This Beautiful Country: How Italy's Nature Shaped Its Culture and Civilisation
Author(s): Edward Cutler (Author)
- Publisher: Chelsea Green
- Publication Date: September 1, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 272 pages
- ISBN-10: 1915294762
- ISBN-13: 9781915294760
Book Description
Full of surprise and discovery,
This Beautiful Country paints an unforgettable picture of Italy heretofore unseen – one wilder than you can imagine.Italy is renowned for its antiquities, classical literature, philosophy, and modern-day culture, cuisine and fashion. What has gone largely overlooked – and undocumented, even by its people – is its unique biodiversity. Italy has the widest variety of wildlife in Europe with over 60,000 different species, and around 4,800 of these are found nowhere else on Earth. It has more grape varieties than France, more wheat that the United States, over 300 local tomatoes, and dozens of citrus and chestnut varieties.
Edward Cutler, co-founder of the Tuscany Environment Foundation, began to explore Italy’s history on his Tuscan farm. Starting with a small salamander endemic to the surrounding Apennine Mountains, he opened a trove of discoveries. Alongside a dedicated community of Italian biologists and conservation scientists, Edward traces a journey of the country’s geological past to its present-day landscape and beauty, architectural heritage and gastronomic wonders. This eye-opening guide makes a compelling case for prioritising Italian conservation and ecosystem services while highlighting the country’s profound ecological impact on Europe as a whole.
“A deep dive into how hundreds of millions of years of evolution and Earth history have shaped the beauty of modern-day Italy. This engaging and enlightening book will give you a whole new perspective on how one of the world’s most fascinating countries and cultures came to be.” Steve Brusatte, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the DinosaursEditorial Reviews
Review
‘In
This Beautiful Country, Edward Cutler describes in epic, beautiful detail the unique natural wonders of his adopted country, Italy.’ Ben Goldsmith, author of God Is an Octopus‘A deep dive into how hundreds of millions of years of evolution and Earth history have shaped the beauty of modern-day Italy. This engaging and enlightening book will give you a whole new perspective on how one of the world’s most fascinating countries and cultures came to be.’
Steve Brusatte, University of Edinburgh palaeontologist; New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs‘Probably the best book on the natural and cultural history of Italy since Pliny the Elder.’
Clive Oppenheimer, author of Mountains of Fire‘Edward traces Italy’s deep and extraordinary food and agricultural traditions, going back to its geological and evolutionary history, and shows how the land itself shaped what grows and how people eat. I’ve always known, through the work we do at Natoora, that Italy gives us more diversity, more fruits and vegetables, than anywhere else we source from. It was an instinct, yet
This Beautiful Country opened that understanding in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Reading it gave depth to a feeling I’ve carried for years, that quiet certainty of why we return to Italy again and again. For anyone interested in food, culture and the importance of biodiversity to the health of our planet, this book is a must.’ Franco Fubini, founder and CEO, Natoora; author of In Search of the Perfect Peach‘If you want to really know Italy, this beautiful, enchanting, witty book is as essential as a visit to the Uffizi or a plate of cacio e pepe in Rome. It reveals the real
bella Italia for the first time.’ Tim Flannery, author of Europe: The First 100 Million Years‘With a rigorously documented perspective,
This Beautiful Country guides readers through the immense richness of Italy’s biological and cultural diversity – species, ecosystems, landscapes, arts, customs, dialects, culinary traditions and more. It is a love letter to the country Cutler has chosen as his home, an erudite exploration across multiple disciplines, a unique field guide, and a heartfelt reflection on past human history and the present challenges of preserving this extraordinary heritage. It is also a gentle but effective call to action. Essential reading for anyone who appreciates the privilege of living in Italy.’ Luigi Boitani, professor emeritus of conservation biology, Sapienza University of Rome ‘Edward Cutler combines an art historian’s deep knowledge of Italian culture with a farmer’s understanding of its myriad landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and extraordinary biodiversity. Result? A truly original perspective on Italy.’ Helena Attlee, author of The Land Where Lemons GrowAbout the Author
British-born and educated (MA History of Art, Edinburgh), Ed has resided in Italy since 2009 where he is a dual citizen, is married to an Italian and has three children. An art historian by training, Ed has been obsessed by Italy since childhood and became a successful art dealer for several years in Milan. Ed then moved back to Rome and at the same time became a farmer in southern Tuscany, following his other passion for the countryside and nature. In 2020, along with his childhood friend Ben Goldsmith, he founded the Tuscany Environment Foundation, part of the Conservation Collective, and set about raising funds to support the best environmental initiatives in the region.
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