At the Water's Edge: A Personal Quest for Wildness

A captivating exploration of the natural world by a respected nature writer draws delightfully unexpected connections and encourages readers to rediscover natural surroundings for themselves For the last 30 years nature writer John Lister-Kaye has taken the same circular walk from his home deep in a Scottish glen up to a small lake. Each day brings a new observation or an unexpected encounter—a fragile spider’s web, an osprey struggling to lift a trout from the water, or a woodcock exquisitely camouflaged on her nest—and every day, on his return home, he records his thoughts in a journal. Drawing on this lifetime of close observation, John Lister-Kaye encourages a second look at nature and discovery of its wildness. He also forges wonderful connections between the most unlikely subjects, from photosynthesis and the energy cycle to Norse mythology, weasels, and the overpopulation of the planet. At the Water’s Edge is a lyrical hymn to wildlife and a powerful warning to respect and protect it.