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#scotland
review
Robotswithpersonality
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Pickpick

A bit more of a guide than a memoir, you get a more straightforward introduction to Smith's early years, a brief account of his journeys in the wilderness, primarily in Canada (felt ridiculously proud of his admiring descriptions of BC), prior to settling in one wood. But the story of his time at Loch Treig is divided more along the lines of what is essential to think about/know/do if you contemplate this lifestyle, especially in the Scottish 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? Scottish Highlands. The way of the hermit, indeed.
I love that what shines through clearest in all of his advice and reminiscences is strongly valuing kindness, generosity, and conservation. Much as he may have found more peace without the crush of an urban population, he is quick to acknowledge all those people who have helped him along his way.
2d
Robotswithpersonality 3/? That gratitude extends to the land he's lived on, it's beauty and bounty, and a consistent, conscientious, somewhat mournful focus on the need to tread lightly, the ways the local climate, ecosystem has changed linked to an understanding of this being a microcosm of the larger environmental concerns of today.
2d
Robotswithpersonality 4/? There's a bit of 'old man yells at cloud' in his perspective, unable to reconcile the idea that people might enjoy a city life or a desk job, and as passionate as he is in championing nature, I do wish he seemed more optimistic about rewilding efforts in the U.K. Especially as you see him move from a ghillie aiding in deer stalking (aka helping people hunt deer on the estate because indigenous predators have been wiped out, 2d
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Robotswithpersonality 5/? and population control of deer is necessary to maintain the health of the local ecosystem) to someone who is relieved his advancing age removes him from those staff who have to kill the animals - though he laments that he can no longer fish in the loch, as it is now experiencing it's own population concerns.
2d
Robotswithpersonality 6/? There are sections of the book that I wish had gone into more detail, where we might have gained a bit more of his inner thoughts/life than a description of events, but the book at this size does make better odds that more people will pick it up. I do also wonder, now that I know there was a documentary, The Hermit of Treig, about this man that pre-dates, indeed partially inspired this book, if that might cover his life in a different way. 2d
Robotswithpersonality 7/? Overall, I think you can take inspiration from the way he's lived his life, without, as he himself states, going as far as he did. He does acknowledge when his life choices were risky, but urges and exemplifies caution a great deal more. Nevertheless, his scale of toughness means the average reader will probably be a little stunned at what he occasionally shrugs off. 2d
Robotswithpersonality 8/? There is humour and humility and resilience. A good read physically or on audio.
Definitely a collaborative effort, as Smith had Millard's assistance in writing the book, and Dean Williamson narrates the audiobook. Unsure of the origins of the accent, but it works to tell this story. I should mention, there are differences between physical book and audio, I assume the audio is based off the UK written version, with a fair amount of local
2d
Robotswithpersonality 9/? parlance thrown in, and it's obvious the written version I've got has been revised to substitute more North American synonyms. I found the foreign slang utterly charming, while also being grateful for a reference with more familiar terms to translate. ☺️ Can highly recommend the tandem reading experience for my fellow North American readers.
2d
Robotswithpersonality 10/10 ⚠️Loss of parents, discussion of depression, animal death, mention of injury, suicide, cancer diagnosis and treatment 2d
13 likes9 comments
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Robotswithpersonality
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💅🏼 He's judging us. 😅

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Robotswithpersonality
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“You shouldn't feel self-conscious about saying kind words to anything.“ 🥰🌹

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Robotswithpersonality
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😌🍂❄️

Texreader ♥️ 🍁 🍂 2d
9 likes1 comment
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Robotswithpersonality
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...always new growth...

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Robotswithpersonality
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💚

blurb
mcctrish
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Should probably be drinking whiskey with this but it‘s Sunday night so a sparkling water will do. The rain has come 🎉🎉🎉 #wesureneededthis 👵🏻 #hyggehourreadathon is a go

TheBookHippie Yes it listened to us!!!! ☔️💧🌧️☔️ (edited) 3d
dabbe 🧡💜💛 3d
AnnCrystal 💝🌧️📚🌧️💝. 3d
53 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
kspenmoll
Bloody January | Alan Parks
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Panpan

This was too “bloody” for me. The tortured protagonist,Ins. Harry McCoy did not save the book for me. Way too violent & gruesome. Enough said. Obviously, I will not continue with this series. #readyourkindle

CBee Oof. On to better (and less bloody) books! 3d
55 likes1 comment
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thebacklistbook
Voyager | Diana Gabaldon
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#5joysfriday
1. Getting back into the above book. Hello escapism.
2. Practical Magic 2 has wrapped filming and most of the original cast are in it.
3. It's just a little Hocus Pocus! Watched this earlier in the evening.
4. Going garage sailing tomorrow.
5. An slowly getting back into eat more plant based.
Bonus! Running swaps and doing reading challenges is keeping me sane.

Bookperson96 Yay regarding 2 and 3 ! 🥰🪄✨Also have fun tomorrow. 👍🏻 4d
dabbe 🧡💙💛 4d
11 likes2 comments
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Lizpixie
The Wolf Tree | Laura McCluskey
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Bk1 of my last #bookhaul (which I completely forgot to post last month)is this debut crime thriller by a Melbourne author. Set on an isolated Scottish island, which is by far one of my fave settings, 18yr old Alan Ferguson is found dead at the foot of the lighthouse, an apparent suicide. DIs Georgina Lennox & Richard Stewart are then trapped by a raging storm while questioning suspicious islanders who don‘t take kindly to mainlanders.

CarolynM Sounds interesting. Stacked😊 4d
31 likes1 stack add1 comment