The Gifts of Reading

Every book is a kind of gift to its reader, and the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual and psychological currency, that leaves each participant enriched. Here Robert Macfarlane recounts the story of a book he was given as a young man, and how he eventually managed to return the favour, though never to repay the debt.

From the bestselling author of Underland, The Old Ways and The Lost Words — an essay on the joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a book. From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly formed gem, a lyrical celebration of the transcendent power and humanity of the given book.