To the River
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To the River
Olivia Laing's odyssey along the banks of the River Ouse, from source to sea; a profound and haunting reflection on history and landscape, and our place within them.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! DescriptionOver sixty years after Virginia Woolf's tragic drowning in the River Ouse, Olivia Laing embarks on a journey that intertwines the natural world with poignant reflections on life and literature. In To the River, Laing sets out to walk along the banks of this historic river, tracing its path from its source to the sea. This journey is not just a physical one but also an exploration of the river's place in mythology, science, social history, and the literary imagination.
As she meanders along the riverbanks, Laing delves into the haunting beauty and the often overlooked violence that rivers can embody. She weaves a rich tapestry of stories, drawing parallels between the river's flow and the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Through her lyrical prose, Laing sheds light on the relentless and mysterious nature of the River Ouse, invoking the spirits of those who have walked its paths before her, including Virginia Woolf herself.
To the River offers a captivating meditation on the landscape and our place within it. Laing's narrative is both a personal pilgrimage and an ode to the natural world, revealing how places retain the echoes of those who have passed through them. As she reflects on the intertwined fates of rivers and human lives, Laing's words resonate with a timeless truth: that ghosts, both literal and metaphorical, never truly leave the places they love. This evocative journey through the English countryside invites readers to consider their own relationship with nature and history, making To the River an unforgettable literary exploration.
Series: Canons
View allBook Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
A beautifully written and elegant debut, Olivia Laing's To the River is praised for its lyrical, melancholic, and exultant prose. Critics commend its gentle wisdom, magical quality, and subtle meditation on the landscape. The book is noted for its allusive and meandering structure, evocative of Richard Mabey’s nature writing and Alice Oswald’s poetry, making it a distinguished addition to the best works of nature writing.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781786891587
Publisher: Canongate Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 05 October 2017
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Canongate Canons
Edition: Main - Canons Edition
Illustration: Integrated black and white photos and line drawings.
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 17.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 211g
Pages: 304
About the Author
Olivia Laing is a widely acclaimed writer and critic. Her work appears in numerous publications, including the Guardian, Observer, New Statesman, Frieze and New York Times. She's a Yaddo and MacDowell Fellow and was 2014 Eccles Writer in Residence at the British Library. To the River was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize and the Dolman Travel Book of the Year. Her second book, The Trip to Echo Spring was shortlisted for the 2013 Costa Biography Award and the 2014 Gordon Burn Prize, and The Lonely City has been shortlisted for the 2016 Gordon Burn Prize. She lives in Cambridge.
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