Nature writer Ranjit Lal squinted through his binoculars on his balcony one day, and spotted a coppersmith barbet in the city. He thought it looked like an inebriated clown, as it went around hiccupping. This made him wonder about the other species of birds, and led him towards studying the natural world more profoundly. He has over 40 books to his credit, several of which highlight fascinating tales about the animal kingdom, the world of trees, birds, and the harmony of bees.

In his new book, Our Potpourri Planet (HarperCollins Publishers India), Lal introduces us to the beauty of this world. At the same time, he reassesses our actions and shows us the cracks that emanate from them. He tells us, “This book had an agenda: Climate change and global warming. The book had to be as positive as the subject would allow it to be. So, I had to keep that in mind while writing it.”