Tapestries of Life

The second book by the bestselling author of Extraordinary Insects

Trees clean air and water; hoverflies and bees pollinate our crops; the kingfisher inspired the construction of high-speed trains. In Tapestries of Life, bestselling author Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson explains how closely we are all connected with the natural world, highlighting our indelible link with nature’s finely knit system and our everyday lives.

In the heart of natural world is a life-support system like no other, a collective term that describes all the goods and services we receive – food, fresh water, medicine, pollination, pollution control, carbon sequestration, erosion prevention, recreation, spiritual health and so much more. In this utterly captivating book, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson sets out to explore these wonderful, supportive elements – taking the reader on a journey through the surprising characteristics of the natural world.

About the author

Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson is the bestselling author of Extraordinary Insects. A professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in Ås, Norway, she is also a scientific advisor for The Norwegian Institute for Nature Research NINA. She has a Doctorate degree in conservation biology and lectures on nature management and forest biodiversity.

Since debuting with a Norwegian crime classic in 2017, Lucy Moffatt has translated books on subjects as diverse as female sexuality, the cryosphere, neuroscience and insomnia – as well as Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson’s best-selling Extraordinary Insects. Moffatt also works from Spanish and has co-translated several Mexican documentaries. She won a John Dryden Translation prize in 2014 and was awarded NORLA’s Translator’s Prize for her body of non-fiction work in 2020.