The best nature books of 2017

We celebrate a trio of debut authors, a dramatic account of bird breeding and an evocative memoir of free-range childhoodIn some ways, 2017 has been a quiet year for fans of the publishing phenomenon known as new nature writing. Some of the big hitters - notably Mark Cocker, Robert Macfarlane and Helen Macdonald - have not published new books, although Macfarlane did produce The Lost Words (Hamish Hamilton), a large-format children's book with stunning illustrations by Jackie Morris.Their absence has left the field clear for less well-known authors, who have filled the gap admirably. Genre debuts, including The Otter's Tale by Simon Cooper (HarperCollins), Limestone Country by Fiona Sampson (Little Toller) and Waiting for the Albino Dunnock by Rosamond Richardson (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), deservedly won new admirers (although, sadly, Richardson died soon after her book came out). Continue reading...