Nan Shepherd (1893–1981) was born #OTD, 11 Feb. Recently her nature writing, & her memoir THE LIVING MOUNTAIN, has gained attention—but she was also an important #modernist novelist. Charlotte Peacock weighs her contribution to Scotland’s literary renaissance
Currently available on BBC Sounds – Robert Macfarlane celebrates Nan Shepherd’s intrepid literary spirit by embarking on an autumnal trip right into the heart of her favourite wild places in the #Cairngorms
“In Shepherd’s writing… true learning—like hill-walking—is arduous. True knowledge of the mountains is only possible through the suffering of the body brought on through the relentless motion of the feet.”
Loch A’an, Loch A’an, hoo deep ye lie!
Tell nane yer depth and nane shall I.
Bricht though yer deepmaist pit may be,
Ye’ll haunt me till the day I dee.
Bricht, an’ bricht, an’ bricht as air,
Ye’ll haunt me noo for evermair.
“At a time of global ecological crisis … her intuitive understanding of the landscape and the rhythms of nature is both a clarion call and a balm for the soul.”
—Scott Lyall on Nan Shepherd’s THE LIVING MOUNTAIN
“To aim for the highest point is not the only way to climb a mountain”
Jo Milne at Aberdeen University celebrates Nan Shepherd’s achievements as a writer of prose & poetry, an editor, & an inspiring lecturer & traveller who loved literature & landscape
What does AI have to do with bratwurst and how do you interview a blob? A look behind the scenes of my podcast and why I interview the more-than-human world.But how the hell and why do you interview a bat and a cactus? ▶️ https://www.cronenburg.net/scicomm/ @writers
This diary of autistic teen Dara McAnulty chronicles a year in his life in Northern Ireland, focussing on nature outings with his family and his naturalistic observations close to home.
Initially I felt like not enough was happening, the writing was too descriptive and at the same time too distant and repetitive. But somewhere along the way Dara's writing became a sort of comfort blanket, perfect for reading right before bed. I really enjoyed reading about Dara's passion for nature and I found myself becoming more observant on my own hikes because of it. What I maybe loved even more was the way Dara writes about his family; it is clear how much they all love each other.
Ponies tells the story of Shetland ponies & the people who love them. Based on my PhD research, and journey to live in Shetland, it reflects on how our relationship with others, human, animal and landscape, affect how we feel at home in a place
Book 4 of my summer reading pile. The Condor's Feather by Michael Webster.
It's a #travelogue, a genre I only occasionally enjoy as I often find it a bit clunky. But it is also a love story, a gorgeous elegy to #Birds, to #SouthAmerica, to the strength offered by a loving relationship + to the power of #nature to heal trauma. It certainly made me re-evaluate how I spend my time on earth.
A quiet recommendation in its genre, a book to savour. #bookstodon#SummerReadingChallenge#NatureWriting
PodcastData counts 4,205,339 #podcasts.😲 That's why I don't feel bad about pausing my #podcast without notice.
The cancer of my dog Bilbo has left me completely out of the lurch in my creative work. There's plenty of competition for you to listen to.
It is publication day for the paperback edition of my book.
Ponies at the Edge of the World tells the story of Shetland ponies and the people who love them. Based on my PhD research, and journey to live in Shetland, it reflects on how our relationship with others, human, animal and landscape, affect how we feel at home in a place. #Shetland#Shetlandpony#book#naturewriting#anthropology#horses
As we're heading towards the end of the swift season I finally got round to reading this. It's an interesting read and at its most engaging when the author is meeting passionate conservationists from across Europe on their home ground, in places like Switzerland, Northern Ireland and Spain.
I did occasionally feel that it could have done with a tighter structure but it's a good introduction to the birds and the challenges they face.
"Peat is a good storyteller. It preserves atmospheric fallout – pollen and spores, dust, volcanic ash, pollutants – and the larger remains of insects, plants (including tree roots, trunks and branches) and animals once living on or near the peatland."
I've written before that when the (wood) thrush arrives in late spring it marks an important time for me. Last week I had a pretty amazing moment when it seemed like a thrush was literally changing the season from spring to summer. I wrote about it, in verse and a made-up mythology, here:
I wanted to try something different and write about the same event but in three different styles: poetry, prose, and myth-making/storytelling. I'm way outside of my comfort zone here but I'd like to write more like this I think. It's kinda fun if not extremely challenging.
Are you a scientist who's active on Mastodon and does research in #ornithology, #ecology, #naturalhistory, or a related field? I want to follow you - please reply and introduce yourself! (And please share so this reaches more people!)