Nature Literature discussion

Please add your comments about The Outrun here.

I first read this for the Wainwright Prize. It wasn't the one I wanted to win, but it was deserving nonetheless. Amy is very open in her and her family problems and how they have affected her, and the way that she drags herself back from the brink is quite moving. My review is here

I had just finished reading Claiming Ground by Laura Bell and realized how nature based memoirs have great power to take me out of my northern Vermont nest. The Outrun does that as well as the author weaves the healing history of her childhood landscape with her struggles with addiction. I doubt I will ever travel to,the far islands of Scotland but I can feel their power in her words. Sometimes it was hard to read as I have a history of close family members who also struggled or are struggling with alcoholism. But the scenes of quiet and stormy natural life and the vibrancy of small communities made it a lovely listen on audio while I travelled.

Pam wrote: "I had just finished reading Claiming Ground by Laura Bell and realized how nature-based memoirs have great power to take me out of my northern Vermont nest. The Outrun does that as well as the auth..."

Claiming Ground is one of my all-time favorite books. The author came to our book group in WY and really made an impression on me as a writer and nature enthusiast. Her book is similar to The Outrun, too, because both seem to use an extreme outdoor adventure as a way to tackle struggles with life. I've used outdoor experiences to recharge and reboot myself, and books like this make me feel like I'm in good company.

I found myself developing a greater sense of empathy for people close to me who have been struggling with alcohol addiction for years after reading this book. But I also found myself in the author's words as applied to any addiction/craving/loss. I really came away from this book with a more open mind about these issues and how I might change my attitude.

On a different tangent, I found it interesting to have just read the book about the animal way of death and the decomposition of the whale carcass, then to read about it again in *this* book in a different setting, etc. I love it when connections between books show up like that. :-)

The author mentions a film titled "The Edge of the World" from 1937 that shows what life was like on these Scottish islands as they were going through the depopulation.

I found a link to the entire hour-long film you can watch (for free!) here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x39x656

The first 10-15 minutes shows the wind effects on the island and it made Amy Liptrot's description in the book even more real. Lots of sheep, too!

Hi Judy:
Your enthusiasm for this book is just great. Unfortunately I am not joining this read, but I hope to be with the Octopus read if that happens for October.

I hope someone else is also reading _Outrun_ with you as you go along. :)

Have you already finished the book? I see you rated it 4 stars???

I am curious about the link you posted, so I'll take a peek.

Sher

Looking at that film I am very much reminded of a haunting and very beautifully written nonfiction account called St. Kilda: Island on the Edge of the World


And a more recent book Sea Room: An Island Life in the Hebrides

Sea Room: An Island Life in the Hebrides is a beautifully written book