Beautiful Somerset is a book showcasing photographically the stunning beauty of the counties of Somerset, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset, plus the adjoining city of Bristol. Divided into six chapters, the first is a text-led overview of what this region is like, in terms of landscape, the natural environment, its towns, and the farming, fishing and tourism parts of its livelihood. Chapters 2 to 6 are photo-essays covering different parts of the county: The Mendips; The Levels; Exmoor; The Deep South; and finally Bristol and Bath. Being strongly photo-led, concentrating on the beauty of the region, and a short book, it is intended that Beautiful Somerset should appeal to anyone looking for a memento of time spent in the region, whether living there or visiting.

Nigel Hicks trained originally as a biologist, but has been a professional writer and photographer for 25 years, based mostly in Devon, southwest England. He has written and/or photographed for a string of travel, natural history and photography books, published by Dorling Kindersley, New Holland, David and Charles, Focal Press, GMC Publishing, and the Oxford-based John Beaufoy Publishing. Nigel also writes and photographs for a number of magazines. He shoots extensively for the National Geographic Image Collection, the publishing division of the USA's prestigious National Geographic Society.