Grounded: How soil shapes the games we play, the lives we make and the graves we lie in

Life on land could not exist without soil. Almost everything we need can be traced to the soil: food, fibre, medicines, and more. What would we be without it? Certainly not a planet worthy of the name Earth.

There are already plenty of books about agriculture, ecology or how to grow tomatoes. This book is about the other stuff. Like…

• how soil evidence can nail a murderer
• the ingredients that make a Test cricket pitch
• how the soil affects the taste of your favourite wine
• the soil microbes that could be the next wonder drug
• tips for digging a POW camp escape tunnel (disclaimer: don’t try it at home) or mounting an invasion of Normandy (ditto)
• how to be ecofriendly when you’re dead.