New York, NY: Harper Collins (May 14, 2024)

Hardback.

New in dust jacket.

A passionate love story about nature that inspires readers to reclaim their inner wildness—the debut adult nonfiction book from the naturalist, filmmaker, creator, and star of the Oscar-winning documentary, My Octopus Teacher

“Amphibious Soul is an important book. . . . This book isn't about learning how to be wild but rather a guide to recognizing and reconnecting with the wild in and around us. It is a book that will inspire hope.”—Jane Goodall

An adventure story, love story, travelogue, naturalist memoir, and spiritual guide, Craig Foster's Amphibious Soul is a scientist and adventurer’s perspective on “rewilding”—developing a deep connection to our animal selves that can reinvigorate our lives. Told in Craig’s warm and passionate voice, this extraordinary book will change not only the way we interact with the natural world, but the way we fundamentally see ourselves.

A decade ago, living in a city and feeling exhausted and empty, Craig decided to return to his birthplace—the Cape of Good Hope—and dive into the great African Sea forest each day. His daily oceanic adventures not only helped him “rewild”, but helped him come to see his own “amphibious soul” as a powerful metaphor for the human condition. We homo sapiens are by nature wild animals attempting to exist in a docile world. So how can we reclaim our wildness in a world that wants us to stay so tamed?

An extraordinary literary work, Amphibious Soul is a riveting narrative filled with meticulous descriptions of an adventure in the natural world that speaks to readers on an intimate level, challenging us to consider our personal relationship to nature, and inspiring us to realign our daily practices to help save the global ecosystem. Whether we live close to nature or in an urban jungle, Craig shows us how to nurture our individual wildness, tap into our empathy, and deepen our love for all living things. He teaches us to track the wild around us, and by doing so become present in the moment and revel in being wondrously alive.

Featuring breathtaking original photos and QR codes that access mini-videos of never-seen-before animal interactions, Amphibious Soul is a remarkable experience, in the same spirit as Underland, An Immense World, and Braiding Sweetgrass, that will transform us and ultimately our world.

Craig Foster is one of the world’s leading natural history filmmakers and co-founder of the Sea Change Project. He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary for My Octopus Teacher, and has created over 100 films and documentaries in addition to his photography. He lives in South Africa.