A review by znorgaard
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

5.0

This was a very interesting and thought provoking book.

The author is dealing with the death of her father by raising a hawk. At times this is used as an escape to the wilderness from civilization, a distraction, and even a comforting friend.

You'll learn a lot about falconry (if you don't know it already at least); however, the core of the book was a commentary on the need for a little wilderness in our lives - at least that's the message I got. It also emphasizes how our state of mind can shape the way the wilderness influences our perception. It's a feedback loop with nature drawing on our thoughts and amplifying them or providing a specific escape from them. That same escape can be uncomfortable when you're in a different mind set.

This was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.