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To Have or To Hold

Nature's Hidden Relationships

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To Have or To Hold

By: Sophie Pavelle
Narrated by: Sophie Pavelle
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Bloomsbury presents To Have To Have or To Hold: Nature's Hidden Relationships, written and read by Sophie Pavelle

A thrilling exploration of nature’s symbiotic relationships, some comforting and familiar, others wildly alien, by the award-winning author of Forget Me Not.

What can nature teach us about living together? Investigating eight symbiotic relationships trying to survive the climate and biodiversity crises, Sophie Pavelle explains why it has never been more vital for us to understand symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships regulate ecosystems, strengthen resilience and bind pivotal connections.

Species living together in symbiosis is no accident – these dynamics evolved. Species form and sever alliances everywhere, from deep within temperate rainforests to the open ocean, quiet tidal pools or chalk grasslands, and nature thrives on relationships as glamorous as they are grotesque and as bizarre as they are engrossing.

In To Have or To Hold, Sophie relishes the interconnectedness between species and celebrates the relationships that underpin natural environments. Low-carbon travelling around the British Isles, she presents nature’s frauds, fortune-tellers, misfits and cheaters.

The natural world is built on parasitism, a cunning blend of bargaining and exploitation in the name of survival. In our relationship with the natural world, are we the parasites? Will we continue to exploit nature’s resources? Or will we vow to love and cherish what remains – shaping a more restorative life alongside nature – till death us do part?©2025 Sophie Pavelle (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ecology Environment Natural Resources Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Habitat Survival
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Critic reviews

"Engaging and eloquent"
“A terrific book; heavyweight and serious without ever losing its lightness of touch. It pulses with energy, perception and passion for the living world – and for the lessons and wonder it holds.”
"From fungi and shellfish to oak trees, ants and solitary bees, Pavelle offers a bracing tour of the complex web of interconnections which support and give life to the natural world. Her knowledge is exhaustive and is accompanied by beautiful, lively storytelling."
“A beautiful and fascinating exploration of a crucial subject – symbiosis – that will help you to see the world in a new light. This book is lucid, uplifting and delightful.”
“Pavelle’s sheer enthusiasm for nature ensures this is an attractive survey of a complex topic. The eight case studies that make up the book are fascinating for their own sake, but also enlightening as microcosms of how ecosystems function – and how [they] will be degraded by climate breakdown.”
“This miraculous book completely blindsided me. I raced through its pages as though reading a beautifully written thriller, while learning so much about things I never knew existed. Scholarly and funny, it is breathtaking and compulsive reading. It is a masterpiece, and a paeon of praise for the intricate nature of life.”
"A clarion call for our own species to rediscover its vital relationship with nature."
"Joyful, hilarious and energetic, To Have or To Hold is filled with infectious enthusiasm for life in all its strange wonders. From mint-sauce worms to tree lungwort, from parasites to symbiotic throuples, this is a glorious guide to coupling in the animal, plant and fungal kingdoms."
"A vital, informative and extremely well-researched nonfiction book that reads like an adventure story."
"Chunky and detailed, yet refreshingly playful ... There are surprises at every turn as [Pavelle] delves into wondrous and messy relationships involving a cast of unsung species that we tend to overlook."
"Sophie Pavelle’s exciting new book is about symbiosis, how things work together and the amazing interconnected web of life. She is one of the best nature writers of our time, and her ability to engage us, and to make readers giggle and feel empowered and motivated to do something is like no other. This is an absolute masterpiece."
"Sophie Pavelle's voice and humour are a delight throughout."
“Mastering her unique style of drawing the reader, conspiratorially, into her research, Sophie Pavelle takes us on a deep and brave dive to the heart of the world's precarious and delicate balance. Showing us "the things we could do" to redress and reverse humanity's negative impact on our natural world, her voice is strong and true and imperative to our times.”
All stars
Most relevant
Sophie is an exceptional talent, a wonderful wordsmith and narrator, her use of language, both written and oral, is truly beautiful and completely entrancing. To Have Or To Hold is a faultless follow up to Forget Me Not. Highly recommended.

Fabulous!

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I really enjoyed this book. Handles a complex subject with a light and thoughtful touch.

great listening

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once again Sophie has come up with a gem of a book, thought provoking, accessible and narrated with a light touch that makes it a joy to listen to. Each chapter takes you into a different world of symbiosis in the natural world but never gets bogged down with too much scientific detail. Just enough for the listener to understand and appreciate these little worlds that go on largely unseen but are part of the varied and crucial natural world that surrounds us.

eye opening account of a mostly hidden world

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The author takes a series of unfamiliar, seemingly uncharismatic, but local (to the UK) examples of symbiosis and weaves a fascinating web of facts and interpretations around them. I liked the combination of scientific rigor and inventive, energetic and at times poetic use of language. I will seek out lungwort lichen and see it in a new light on future walks in Devon. Pavelle is a new talent in nature writing.

The contagious fascination of lichen, worms orchids and ants.

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