a liar and a cheat. Those lists of birds seen and ticked off? Lies. One hundred and thirty species? More like sixty.Then, when he turned fifty, he decided to right his childhood wrongs. He would go birdwatching again. He would not lie. He would aim to see two hundred British bird species in a year.Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? is the story of that year, a story about birds, family, music, nostalgia, the nature of obsession and obsession with nature. It’s about finding adventure in life when you twig it’s shorter than you thought, and about losing and regaining contact with the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world.It’s a book for anyone who has ever seen a small brown bird and wondered what it was, or tried to make sense of a world in which we can ask, ‘What’s that bird?’ and ‘What’s for lunch?’ and get the same answer.