Lockdown Library

Mike was born not far from where I grew up in Whitley Bay, on the North East coast of England in 1928. His first career as a successful journalist saw him lead a lavish lifestyle, rubbing shoulders with the Hollywood stars of the day such as John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant to name a few. Then, at 38, he turned his back on the bright lights and retreated into the Canadian wilderness, building a cabin and living alone, close to nature and surviving on limited supplies and what the ocean provided . After returning to Scotland, Mike continued to live as a recluse in extremely remote locations (a constant theme in his writing) to study the rare and stunning wildlife of the Scottish Highlands. His work encompassed all of the wildlife around him but two of his main focus species were the Scottish Wildcat (which he bred at his home) and the Golden Eagle.

Above is an extract from 'A Last Wild Place'. Mike's writing is not just a diary style report of what he sees when, but an immersion into a landscape and a frame of mind that values wildlife and wild places above all else. It is wilderness philosophy. His dedication, fieldcraft and compassion for the living creatures he studies is outstanding and his style of writing makes you feel like you're right there with him through all his adventures and hardships. In short, it's the perfect, escapist, lockdown read and so much more!