Why read One Midsummer's Day?

Book cover of One Midsummer's Day: Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth

Book description

It takes a whole universe to make one small black bird

The bestselling author of Crow Country and writer of The Guardian's Country Diary tells the story of all life on Earth through a single day spent in the company of swifts.

'A jewel of a book' Caroline Lucas MP

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Why read it?

1 author picked One Midsummer's Day as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Tom Mustill

Author

I read this book thinking I'd learn about a speedy little 40g bird that never stops flying and that people used to think flew to the moon in winter.

But the book is a non-fiction love song to all life on earth that spins outward weaving together everything it has taken to make a world that could have swifts in it. It is literally wonder-ful and a masterpiece.

From Tom's list on The best books to escape into worlds of animal wonder to change how you see nature.