{"title":"John Lewis-Stempel","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our John Lewis-Stempel collection, where you can immerse yourself in the evocative world of the British countryside through the eyes of one of its most passionate chroniclers. As an acclaimed author and nature writer, John Lewis-Stempel brings the rolling hills, bustling hedgerows, and rich ecological tapestry of rural life to vivid life with his masterful storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eLa Vie\u003c\/em\u003e, discover the enchanting rhythms and customs of rural France as Lewis-Stempel guides you through its pastoral landscapes. This travel and adventure book is a captivating exploration of the French countryside, filled with the author's keen observations and heartfelt reflections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Curious Life of the Cuckoo\u003c\/em\u003e offers a fascinating dive into the mysterious world of this elusive bird. With his characteristic blend of wit and scientific insight, Lewis-Stempel unravels the secrets of the cuckoo, providing nature enthusiasts with an engaging and enlightening read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Sheep’s Tale\u003c\/em\u003e is an affectionate ode to one of farming's most humble but vital animals. Through captivating anecdotes and informative detail, this book highlights the integral role sheep play in both agriculture and the ecosystem, offering readers a deeper appreciation for these woolly creatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the delicate balance of nature and mankind's unique relationship with it in John Lewis-Stempel's books. Perfect for readers who cherish nature and wish to experience the breathtaking beauty and complexity of the natural world through unparalleled prose.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-sheep-s-tale","title":"The Sheep’s Tale","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA warm and personal biography of the sheep by one of our most celebrated nature writers - author of multiple Sunday Times bestsellers and twice winner of the Wainwright Prize for nature writing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEverybody thinks they know what sheep are like - they're stupid, noisy, cowardly ('lambs to the slaughter'), and they're 'sheepwrecking' the environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOr maybe not. Contrary to popular prejudice, sheep are among the smartest animals in the farmyard, fiercely loyal, forming long and lasting friendships. Sheep, farmed properly, are boons to biodiversity. They also happen to taste good and their fleeces warm us through the winter - indeed, John Lewis-Stempel's family supplied the wool for Queen Elizabeth's \u003cem\u003ehose\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eObserving the traditional shepherd's calendar, \u003cem\u003eThe Sheep’s Tale\u003c\/em\u003e is a loving biography of ewes, lambs, and rams through the seasons. Lewis-Stempel tends to his flock with deep-rooted wisdom, ethical consideration, affection, and humour. This book is a tribute to all the sheep he has reared and sheared - from gregarious Action Ram to sweet Maid Marion. In his inimitable style, he shares the tales that only a shepherd can tell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Gardners Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45692489400556,"sku":"9781804991145","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781804991145.jpg?v=1725564233"},{"product_id":"la-vie","title":"La Vie","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor fans of Peter Mayle, \u003cem\u003eLa Vie\u003c\/em\u003e by 'Britain's finest living nature writer' takes the plunge and buys an old farmhouse deep in the French countryside - a perfect slice of sunny escapist joy from the perennial \u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestseller.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Charente - roofs of red terracotta tiles, bleached-white walls, windows shuttered against the blaring sun. The baker does his rounds in his battered little white van with a hundred warm baguettes in the back, while a cat picks its way past a Romanesque church, the sound of bells skipping across miles of rolling, glorious countryside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor many years a farmer in England, John Lewis-Stempel yearned once again to live in a landscape where turtle doves purr and nightingales sing, as they did almost everywhere in his childhood. He wanted to be self-sufficient, to make his own wine and learn the secrets of truffle farming. And so, buying an old honey-coloured limestone house with bright blue shutters, the Lewis-Stempels began their new life as peasant farmers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOver that first year, Lewis-Stempel fell in love with the French countryside, from the wild boar that trot past the kitchen window to the glow-worms and citronella candles that flicker in the evening garden. Although it began as a practical enterprise, it quickly became an affair of the heart - of learning to bite the end off the morning baguette; taking two hours for lunch; in short, living the good life - or as the French say, \u003cem\u003eLa Vie\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45693083353324,"sku":"9781804995815","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781804995815.jpg?v=1725586529"},{"product_id":"the-curious-life-of-the-cuckoo-by-john-lewis-stempel-9780857526410","title":"The Curious Life of the Cuckoo","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur greatest nature writer explores the myths, legends, history, and hidden world of one of our most secretive and masterfully duplicitous animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIs there any bird more mysterious than the cuckoo?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is invariably heard, and not seen. And if seen, it is mistaken for a sharp-winged hawk. The female cuckoo—by a trick that borders on alchemy—is able to disguise its egg as another's. In Greek myth, the god Zeus assumed the form of a cuckoo to seduce Hera.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut we forgive the cuckoo its con-artistry because it is the true herald of spring. It is the bird that uplifts our wintered hearts with that first two-note 'cuk-koo', unmistakable as it sounds across the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Curious Life of the Cuckoo\u003c\/em\u003e, John Lewis-Stempel explains one of nature's greatest enigmas in vivid, lyrical prose, and celebrates this iconic bird.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46632203124972,"sku":"9780857526410","price":24.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/8189633482493.jpg?v=1751993149"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/john-lewis-stempel.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}