There's more to Reading than traffic, concrete and busy people. Wildlife flourishes amidst the urban hustle and with a couple of hundred open spaces, some ancient woodlands and two great rivers, Reading rewards the appreciative naturalist. Wander from town centre to suburbs exploring the parks and meadows, following the rivers and the wooded ridges, watching the seasons change. You'll be surprised at what you find. Over 25 years Adrian Lawson chronicled the wildlife he encountered in his days working in the parks, walking his dogs in the woods and riding his bike around the town. This book takes us through the calendar year with a selection of articles from his long-running newspaper column, Rural Reading, plus some new and previously unpublished pieces. Accompanied by perceptive and very personal illustrations from Geoff Sawers, equally devoted to the natural history of Reading, this exquisite collection will open your eyes to the wild side of town.

In a beautifully harmonious juxtaposition of two cultures, Islamic Art Meets British Flowers combines the formal structure and discipline of Islamic floral pattern-making with British flowers and architectural forms to create a truly unique series of artworks. Hadil Tamim, was born in Al-Yarmouk Refugee Camp south of Damascus, Syria. Her family's heritage is rooted deeply within occupied Palestine. For the last two decades she has been living in Reading, UK, where she has turned to her art to create a bridge between two homes and two cultures. The result is a couple of dozen breath-taking new works - a new pattern line. They draw on the architectural forms of the buildings in Reading for structure and colour, the wildflowers found in and around the town for the arabesque, and the artist's training in ceramic and Islamic decorative art. Together with excerpts from her sketchbook and practical sections on the techniques she uses, along with Adrian's commentary on the wildflowers, this gift of creativity in a situation riven with conflict, provides inspiration and hope for art lovers across the globe.