The Earth Moved: On the remarkable achievements of earthworms - Tapa dura

Each page reveals a new fact about our soil-dwelling friends ... It's not all facts and figures though. The author tells a gripping story of her growing fascination with these creatures, which shape our very existence as they work their way through the soil on which we all depend (BBC Gardeners' World)

She writes illuminatingly of all the things about which one had only a vague notion: the earthworm's hermaphroditic status, its ability to regenerate section of its body if cut, its capacity to find food without the senses of smell, sight or hearing (Ursula Buchan Spectator)

An ideal read for anyone with the slightest interest in worms, gardening or the environment - fun, light-hearted, fascinating and informative all at the same time (Gardening Which)

The august Charles Darwin devoted the last years of his life to the meticulous study of one animal: the earthworm. It may be small, spineless and blind, but its role in the ecosystem is profound. It tills the soil, destroys microscopic organisms that cause plant disease, breaks down toxins and turns the ground into rich compost, creating the most fertile areas on earth. In a witty and offbeat encomium to this humble creature, Amy Stewart weaves her own back garden investigations with those of the eccentric oligochaetologists who have made the close study of worms their personal obsession. From the legendary giant Australian worm that burrows up to 15 feet below the ground to the modest nightcrawler that inspired Darwin to write his last book, The Earth Moves finally gives worms their due and exposes the hidden and extraordinary universe below our feet.