Living Mountain

A Celebration of the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland

160 pages

English language

Published 2019 by Canongate Books.

ISBN:
978-1-78689-735-0
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5 stars (2 reviews)

The finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain: said a newspaper of this when it was first published. The manuscript was completed in 1944, Nan Shepherd showed it to a friend, who thought it would be tough to find a publisher.

Shepherd recevied one rejection and then left the MS in a drawer. In 1977, Aberdeen University Press printed a small edition. Later, Robert Macfarlane was introduced to it and wrote: "I read it, and was changed" in his first-rate introduction. You will be, too.

5 editions

Naturally Poetic

4 stars

Nan Shepard has this way of writing that is just so naturally poetic and unbelievably vivid. With each word, you can feel the intellect and passion behind Shepard's personality. Although this may be rather controversial (and could be for a number of factors), I think I still prefer Robert MacFarlane's literary abilities. Which, might I add, is not a critique of Shepard but is a testament to MacFarlane. There is just something about the cold, harsh terrain of Scotland that I often find somewhat less captivating than the bucolic, freshness of the South. Overall, both authors are beautifully talented and never fail to affect onto me a newfound appreciation for nature.

reviewed The living mountain by Nan Shepherd

Beautiful account of the Cairngorms

5 stars

Amazing books about the writer's relationship with the Cairngorm mountains. It's all written in beautiful language, although with long complicated sentences. The way that she views nature and how she wanders around the place is very inspiring and uplifting.

Subjects

  • Great britain, history