Mr Derek William Niemann

I am a freelance writer and editor specialising in natural history. In 2012, I interrupted a career writing about bees and butterflies to begin researching and writing a family history story that became A Nazi in the Family (Short Books, 2015), based on the SS grandfather I never knew. My other non-fiction books are Birds in a Cage (Short Books, 2011), telling the story of four Prisoner of War birdwatchers in World War II and A Tale of Trees: The battle to save Britain’s ancient woodland (Short Books, 2016). I am a country diary columnist for the Guardian with more than 400 articles to my name, and a regular magazine feature writer and have written more wildlife books for adults and children than I can remember.