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ReWild: The Art of Returning to Nature
"An ingenious and invigorating insight into the essential wildness within us all.” Chris Packham
As our busy, technology-driven lives become more sedentary we have become less connected to our natural surroundings. In these challenging times, it is by rediscovering our links to the world around us that we can rekindle the natural, human connection we have to the wild. Nick Baker introduces rewilding as a concept that needs to be established at a personal level. Taking the reader back to their natural sensitivities, we rediscover the instinctive potential of our senses. From learning to observe the creatures and beasts within hands’ reach and seeing and hearing the birds and trees of our forests, Baker’s expert advice offers the practical tools to experience the wilderness on your own doorstep, as well as in the wider, wilder world. ReWild mixes memoir with practical advice, to delight, inform and inspire us all to discover the art of returning to nature.
As our busy, technology-driven lives become more sedentary we have become less connected to our natural surroundings. In these challenging times, it is by rediscovering our links to the world around us that we can rekindle the natural, human connection we have to the wild. Nick Baker introduces rewilding as a concept that needs to be established at a personal level. Taking the reader back to their natural sensitivities, we rediscover the instinctive potential of our senses. From learning to observe the creatures and beasts within hands’ reach and seeing and hearing the birds and trees of our forests, Baker’s expert advice offers the practical tools to experience the wilderness on your own doorstep, as well as in the wider, wilder world. ReWild mixes memoir with practical advice, to delight, inform and inspire us all to discover the art of returning to nature.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 29, 2017
26 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Nick Baker
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 26, 2018
In the Western world, the majority of people have become remote from the natural world. Rather than walk the paths and see the vistas from the hills, inhale the smell after summer rain. Or listen to the wind rustling the leaves and hear the sound of water running over rocks, most opt to stay inside, bathed in the blue-white light from their screens rather than absorbing the vitamin D from the sun.
The concept of rewilding in terms of adding the top level predators back into wild has been expertly covered in George Monbiot's book, Feral. Baker does touch on that at the beginning of the book, but this primary focus in here is getting you out into the forests and on the moors and giving tips to maximise your enjoyment of the places you visit by using all your senses.
The capability of enhancing your senses lies within all of us, something that Baker realised when he had a close encounter with a bear in Alaska and in that moment all his senses came alive. He has various suggestions that will aid you in improving the way that you perceive the world around you. Some of them are sensible, learning to really see what is there, starting to use your ears to hear the myriad of sounds that surround you, even in what most consider to be silence. Not seeing is equally important; spending time in the twilight as it gets dark and letting your eyes adjust, gives a very different perception of the landscape around you; it also heightens your other senses. There are chapters on the senses that we tend to omit when we do venture outdoors, touch and taste.
He recommends walking barefoot along a woodland path and taking time to feel the texture of the things around. Taste is one sense that you rarely use outdoors; something that Terry Pratchett. Summed up in his quote when he said: All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once, but this applied to real life as people generally aren't willing to take the risk trying things when out in the wild. He does recommend it, tasting different leaves in a sensible and controlled way, but I really wouldn't recommend slugs as he tried on one trip!!
It is not a bad book overall, he has some useful ideas about how to make ourselves more open to the natural world by using all of our senses as we walk through a glade or up a Tor. The writing is uncomplicated, making it fairly straightforward to read, but it doesn't sparkle. The addition of the accident that his family suffered from was almost a superfluous addition to the text, it felt like it was shoehorned in. The points he was making were covered elsewhere. Not a bad read, and adds to the collective that getting out in the natural world is good for your soul.
The concept of rewilding in terms of adding the top level predators back into wild has been expertly covered in George Monbiot's book, Feral. Baker does touch on that at the beginning of the book, but this primary focus in here is getting you out into the forests and on the moors and giving tips to maximise your enjoyment of the places you visit by using all your senses.
The capability of enhancing your senses lies within all of us, something that Baker realised when he had a close encounter with a bear in Alaska and in that moment all his senses came alive. He has various suggestions that will aid you in improving the way that you perceive the world around you. Some of them are sensible, learning to really see what is there, starting to use your ears to hear the myriad of sounds that surround you, even in what most consider to be silence. Not seeing is equally important; spending time in the twilight as it gets dark and letting your eyes adjust, gives a very different perception of the landscape around you; it also heightens your other senses. There are chapters on the senses that we tend to omit when we do venture outdoors, touch and taste.
He recommends walking barefoot along a woodland path and taking time to feel the texture of the things around. Taste is one sense that you rarely use outdoors; something that Terry Pratchett. Summed up in his quote when he said: All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once, but this applied to real life as people generally aren't willing to take the risk trying things when out in the wild. He does recommend it, tasting different leaves in a sensible and controlled way, but I really wouldn't recommend slugs as he tried on one trip!!
It is not a bad book overall, he has some useful ideas about how to make ourselves more open to the natural world by using all of our senses as we walk through a glade or up a Tor. The writing is uncomplicated, making it fairly straightforward to read, but it doesn't sparkle. The addition of the accident that his family suffered from was almost a superfluous addition to the text, it felt like it was shoehorned in. The points he was making were covered elsewhere. Not a bad read, and adds to the collective that getting out in the natural world is good for your soul.
July 25, 2017
I suppose I should have known that Nick Baker, in joining the ranks of well known naturalists who write a 'proper' more words than pictures book, would not have written one which merely added the same stuff to the trendy (for good reasons) rewilding debate. However, I was startled by the angle he takes. The book came out in June, sadly the end of June, a month which has been taken up as '30DaysWild' I feel this book could be described as a manual for 30DaysWild. Not the lovely wildlife helping ideas like bug hotels but actually making that important connection with nature and effecting a change in yourself.
He takes the senses and looks deeply into developing our understanding of them in the service of that connection, and provides a most accessible but unsuperficial description of vision in particular. There's less autobiography than I thought here and mainly used in the service of the points he wants to make. He begins to give an insight into what it is like to earn a living doing what he does and I'd like another whole book on that. There are clear parallels with Chris Packham's Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, but the book feels like another interlocking contribution rather than covering the same ground. I enjoyed the quality of the writing (he's amazing with alliteration) which produced exclamations from me at several points. There are several fabulous mollusc bits!
He takes the senses and looks deeply into developing our understanding of them in the service of that connection, and provides a most accessible but unsuperficial description of vision in particular. There's less autobiography than I thought here and mainly used in the service of the points he wants to make. He begins to give an insight into what it is like to earn a living doing what he does and I'd like another whole book on that. There are clear parallels with Chris Packham's Fingers in the Sparkle Jar, but the book feels like another interlocking contribution rather than covering the same ground. I enjoyed the quality of the writing (he's amazing with alliteration) which produced exclamations from me at several points. There are several fabulous mollusc bits!
April 8, 2021
To ‘rewild’ conjures up images of the reversal of habitat degradation and fragmentation exemplified by the Knepp Estate, West Sussex, or the reintroduction of apex predators and other keystone species as seen in the Yellowstone National Park, USA. This is resolutely not the focus of Nick Baker’s book. Instead, Baker writes about human reawakening and rehabilitation towards wildlife and the natural world. Personal recollections are blended with ideas and strategies on how to reconnect each of the five senses with the world around us.
This is an interesting read, but not a particularly light one; the writing style is rather to florid to allow for that, reminding me in places of Chris Packham’s Fingers in the Sparkle Jar. Whilst I found the concept behind the book interesting, for me the level of detail provided was a little excessive sometimes. I think the topic may have been better served as a section in a book looking at the methodology of rewilding as a whole.
A well researched book with a number of interesting ideas and inspirations.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Quarto Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is an interesting read, but not a particularly light one; the writing style is rather to florid to allow for that, reminding me in places of Chris Packham’s Fingers in the Sparkle Jar. Whilst I found the concept behind the book interesting, for me the level of detail provided was a little excessive sometimes. I think the topic may have been better served as a section in a book looking at the methodology of rewilding as a whole.
A well researched book with a number of interesting ideas and inspirations.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Quarto Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2019
This is a well researched book full of both scientific evidence and practical ideas to increase tour time, enjoyment and success at being in nature. It was worth the read for the ideas and knowledge but it is unnecessarily wordy. Each chapter could be halved and save us all some time which we could have then spent in the backyard!
March 9, 2019
I was given this book as a Christmas present from one of my daughters and on seeing the title I had an expectation of what it was about. I was wrong. My expectation was something along the lines of George Monibot as a writer, but this book took me by surprise. Whilst the essence of the book is about rewinding, it is more about rewinding the self. Us as human beings and thinking abut how we can utilise our senses within nature. Without mentioning it he uses NLP and concentrates on each sense in a chapter and helps you renegade with nature through our senses. Once I realised this it changed my view of the book and I went with it. Nice Baker has a way with words and he drew me in and lead me though the story with.a number of personal stories (many from his childhood such as the badgers and caterpillars). It is well worth a read and an unexpected pleasure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2021
Nick Baker has been part of the fabric of natural history television and writing in England over the last two decades ; his enthusiasm towards the environment whether it be on our doorstep or further afield has always been infectious and persuasive. This book is a call to arms in many ways as it appeals to all of us to consider our relationship with the natural world.
We have all heard much of rewilding and the reintroduction of native species and letting nature ideally revert back to a state of ecosystems of times past- Knepp Castle for example. But this book appeals to us as individuals and asks to consider how we may make an increased sensorial connection to the natural world on our doorstep. The prose is intelligent and directs our understanding to a multitude of creatures in the wider or local environment and how they connect and use their senses to survive and benefit the ecosystem within they inhabit. In many senses this book should be a required reading for educationalists to consider how young learners can or could connect with nature ( the Forest And Beach schools movement is a start) or even families. The mindfulness focus in many of our lives is a positive and needs to take us more outdoors to examine and submerge ourselves into what we have and if we are not careful may very well soon lose to future generations. An accessible , informative and important read.
We have all heard much of rewilding and the reintroduction of native species and letting nature ideally revert back to a state of ecosystems of times past- Knepp Castle for example. But this book appeals to us as individuals and asks to consider how we may make an increased sensorial connection to the natural world on our doorstep. The prose is intelligent and directs our understanding to a multitude of creatures in the wider or local environment and how they connect and use their senses to survive and benefit the ecosystem within they inhabit. In many senses this book should be a required reading for educationalists to consider how young learners can or could connect with nature ( the Forest And Beach schools movement is a start) or even families. The mindfulness focus in many of our lives is a positive and needs to take us more outdoors to examine and submerge ourselves into what we have and if we are not careful may very well soon lose to future generations. An accessible , informative and important read.
September 5, 2017
A thoughtful and introspective guide about learning to re-connect with nature by staying still and quiet, looking and learning and immersing oneself in nature. It’s the kind of thing I, and many of those of my advanced years, did naturally, when there was little daytime TV and the only gaming was done on boards and with cards. well-peppered with anecdotes from Nick Baker’s own life, especially his childhood, I think this book would be a most wonderful gift for the quieter sort of older child, between the ages of 9 to teens perhaps; an inspiration to get away from screens and go outside, to watch less and do more. With few exceptions, the nature described is mainly accessible, the slugs and snails, sparrows and kestrels we can see without too much effort. It is full of information, but its central gift is inspiration; a prod to get out and look at the world again, with new eyes. I thought it was a perfect treasure of a book.
May 10, 2021
Nick Baker uses a powerful mix of experience and science to talk about our human senses and how we can use them to become more engaged and closer to nature. Without that the importance of and understanding of the case for ecological rewinding is hard to see and even harder to share.
The book is full of inspirational stories and explanations about how we can all develop our own connections to the wild and how we can learn to use our senses in ways that our ancestors would have been able but which modern life has made less necessary.
The connection to wild places, plants and animals is massively beneficial for our mental wellbeing and the book left me convinced that we really need to make forest school a part of all our children's curriculum and that if we do so then we have a chance to bring specials and biodiversity back from the brink.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone from teenage upwards.
The book is full of inspirational stories and explanations about how we can all develop our own connections to the wild and how we can learn to use our senses in ways that our ancestors would have been able but which modern life has made less necessary.
The connection to wild places, plants and animals is massively beneficial for our mental wellbeing and the book left me convinced that we really need to make forest school a part of all our children's curriculum and that if we do so then we have a chance to bring specials and biodiversity back from the brink.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone from teenage upwards.
March 16, 2021
This wasn't quite what I expected and that's nobody's fault but my own. This is a book about getting back in touch with nature - and it isn't being metaphorical. It lists practical ways in which you can attune your senses to the natural world with birdsong, night time visits to see badgers, what to sniff or taste and what to leave well alone and how to learn a tree through touch. It is a delightful book, with a wealth of anecdotes and it is written with humour and passion, and it is unapologetic about focussing on the very real ways that you can interact with nature in the hope that you will come to love it as the author clearly does and join him in his desire to save what is left of it.
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February 24, 2020'But in the meantime, the precess of rewilding starts with us, our attitude to & how we value, nature; we need to create or recreate those relationships, those intricacies, those feelings of respect that can only come from a better understanding of our environment. Because unless we rewild ourselves from within & find a profound connection between ourselves & nature & become re-enchanted with our world, no matterhow hard we try, conservation efforts to date will be to no avail. Its time for us all to become more eco-savvy & , whats more, its a lot easier than u might think.'
August 3, 2025
An interesting read, focussing on how we can develop our understanding of the natural world through improving the use of our senses.
I enjoyed the sight section in particular. I found some of the book rambly, and some of it a bit overwhelming. The hearing section made it seem impossible to do, despite Nick’s protestations to the contrary, which was kind of depressing.
Also, why mention his mum and brother’s car accident but not mention how it turned out in the end?
I enjoyed the sight section in particular. I found some of the book rambly, and some of it a bit overwhelming. The hearing section made it seem impossible to do, despite Nick’s protestations to the contrary, which was kind of depressing.
Also, why mention his mum and brother’s car accident but not mention how it turned out in the end?
July 17, 2019
A good book, although a little uneven - the obvious care and attention spent on describing sight and audition in the early chapters is not carried on when it comes to the other senses. But overall the thesis is strong - if you want to change the world, be it from an environmental, political, or spiritual point of view, you have to rewild yourself first.
August 19, 2019
I love the way this is written, engaging and varied. It wasn’t a chore to read like a lot of factual books. The writer includes lots of his own experiences which make it engaging. It inspired me to get out in nature more and actually connect with it!
April 16, 2020
Any book connecting humanity to it's past and emphasising our connection to the land and our atmosphere is welcome.
Paying attention to your senses, using them to make sense of habitat is a useful reminder too.
All in all a good read and plenty of personal anecdotes to explain the point of view.
Paying attention to your senses, using them to make sense of habitat is a useful reminder too.
All in all a good read and plenty of personal anecdotes to explain the point of view.
April 7, 2021
It was very well written, but I only gave it 3 stars because it wasn't very interesting for me - it wasn't what I thought it was about. It was about rewilding oneself, not rewilding as applied to habitats or wildlife.
July 23, 2024
An excellent guide to joining the rewilding movement on an individual level. If you've ever wondered how to get back in touch with your place in the natural world, this book will give you plenty of ideas that are accessible to all.
March 8, 2020
A little long-winded and stuffily written, but overall worth reading.
June 6, 2021
A way to reconnect with nature in different ways (mainly with your senses). Pulling from work in different spots in nature. Essay like, gets different views to connect to his work.
August 19, 2023
3.5 stars
June 30, 2022
A book about rewilding yourself, not the environment. In a nutshell he is telling you to slow down to the speed of life and smell, feel, look at the natural world around you. I didn’t like the writing style, it was a painful read that made me happy when it was over.
September 13, 2025
This book is so-so. It was written based on priceless experiences from ex journalist who had toured the world. His past journey in various forests had made him familiar with the sound of wilderness. The experiences also taught him how to associate with nature nicely.
August 13, 2017
This book has made me fall in love with Nick Baker even more. He writes with soul and enthusiasm, taking us on his own personal rewilding journey by delving back through memories of his childhood and early career. I was delighted to discover that Nick also included plenty of science within ReWild; he not only explains why certain habits and techniques can help us to reconnect with nature, but also how our sensory perceptions work on the anatomical level, and how this in turn influences our thinking. ReWild is poignant, invigorating, and simply a joy to read; Nick's excitement, enthusiasm, and appreciation of the natural world is almost tangible, and incredibly infectious- I was fascinated throughout and I am now eager to begin rewilding! I'm very much looking forward to my very first night walk!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews