The Living Mountain - Canons (Paperback)
Nan Shepherd (author), Robert Macfarlane (author of introduction), Jeanette Winterson (afterword)Published: 18/08/2011

Written during the Second World War, The Living Mountain describes the incredible journeys Shepherd made into the regal Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland in a powerful meditation on the solace and strength to be found in the wilderness.
'Most works of mountain literature are written by men, and most of them focus on the goal of the summit. Nan Shepherd's aimless, sensual exploration of the Cairngorms is bracingly different' - Robert Macfarlane
In this masterpiece of nature writing, Nan Shepherd describes her journeys into the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland. There she encounters a world that can be breathtakingly beautiful at times and shockingly harsh at others.
Her intense, poetic prose explores and records the rocks, rivers, creatures and hidden aspects of this remarkable landscape. Shepherd spent a lifetime in search of the 'essential nature' of the Cairngorms; her quest led her to write this classic meditation on the magnificence of mountains, and on our imaginative relationship with the wild world around us.
Composed during the Second World War, the manuscript of The Living Mountain lay untouched for more than thirty years before it was finally published.
Publisher: Canongate Books
ISBN: 9780857861832
Number of pages: 160
Weight: 113 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 9 mm
Edition: Main - Canons Imprint Re-issue
MEDIA REVIEWS
'The finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain' - The Guardian
'Most works of mountain literature are written by men, and most of them focus on the goal of the summit. Nan Shepherd's aimless, sensual exploration of the Cairngorms is bracingly different' - Robert Macfarlane
'A masterpiece... Amongst the greatest works of nature writing to come out of Britain' - Chitra Ramaswamy' - The Scotsman
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“The Poetic Beauty of the Cairngorms”
With a wonderfully poetic prose style Nan Shepherd has really captured the beauty of the rugged landscapes. If you love the mountains, and the Cairngorms in particular, this is a book for you. I can't praise it... More

“As clear as the mountain air”
I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for about five years now and for some reason just never got around to reading it, but now that I read a lot of children’s books I always like to read a more serious book as a... More
“Nature writing at its most beautiful and best”
A perfect book for mountain lovers who are now grounded. A sensuous essay through which Nan explores her love of the Cairngorms. Reading this transports you to a deeply natural and timeless world of harsh beauty.
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