Landmarks

Landmarks explores the connection between language and landscape through a series of essays focused on specific terrains - from mountains and moorlands to coasts and woodlands. The book incorporates glossaries of geographic terms and nature-words from across Britain and Ireland. Macfarlane examines the work of writers who have captured the essence of particular landscapes in their prose, including Nan Shepherd, J.A. Baker, and Roger Deakin. He traces how these authors developed their own vocabularies to express their deep relationships with place and terrain. Each chapter moves through different territories while building a case for preserving the rich lexicon of landscape words that exists in local dialects and regional languages. The glossaries contain thousands of precise terms for features of land, weather, and nature - from the Shetland word for the sound of wind in grass to the Sussex term for the track made by a snail. This book stands as both a celebration of linguistic heritage and an argument for the importance of maintaining precise, place-specific language in an era of increasing standardization and disconnection from the natural world.

Readers praise Macfarlane's detailed exploration of nature-related vocabulary and his ability to resurrect forgotten words that describe landscapes. Many note the book's glossaries as valuable references they return to repeatedly. Reviews highlight the author's lyrical writing style and how the book enhances their own outdoor observations. Common criticisms include the book's loose structure, with some readers finding it meandering and hard to follow. Others mention that the dense vocabulary lists can become tedious to read straight through. "Like discovering a new language for things I've always known but couldn't name," writes one Goodreads reviewer. Another notes: "The glossaries are fascinating but interrupt the flow." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.24/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.6/5 (480+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.5/5 (200+ ratings) Most negative reviews focus on pacing issues or difficulty with the academic tone, while positive reviews emphasize the book's unique approach to preserving language about nature.

The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane A narrative of ancient paths and landscapes that interweaves history, memory, and the relationship between humans and terrain across Britain and beyond.

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd A meditation on the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland that explores the physical and philosophical experience of moving through wild places.

Findings by Kathleen Jamie A collection of essays that examines the intersections of nature and culture through observations of Scotland's remote places and everyday environments.

The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane An exploration of Britain's remaining wilderness areas that maps the connection between landscape and human imagination.

The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes An investigation of England's private land and forgotten paths that reveals the history of public access and ownership in British landscapes.

🌿 The book contains a collection of over 2,000 rare nature words from dozens of languages and dialects across Britain and Ireland - many of which are now nearly extinct from daily use. 📚 Each chapter is followed by a "word-hoard" - a glossary of terrain-specific vocabulary that captures hyper-local features of landscapes, weather, and natural phenomena. 🗺️ Macfarlane wrote much of the book while exploring the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland on foot, experiencing firsthand the landscapes he was writing about. 🎓 The project was partly inspired by the removal of nature words (like "acorn" and "kingfisher") from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in favor of technological terms - sparking debate about children's disconnection from nature. 📖 The final chapter focuses on Nan Shepherd's "The Living Mountain" - a pivotal work that changed how Macfarlane viewed and wrote about mountains, shifting from conquest narratives to immersive experience.