An Irish Nature Year

by Jane Powers

Call it a daily meditation on the world around us for nature-lovers and nature newbies alike, An Irish Nature Year gleefully explores the small mysteries of the seasons as they unfold – Who’s cutting perfect circles in your roses? Which birds wear feathery trousers? And what, exactly, is an amethyst deceiver? An Irish Nature Year is an illustrated day book filled with plants, animals, birds and creepy-crawlies from all over the island of Ireland. With one short entry for every day of the year, nature columnist Jane Powers serves up 5 minutes’ worth of wonderment to enjoy on your coffee break, on your commute, or to relax with at bedtime. From ‘weeds’ in the pavement cracks and surprising inhabitants of vacant lots, to unusual finds along our shoreline and hedgerows, you’ll find more of the natural world to admire right under your nose, and relish the little things that mark the passing of the seasons across the ever-changing Irish landscape.

Genres: Ireland, Nonfiction, Nature, Irish Literature

208 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2020

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with an interest in anything nature-related would be dead center target audience here: hikers, bird watchers, gardeners, etc. For the rest, including myself, material a bit overwhelming at times. However, that may be from reading (listening to) the material pretty much straight through as a book. Obviously, a library borrowing comes with restraints that way; but, if possible, it would likely be better to do a smaller amount per visit.

And, this is where the audio vs. print edition discussion kicks in... Narration struck me as, dare I say it, exquisite. Saying the reader "nailed" it would almost be an understatement (added bonus of hearing the Irish words pronounced), but as indicated the material threw a lot of unfamiliar terrain at me. So, there's a strong case for going the print route. I could see reading the entries daily over tea/coffee. Moreover, as a tradeoff from the perfect narration, I understand the illustrations are very well done! I might actually get a hardcopy as well, though a re-listen, say at the beginning of each month might be a solid plan as well (now I'm hearing my own words with the narrator's Irish accent).

Anyway, you want somewhere beautiful for an escape? You got it!

[MK07 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m reading the entries in this book for each day as it arrives. There is some very interesting and useful information daily on all things nature often with a nice piece of folklore or history included and I would call it a great idea for a book. However, my one big quibble is the huge lack of pictures or illustrations which would give the reader a clearer idea of what’s being described. Granted, there are detailed descriptions of plant, animal life etc and the odd sketch here and there, none of which are in colour,& I suppose the idea might be to get the reader looking for these things when out in nature. I find it a bit annoying having to google or look elsewhere for a lot of what’s being described before I try to spot it outside & I personally would find it more enjoyable to have a lot more clear illustrations in the book itself.

[Mael Brigde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sad to finish this book that I have been reading daily since January 1 of this year. Jane Powers has done a wonderful job taking us through the seasons, with glimpses of the many living things that can be seen and heard, learned from and marvelled at in wild Ireland. I would love to see a slightly bigger version of this book, where she has space to go into the folklore connected to the various plants and animals in greater detail. As it stands, most of the entries do not have folklore attached, but are nevertheless fascinating and pleasingly described. I enjoyed every moment of An Irish Nature Year and will doubtless begin it again another January.

[Stefano Lusoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho trascorso un anno in sua compagnia. E' un libro senza molte pretese: chiede solo di essere lasciato accanto al letto, in attesa di un momento tranquillo per tornare a respirare il verde e ad ascoltare la vita.

"May, 3rd. Many spring flowers are yellow, regardless of their structure or family. Think of all the sunny-bloomed wild plants around now: coltsfoot, dandelion, lesser celandine, cowslip, primrose, marsh marigold, black medick, hedge mustard, wood avens, buttercup, broom and gorse. In the vegetable garden, last year's brassicas are a-flutter with delicate yellow petals. Daffodils still dance on roadsides. The purpose of all this canary-coloured florescence is unclear, but there are several theories. Flower pigment acts as a signal to pollinators, and with fewer insects around in spring, yellow may be a strong attractant, more visible from a distance than other colours. Yellow also reflects light and heat onto the plant's reproductive organs, pheraps causing them to be more efficient. It may also make the flower a warmer and more comfortable place for the insect to land and gather pollen and nectar. Whatever the reason, all that yellow is certainly cheering."

"July, 30th. The oak is more than a tree. It is a world carpeted in lichens, mosses and liverworts, bristling with ferns, teeming with insects and visited by countless brids and mammals. [...] in earlier times, the jay was responsible for propagating the trees. The birds cache acorns for later use. Those that they press into the ground are sometimes forgotten and grow into saplings."

[Kathleen Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oops I meant to finish this in December. This book is absolutely excellent. It is chock full of information, and the writing is beautiful, almost poetic at times. There are also a few good jokes in there. Highly recommend.

[Olivia Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy comforting read that is also informative. It goes day by day through the year mostly focusing on Irish flora and fauna but there are some other species mentioned from around the world. You get a description of nature along with a bit of history or folklore.

[Caitlin Hall]

A charming survey of yearly Irish biota. Glad someone has finally addressed the onomatopaeic nature of the genus name of Bombus spp.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read to follow through the year the course of nature through the year! Highly recommend ☺️

[Jen Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in the country in Ireland and this is a fantastic book. It has the perfect amount of information for each day. I didn't give it 5 stars because of the lack of illustrations but now that I write this down, I think I'm being too harsh because the lack of illustrations make me go and find what Powers is referring to on that day. Initially I borrowed it from my library but I've since bought a copy.