It is beautiful, moving, and shares the intense pain of losing a loved one and the healing power of nature. British naturalists and rewilding buffs may be aware of much of the ecological ground Goldsmith covers.

The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force tactical air controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events. Goldsmith is an advocate for the reintroduction of beavers, which can play a role in the creation of wetlands but are often held up as the symbol of rewilding’s potential for disruption. In The Coldest Case: A Black Book Audio Drama, homicide detective Billy Harney sends his new partner, Kate, deep undercover in a notorious Chicago drug ring. Woven through all of this is the solace of nature and an exploration of rewilding set against a backdrop of beautifully describeTom Stoppard [A] moving account of how reconnecting with nature helped [Goldsmith] rebuild a capacity for joy.

I got to meet them both, and I embarrassingly fan-girled as I told Isabella what an inspiration she had been. In his exhaustion, Goldsmith surprises himself by jumping up and asking if Couldrey wants to go and see those newt ponds. Anyone that has suffered the death of a young friend or family member will recognise the motions Goldsmith goes through: the ‘if onlys’, obsessing over details, curiously noting preternatural elements – every one inexplicably filled with significance and pathos, the outer body experience that somehow your human story line doesn’t fit within the world around you. Do you feel weighed down by stress and pressure, held back by judgement and lack of opportunity, and critcised by everyone – including yourself? I feel the same rage against such mindless persecution, this is what drove me to leave the UK and find work in the wildlife conservation of other wilder nations.I loved how he found strength and solace in nature to help ease the pain and hurt he was feeling, whilst also restoring (rewilding) nature. The Iris Project was established by Ben Goldsmith and Kate Rothschild in partnership with the Global Greengrants Fund in loving memory of their daughter, Iris Goldsmith, a young environmentalist who loved the natural world. Goldsmith begins to take action on his own land, and the alchemy of rewilding becomes his obsession and redemption. As someone who has lots a baby herself I found the first few chapters quite poignant and raw to read about.

His 15-year-old daughter, Iris, had overturned while driving a utility vehicle on his Somerset farm and would be pronounced dead before he could race home. To paraphrase Orwell, good books tell you something new, the best books tell you something you already know to be true.

As the book continues, Ben explains how nature played a huge part in his grieving and recovery process, planning ways of rewilding the land around him. In the ensuing conversation, Goldsmith finds he has an untapped reserve of energy – he becomes instantly immersed in Couldrey’s idea to re-wiggle the ditch running through the field. All I knew was that my greatest fear, the fear that grips all parents, had been realised here at Cannwood, in a field that lay quiet but for the birdsong. Just reading the review I am amazed by your courage to commit to paper and share with the world such a devastating experience.

Through engaging with the rewilding of Cannwood, Goldsmith realises he can still experience joy and love. Med dette lille unntaket: En bok meget vel verd å lese, den gir mye til naturelskere, til oss som vet lite om å gjenreise naturen, om sorg, om søken etter mening, og om det fins en gud. Please enjoy a video recording of Isabella Tree and Ben Goldsmith in conversation, courtesy of the fantastic Hay Festival team. The thing about the book that sadly disappointed me was how through covid Ben talks about having a little community.

We dismiss pro-rewilding poll results over and over again, making the excuse that the majority of rewilding supporters live in cities. An extraordinarily powerful and moving journey through the darkest of griefs to the enduring love, hope and renewal of the natural world. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle.