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 fifteen feet below the ground
to the modest nightcrawler that inspired Darwin to write his
last book and Amy Stewart's own collection of red wrigglers, The
Earth Moves finally gives worms their due and exposes the hidden
and extraordinary universe below our feet. Frances Lincoln
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