“….a book of folk tales tailor-made for 21st century environmentalists….“
Jini Reddy, Resurgence & Ecologist, on Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland
My Folk Tales books are available from all good booksellers. If you’d like to order signed copies of the books directly from me, drop me a line.
England is a maritime nation. Our folklore and history is peppered with tall tales of the high seas: mysteries of the great ocean, the unknown world beneath the surface of the salt sea, and the liminal coast where the sea-gods meet our lives on the land.
Here is a collection of traditional folk tales from the coasts and seas of England. Lisa Schneidau retells the old stories with a contemporary twist: dragons and monsters, sailor heroes and ghost ships, mermaids and shapeshifters. Immerse yourself in these salty sea stories, and learn about England’s heritage, magic and relationship to the mysterious ocean world that surrounds us.
English Folk Tales of Coast and Sea is published on 17th October 2024, in hardback (£14.99) and ebook by the History Press, and in audiobook format narrated by Lisa, available from most audiobook platforms. David Wyatt has once again provided stunning cover illustrations.
See ‘Calendar’ for related book events and talks. If you would like to order a signed copy of the book directly from me, drop me a line.
Rivers and streams sculpt our landscape. They give us water and food, trade and transport, yet they have a life-force all of their own. Rivers have connected our communities throughout history, from mountain to estuary and to the wide sea beyond.
This is a collection of traditional folk tales from the wild rivers, lakes, and streams of Britain and Ireland. Lisa Schneidau retells old stories of danger and transformation, river goddesses, ghosts and mysterious creatures that dwell in our islands’ watery arteries. Follow the flow of our rivers from source to sea and be enchanted by these stories. Here is history and nature told through folk tale.
River Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is published by the History Press, priced £12.99. David Wyatt has again provided the stunning cover artwork. The book is also available in e-book (Kindle) format.
Once upon a time, most of Britain and Ireland was covered in woodland. Many of the trees have been cleared, but our connection with the wildwood remains. It is a place of danger, adventure and transformation, where anything could happen.
Woodland Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is a collection of traditional folk tales of oak, ash and thorn, hunting forests and rebellion, timber and triumph in battle, wild ghosts and woodwoses. Lisa Schneidau retells some of the old stories and relates them to the trees and forests in the landscape of our islands today. These stories are essential reading for all those who feel a pull towards the wild in our landscape, and at the edge of our lives.
Woodland Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is published by the History Press, priced £12.99. The stunning cover artwork is by David Wyatt. It is also available in e-book (Kindle) and audiobook format, narrated by me.
There’s more musings on woodland folk tales here.
Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is a story journey through the growing year, with folk tales of the land and the wild trees and plants that surround us through the seasons, in countryside, town and city.
A lot has been written about modern and historical British plant folklore. Most of this is fragmented: for example, we know that the elder tree has always been associated with witchcraft, or that nettles should be grasped by the stem. I’ve searched for the traditional tales about our plants, and how their stories are intertwined with ours.
I’d like this book to be a valuable resource for experienced and new storytellers alike, and for it to be used in the field by environmental education organizations and practitioners such as Wildlife Trusts and Forest School. These stories are part of our heritage; what better than to share them, telling them in the wilds, surrounded by the plants themselves?
Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland is published by the History Press, priced at £9.99. The stunning cover artwork is by David Wyatt. It’s also available in e-book (Kindle) format and in audiobook.
You can read a review of Botanical Folk Tales by Jini Reddy in Resurgence & Ecologist here, as well as a podcast about the book. The Folklore Podcast has an episode about Botanical Folk Tales here.
Still collecting stories!
I’m still collecting folk tales and stories about nature and the land. If you know of local or traditional stories about nature from any part of Britain or Ireland, and you would be happy for them to be shared, then I’d love to hear from you. Please send me a few details using the contact form on this site.