What do you think?
Rate this book
Wild Embrace: Connecting to the Wonder of Ireland's Natural World
'Gorgeous ... a joyful reminder that there are still wonders to be found in Ireland wherever we give nature an inch to flourish' IRISH INDEPENDENT
'From moss to moths, Anja Murray has conjured up an ebullient paean to our surrounding ecosystem - a
sensuous celebration of nature.' MANCHÁN MAGAN
'A hugely important, and simply delightful, book.' EOGHAN DALTUN, author of An Irish Atlantic Rainforest
OPEN UP TO A NOURISHING NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH IRELAND'S WILD WORLD.
Wild Embrace is about cultivating curiosity and awe in nature, in a time of eco-anxiety and overwhelm. As ecologist Anja Murray opens our eyes to the hidden bounty of the land, sea and sky around us, we head out on a unique journey through the Irish landscape.
She explores the joy of foraging, the marvels of Irish birds, the roles of our native trees in environmental regeneration, nature at night and in the city, and much more - including fascinating insights into our ecological past.
With beautiful illustrations by Jane Carkill (@lamblittle), Wild Embrace awakens our senses to the everyday environmental wonders within reach, as we set out on a path to empowered change into the future.
'From moss to moths, Anja Murray has conjured up an ebullient paean to our surrounding ecosystem - a
sensuous celebration of nature.' MANCHÁN MAGAN
'A hugely important, and simply delightful, book.' EOGHAN DALTUN, author of An Irish Atlantic Rainforest
OPEN UP TO A NOURISHING NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH IRELAND'S WILD WORLD.
Wild Embrace is about cultivating curiosity and awe in nature, in a time of eco-anxiety and overwhelm. As ecologist Anja Murray opens our eyes to the hidden bounty of the land, sea and sky around us, we head out on a unique journey through the Irish landscape.
She explores the joy of foraging, the marvels of Irish birds, the roles of our native trees in environmental regeneration, nature at night and in the city, and much more - including fascinating insights into our ecological past.
With beautiful illustrations by Jane Carkill (@lamblittle), Wild Embrace awakens our senses to the everyday environmental wonders within reach, as we set out on a path to empowered change into the future.
- GenresNatureNonfictionIreland
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 9, 2023
23 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 13, 2023
Loved it.
Let's just say as a result of this book, in the last couple of weeks, I have identified some wildflowers in my local park, have worked out that a lot of the dawn chorus I hear each morning are wood pigeons, noted the first butterflies I have seen this year are small tortoiseshell, - I will be going to a nature reserve this weekend on an organised wildflower identification trip and I will be learning how to Identify and monitor Ireland's Butterflies this May etc.
Anja gently and enthusiastically shows you all the Nature that is available to you at our own doorstep (assuming you live in Ireland that is ) with chapters on pretty much everything, seaside, Urban Nature, things to discover at night. There are loads of tips at the end of the chapters on simple ways you can make yourself feel more connected. Some of these would be great for solo, family and other ventures.
I would recommend this to anyone living in Ireland and anyone visiting who would like to spend some time among the natural scenery this island holds. It is a resource that I will be dipping into again and again.
Let's just say as a result of this book, in the last couple of weeks, I have identified some wildflowers in my local park, have worked out that a lot of the dawn chorus I hear each morning are wood pigeons, noted the first butterflies I have seen this year are small tortoiseshell, - I will be going to a nature reserve this weekend on an organised wildflower identification trip and I will be learning how to Identify and monitor Ireland's Butterflies this May etc.
Anja gently and enthusiastically shows you all the Nature that is available to you at our own doorstep (assuming you live in Ireland that is ) with chapters on pretty much everything, seaside, Urban Nature, things to discover at night. There are loads of tips at the end of the chapters on simple ways you can make yourself feel more connected. Some of these would be great for solo, family and other ventures.
I would recommend this to anyone living in Ireland and anyone visiting who would like to spend some time among the natural scenery this island holds. It is a resource that I will be dipping into again and again.
October 26, 2023
An easy five-star review! This is a stunning book. Whether you’re hoping to learn more about local flora, fauna, sea life, or foraging, this is a great place to start and contains plenty of references for further reading too. The “Invitations to the Wild Embrace” at the end of each chapter are simple, practical suggestions that anyone could try out to increase their connection with nature. I’m already looking forward to returning to these ideas and trying some out during the year!
Anja Murray takes a positive approach to developing our own individual connections to the world around us, without shying away from the reality of biodiversity decline and ecological crises and the work that needs to be done to reverse these trends: “I am convinced that disconnection between people and nature is at the root of the biodiversity crisis. If we were more connected, more able to recognise how much our culture and our well-being is entwined with nature, we simply wouldn’t allow the destruction to continue.”
If you’re interested in spending more time in nature, learning what you can do to support biodiversity, or finding out more about Irish wildlife, I’d highly recommend this book.
Anja Murray takes a positive approach to developing our own individual connections to the world around us, without shying away from the reality of biodiversity decline and ecological crises and the work that needs to be done to reverse these trends: “I am convinced that disconnection between people and nature is at the root of the biodiversity crisis. If we were more connected, more able to recognise how much our culture and our well-being is entwined with nature, we simply wouldn’t allow the destruction to continue.”
If you’re interested in spending more time in nature, learning what you can do to support biodiversity, or finding out more about Irish wildlife, I’d highly recommend this book.
December 31, 2025
Beautifully presented, this is a very accessible and informative guide to Irish wildlife and how we can learn to engage with nature in the everyday. Murray offers an insightful take on how all members of society can have a part to play in nature conservation, from supporting environmental NGOs like BirdWatch Ireland and the Irish Seed Savers Association, to being considerate when managing our gardens, to getting involved and volunteering with bigger-scale rewilding projects. It all starts with cultivating curiosity...
April 17, 2024
Mind opening, wholesome, inspiring. A pleasure to read and learnt a lot of new ways to enjoy nature. Perfect to accompany a trip through Ireland (or if one lives there)
July 3, 2025
Lovely book. From the first page I opened my eyes and connected me to the nature all around. Lots of small and big facts about the forests and seas and the importance of biodiversity. I’m would recommend.
October 22, 2023
Very interesting book but would be much more useful for urbanites if it contained pictures of all the things she is talking about. There was loads of information about seasons and wonderful descriptions of hedgerows and wildlife etc but not knowing what the plants and flowers and animals and birds actually look like did detract from my enjoyment.
Publisher, please reissue with photographs or sketches.
Publisher, please reissue with photographs or sketches.
July 18, 2025
This is a lovely book about the value of observation and presence in nature - in Ireland specifically. Murray’s approach feels similar to Annie Dillard’s milestone 1974 “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” though less abstract and more instructive. While I thought the early chapters spend a little too much time trying to convince the reader to go out into nature (preaching to the choir here anyway) it’s a really rich and beautiful reference book as well as a meditative, narrative read. The cover and chapter illustrations throughout are delightful. For the nature-curious or the outdoor-enthusiast.
July 15, 2023
Beautiful book about Irish natural world. A beautiful reminder of my recent visit.
July 21, 2023
This is a lovely read with wonderful descriptions of native Irish flora and fauna. Just enough to awaken your awe, but not too scientific in language so that it's overwhelming. A lovely easy read.
June 7, 2024
Really digestible and enjoyable read! Lots of amazing info about Irish wildlife. It also makes me so sad to realise all that has been lost in Ireland due to human hands.
September 2, 2024
Amazing book that was just such a pleasure to read. I absolutely recommend everyone living in Ireland to read this to get closer to their environment around them.
August 12, 2025
Very inspiring make me want to get out there in the Irish nature and explore and appreciate everything it has to offer
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews