Peter Fiennes

Peter Fiennes is the author of four critically acclaimed works of nonfiction. His first book, To War with God: The Army Chaplain Who Lost his Faith (2011), tells the story of his grandfather’s time as a chaplain on the Western Front. Oak and Ash and Thorn: The Ancient Woods and New Forests of Britain (2017) was a Guardian nature book of the year and explored the magic and mystery of our woods, as well as their precarious state. He followed with two books of literary travel that look at our troubled relationship with the planet. Footnotes: A Journey Round Britain in the Company of Great Writers (2019) was a Guardian travel book of the year and shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Memoir of the Year. Peter followed in the footsteps of twelve inspirational (or sometimes aggravating) authors, ranging from Enid Blyton to Charles Dickens, in an attempt to understand modern Britain through their books, journals and diaries. His most recent book, A Thing of Beauty: Travels in Mythical and Modern Greece (2021), retells and unravels some of the most famous Greek myths, in the places where they emerged, and looks for modern resonances.

Peter worked for Time Out for almost twenty-five years as a writer, editor and publisher. He oversaw their award-winning city and travel guides, as well as launching and running the Time Out website. He is a director of the annual Urban Tree Festival. He lives in London.