The Story of My Heart

The Story of My Heart is a book by Richard Jefferies, first published in 1883. Blending autobiography with nature writing and spiritual reflection, Jefferies offers a deeply personal meditation on his inner life and his yearning for a more profound connection with the natural world. Rather than a conventional memoir, this work reads as an expression of Jefferies’ "soul-life," a term he uses to describe his intense emotional and spiritual response to nature, beauty, and the universe itself.

He moves beyond the mere observation of landscapes to explore the emotional resonance of the natural world, seeking a transcendental experience that lifts him above the material concerns of daily life. The book emerged during the Victorian era, a time of rapid industrialisation and scientific advancement, which makes Jefferies' longing for spiritual renewal through nature all the more poignant. His writing anticipates many themes later taken up by environmental and philosophical thinkers, and his work has influenced both literary naturalists and modern ecological writers. The Story of My Heart remains a timeless appeal for harmony between humanity and nature, speaking to readers who seek depth and meaning in the natural environment and in their own internal landscapes.