| Subtitle | The Forgotten History of Birds and Place |
| By | Michael J. Warren |
| Published By | |
| ISBN | 9781399412063 |
| Non-Fiction Genre | Nature writing/History |
| Publication Date | 06/05/2025 |
| Price | 20.00 |
| Paperback Hyperlink | https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cuckoos-lea-9781399412063/ |
| Hardcopy Hyperlink | https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cuckoos-lea-9781399412070/ |
| Ebook Hyperlink | https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cuckoos-lea-9781399412056/ |
| Audio Hyperlink | https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/cuckoos-lea-9781399412087/ |
Synopsis
Birds have long inspired our emotional connections to physical environments, but where did it all begin? In this beautiful exploration of birds and place, Michael J. Warren journeys across England, uncovering in the origins of place-names a heritage that matters deeply now so many places and species are threatened or already gone.
Authors Biography
Michael J. Warren is an author, medievalist, naturalist and teacher of English. He is a trustee for Curlew Action, a Guardian Country Diary columnist and a patron for John Clare Countryside. Michael also curates The Birds and Place Project, a website recording birds in English place names.
Reviews
Magical … No journey in Britain will be quite the same again. – The Guardian
Fascinating and meticulously researched. – The Observer
Scholarly, fresh, exquistely crafted and breathtakingly, heart-achingly beautiful. – Amy-Jane Beer
This is a phenmenal book that brings the past to life and makes you see landscapes anew. – BBC Wildlife
Fascinating and absorbing. – TLS
Utterly beguiling, deeply poignantt and revelatory. – Nicola Chester
A poetic blend of natural history, etymology and memoir. – Geographical
One of the most unique works of nature writing in recent years, an exhilarating exploration of birds and words. – British Birds
Magical, enchanting and intriguing. – Mary Colwell
Amazing book, beautifully written. Transported me to different places and times – thoroughly enjoyed.
Masterful. Both erudite and beautiful. Hugely recommend, especially for non-readers of nature writing.
Masterful. Both erudite and beautiful. Hugely recommend, especially for non-readers of nature writing.
A delight! A beautiful evocation of the English countryside and the role of birds in its history and language.
Beautifully written and delivers information and insight in a meaningful way. Loved it.
A wonderful insight into how the natural world breathes life into our language and history. I was both informed and enchanted.
A beautiful and original addition to our Book Club reading.
So good! One of my absolute favourite books about nature and place from recent years.
Really magical book!
Brilliant book – so profound and powerful. It really helps to set the modern world in its context in a way that shows how much we have forgotten our collective past
‘The Cuckoo’s Lea’ is a wonderful journey into history of place, early literature and the natural world through Michael Warren’s love of birdlife… simply splendid read…!
Sometimes, when travelling around the hills and valleys of England, it is particularly pleasant to sit down in the evening and read a good book! And The Cuckoo’s Lea is a perfect one for that.
It’s informative, beautifully written, well crafted and creates a unique blend of mythology, geography and – of course – ornitholgy, thereby considerably enhancing one’s journey. Highly recommended and I look forward very much to Michael Warren’s next book .
Beautiful and informative book
Beautiful book!
Beautiful read!
This is a wonderful book. Such a joyous read exploring the past from the place names of the birds that once lived there. A fascinating insight into our heritage and early literature.
A great read!
As a bird lover and linguistic, I was both moved and educated by this beautiful book. Thank you, Mr Warren!
A truly fascinating and beautifully written book. I learned so much from it and know others will too.
Loved it 😊
Lovely book, thank you
A beautiful book