Grounded

Dr James Canton is Director of Wild Writing at the University of Essex. He is the author of The Oak Papers (2020), Ancient Wonderings: Journeys into Prehistoric Britain (2017) and Out of Essex: Re-Imagining a Literary Landscape (2013), which was inspired by his rural wanderings in East Anglia. He has written for the Guardian, reviews for the TLS and Caught by the River, and is a regular on television and radio.

@jamescanton | @jrcanton1 | jamescanton.co.uk

"This is a profound meditation on the human need for connection with nature, as one man seeks solace beneath the boughs of an ancient oak tree. The tree and its surrounds come to life in shimmering detail, and Canton's writing has an exquisite, somewhat dreamlike quality" — Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees, on The Oak Papers
"To know what we are, and so how to behave and to thrive, we need to know where we've come from. Canton is an acute, gentle, companionable and elegaic guide through our past - and so through our present and future. He lets the land and our ancestors' bones speak. Their lessons could not be more urgent or exhilarating. You should join him in this sacramental journey." — Charles Foster, author of Cry of the Wild and Being a Human
“Echoes of Walden” — Kirkus Reviews, on The Oak Papers
PRAISE FOR JAMES CANTON "Intensely alive to the landscape; its pasts, people and creatures" — Robert MacFarlane, author of The Lost Words and Landscapes
PRAISE FOR THE OAK PAPERS: “Nature-lovers will find Canton’s poetic tribute to be a treat.” — Publishers Weekly
“Canton’s gift for vivid description makes this journey—this excavation of place and purpose—a captivating and ultimately anchoring one. <i>Grounded</i> is a joyful peer beneath the surface to where our own roots channel those of ancient time: it has brought new meaning to my everyday rituals of walking and seeing.” — Matt Collins, author of <i>Forest: Walking Among Trees</i>  
“A vivid exploration to the hearth-heart of the sacred places of our past – brimming with warmth and gentleness.” — Keggie Carew, author of <i>Beastly</i> and <i>DADLAND</i>