Pre-order

To Have or To Hold

Author Sophie Pavelle
Narrator Sophie Pavelle
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Run Time 12 hours and 34 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Applied ecology, Climate change, The Earth: natural history: general interest, Travel writing.

Pre-order £7.99 Send as a gift

How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Bloomsbury presents To Have To Have or To Hold: Nature's Hidden Relationships, written and read by Sophie Pavelle

A thrilling exploration of nature’s symbiotic relationships, some comforting and familiar, others wildly alien, by the award-winning author of Forget Me Not.

What can nature teach us about living together? Investigating eight symbiotic relationships trying to survive the climate and biodiversity crises, Sophie Pavelle explains why it has never been more vital for us to understand symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships regulate ecosystems, strengthen resilience and bind pivotal connections.

Species living together in symbiosis is no accident – these dynamics evolved. Species form and sever alliances everywhere, from deep within temperate rainforests to the open ocean, quiet tidal pools or chalk grasslands, and nature thrives on relationships as glamorous as they are grotesque and as bizarre as they are engrossing.

In To Have or To Hold, Sophie relishes the interconnectedness between species and celebrates the relationships that underpin natural environments. Low-carbon travelling around the British Isles, she presents nature’s frauds, fortune-tellers, misfits and cheaters.

The natural world is built on parasitism, a cunning blend of bargaining and exploitation in the name of survival. In our relationship with the natural world, are we the parasites? Will we continue to exploit nature’s resources? Or will we vow to love and cherish what remains – shaping a more restorative life alongside nature – till death us do part?

Critics Review

“A terrific book; heavyweight and serious without ever losing its lightness of touch. It pulses with energy, perception and passion for the living world – and for the lessons and wonder it holds. With symbiosis as its focus, it takes the reader on a vivid journey into the complex, beautiful life-worlds of sunfish, lungwort lichen and the ‘luminous republic’ of aspen woodlands.”

Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland

“This miraculous book completely blindsided me. I raced through its pages as though I was reading a beautifully written thriller, all the while learning so much about things I never knew existed. Scholarly and funny, To Have or To Hold is breathtaking and compulsive reading. It is a masterpiece, and a paeon of praise for the intricate nature of life.”

Joanna Lumley

“A beautiful and fascinating exploration of a crucial subject – symbiosis – that will help you to see the world in a new light. This book is lucid, uplifting and delightful.”

George Monbiot, author of Feral and Regenesis

“Pavelle writes so vitally about nature, offering astonishing insight and hope. To Have or To Hold is an essential tale of the ultimate symbiotic relationship, between human beings and the natural world we rely on and threaten to destroy. Encompassing life and death, eradication and hope, this is a book I will press into the hands of loved ones.”

Charlotte Philby, author of The End of Summer

“This profoundly significant book is a sumptuous, gorgeous coupling of intelligence and humour, of chutzpah and tenderness.”

Jay Griffiths, author of Wild - An Elemental Journey

“Mastering her unique style of drawing the reader, conspiratorially, into her research, Sophie Pavelle takes us on a deep and brave dive to the heart of the world’s precarious and delicate balance. Showing us “the things we could do” to redress and reverse humanity’s negative impact on our natural world, her voice is strong and true and imperative to our times.”

Manni Coe, co-author of brother. do. you. love. me.

“Joyful, hilarious and energetic, To Have or To Hold is filled with infectious enthusiasm for life in all its strange wonders. Much of modern nature writing focuses on individual species; Pavelle shows us that it is the relationships between them that really matter. From mint-sauce worms to tree lungwort, from parasites to symbiotic throuples, this is a glorious guide to coupling in the animal, plant and fungal kingdoms.”

Guy Shrubsole, author of The Lie of the Land and The Lost Rainforests of Britain

More from the same

Author

Forget Me Not

Narrator

Forget Me Not

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.

Find your favourite titles