Just finished reading - The Peregrine

“Robert Macfarlane remembers JA Baker’s The Peregrine – a fierce, ecstatic, prophetic account of one man’s obsession that has held readers in its talon-like grip for 50 years.”  That's the introduction to a Guardian article about a book I have just finished. As you probably realise Macfarlane loves the book. He also wrote the introduction to the edition I read.
 It took me a few months to read it, including a long break when I didn't pick it up at all. This is not an easy read - Baker’s language is so poetic, so fierce, that I could only take it in small doses. I wanted to appreciate each sentence and really savour every third or fourth one. It took me a couple of months to read the first two-thirds of the book and then I left it for several months. Eventually I picked it up again, and was surprised to devour the last third in one sitting. Then I spent an hour looking through the book rereading and re-loving various sections.
It's definitely one of the most impressive books I've read. However, I’m strangely wary of recommending the book. I found it hard but very worthwhile. Reviews on “Good Reads” were split with around 2/3 giving the book 5 stars, and 1/3 saying they found it hard, the language tricky and strange, and weren't so very impressed. I think I’d recommend reading Robert Macfarlane’s Guardian article about the book and author, and then take it from there, or not.