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nikkimcgee's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully observed and written, particularly the sections focused on the wildlife and scenery. I found myself looking up animals and birds as they were featured and I could feel myself walking and quietly observing with the author. As someone who is quite a solitary person who also enjoys just walking on my own, soaking up the world around me I loved certain essays.
However I did skip certain essays that were very focused in ther family or Edinburgh, I think I prefer animals to people! Having said this the paragraphs describing a visit to an old people's home were particularly insightful.
A good relaxing almost meditative book for those so us that like solitude.
However I did skip certain essays that were very focused in ther family or Edinburgh, I think I prefer animals to people! Having said this the paragraphs describing a visit to an old people's home were particularly insightful.
A good relaxing almost meditative book for those so us that like solitude.
sharon_geitz's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful, lyrical, writing, a lesson in observation and mindfulness. A great read.
redwavereads's review against another edition
2.0
There simply wasn’t any narrative in this to follow and the writing didn’t speak to me. There is so much prosaic fluff about ordinary things in this. It felt like Jamie sometimes just tried to make the mundanest things sound like significant experiences by loading them with atmospheric words. Didn’t work for me. And the jumps were harsh at times. I felt lost, didn’t know why I was reading the part at that specific time. Couldn’t see the connection. I missed a narrative structure or some underlying principle - hell, some introductory words at the beginning of the chapter would have helped this book imo.
Obviously there are many people who adore this, so don’t just take my word for it.
Obviously there are many people who adore this, so don’t just take my word for it.
steadybaum's review against another edition
3.0
Solid collection of essays and prose about sites in Scotland. Some essays where riveting and thought-provoking but I found others to be more travel-journalism and NPR (Or BBC if your British) edition stories than poetry-prose pieces. Nevertheless, still a great read.
stewart_monckton's review against another edition
5.0
This is a gentle book, which explores aspects of both the natural and man-made environments. Scottish to the core, but with an eye for things that are more world-wide, Kathleen Jamie has a wonderful turn of phrase and a eye for detail.
If you like contemplative, slow moving, walks through interesting places then this may be the book for you. There are no major cliffs to be scales, no desperate snowy landscapes, just accessible places where most readers could walk, but most probably wont.
The contemplation of darkness, peregrines, the endless call of invisible corncrakes and a collection of preserved anatomical specimens all provide a landscape for exploration. (With this last topic being, surprisingly, one of the best sections in the book).
I don’t think this book says anything particularly new, but it does use some rather wonderful prose to explore familiar ground.
Highly recommended.
If you like contemplative, slow moving, walks through interesting places then this may be the book for you. There are no major cliffs to be scales, no desperate snowy landscapes, just accessible places where most readers could walk, but most probably wont.
The contemplation of darkness, peregrines, the endless call of invisible corncrakes and a collection of preserved anatomical specimens all provide a landscape for exploration. (With this last topic being, surprisingly, one of the best sections in the book).
I don’t think this book says anything particularly new, but it does use some rather wonderful prose to explore familiar ground.
Highly recommended.
clairewords's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favourite nature writers, her poetry and her essays are very comforting to settle into and her subtle connections between the world of humans and nature, often as elusive as a random bird or moth sighting itself.
Read my full review here at Word by Word.
Read my full review here at Word by Word.
late_stranger's review against another edition
4.0
This book grew on me as it went, for sure. As a resident, I particularly liked the two chapters on Edinburgh, Surgeons Hall and Sightlines. I'm really looking forward to reading her next nature book, also called Sightlines, I think.
talistree's review against another edition
Some people have such a beautiful way of describing and observing the world.