Before we had duvets, we had eiderdowns and as the name suggests they were filled with the precious down that female Eider Ducks pluck from their breasts to line their precious nests.
James Rebanks in a departure from his usual texts on English farming practises and also somewhat mentally exhausted, spends the Spring and Summer with an elderly woman called Anna and her friend Ingrid. Anna is one of the last remaining Duck Women – part of an ancient traditional practise that takes place every year on a tiny crag of a remote island off Norway and just below the Arctic Circle.
The book recounts everything from their arrival to their departure on the Island. There is much preparation work to be done before the arrival of the ducks but many days are spent waiting, watching the weather and patrolling the skies for the arrival of the ducks – the days are slow and restorative for Rebanks.
The book has a meditative tone, its pace is lead by the needs of the eider ducks and the spaces in-between are filled with cooking, lots of coffee drinking, reading, knitting and talking. It’s really a book about connections, friendships, trust and the importance of tradition, values and simple pleasures.
I loved this book – it felt very calming – simple, grounded . It brings a fresh perspective on life and highlights the rewards of being wholeheartedly committed to your chosen ‘thing’ with the people that are part of your community.
I think readers of Braiding Sweetgrass, Orbital and H is for Hawk will like this read.
Buy a copy in the shop or here: The Place of Tides a book by James Rebanks – Bookshop.org UK