Probably the most excruciatingly boring book I've ever read. Some of the curated stories don't work well out of context. Some of them just don't make any sense at all. Seems like a vanity project for the editor. Directionless and dull. There are some gems but they are few and far between. Overall, the collection lacks cohesion.

This is not what I thought this book would entail, based on the title. It's not nature related at all and is more excerpts from literature and disjointed writing. Order and selection seemed confusing to me

This book features a collection of short stories around the winter theme. Even though I really loved some - I had already read quite a few before - most of the snippets were too short to actually enjoy. As a whole, this book doesn't feel cohesive.. unfortunately. The premise is really nice. But most entries are one or two pages, which is really not enough to feel immersed in winter vibes.

As with every curated collection, there were some stories that I loved and which really resonated with me, and others that I didn’t really think much of. Many of the latter tended to be presented as excerpts rather than complete stories. As a fan of Nancy Campbell I hoped there would be more writings by her, but unfortunately we just get a very well-written introduction and a poem. But this book does contain writings from a variety of authors and is ideal to pick up and read when you have a bit of time free. And the cover is beautiful!

I read these tales as winter was on the horizon. Everyone I encountered spoke of tolerating, hibernating, or wishing the season away. Sometimes I was the only person in the room looking forward to the chill and sleeping land made barren and white.

These wintry tales whisk the reader from country to country, present day to days long past, and a wide array of personalities. They make you languish in this secretly rich season just a bit longer - to take in the richness that requires looking more closely or seeing with new eyes.

The author has compiled a set of essays and excerpts dealing with winter. We get a lot of nature description, which is lovely; wild boars in an oak wood; holly trees planted along a hedge line to guide a traveller through deep snow; snowdrops; bitter snowfalls etc. The most intriguing tale may be of the Thames frost fair, and the aftermath when the ice suddenly broke and many people and items were swept downstream.

I found that without a series of adventures, there wasn't a great incentive to pick the book up again each time. So don't expect a short story collection, it's more a set of experiences, to be dipped into over time. Many of the writers are out of copyright and you may have read the content. Some are modern poets. Many women feature. This is an interesting read which will suit those who love nature.

I read an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.

Great book for curling up with a cup of hot chocolate.
Loved the short tales of this book, it made me revisit some old writers and introduced me to new ones!
Perfect winter reading
Thank you netgalley

Thank you NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for providing me with a digital ARC.

As a person who reads mostly contemporary fiction reading through a repository of passages from different authors on the same topic was a new experience. Reading "Nature Tales for Winter Nights" allowed me to experience classic authors Charlotte Bronze or Virginia Wolf in a bit size form, learn a bit more about gardening and foraging, reading a poem or a short Inuit tale. This book definitely provides a variety showing winter through different lenses, different authors, times and places.

I was a bit disappointed not too see more original work from the author but that was my own assumption rather than an implication of the book description. I like the inclusion of illustrations for each of the 'chapters' but with they were more profound and better matched to the stories.

I think this book is either read in one go (my experience) or read slowly over the winter months, picked up as desired. 3/5 stars.

This book was not what I was expecting based on the summary and title.
I had expected a collection of completed tales or maybe essays about plants and animals set in the winter. Instead, this is a collection of excerpts from literature that contain a section describing winter with the occasional complete story (the Indigenous Peoples’ stories were my favorite parts).
It is mostly because of the unmet expectations that I did not, personally, enjoy this book. But I did also wonder about the curating process. Why were certain parts selected? And why were they placed in the order they were? I didn’t understand the reasoning.
I’m sorry this one wasn’t for me, and I thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of classic texts and less well-known gems is a perfect book for long winter evenings, when you curl up on your couch. I read it through November and made me wish for some snow. <3

Wonderfully curated anthology of both fiction and non-fiction that feature the beauty of nature, particularly the landscapes of winter in the northern hemisphere. These diverse stories, folk tales, poems, and essays are best read one or two at a time. There is a mix of short, medium, and long pieces. I found it a nice way to relax in the evening before sleeping and took my time. If you enjoy writings related to the natural world, wildlife, and especially cold weather, this is a very soothing and meditative collection featuring such writers are Charlotte Brontë, Susan Fennimore Cooper, Charles Darwin, Anne Frank, Kenneth Grahame, Carl Linnaeus, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Virginia Woolf, and Nancy Campbell herself. As an added bonus, the cover is gorgeous.

I was actually hoping for longer children’s bedtime stories but this is for YA or adults. An amazing read as an adult!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy.

I really liked the idea of this book as a collection of winter tales, however this was not what I expected and was more a collection of writings of various lengths instead of stories with some of the links to winter being very lose.

While this was nice and a beautiful range of writing I felt overall it was a bit fragment with little cohesion.

As a reader I like to focus on one book at a time and don’t like to have multiple books on the go however I found with this one that I had to read between others and pick it up as more of a causal read that extended sittings as I felt a lose of concentration after reading too many in one go.

Personally I feel that this would be better in physical format where you can dip in and out and pick out readings based on length depending on mood, however using a kindle meant this wasn’t as easy to achieve and felt a little laborious reading through them in order.

"Nature Tales For Winter Nights" by Nancy Campbell is a captivating collection that seamlessly weaves together the magic of storytelling and the serene beauty of winter landscapes. Campbell's prose is poetic, evoking a sense of wonder and enchantment that perfectly complements the season. Each tale transports readers to a world where nature takes center stage, its elements becoming characters in the narrative.

The stories are skillfully crafted, with a delicate balance of warmth and cold, mirroring the contrasts of winter itself. Campbell's deep connection to the natural world shines through, and her vivid descriptions create a sensory experience that immerses readers in the frosty air and the crunch of snow beneath their feet.

The themes explored in these tales range from the resilience of nature to the quiet introspection that winter often brings. Whether it's a tale of a winter fox's journey or the dance of northern lights, Campbell's storytelling is both timeless and timely, offering solace and inspiration during the colder months.

"Nature Tales For Winter Nights" is a treasure trove for those seeking solace in the embrace of winter's beauty and a reminder of the enchantment that can be found in the quiet moments of the season.

This book is perfect to put on your nightstand in the winter months. I loved the idea of the book, combining different winter stories. It's also nice to have a mix of longer and shorter stories, as to be able to chose what you're in the mood for. The theme of the book made it like meditation in a book, perfect to read before bed. I just found that some of the stories were not as fitting for the book. I would still recommend this book, especially for the holiday months.

This would be perfect to have on your coffee table to pick up now and then to skim through and read whatever tale catches your eye. I definitely would’ve loved this more as a physical version.

Lovely tales, snippets, poems and letters from The Queen to Anne Frank to Van Gogh. There are different stories for everyone. There were couple I enjoyed more than the others, but it was probably because I read them all in quite fast succession.

If you like nature and are looking for something for cosy winter days, this is a book for you!

Such a beautiful book packed with evocative prose that avoids romanticising what can be a brutal, seer time of year. 'Use this precious time of interiority to look outwards. I wanted to nestle into the words of others,' writes Campbell in her introduction. This is not a book to be read cover to cover, nor is it to be dipped into casually. It offers us the chance to explore a different kind of reading where one might become intensely engaged for short periods of time - uch in the manner of any other winter activity when it is cold and the days are short.

#NatureTalesForWinterNights edited by #NancyCampbell published by
@elliottandthompson
1 May 2024

As the evenings draw in – a time of reckoning, rest and restoration – immerse yourself in this new seasonal anthology. Nature Tales for Winter Nights puts winter – rural, wild and urban – under the microscope and reveals its wonder.

The pretty cover was what first drew me to this unexpected treat of a collection of shorts. Delving into words from Anne Frank's diary, Beth Chatto's wonderful garden sights, and Tim Dee's enchanting bird observations, it is easy to see why everything is included here, even though there are such wildly differing styles of writing.

I can only imagine how lovely the physical copy will look, and this will make a gorgeous gift for fans of the written word.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*I received an eARC from the publisher via @netgalley - this is my unbiased review.

It wasn't what I expected and I struggled to finish it. I think the main problem is that the stories are too fragmented. The excerpts some times didn't make too much sense as they were out of context and sometimes they were quite boring.
As always, some of the "stories" were better than than others but not enough, unfortunately...

I just love books like this when the weather turns cold or rainy , they provide a pick and mix of all of the best types of stories to snuggle up with. I especially liked the introduction.