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Between Earth and Paradise: An Island Life
After giving up a hectic life as a journalist in Europe and Hollywood in the late 1960s to return to his boyhood love of nature, Mike Tomkies moved to Eilean Shona, a remote island off the west coast of Scotland.
There he rebuilt an abandoned croft house and began a new way of life observing nature. He tracked foxes and stags, made friends with seals and taught an injured sparrow-hawk to hunt for itself. It was the indomitable spirit of this tiny bird that taught Tomkies what it takes for any of us to be truly free. Whether he was fishing, growing his own food or battling through stormy seas in a tiny boat, he learned that he could survive in the harsh environment.
This is the astonishing story of daring to take the first step away from urban routines and embracing a harsh yet immensely rewarding way of life which, in turn, led Tomkies to an even more remote location and inspired an acclaimed series of books on various animals and the challenges and joys of living in remote places.
There he rebuilt an abandoned croft house and began a new way of life observing nature. He tracked foxes and stags, made friends with seals and taught an injured sparrow-hawk to hunt for itself. It was the indomitable spirit of this tiny bird that taught Tomkies what it takes for any of us to be truly free. Whether he was fishing, growing his own food or battling through stormy seas in a tiny boat, he learned that he could survive in the harsh environment.
This is the astonishing story of daring to take the first step away from urban routines and embracing a harsh yet immensely rewarding way of life which, in turn, led Tomkies to an even more remote location and inspired an acclaimed series of books on various animals and the challenges and joys of living in remote places.
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published July 6, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 1, 2025
A brilliant read. Tomkies shares with us many inspiring, unique, moving experiences of his "wilderness living" on Eilean Shona, a small island off the west coast of Scotland. Through his honest, personal and educational storytelling, we meet his many "wild" companions and experience gales, storms, hails and blazing sunshine. Often all in one day. Loved every page.
July 4, 2021
This is an inspirational book. As a resident of Western Scotland myself, it provides an insight into island living in a remote part of the western highlands. Written in a matter of fact style, the reader gets a real sense of the commitment of the writer to wildlife and the desire to live in such a beautiful place with minimal impact.
February 28, 2023
A wonderful and pensive memoir of living in a small cabin on an island in Scotland. Lots of wildlife observations in addition to his own personal challenges
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews