Diary of a Young Naturalist: WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 2020

Dara McAnulty

Nov 2020 · Ebury Digital · Narrated by Dara McAnulty

About this audiobook

Brought to you by Penguin.

WINNER OF THE 2020 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING
WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH POST AWARD FOR NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 2020
WINNER OF THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDS FOR NON-FICTION 2020
SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020
LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2020

Diary of a Young Naturalist chronicles the turning of Dara McAnulty's world, from spring to summer, autumn to winter, on his home patch, at school, in the wild and in his head.

Evocative, raw and beautifully written, this startling and special book vividly explores the natural world from the perspective of an autistic teenager coping with the uprooting of home, school, and his mental health, while pursuing his life as a conservationist and environmental activist.

In a work of power and hope, Dara recalls his sensory encounters in the wild - with blackbirds, whooper swans, red kites, hen harriers, frogs, dandelions, Irish hares and more - while drawing a moving portrait of a young activist dealing with change, and a family making their way in the world.


'Really, really special' CHRIS PACKHAM

'An extraordinary voice and vision' ROBERT MACFARLANE

'One of the most talented and passionate writers of our era' STEVE SILBERMAN

© Dara McAnulty 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

About the author

Dara McAnulty is a 18-year-old autistic naturalist, conservationist and activist from Northern Ireland. After writing his online blog 'Naturalist Dara' for over three years and writing articles for many UK Wildlife NGOs, he published his debut book, Diary of a Young Naturalist which won, among other titles, the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2020 - making him the youngest ever winner of a major UK literary prize - the British Book Awards Narrative Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2021, the Books are My Bag Readers' Award 2020, and Newcomer of the Year, An Post Irish Awards 2020. Dara has featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Ulster, Springwatch, Countryfile, Homeground, BBC Bitesize, Observer, The Irish Times, the Irish Independent, Positive News and The Big Issue. Dara is a passionate and fervent campaigner for the natural world and dedicated fundraiser, volunteer and wildlife recorder. He is the youngest ever winner of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Medal for services to conservation and nature. He is also the recipient of 10 Downing Street's 'Points of Light' and the winner of The Daily Mirror Young Animal Hero award. He lives with his family and Rosie the rescue-greyhound at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in County Down.