THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN: A MOUNTAINEER’S TALE BY W.H. MURRAY
‘The memorial Murray deserves. Like a Highland sunset, his talent flared in glory one final time.’ – The Guardian
Introduced to climbing in his early twenties, Murray found his connection with the outdoors deeply influenced by both his time spent scaling mountains and the periods in between. However, his Scottish climbing ventures were abruptly halted by the onset of the Second World War, during which he endured three years as a prisoner of war under Nazi captivity. Despite the adversity, these years became a period of intense philosophical contemplation for Murray, during which he also embarked on the remarkable feat of penning his seminal work, ‘Mountaineering in Scotland’, not once, but twice, using nothing more than toilet paper. The act of writing about mountains served to further fuel Murray’s fervour for scaling them. Upon his return to Scotland, he began the fight to conserve the wild places that motivated him. From spearheading the John Muir Trust to advocating for forest conservation, Murray’s writing carries a philosophical depth and an infectious admiration for Scotland’s rugged wilderness, a must-read for anyone for whom the mountains are still a source of wonder.
FINDINGS BY KATHLEEN JAMIE
‘A book of unparalleled beauty, sharpness of observation, wit, delicacy, strength of vision and rare exactness of language.’ — Daily Telegraph
Kathleen Jamie, an acclaimed poet, possesses a keen insight into the natural world and landscapes of Scotland, coupled with a sharp understanding of our domestic realities. In her work “Findings”, she skillfully weaves together these themes unlike any other contemporary writer. Whether she’s tracing the flight of a peregrine falcon in the hills of Fife, navigating through the darkness of a winter solstice in the Orkney islands, or contemplating the remains of a whale on a windswept Hebridean shore, Jamie constructs a nuanced and contemporary narrative, uniquely attuned to her surroundings and interconnectedness with them.
THE DUN COW RIB: A VERY NATURAL CHILDHOOD BY JOHN LISTER-KAYE
‘John Lister-Kaye is Scotland’s high priest of nature writing; it’s charming and moving to wander along with him… The Dun Cow Rib is a loving book’ – The Times
John Lister-Kaye’s lifetime has been dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and admiration of the British landscape and its diverse wildlife. His memoir, “The Dun Cow Rib”, serves as a poignant narrative of a young boy’s enchantment with the natural world. Lister-Kaye fondly reminisces about his idyllic childhood holidays, filled with joyful escapades of chasing birds and small creatures through hedgerows and ditches, tending pigeons in the loft, and tracking foxes along the garden’s edge. These experiences became the foundation for his dual passions: the exploration of nature’s wonders and the art of writing about them. Interwoven throughout his adventures, from his relocation to the Scottish Highlands to his involvement in establishing the renowned Aigas Field Centre, is a heartfelt tribute to his extraordinary mother and a wise, affectionate homage to Britain’s breathtaking natural landscape.
A RIVER RUNS THROUGH ME: A LIFE OF SALMON FISHING IN SCOTLAND BY ANDREW DOUGLAS-HOME
‘Considerably more than the sum of its parts…’ – Country Life
In the pages of “A River Runs Through Me”, Andrew Douglas-Home crafts a captivating tale set against the ever-shifting rhythms of Scotland’s River Tweed, chronicling a lifelong bond with one of its most revered inhabitants: the Atlantic salmon. With a blend of vivid anecdotes and familial recollections, Douglas-Home offers a narrative that is both warmly familiar and subtly humorous, centering around this remarkable fish and the river that cradles it. Across the decades, amidst youthful escapades and memorable catches, intertwine tales of one of Scotland’s oldest families – narratives of politics, camaraderie, and a deep commitment to the stewardship of the natural world. This reflective and insightful work not only reminisces about age-old traditions but also looks ahead, contemplating the actions necessary to safeguard the future of Atlantic salmon and their habitats. With its rich tapestry of storytelling, it serves as an ideal companion for aficionados of angling and admirers of Scotland’s natural beauty alike.
