Around the world, April 22 marks Earth Day—this year with a rallying cry: Our Power, Our Planet. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to protecting the Earth, but Earth Day is a chance to find your own meaningful way to contribute. Looking for your next inspiring read? Let the Libby app guide the way. These ebooks and audiobooks, all written by nature lovers, offer wisdom, wonder, and tangible ways to live more sustainably.
The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd
🎧 Audiobook
Written during WWII but published over 30 years later, this slender classic is a cornerstone of British nature writing. Nan Shepherd intimately chronicles her solo hikes through the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland—a landscape now increasingly under threat. At only 157 pages, this is a short but enduring read.
The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes
Most of Britain’s land is privately owned and protected legal loopholes. Nick Hayes has an occupation of breaking the rules—climbing over estate walls, kayaking forbidden rivers, and camping where he shouldn’t. Each chapter takes you somewhere new and “off-limits,” while exploring themes of land rights, colonialism, feminism, and more.
Women on Nature by Katharine Norbury
This is the perfect “dippy book.” At 500 pages, it’s enormous, but don’t let that fool you—this is no casual doorstop. The expertly selected poetry and prose, each reflecting the importance of women’s issues and literature through the ages, is so convincingly written that the pages seem to turn themselves. And the cequerboard pattern of snake’s head fritillary flowers on the jacket design? It’s not to be missed!
The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers
🎧 Audiobook
Set in 1980s Britain during the crop circle craze, this novel follows two friends who secretly design intricate patterns in wheat fields, leaking their locations to the media. Their nighttime artistry becomes a quiet rebellion—a poetic metaphor for the fragile beauty of nature. A quick, easy read, it’s the perfect summer pick if you have a lengthy TBR list.
The Forager’s Calendar by John Wright
🎧 Audiobook
Agriculture consumes the most water in the UK—but what if you could supplement your diet with wild ingredients? Narrated by the author himself, this guide is both charming and informative. Even his warnings about poisonous fungi sound oddly soothing.
Underland by Robert MacFarlane
🎧 Audiobook
Can’t get away right now? Let MacFarlane take you underground—to secret labs, glaciers, mines, and ancient catacombs. Each chapter explores humanity’s deep connections to the Earth and the stories buried beneath our feet. His poetic, powerful narration makes this a must-listen audiobook.
Coasting by Elise Downing
🎧 Audiobook
Fresh out of university and with zero running experience, Elise sets off to run 5,000 miles around the UK’s coastline—mud, mishaps, and all. Along the way, she encounters generosity, wild landscapes, and the healing power of nature. If you loved The Salt Path, don’t miss this uplifting memoir.
A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr
🎧 Audiobook
Earth’s unique ecosystems are delicate and irreplaceable—like many of the best things in life, once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. A Month in the Country reminds us of this fragility through its achingly beautiful descriptions of high summer in rural England and a quiet tale of forbidden love. An ex-soldier, scarred by the Great War, is commissioned to restore an ancient wall painting in a remote village church. Arriving with little more than the clothes on his back, he sleeps in the bell tower and spends his days immersed in slow, meticulous work.
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
🎧 Audiobook
Fungi are the unsung heroes of the natural world. In Entangled Life, microbiologist Merlin Sheldrake uncovers how these remarkable organisms heal forests, connect trees, and even influence human health. Did you know that, with the help of fungi, trees can communicate and even heal one another? That certain species can improve medical outcomes? Or that a parasitic “zombie fungus” can manipulate ants to help it reproduce? Sheldrake explores groundbreaking evidence about the soil beneath our feet and the intricate networks it supports—offering powerful insights with far-reaching implications for all life on Earth. For a bit of fun, search YouTube to watch the author grow mushrooms on a copy of his book… before literally eating his own words.
The Wild Remedy by Emma Mitchell
For Emma Mitchell, nature is medicine. As she battles depression and anxiety, she finds comfort in the Cambridgeshire fens just beyond her doorstep, often accompanied by her faithful dog, Annie. Immersing herself in the natural world, she collects wild treasures—flowers, feathers, seashells, seedpods—and lovingly photographs and arranges them in this deeply personal diary.
RELATED READ: Birds, bees & the trees: 10 inspiring nonfiction books for nature lovers
Published Apr 22, 2025