Gods of the Morning

'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.

Winner of Richard Jefferies Society Writers' Prize 2015 (UK)

“"I love this book. No one writes more movingly, or with such transporting poetic skill, about encounters with wild creatures."”

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 BADGERLANDS
Compelling . . . a tour de force of forensic observation and imaginative reconstruction. The prose carries a deep, rich polish -- MARK COCKER Spectator
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 The Times
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
I love this book. It quickens the heart with hope and wrests real beauty from keen observations of the natural world. If only we could all be as attentive to the life around us as John Lister-Kaye. 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
John Lister-Kaye invites us to range deep into an extraordinary landscape, then soar over it and sense it change. Gods of the Morning is a triumph in nature writing -- TRISTAN GOOLEY author of THE NATURAL NAVIGATOR
Renowned conservationist John Lister-Kaye finds as much drama tracking the creatures of his garden in the Highlands as watching polar bears cross frozen ice packs near the North Pole. Whether it's the clever pine marten trying to find a way into its hen-house or the wild geese flocking south from the Arctic, John can see it all from the windows of his home. And he has fallen in love with these moments of everyday adventures . . . Gods of the Morning follows a year in the Highlands seen through the eyes of someone who's learned to notice what others pass by without a second glance Sunday Mail
Gods of the Morning is an exquisitely observed account of a year in the life of a Scottish glen, backed by a deep understanding gleaned through decades of study by a working naturalist, and homing in on the struggle the local wildlife is facing in coping with weather patterns that have become more and more unpredictable -- NEIL ANSELL author of DEEP COUNTRY and DEER ISLAND

Sir John Lister-Kaye is one of Britain's best-known naturalists and conservationists. He is the author of nine books on wildlife and the environment, including At the Water's Edge, and has lectured all over the world. He has served prominently in the RSPB, the Nature Conservancy Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. In 2003 he was awarded an OBE for services to nature conservation. He lives with his wife and family among the mountains of the Scottish Highlands, where he runs the world-famous Aigas Field Centre.www.lister-kaye.co.uk

A lyrical celebration of the British countryside from one of the UK's best-known nature writers. '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.

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