Shaftesbury Book Festival

There are plenty of book festivals to choose from, but this year’s Shaftesbury Book Festival has firmly cemented any future events in my diary for years to come. The theme was Reading the Land, and we were treated to a line-up of respected nature writers and naturalists speaking about their work, their local landscapes, and the challenges facing our wildlife.

I made it to two events, and both were excellent and thought provoking. Anita Roy’s session, ‘Transient magic: reconnecting with the seasons’, explored how taking notice of seasonal changes influenced her book, A Year in Kingcombe, as well as the nature writing anthology Gifts of Gravity and Light, which she put together with Pippa Marland.

The conversation between Stephen Moss and Brett Westwood was a real treat, with the two authors riffing off each other in a fun and engaging way. Both talented authors and naturalists, the discussion was fascinating throughout, bouncing from childhood memories of caterpillars in the garden to how we can find hope for the future in a world where it can all too often feel like not enough people care.

These events are important for book-lovers, but I would also argue that they verge on being a necessity for those of us who love the natural world and find ourselves constantly sparring with the despair and anxiety that come from watching the decline in biodiversity and the intensifying environmental crises. Events like these remind us that people do care and we are not alone. And, not only do they care, but they are passionate, driven, and determined to fight for nature.

Keep an eye on Home | Shaftesbury Book Festival for future events. If you love books and nature, I am sure you won’t be disappointed.

Shaftesbury’s famous Gold Hill, just down the road from The Grosvenor where Reading the Land took place.