The Lie of the Land

‘Timely and rousing’ The Times

‘It couldn’t be more relevant’ James O’Brien

‘A very, very good book’ John Harris, The Guardian

‘A fascinating exposé’The i

‘Urgent and essential’ Caroline Lucas

‘Exhilarating, insightful and bristling with rightful indignation’ Lee Schofield

‘The unjust impositions of historic land ownership blight all our lives – here Guy shows why’ Chris Packham

‘This unflinching, illuminating book manages to be both dynamite and medicine’ Amy-Jane Beer

‘What a book! Vitally important, and superbly written’ Aaron Bastani

‘Shrubsole has the belly fire of a campaigner but the precision of an historian’ Roger Mortlock

‘A heartfelt, historically resonant call to reject the myth that private landownership delivers good stewardship of nature’ Corinne Fowler

‘A smart, peaceful and practical plan for how we can turn this land into our land’ Patrick Barkham

‘If you care about our environment, read this book’ Sir John Lawton CBE FRS

‘This book beautifully subverts the central orthodoxy of England’ Nick Hayes

‘This is Guy Shrubsole’s best book yet’ Mark Avery

‘An eye-opening read, both alarming and uplifting in equal measure … If you want to be part of the change, start here’ This England

‘Compelling … a timely and important book’ Geographical Magazine

’Genuinely jaw-dropping … bristling with energy and ideas’ Martha Dillon

‘As England struggles with its post-Brexit identity, the lie of the land matters deeply’ Tim Lang

‘At once shocking and comforting, scathing and uplifting. A book on this subject shouldn’t be so readable. A triumph’ Sophie Pavelle

‘His articulate fervour, seasoned with humour, shouts from every page. He throws down a timely gauntlet to centuries of tradition’ Tom Heap

‘Extraordinary. An affirmation of another kind of rural life that exists within this lie, and all the possibilities that are open to us if we defy it’ Nicola Chester

‘Radical and urgent, measured and considered … an essential place to start’ Dr Rose O’Neill, Campaign for National Parks

Guy Shrubsole is a writer and environmental campaigner. He has worked for Rewilding Britain, Friends of the Earth, the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and New Zealand’s Ministry of Agriculture. He has written widely for publications including the Guardian and New Statesman. His first book, Who Owns England?, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.