In a few words
A lyrical celebration of the British countryside from one of our best-known nature writers
In a few words
A lyrical celebration of the British countryside from one of our best-known nature writers
Exquisitely observed and deeply evocative, Gods of the Morning is a joyful affirmation of the changing seasons, the wonders of wildlife and the value of living close to nature. Generous, poetic and wise, John Lister-Kaye is a national treasure
Patrick Barkham
author of BADGERLANDSCompelling . . . a tour de force of forensic observation and imaginative reconstruction. The prose carries a deep, rich polish
Mark Cocker
SpectatorExquisitely observed and deeply evocative, Gods of the Morning is a joyful affirmation of the changing seasons, the wonders of wildlife and the value of living close to nature. Generous, poetic and wise, John Lister-Kaye is a national treasure
Patrick Barkham
author of BADGERLANDSCompelling . . . a tour de force of forensic observation and imaginative reconstruction. The prose carries a deep, rich polish
Mark Cocker
SpectatorMore about
the book
Winner of the Richard Jefferies Society Writers’ Prize
‘No one writes more movingly, or with such transporting poetic skill, about encounters with wild creatures. Its pages course with sympathy, humility, and wisdom’ Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk
From his home deep in a Scottish glen, John Lister-Kaye has watched and come to understand intimately the movements and habits of the animals, and in particular the birds, that inhabit the wild and magnificent Highlands. Drawing on a lifetime of observation, Gods of the Morning is his wise and affectionate celebration of the British countryside and the birds that come and go through the year. It is also a lyrical reminder of the relationship we have lost with the seasons and a call to look afresh at the natural world around us.
More about
the book
Winner of the Richard Jefferies Society Writers’ Prize
‘No one writes more movingly, or with such transporting poetic skill, about encounters with wild creatures. Its pages course with sympathy, humility, and wisdom’ Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk
From his home deep in a Scottish glen, John Lister-Kaye has watched and come to understand intimately the movements and habits of the animals, and in particular the birds, that inhabit the wild and magnificent Highlands. Drawing on a lifetime of observation, Gods of the Morning is his wise and affectionate celebration of the British countryside and the birds that come and go through the year. It is also a lyrical reminder of the relationship we have lost with the seasons and a call to look afresh at the natural world around us.
John Lister-Kaye keeps a seasoned eye on the seasonal behaviour of birds, logging unusual variations in their migration and nesting patterns, and developing a wry sense of their character . . . Though Lister-Kaye warns of the damage caused by humankind, and sometimes strikes an elegiac note, he sings full-throatedly in praise of the persistence of nature
Gods of the Morning is a rich treasury of secrets stolen from the Highlands, seen through the eyes of a great naturalist
Chris Packham
I am addicted to the writings of John Lister-Kaye. Reading this book is to be at his side on the hills of Scotland. You can practically smell the leaf mould and stare in the merlin's eyes
Joanna Lumley
This book has a beating heart. Intimate, sweetly sorrowful and sharply observed, Gods of The Morning will open hearts and minds with its blend of vitality, wonder and wisdom. This book is just what we need right now: a song that calls up and re-enchants the world in which we live. John Lister-Kaye's writing enfolds a conservation-scientist's eye with the soul of a poet. This book embodies all the cherished sounds and sights of the turning seasons and becomes a blessing, a prayer for protection
Miriam Darlington
author of OTTER COUNTRYJohn Lister-Kaye keeps a seasoned eye on the seasonal behaviour of birds, logging unusual variations in their migration and nesting patterns, and developing a wry sense of their character . . . Though Lister-Kaye warns of the damage caused by humankind, and sometimes strikes an elegiac note, he sings full-throatedly in praise of the persistence of nature
Gods of the Morning is a rich treasury of secrets stolen from the Highlands, seen through the eyes of a great naturalist
Chris Packham
I am addicted to the writings of John Lister-Kaye. Reading this book is to be at his side on the hills of Scotland. You can practically smell the leaf mould and stare in the merlin's eyes
Joanna Lumley
This book has a beating heart. Intimate, sweetly sorrowful and sharply observed, Gods of The Morning will open hearts and minds with its blend of vitality, wonder and wisdom. This book is just what we need right now: a song that calls up and re-enchants the world in which we live. John Lister-Kaye's writing enfolds a conservation-scientist's eye with the soul of a poet. This book embodies all the cherished sounds and sights of the turning seasons and becomes a blessing, a prayer for protection
Miriam Darlington
author of OTTER COUNTRY