From Deb at Readerbuzz: “This week choose a book that reflects a journey for its author or for the reader or both. This can be a physical journey, an emotional, psychological or spiritual journey or a combination of these. Any nonfiction title that leaves its author/protagonist and/or reader in a different place at the end from the start point is good for this challenge. Week 2 will be hosted by Frances at volatilerune.blog.”
My pick for this week is Nightwalking by John Lewis-Stempel. I love all of his nature writing, and this one was appealing to me because I love to be outside alone at night. I don’t take night walks alone sadly, but I love to just go sit quietly in the darkness. I love the stillness and the silence, and just the night I guess. So when I saw this book by one of my favorite authors I knew I had to read it.
I don’t ever see anything cool where I am. I long to see a fox run through my yard, but that has not happened yet. Well, I take that back. We do usually get possums in our yard and I do love possums.
The summary for this one: “At night, the normal rules of Nature do not apply. In the night-wood I have met a badger coming the other way, tipped my cap, said hello. The animals do not expect us humans to be abroad in the dark, which is their time, when the world still belongs to them.
That was in winter. The screaming of a tawny owl echoed off the bare trees. For all of our street-lamp civilization, you can still hear the call of the wild. If, if, you go out after the decline of the day…
As the human world settles down each evening, nocturnal animals prepare to take back the countryside. Taking readers on four walks through the four seasons, acclaimed nature writer and farmer John Lewis-Stempel reveals a world bursting with life and normally hidden from view. Out beyond the cities, it is still possible to see the night sky full of stars, or witness a moonbow, an arch of white light in the heavens.
It is time for us to leave our lairs and go tramping. To join our fellow creatures of the night.”
My little review from when I read it:
“Night is for imagining.” A beautiful, atmospheric, nature and wonder filled read, full of magic hidden in every encounter with the wild. Foxes, hares, owls, badger, the teeny little hedgehogs are Lewis-Stempel’s companions in these nighttime perambulations (and of course a dog or two) and this accounting of four walks through the different seasons lets us all live a bit vicariously through his eyes.
This book is a slow walk through a dark wood, through all the seasons, through the eyes of an author who loves nature. It is a wonderful, quick read.
I don’t know this book — your review makes it sound quite wonderful.
This sounds fascinating! Although I tend to wander during the day, I occasionally find myself wandering at night, and I have met my share of night time creatures including skunks and coyotes.
We are pretty lucky we not only get to see all sorts of waterfowl, song birds, and birds of prey throughout the day but we often do see foxes and deer too. I’ve even heard lots of neighbors talking about bears but I haven’t seen one with my own eyes around here. That is one that I would not want to see when I’m out walking though.