Sightlines

by Kathleen Jamie

Book Overview

In Sightlines, Kathleen Jamie reports from the field--from her native Scottish "byways and hills" to the frigid Arctic in fourteen enthralling essays. She dissects whatever her gaze falls upon--vistas of cells beneath a hospital microscope, orcas rounding a headland, the aurora borealis lighting up the frozen sea. In so doing, she questions what, exactly, constitutes "nature," and upends the idea that it is always picturesque. Written...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 161519083X
• ISBN13: 9781615190836
• Release Date: September 2013
• Publisher: Experiment
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

A First Rate Nature Writer

Reading Sightings reminded me of the writings of Barry Lopez and Robert MacFarlane. Kathleen Jamie's depth of observation, varied experiences and range of explorations not only in Scotland but in the sky, in caves and a museum of whale skeletons are insightful and genuine. Her beginnings as a naturalist come to life through the vivid details of people and job she encounters as a youth seeking direction. There's something to keep a reader's interest on every page from landscapes to cells, from orca sightings to garnets nesting. Whether it's science, history, people, remote places, or the sea Jamie's book appeals to the adventurer in all of us.