To Have or To Hold: Nature’s Hidden Relationships

“A terrific book; heavyweight and serious without ever losing its lightness of touch. It pulses with energy, perception and passion for the living world – and for the lessons and wonder it holds. With symbiosis as its focus, it takes the reader on a vivid journey into the complex, beautiful life-worlds of sunfish, lungwort lichen and the 'luminous republic' of aspen woodlands.” * Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland * “This miraculous book completely blindsided me. I raced through its pages as though I was reading a beautifully written thriller, all the while learning so much about things I never knew existed. Scholarly and funny, To Have or To Hold is breathtaking and compulsive reading. It is a masterpiece, and a paeon of praise for the intricate nature of life.” * Joanna Lumley * “A beautiful and fascinating exploration of a crucial subject – symbiosis – that will help you to see the world in a new light. This book is lucid, uplifting and delightful.” * George Monbiot, author of Feral and Regenesis * “Sophie Pavelle writes so vitally about nature, offering astonishing insight and hope, at a time when it is most needed. To Have or To Hold is an essential tale of the ultimate symbiotic relationship, between human beings and the natural world we rely on and threaten to destroy. Encompassing life and death, eradication and hope, this is a book I will press into the hands of loved ones, young and old.” * Charlotte Philby, author of The End of Summer * “This profoundly significant book is a sumptuous, gorgeous coupling of intelligence and humour, of chutzpah and tenderness.” * Jay Griffiths, author of Wild - An Elemental Journey * “Mastering her unique style of drawing the reader, conspiratorially, into her research, Sophie Pavelle takes us on a deep and brave dive to the heart of the world's precarious and delicate balance. Showing us "the things we could do" to redress and reverse humanity's negative impact on our natural world, her voice is strong and true and imperative to our times.” * Manni Coe, co-author of brother. do. you. love. me. *