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The Living Mountain
- A Celebration of the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland
- Narrated by: Tilda Swinton, Robert MacFarlane, Jeanette Winterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins
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The Living Mountain
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Summary
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.
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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What listeners say about The Living Mountain
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Natalie
- 28-01-20
Exquisite
I plan to trek in the Cairn Gorm now.....it will be my second trip! as I've just finished my first trip with Nan Shepard.
So vivid was this journey into the living mountain that I feel so much more relaxed after the book, as one would after a beautiful holiday immersed in nature.
It took a little while to get onto the rhythm of the book, as it takes one time to get into the rhythm of a good trek into the mountains, but worth persisting, the rewards will be many.
The afterword by Jeanette Winterson on the essence of reading is so pertinent today that it alone deserves a review...5 stars , of course.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew T
- 29-09-22
A classic
The book itself is an excellent piece, and although written nearly 80 years ago it’s very relevant today.
While the reading by Tilda Swinton is very good, I would have preferred it to have been by someone Scottish to better reflect the author.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- sue Sargent
- 02-09-21
marvelous
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.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Stephen
- 26-04-20
Just listen!!
I've known about this book, thanks to Robert McFarlane's work, and have a a copy for several years that I've not "got round to". Jan Morris's tweet about the audiobook sent me looking for it. I was not disappointed, Tilda's narration means you could feel as if you were there in the Cairmcorms with Nan. The forewords and afterwords were a lovely touch and very much rounded of the whole experience. As reading is very much a personal experience it's nice to have someone to talk about it with
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- Alison Chapman
- 13-01-22
A must-listen book
Beautiful, evocative writing, beautifully read. it transports the reader to the mountains and beyond, to both outside and inside.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- A Alvarez
- 19-01-22
Glorious!
The most gorgeous prose, absolutely enchanting I loved it. Exquisite and intimate detail, beautifully read.
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- jnowlrose
- 17-07-21
Fabulous portrayal of a mountain love affair
Well narrated and beautifully written the book is well expanded upon via the foreword and afterwords
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Fiona
- 10-05-23
A real connection to what matters
This book is a delight to the soul, if a little dry at the beginning, it then proceeds to open up to all the juicy and delicious sensations that only feeling nature by body and soul can provide. Sensation-al.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Bunnyhunt
- 09-03-20
A remarkable book !
I have a treasured copy of this book which I return to again and again for comfort and inspiration. Tilda Swinton was the perfect choice to produce the audible version and I will treasure this as much as the paperback. In this age of mass tourism where we feel the need to go everywhere and see everything this book is a lesson in how to slow down and really experience the world around us .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Manonim
- 24-03-21
Stunning
A beautifully written and engaging book, which is wonderfully narrated; an enrapturing log of awe, beauty and senses
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