Merlin Unwin Books

04/06/2026

A review from author and Cambridge Professor of English, Dr. Charles Moseley. Charles is author of To Everything a Season and To the Eel Island, exploring the people, history and wildlife of Ely, The Fens and East Anglia, where he lives.

One Day a Thousand Songs by John Miller

'This book is a delight. I shall return to it time and time again, for it is one of those books that grows new subtleties the more you yourself learn to pay attention to that to which your author - your mentor - is pointing. Anyone who loves observing, sympathising (however anthropomorphically!) with the daily drama - sometimes tragedy, sometimes comedy, and both are set to the wild music of birdsong - of the garden, the countryside, and its birds will be grateful for so meticulous and sensitive a chronicler and narrator.

John Miller's writing more than once made me think of Gilbert White in its observation of the minute, easily missed, detail. His natural, easy style engages you from the first page, and there is much wisdom as well as love in these pages. I wished it longer. I would be proud to have written such a book, and it will have an honoured place on my shelves.'

03/06/2026

Ever wondered why we say "a bee in the bonnet" or "a big fish in a small pond"? 🐦🐟

In A Box of Frogs, author and artist Steve Palin brings animal and bird idioms to life through colourful illustrations and short explanations of their origins. From kangaroo courts to cats among pigeons, it's a playful celebration of language, wildlife and art.

Published by Merlin Unwin Books, this charming hardback features 50 colour illustrations and invites readers to guess each idiom before revealing the answer on the next page.

Just £9.99 it's the perfect fun gift for Father's Day in June.

03/06/2026

LOOK OUT!! It’s coming back…

Secure your copy now! Merlin Unwin Books publish the only Raymond Sheppard-illustrated edition of Man-eaters of Kumaon.

Available end of June 2026, visit: www.merlinunwin.co.uk

01/06/2026

📚 50% OFF Roger Evans' bestselling farming books.

Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift? Or simply a cracking good read?

Roger Evans has spent decades capturing the humour, challenges and characters of rural life in his wonderfully conversational style. His books are packed with wit, warmth and real-life farming stories that readers return to time and again.

Get 50% OFF all three classics via Merlin Unwin Books website using code 'ROGER' (UK only):

• Land of Milk and No Money
• Pull the Other One
• How Now?

Pay just £4 P&P per order to any UK address. Visit our website: www.merlinunwin.co.uk

An easy-read collection that's guaranteed to entertain farmers, country lovers and anyone who enjoys great storytelling.

01/06/2026

You woke before your alarm. Outside, something was happening. Loud. Layered. Birdsong!

You woke before your alarm. Outside, something was happening. Loud. Layered. Not one voice — dozens.

That was the dawn chorus.

Male birds defend their territory with the most intense song in the thirty minutes before first light and the first hour after sunrise. The air is cool and still — sound carries further at dawn than at any other time of day. Each species enters at a slightly different moment, determined by how well it can see in low light. The robin sees earliest and begins first. The wren and blackcap wait for enough light before joining, and carry the chorus to full volume.

May is peak dawn chorus month in Britain — the window when every pair is established, eggs are being incubated, and every male is singing at maximum effort. By mid-June, as nesting moves into the feeding phase, the chorus begins to thin. The full window lasts four to six weeks.

Set your alarm ten minutes earlier tomorrow. Open a window. Stay still in the dark. 🐦

29/05/2026

A great conversation with Ian Douglas on The Sporting Chance Podcast this week. A fascinating exploration of the life and legacy of Jim Corbett. The podcast conversation is broad in scope and you always come away having learnt something new. Thank you to the hosts Casey Everett and Aaron Kincaid. Ian's new book Undiscovered Corbett is out now.

You can listen to the podcast in full via the website
https://www.sportingchancepod.com/

29/05/2026

Any guesses on what these markings are on the Teme, Shropshire river bed.
Still visible after weeks of no spates. We wondered if it might be from fish? What do you think?

28/05/2026

Episode 111 - Ian Douglas

The Sporting Chance podcast hosted naturalist and author Ian Douglas. Ian recently released a book called Undiscovered Corbett. Ian is an authority on the legendary big cat hunter Jim Corbett. He has spent considerable time exploring the same haunts of Corbett and even held Jim's legendary Rigby rifle!

Amazon US: https://a.co/d/02mP0L2O

Publisher: https://merlinunwin.co.uk/collections/new-books/products/undiscovered-corbett

https://www.sportingchancepod.com/episodes/iandouglas

26/05/2026

A new book on the life and legacy of Jim Corbett - OUT NOW

'It represents the life's work of a true Corbett enthusiast and puts into print decades of research, reading and the compiling of much data.

It is packed with facts and reflections on every aspect of Corbett's life and sheds new light on many of his adventures, debunking more than a handful of previously believed suppositions'.

Read the full review:
https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/magazine/undiscovered-corbett
Diggory Hadoke, Vintage Guns book review (May 2026)

🌳🌿

26/05/2026

Garden weeds are absolutely thriving right now 🌱 - but before you wage war on them, it might be time to rethink what a “weed” really is.

Eat Your Weeds! by Julie Bruton-Seal & Matthew Seal is packed with inspiration for turning overlooked plants into delicious sweet and savoury dishes. Think nettle cake, chickweed pesto, dandelion flower jam, hogweed paella, ground ivy hot cross buns and daisy tea. Suddenly the garden becomes a free pantry instead of a problem. ✨

Perfect for anyone curious about foraging, seasonal cooking and making the most of what’s growing in our back gardens.