I'm thrilled to have won the @BritishEcolSoc 2026 Book of the Year Award with my debut nonfiction book The World Beneath our Feet! This award is given to the book that has had/ or is expected to have the greatest influence on the science of ecology in any two-year period.
I'm absolutely buzzing, particularly since the book has only been out for a month in the UK and releases in the US in two days!
Quoting the BES press release:
"The World Beneath Our Feet takes readers on a journey, from freshly fallen plant litter, down through the topsoil, and finally into the permanently dark, undisturbed underworld of the subsoil. Along the way we meet some of the world’s strangest inhabitants and learn about the important roles they play in supporting us and the natural world, from nutrient cycling to agriculture and carbon storage.
Hefin Jones, a BES Marsh Ecology Book of the Year judge said: ‘Frank Ashwood’s The World Beneath Our Feet is an engaging and accessible exploration of soil biodiversity and its importance to ecosystems and human society. Its major strength is in Ashwood’s ability to communicate complex ecological processes through vivid descriptions of the largely unseen organisms that sustain soils.’
Ken Thompson, another BES Marsh Ecology Book of the Year judge, said: ‘There are jaw-dropping facts on every page and throughout the book, Ashwood’s narrative is greatly enlivened by his personal encounters with soil life. These adventures lend his text an immediacy and excitement that makes for an entertaining read.’"
Why not pick yourself up a copy of the book, and see what all the fuss is about!
