Book of the Month, Countryside magazine '[this] fascinating new book... provides a detailed insight into the snow-white species' Waterways World A wildlife writer and photographer's celebration of the mute swan, Britain's most iconic breed, exploring the bird's significance across myth and history alongside vivid observations on its habits and habitats. The swan is both a lover and a fighter. A graceful angel and a clumsy oaf. Immortalized by artists over the ages yet misunderstood and threatened in the present day. The mute swan - with its orange beak and aura of stately silence - is the breed we know best in Britain. Dan Keel has been captivated by these birds since boyhood, studying their contrasting qualities over more than three decades. He's spent countless hours documenting their power, beauty and vulnerability as a writer of nature journalism, as a wildlife photographer looking for the perfect shot, and as a pilot sharing the skies. In this labour of love, Dan speaks up for the mute, answering the essential questions about its nature and its future. Along the way, weaving his first-hand observations into the narrative, he shows us how swans have been portrayed in myth, art and culture for millennia, and how they have been venerated and imitated as well as harmed by humans. Does anybody still eat swan? Can a swan really break your arm? Does the Queen own them all? With an eye for the humour as well as the tragedy of the swan's story, Dan lays out the facts, guides us to our lakes and riverbanks, and urges us to see these familiar creatures in a fresh light.

"Noble Rot manages to unravel the mysteries of wine with insight and humour. A wonderful - and essential - read for anyone interested in the world of wine, or even for those, like me, who just drink it." Nigella Lawson "The Noble Rot guys have the ability to describe wines as if they're either future friends, or rock-stars coming to blow your mind." Caitlin Moran "Noble Rot has brought originality, humour and now space travel to the very serious business of drinking wine. About time too." Brian Eno "Dan and Mark do that thing that only crazy knowledgeable enthusiasts can do, they make you a crazy enthusiast too. If they said, 'We've found a wine like no other, a wine that actually lights up the sky, but you can only drink it in the desert at midnight, are you coming?' I'd be off, and I'd be confident of meteor showers. They provoke curiosity - 'how does anyone make this extraordinary drink just with grapes?' - excitement, joy, and a longing for knowledge. Now, in this book, they're sharing the knowledge." Diana Henry "To really know and love a wine one should know the grower and the vineyard. This isn't always or even often possible, which is why the Rotters introduce these wines at source. You learn that making wine, as cooking should be, is an act of love. You will come to love this book too." Rowley Leigh Choosing wine in a restaurant or shop can seem an unfathomable business. But, according to Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, the duo behind London's Noble Rot, it needn't be that way. In Wine from Another Galaxy they'll help you to understand how it is made, where to buy it, what to look for when you drink it, and how to talk about it. And once you've mastered the basics, they'll take you on a journey through the best of European wine culture, meeting the people and places behind their favourite bottles. Indeed, Dan and Mark have spent years visiting growers that you probably haven't heard of, from the original thinkers of the natural wine movement to the iconic estates of Burgundy and Bordeaux. This is the alternative, accessible, no-holds-barred guide to wine, where the usual cliches and rules don't apply.