David Attenborough Books

I've had an extraordinary life. It's only now that I appreciate how extraordinary. As a young man, I felt I was out there in the wild, experiencing the untouched natural world -- but it was an illusion. The tragedy of our time has been happening all around us, the loss of our planet's biodiversity. I have been witness to this decline. This book contains the story of how we came to make this, our greatest mistake, and how, if we act now, we can yet put it right.

Each volume contains all the winning and commended entries from the annual British Gas Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition--from the best international photographers.

The thread that binds them all is water - the precious element that has carved our world and makes all life possible - and only three percent of which on the entire Earth is fresh.Within each habitat, we take a journey of exploration.

Drawn from Paradise is David Attenborough's journey through the cultural history of the birds of paradise, one of the most exquisite and extravagant, colourful and intriguing families of birds.

A new, fully updated edition of David Attenborough's groundbreaking work fundamentally changed how we view and interact with the natural world, setting a new benchmark of quality and influencing a generation of nature lovers. Through an examination of animal and plant life, it celebrates the evolution of life on Earth, featuring a diverse cast of organisms that have ever existed. Attenborough's dynamic approach takes readers on an unforgettable journey from the first spark of life to the vibrant planet we know today. To mark the 40th anniversary of its original publication, he revisited the text, incorporating modern scientific discoveries from around the globe. This paperback edition includes over 60 full-color photographs selected by the author, enhancing the book's visual appeal beyond what was possible four decades ago. This updated edition serves as a tribute to a wildlife classic, captivating those who experienced it upon its initial release while introducing it to a new generation.

This photographic companion to the Netflix original documentary series takes you on a journey across the globe's different biological realms to present visuals of nature's most intriguing animals in action, and environmental change on a scale that must be seen to be believed

During this century the work of tribal artists has come to be taken seriously - as art, not just as ethnographic evidence. But while the look of a mask or figure has an immediate impact the intentions of the maker and the meaning it had in its original context are often obscure. In this book - as in the television films which it is based on - David Attenborough enriches our understanding by describing the making and use of tribal art in some of the few places where traditions are, more or less, intact. There are chapters on the Dogon - master mask makers, smiths and builders, on the tribes of the American North-west, who still carve poles and dance masks, on cult houses in Melanesia, bronze-casting in West Africa, and rug-making among the nomads of Iran. Sometimes the evidence is lost - in South America there are only tiny remnants of the pre-Columbian cultures: the chapter on their gold work must look backward to get some notion of the societies which produced it. The last chapter looks at what happens to tribal art when the culture that supported it breaks down under the pressures of trade, other cultures and colonisation. The illustrations - from the field and of museum objects - work together to make the book a splendid celebration of the richness of tribal culture.

New Life Stories is the second installment of Sir David's look back at the wildlife that has captured his imagination and enthusiasm over his distinguished career. It is a fascinating trip around the world in search of extraordinary plants, animals, and people, in the company of this wonderful communicator. Sir David shares his thoughts on a whole range of topics, from animals like the Kiwi, the Cuckoo, and the Chameleon, to flora like Charnia and the canopy, and even other famous British naturalists, like the evolutionary biologist Alfred Russel Wallace.

Each chapter follows a different dynasty, from the Marsh Lions of the Masai Mara to rival packs of painted wolves, from a tiger protecting her newborn cubs to a chimpanzee troop and the penguin colonies of the Antarctic.

The book highlights the extraordinary allure of birds of paradise, first discovered by Europeans in the 16th century. Initially believed to be legless and never landing, these rare birds inspire wonder among those fortunate enough to encounter them. Featuring over 200 hand-painted illustrations by renowned artists and original researchers, the collection showcases the stunning Greater Bird of Paradise and more than forty other species, each exhibiting remarkable variations in size, shape, and color. This work offers a unique visual celebration of these magnificent creatures.