Ark A visual treasury of earth's living wonders

In this remarkable volume, Stephen Ellcock presents a vast treasuryof diverse images from all five kingdoms of nature—from microscopic wonders and interconnected fungi to healing plants and the multitude of miraculous animal species that share our world. Together, illuminating captions, eye-opening essays by experts, and extraordinary images present an optimistic vision of abundance, beauty, and utility—a living world that we have the power to protect.

Since the creation of the earliest rock art nearly 68,000 years ago, humans have sought to depict the living things they encountered. Packed with imagery drawn from every culture and era, Ark reveals the unique importance and beauty of the living things depicted and, in doing so, prompts readers to reevaluate humanity’s place in the natural world.

The book begins with a foreword by award-winning writer Robert Macfarlane on the interconnectedness of nature. An essay by bestselling author Sarah Perry discusses the concept of the ark and the story of the flood. Stephen Ellcock then presents his curation of the myriad forms of life depicted by humanity throughout history, punctuated by insightful quotations, enlightening captions, and symbols marking which of the pictured species are endangered.

Interspersed between the curated images are three essays by celebrated nature writers: Harriet Rix, Helen Scales, and Stephen Moss. Each guides readers through some of the intricate, life-sustaining relationships that populate nature’s elemental realms of earth, water, and air, and the threats of climate change and human action.