A lyrical, poetic chronicle of nature’s annual cycle, blending ancient wisdom with modern science.
 
The Year takes us on a journey into how nature transforms across twelve months, each chapter focusing on a specific month’s natural events, from spring’s beginning through winter’s end. It opens with an overview of our evolving understanding of time and nature, from ancient astronomy to the present, and concludes with a chapter on the impact of climate change. Spike Bucklow draws on both modern ecological studies and historical naturalists such as Aristotle, Gilbert White, Thoreau, and Aldo Leopold. Poetic reflections from Ovid, Shakespeare, John Clare, and William Wordsworth enrich the narrative, offering further insights into nature’s changes. Blending modern science with traditional wisdom, The Year provides a positive perspective on ecological, global, and personal change, appealing to those interested in ecology, astrology, and the history of science.

Spike Bucklow is the author of numerous books on artists, and their materials and methods, including Children of Mercury: The Lives of the Painters, also published by Reaktion Books. He was previously professor of material culture at the University of Cambridge.