The Living Mountain cover art

The Living Mountain

A Celebration of the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland

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The Living Mountain

By: Nan Shepherd, Robert Macfarlane, Jeanette Winterson
Narrated by: Tilda Swinton, Robert MacFarlane, Jeanette Winterson
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About this listen

In this masterpiece of nature writing, beautifully narrated by Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton, 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 30 years before it was finally published.

©2019 Nan Shepherd (P)2019 Canongate Books Ltd Anthologies & Short Stories Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Short Stories Inspiring Heartfelt Classics

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Critic reviews

"The finest book ever written on nature and landscape in Britain." (Guardian)

"Reading [The Living Mountain] seems to me to explain why reading is so important. And odd. And necessary. And not like anything else. There is no substitute for reading." (Jeanette Winterson)

"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)
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A wonderful listen, which is more like beautiful poetry. Definetly a book to listen to again and find new elements to enjoy.

Mesmerising

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Through this book you explore the idea that there is more to the mountain than just the summit. It explores all possible ways that you can enjoy being with the mountain whilst climbing or walking.

Downside of this audiobook is the afterword that is just over an hour. seemed like pointless time filler.

Also would have been nice the reader to have a Scottish accent for authenticity. But thats not a complaint

Thought provoking

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One of the touchstone works that inspired the contemporary writers on nature and our connections to it and within it. As explored in Robert Macfarlane’s afterword, Shepherd moves beyond the need to scale hills, to categorise and own them through objective facts to something more intra connected to the mystery of being human and in the world. I imagine Shepherd would have been considered an outsider in mountaineering circles given the legacy of Victorian scale and conquer perspectives. She offers a different way of being in the mountains, much more reflective, soulful and comfortable in not finding fully resolved understanding. The mystery remains. Excellent vocal performances and the additional essays by Macfarlane and Winterston are gems in their own right. This is a must for anyone who loves the new strain of nature writing of people like RM, Helen Macdonald and Mellisa Harrison.

A welcome corrective to the Munro bagging mindset.

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I cannot recommend this book enough, I've had the actual book for a long time but decided to listen to it instead. the narration by Tilda swinton was perfect, her voice very soothing. the descriptions of nature, animals, plants, walk etc just felt like I was there.... wonderful.

marvelous

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I cannot exaggerate how much I enjoyed listening to this book, as a result of both the captivating, precise and transporting manner in which Nan Shepherd writes, and the perfectly measured, cool and sensitive narration by Tilda Swinton. A pairing made in heaven. Robert MacFarlane's afterword is a wonderful summary of all the reasons why The Living Mountain is such an exquisite example of nature writing. I can't recommend it enough.

Outstanding writing, brilliantly narrated

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