A NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

'Superb... A testament to just how beautiful and wonderful life on Earth is' Times Literary Supplement
'Fascinating' Guardian
'Brilliant' Daily Mail

From scorching deserts to frozen seabeds, from the highest peaks of the Himalaya to the hadal depths of the oceans, there are habitats on this Earth that appear inimical to life - yet in which it flourishes nevertheless. During the midday heat of the Sahara, silvery ants sprint from their nests to feed. In North American forests, wood frogs awaken each spring from solid blocks of ice. At the site of the Chernobyl disaster, fungi harness radiation to thrive.

Transporting readers to far-flung environments we could never call home, Super Natural paints an awe-inspiring portrait of life's resilience and ingenuity under the harshest circumstances. We meet creatures exquisitely adapted to endure unimaginable deprivations: of water, oxygen, food, sunlight. Alex Riley shows how, at nature's extremes, the rules of life as we know them are rewritten - and how, here, we can find hope for the future of life on Earth, and beyond.

Dine with beloved writers in this 'utterly charming' (Nina Stibbe) new anthology of their very own favourite recipes, introduced by Bee Wilson.

Agatha Christie’s hot bean salad.
Jack Kerouac's green pea soup.
Allen Ginsberg’s cold summer borscht.
Daphne du Maurier's sloe gin.
Christopher Isherwood’s brownies.
Joan Didion's Mexican chicken.
George Orwell's plum cake.

Have you ever wondered what your favourite classic authors cooked - whether as an intimate snack for one or as their showstopping dinner party special? Here's your chance to wine and dine with the world's most famous writers in a gorgeous new collection of their most-loved recipes, curated from their archives, letters and diaries. Whet your appetite: there are culinary treats and eccentricities in store ...