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 Moved finally gives worms their due and exposes the hidden and extraordinary universe below our feet.

A good read 12 months of the year ...