Losing Eden

A TIMES AND TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Beautifully written, movingly told and meticulously researched ... aconvincing plea for a wilder, richer world' Isabella Tree, author ofWilding

'By the time I'd read the first chapter, I'd resolved to take my son into the woods every afternoon over winter. By the time I'd read the sixth, Iwas wanting to break prisoners out of cells and onto the mossy moors. Losing Edenrigorously and convincingly tells of the value of the natural universeto our human hearts' Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun

Today many of us live indoor lives, disconnected from the natural worldas never before. And yet nature remains deeply ingrained in ourlanguage, culture and consciousness. For centuries, we have acted on anintuitive sense that we need communion with the wild to feel well. Now,in the moment of our great migration away from the rest of nature, moreand more scientific evidence is emerging to confirm its place at theheart of our psychological wellbeing. So what happens, asks acclaimedjournalist Lucy Jones, as we lose our bond with the natural world-mightwe also be losing part of ourselves?

Delicately observed and rigorously researched, Losing Edenis an enthralling journey through this new research, exploring how andwhy connecting with the living world can so drastically affect ourhealth. Travelling from forest schools in East London to the SvalbardGlobal Seed Vault via primeval woodlands, Californian laboratories andecotherapists' couches, Jones takes us to the cutting edge of humanbiology, neuroscience and psychology, and discovers new ways ofunderstanding our increasingly dysfunctional relationship with theearth.

Urgent and uplifting, Losing Eden is a rallyingcry for a wilder way of life - for finding asylum in the soil and joy inthe trees - which might just help us to save the living planet, as wellas ourselves.

Reviews

Fantastic