130,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸš€ Auckland Bookstore β€’ Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Wild Words: How language engages with nature

A collection of international words that describe a natural phenomenon
By Kate Hodges
0.0 (0 reviews)
4.19 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 48 ratings, 11 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Wild Words: How language engages with nature explores 75 evocative words from around the world that capture moments and sensations in the natural world. Each word is accompanied by a 100-word description detailing its pronunciation, cultural context, and the emotional or mindful response it can inspire. Richly illustrated, the book brings to life concepts such as MΓ₯ngataβ€”the moon's light path on water in Swedenβ€”and Komorebiβ€”Japanese sunlight filtering through treesβ€”revealing how language deepens our connection to nature.
Read More
Format: Hardback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Wild Words: How language engages with nature. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This beautifully crafted collection will appeal to lovers of language, nature enthusiasts, cultural explorers, and anyone seeking to enrich their appreciation of the natural world through words.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Wild Words showcases 75 beautiful, international words evocative of the wild, from around the world, that describe a natural phenomenon – paired with illustrations and short description - to aid both your appreciation and your engagement with nature.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Wild Words: How Language Engages with Nature showcases 75 beautiful words evocative of the wild from all around the world. These words describe natural happenings in nature, including weather phenomena, feelings you experience in nature, and sensory words that explain the smell or sound of a place.

The words used to express what is seen in the world are vital to an appreciation of itβ€”language is a key component in the call of the wild. As words vanish from a language, it follows that what they describe may disappear. Words deepen the understanding of what is seen, and what is seen comes more vividly to life through the words used to describe it. As the natural world and the time spent in it diminish in the face of modern life, it's more vital than ever to recall it into being with the magic of language.

Each of the 75 words includes a 100-word description, its pronunciation, and a geographical, historical, or cultural background, as well as reflections on the emotional or mindful response the natural phenomenon can inspire. Each word is paired with an illustration.

Examples of words:

MΓ₯ngata. Sweden. Noun. The path of light that the moon makes on water.

Sugar weather. Canada. Noun. A period of warm days and cold nightsβ€”the perfect weather to start the sap flowing in maple trees.

RudΔ—nja. Lithuania. The way nature begins to feel as autumn takes hold and the vestiges of summer disappear.

Komorebi. Japan. Noun. Beams of sunlight filtering down through the trees.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781911622710

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 21 October 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Portico

Illustration: 75 illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 185.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 160

Collections

Arts & Culture Kate Hodges Non-Fiction Poetry Science & Nature

About the Author

Kate Hodges has over 25 years writing experience on magazines. She writes part-time for The Green Parent magazine. Her first book, Little London, a guide to free and cheap, family-friendly things to do in the capital, was published in 2014. Her second, London in an HourΒ came out in 2016, and Rural London, in 2017. She has also written the text for a map of the city, Welcome To The Dark Side: Occult London. Her fourth book, I Know A Woman, was published in 2018. In 2020 she published Warriors, Witches, Women and On A Starry Night.

Also by Kate Hodges

View all
  • On Sale
    20% off
    Warriors, Witches, Women
    Warriors, Witches, Women is a guide to awe-inspiring mythic female creatures worldwide; from feminist fairies to bloodsucking, seductive succubae, half-human half-bird harpies created from the wind, or protective and seductive voodoo goddesses who still impact on African-American cultural feminism. With 50 entries, it profiles global examples of fierce females from mythology and folklore, retelling these wonderful stories by placing women...
    By Kate Hodges
    Hardback
    $3300
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Connected Women
    Behind every great woman... is another great woman. Here, the extraordinary achievements, relationships and secret histories of 84 pioneering women are revealed in inspirational stories which together show the indomitable strength of womankind. From ground-breaking scientist Marie Curie to political activist Malala Yousafzai, from feminist author Virginia Woolf to the game-changing Billie Jean King; Connected Women creates a gigantic web...
    By Kate Hodges
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Arts & Culture

View all
  • Dylan's Pick
    Bold Types
    A tribute to 32 truly independent bookshops throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, from north of Auckland down to Dunedin, and coast to coast. Jane Ussher's photographs show every bookstore in its unique nature - including behind the counter, smoko rooms, the mess which tells the hardworking story behind the joy of matching books with customers. Jemma Moreira's careful editing has crafted...
    By Jane Ussher
    Hardback
    $5999
    Elsewhere:
    $7000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    I’ll Believe in Anything
    From Jacob Tierney, the creator ofΒ Heated Rivalry, in partnership with Brendan Brady and AccentΒ Aigu, comesΒ I’llΒ Believe in Anything, an official and complete collection of annotated scripts for the biggest cultural sensation of the year, with all new exclusive behind-the-scenes content.Based on Rachel Reid’s blockbuster Game Changers book series,Β Heated RivalryΒ premiered on Crave and HBO in late 2025 andΒ immediatelyΒ took the world by storm.Β I’ll...
    By Jacob Tierney
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    16% off
    New Release
    Shirl's Pick Shirl's Pick
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoirΒ Home Again.This is more than a rock story.Β Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it.Β From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    By Jon Toogood
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    20% off
    The Odyssey
    Composed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travellers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. This fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative....
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $3599
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    The Iliad
    When Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017β€”revealing the ancient poem in a contemporary idiom that was "fresh, unpretentious and lean" (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)β€”critics lauded it as "a revelation" (Susan Chira, New York Times) and "a cultural landmark" (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an...
    By Homer
    Paperback
    $2600
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    On Sale
    20% off
    Disney Moana: The Official Cookbook
    Embark on a culinary adventure with Moana of Motunui with Pacific recipes inspired by Moana and Moana 2! After a long day of sailing to see how far you’ll go or keeping the demigod Maui out of trouble with Te Fiti, catch a break with the delicious dishes in Moana: The Official Cookbook! Featuring more than 50 recipes spanning the...
    By Monique Fiso
    Hardback
    $3600
    Elsewhere:
    $5299
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    By Freddie Mercury
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Birdlands Birdlands
    New Release
    Birdlands
    A rare, intimate journey into the wild islands where Aotearoa's birds live beyond the reach of most human lives. In the most remote outposts of Aotearoa, our islands are populated not with people, but with birds. From the storm-lashed Subantarctic Islands in the deep south to the scattered volcanic islands of Tikapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf in the north, Birdlands offers a...
    By Edin Whitehead
    Hardback
    $4199
    Elsewhere:
    $5000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • On Sale
    21% off
    This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    By Layne Staley
    Hardback
    $5800
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mah Jong Player's Companion
    Since the arrival on the market of Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney's two previous books, The Game of Mah Jong Illustrated and Improve Your Mah Jong, a wide range of hands from many parts of the world has been sent to them. In this player's companion, the authors have put together a cross-filled reference guide where over 120 hands, illustrated...
    By Patricia Thompson and Betty Maloney
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Split Enz
    New Release
    Split Enz
    'My favourite band. Ever! And certainly the best dressed.' Sam Neill Split Enz were never designed to fit. Emerging from art school mischief in early-1970s New Zealand, they turned pop into surreal theatre: costume, character and melody colliding in a rock band that refused to behave like one. At the centre of that vision was Noel Crombieβ€”percussionist, performer and the...
    By Michael Dwyer and Noel Crombie
    Hardback
    $5199
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • The Artist's Way
    The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a transformative guidebook that has captivated millions, including luminaries such as Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferriss. With its profound ability to inspire and elevate, this book invites readers to embark on an enriching creative journey, fostering a deeper connection to one's artistic process and sense of purpose. The heart of Cameron's groundbreaking programme...
    By Julia Cameron
    Paperback
    $3700
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Arts & Culture lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!

The Latest at Book Hero

View all