What do you think?
Rate this book
Under the Stars: A Journey Into Light
An inspirational & immersive travelogue exploring the power of the natural lights of night.
Moonlight, starlight, the ethereal glow of snow in winter. When you flick off a switch, other forms of light begin to reveal themselves.
Artificial light is everywhere. Not only is it damaging to humans and to wildlife, disrupting our natural rhythms, but it obliterates the subtler lights that have guided us for millennia. In this beautifully written exploration of the power of light, Matt Gaw ventures forth into darkness to find out exactly what we're walking by the light of the moon in Suffolk and under the scattered buckshot of starlight in Scotland; braving the darkest depths of Dartmoor; investigating the glare of 24/7 London and the suburban sprawl of Bury St Edmunds; and, finally, rediscovering a sense of the sublime on the Isle of Coll.
Under the Stars is an inspirational and immersive call to reconnect with the natural world, showing how we only need to step outside to find that, in darkness, the world lights up.
Moonlight, starlight, the ethereal glow of snow in winter. When you flick off a switch, other forms of light begin to reveal themselves.
Artificial light is everywhere. Not only is it damaging to humans and to wildlife, disrupting our natural rhythms, but it obliterates the subtler lights that have guided us for millennia. In this beautifully written exploration of the power of light, Matt Gaw ventures forth into darkness to find out exactly what we're walking by the light of the moon in Suffolk and under the scattered buckshot of starlight in Scotland; braving the darkest depths of Dartmoor; investigating the glare of 24/7 London and the suburban sprawl of Bury St Edmunds; and, finally, rediscovering a sense of the sublime on the Isle of Coll.
Under the Stars is an inspirational and immersive call to reconnect with the natural world, showing how we only need to step outside to find that, in darkness, the world lights up.
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2020
45 people are currently reading
773 people want to read
About the author
Matt Gaw
6 books17 followersMatt Gaw is a writer, journalist and naturalist who lives in Bury St Edmunds. His work has been published in the Guardian, the Telegraph and the Times. He works with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, edits Suffolk Wildlife, currently writes a monthly country diary for the Suffolk Magazine and is a director of the Suffolk Festival of Ideas. This is his first book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
February 24, 2020
Until the invention of reliable electric light, we relied on poor quality candles or some form of an oil-based lamp. No at the flick of a switch on my wall, I can have more light output from one lamp than most people had in a home 150 years ago. Whilst this saturation of artificial light may have some positive effects, there are also lots of negative ones too, it affects wildlife and migration, our own natural rhythms including sleep are heavily affected and we have also lost sight of one our fantastic natural displays, the night sky.
Matt Gaw wants to rediscover this lost part of our natural world, but his first night out is walking through the snow under a brooding cloudy sky! It has been a while since he has been out watching the sun drop below the horizon, just for the pure pleasure in doing so. As his eyes adjust to the gloaming, he notices that his other senses sharpen to compensate for the lower resolution of his vision. Night has always been a time to do other things, but for the first time, he realises that it is not a gloomy place but full of subtle experiences for the senses.
Buoyed by the success of his first venture outdoors at night he starts to come up with other plans to discover the other half of our day. Realising that he has never seen a moonrise, he heads to the beach at Covehithe to watch it rise one evening and is slightly staggered by the size of the moon as it sits just above the horizon.
When there is a full moon you will see very few stars as the light reflected from the surface washes them from the sky. There is the same problem in cities and towns because of the light pollution, to see the stars properly you need to head to a place with very little human habitation so his next visit is the Galloway Forest. Back in 2009, this became the UK’s first dark sky park. Now there are 62 of them and they are places where the night sky is protected for its scientific, natural, educational and cultural value. In reality, what this means is that you can fully appreciate the majesty of the night sky and the Milky Way and appreciate just how much light is visible from stars millions of light-years away.
This night has also been considered the time when dark things happen. The absence of light turns things that wouldn’t worry us, into disturbing forms. So Gaw decides that the best place to experience this in its most elemental state is up on Dartmoor. This bleak and often inhospitable moor is full of places that have an otherworldly feeling or haunted atmosphere, or gruesome stories and of course, there is the Wisht Hounds, the inspiration for Hound of the Baskervilles. Half the time though he is not sure if the unease is caused by the nefarious presences or the fear of getting lost…
To understand just how much light pollution there is in a city and to see how pervasive it is, he heads into London with his friend, Shaun. They get off the train at Liverpool Street, which in times past, is a place where the curfew bell was tolled. Curfews were bought in by the Norman invaders and people had to be inside and lights extinguished. There was a safety aspect to this, but it is thought that they were primarily to minimise political rebellion. On the street, though there is light everywhere, it is flooding out the windows of empty offices and from the constant stream of traffic passing. The sky is not visible and the darkest part is the glistening wet road. This pervasive light pollution is slowly starting to change as local authorities assess ways of changing light according to needs.
His final trip takes him back to Scotland and to the designated Dark Sky community on the Island of Coll. He is staggered by the number of stars that he can see and it takes him a little while to re-orientate himself with the constellations. This is the perfect place for him to introduce his children to the wonders of the Milky Way and the night sky.
I am fortunate to live just below Cranborne, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty and has applied to be Dark Sky reserve. I spent many evenings near there when my daughter was studying her Astronomy GCSE and have seen the Milky Way in its full glory. I was really looking forward to this book. This is another well-conceived and well-written book by Gaw. Like his first book, The Pull of the River, I like that he brings almost no personal baggage with him on these journeys. He is driven by his curiosity about a subject and wants to experience and discover for himself all about it. He is doing these things because he can and because he wants to. If you liked the sound of this I can also recommend Dark Skies by Tiffany Frances and Night Walks by Chris Yates.
Matt Gaw wants to rediscover this lost part of our natural world, but his first night out is walking through the snow under a brooding cloudy sky! It has been a while since he has been out watching the sun drop below the horizon, just for the pure pleasure in doing so. As his eyes adjust to the gloaming, he notices that his other senses sharpen to compensate for the lower resolution of his vision. Night has always been a time to do other things, but for the first time, he realises that it is not a gloomy place but full of subtle experiences for the senses.
Buoyed by the success of his first venture outdoors at night he starts to come up with other plans to discover the other half of our day. Realising that he has never seen a moonrise, he heads to the beach at Covehithe to watch it rise one evening and is slightly staggered by the size of the moon as it sits just above the horizon.
When there is a full moon you will see very few stars as the light reflected from the surface washes them from the sky. There is the same problem in cities and towns because of the light pollution, to see the stars properly you need to head to a place with very little human habitation so his next visit is the Galloway Forest. Back in 2009, this became the UK’s first dark sky park. Now there are 62 of them and they are places where the night sky is protected for its scientific, natural, educational and cultural value. In reality, what this means is that you can fully appreciate the majesty of the night sky and the Milky Way and appreciate just how much light is visible from stars millions of light-years away.
This night has also been considered the time when dark things happen. The absence of light turns things that wouldn’t worry us, into disturbing forms. So Gaw decides that the best place to experience this in its most elemental state is up on Dartmoor. This bleak and often inhospitable moor is full of places that have an otherworldly feeling or haunted atmosphere, or gruesome stories and of course, there is the Wisht Hounds, the inspiration for Hound of the Baskervilles. Half the time though he is not sure if the unease is caused by the nefarious presences or the fear of getting lost…
To understand just how much light pollution there is in a city and to see how pervasive it is, he heads into London with his friend, Shaun. They get off the train at Liverpool Street, which in times past, is a place where the curfew bell was tolled. Curfews were bought in by the Norman invaders and people had to be inside and lights extinguished. There was a safety aspect to this, but it is thought that they were primarily to minimise political rebellion. On the street, though there is light everywhere, it is flooding out the windows of empty offices and from the constant stream of traffic passing. The sky is not visible and the darkest part is the glistening wet road. This pervasive light pollution is slowly starting to change as local authorities assess ways of changing light according to needs.
His final trip takes him back to Scotland and to the designated Dark Sky community on the Island of Coll. He is staggered by the number of stars that he can see and it takes him a little while to re-orientate himself with the constellations. This is the perfect place for him to introduce his children to the wonders of the Milky Way and the night sky.
I am fortunate to live just below Cranborne, which is an area of outstanding natural beauty and has applied to be Dark Sky reserve. I spent many evenings near there when my daughter was studying her Astronomy GCSE and have seen the Milky Way in its full glory. I was really looking forward to this book. This is another well-conceived and well-written book by Gaw. Like his first book, The Pull of the River, I like that he brings almost no personal baggage with him on these journeys. He is driven by his curiosity about a subject and wants to experience and discover for himself all about it. He is doing these things because he can and because he wants to. If you liked the sound of this I can also recommend Dark Skies by Tiffany Frances and Night Walks by Chris Yates.
February 5, 2020
Review coming soon once the book haThis is a wonderful, almost lyrical, a book that makes you want to go outside and have a look at all the stars. I did this whilst reading the book, I live in a large town that absolutely loves excessive lighting and I was able to see 8 stars and the moon. How depressing!
Matt Gaw takes the reader with him when he goes out into the night, his writing really captures your imagination and you feel his joy when the clouds part and he sees the stars, you pick up on his fear when he gets lost in the forest and you feel a pit in your stomach when he becomes overcome in the dark and is reduced to tears. Such magical writing to be able to create those feelings in a reader. I had a flashback when reading this, the only time I have nearly crapped myself in fear, as a scout doing a night walk, we were lost and walking down a track by a field, suddenly the field erupts as 1000s of roosting birds took off at once and flew just over our heads. It wouldn't have been nearly half as scary during the daytime, but at night it felt like the end of the world.
The book's chapters each have their own focus, from the moon, to a nighttime city walk and to spending time on an island in Scotland called Coll. You really see a change in Gaw, as he adapts to the darkness he develops a natural aversion to light, it becomes overwhelming being in all that noise and light, it was also great to see his child-like wander at shooting stars...which resulted in a telling off from his wife. Also enjoyed reading as he tries to get his wife and kids involved but often that was impossible when they were warm and cosy in bed.
I have enjoyed this book and it has made me pine for a view of the stars, I'm sure I saw them when I was a scout but that is a lost memory now. I'm up in Scotland this summer, will have to see how dark it gets up there.s been released.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2020...
Matt Gaw takes the reader with him when he goes out into the night, his writing really captures your imagination and you feel his joy when the clouds part and he sees the stars, you pick up on his fear when he gets lost in the forest and you feel a pit in your stomach when he becomes overcome in the dark and is reduced to tears. Such magical writing to be able to create those feelings in a reader. I had a flashback when reading this, the only time I have nearly crapped myself in fear, as a scout doing a night walk, we were lost and walking down a track by a field, suddenly the field erupts as 1000s of roosting birds took off at once and flew just over our heads. It wouldn't have been nearly half as scary during the daytime, but at night it felt like the end of the world.
The book's chapters each have their own focus, from the moon, to a nighttime city walk and to spending time on an island in Scotland called Coll. You really see a change in Gaw, as he adapts to the darkness he develops a natural aversion to light, it becomes overwhelming being in all that noise and light, it was also great to see his child-like wander at shooting stars...which resulted in a telling off from his wife. Also enjoyed reading as he tries to get his wife and kids involved but often that was impossible when they were warm and cosy in bed.
I have enjoyed this book and it has made me pine for a view of the stars, I'm sure I saw them when I was a scout but that is a lost memory now. I'm up in Scotland this summer, will have to see how dark it gets up there.s been released.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2020...
June 29, 2023
Excellent book, inspiring me to take crepuscular and nocturnal excursions.
February 20, 2020
(3.5) I very much enjoyed Gaw’s The Pull of the River, a jolly yet reflective travelogue of canoe trips down Britain’s rivers. His follow-up nature book is broader in focus but again rooted in on-the-ground knowledge, chiefly gained through a series of night walks. He travels everywhere from London to Isle of Coll, a Dark Sky Community in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, to compare the quality of darkness and to ponder the emotions these places elicit at night. Fear of darkness feels innate, while for him the stars are almost overwhelming.
In London and in Bury St Edmunds, where he lives, Gaw observes that cities seem removed from nature and that artificial illumination is causing light pollution that negatively affects flora and fauna. At the beach or in Dartmoor or Scotland, though, being outside at night allowed him to feel “part of the natural world in a way that I rarely have during the day. … To be open to the night, to welcome it, embrace it, rather than shut it out, does bring with it an extra richness. To walk at night has been a night twice lived.”
Whether making a jaunt to a 24-hour supermarket after hearing a tawny owl or awaking to a cow nibbling at his sleeping bag on Coll, Gaw is an entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide through the nature of night. I admire his writing and hope that with this second book he will continue to find the wider audience he deserves. Under the Stars covers a lot of ground in under 200 pages and would be a perfect primer for someone looking forward to the supermoon on March 9th.
A favorite passage:
“Over the horizon of the North Sea comes the moon. First a glow. Then a pale, pinkish cuticle that swells into a weakling light. It continues to rise, an ever-expanding, ever-brightening island, until after only a couple of minutes she tears away from the membrane of water, dripping light onto the earth, shining back at the sunken sun. The birth of the full moon.”
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
In London and in Bury St Edmunds, where he lives, Gaw observes that cities seem removed from nature and that artificial illumination is causing light pollution that negatively affects flora and fauna. At the beach or in Dartmoor or Scotland, though, being outside at night allowed him to feel “part of the natural world in a way that I rarely have during the day. … To be open to the night, to welcome it, embrace it, rather than shut it out, does bring with it an extra richness. To walk at night has been a night twice lived.”
Whether making a jaunt to a 24-hour supermarket after hearing a tawny owl or awaking to a cow nibbling at his sleeping bag on Coll, Gaw is an entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide through the nature of night. I admire his writing and hope that with this second book he will continue to find the wider audience he deserves. Under the Stars covers a lot of ground in under 200 pages and would be a perfect primer for someone looking forward to the supermoon on March 9th.
A favorite passage:
“Over the horizon of the North Sea comes the moon. First a glow. Then a pale, pinkish cuticle that swells into a weakling light. It continues to rise, an ever-expanding, ever-brightening island, until after only a couple of minutes she tears away from the membrane of water, dripping light onto the earth, shining back at the sunken sun. The birth of the full moon.”
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
September 9, 2025
I have just had my narrowboat name changed to - Under the Stars - and enjoy spending time in the countryside with more natural night.
On the plus side the author is enthusiastic and almost poetic in his writing as he walks at night through the UK. Just beautiful.
On the downside - Yes people are scared out at night, but as woman it is more about being scared of men than of the darkness. There was too much about artificial lights and the negative impact on animals. It was very depressing to listen to. Yes some of this was needed but I thought it would have more positives about the benefits of having natural light and how historically we used the stars to navigate. I have read comments that his other book is better, so I might read that.
On the plus side the author is enthusiastic and almost poetic in his writing as he walks at night through the UK. Just beautiful.
On the downside - Yes people are scared out at night, but as woman it is more about being scared of men than of the darkness. There was too much about artificial lights and the negative impact on animals. It was very depressing to listen to. Yes some of this was needed but I thought it would have more positives about the benefits of having natural light and how historically we used the stars to navigate. I have read comments that his other book is better, so I might read that.
February 23, 2020
Memoir of dark skies set in UK (searching for asterisms*)
Check out our YOU TUBE #booktube https://youtu.be/jiTXnY5c7Mo
“Most people live in places where the glow of artificial light will trespass into their lives…”
A couple of weeks ago I spent the evening and some of the night at the Kielder Observatory and therefore was enchanted to be presented with Under the Stars (A Journey into Light) which built on my short learning of a couple of hours in the dark-sky park in Northumberland. It is quite an extraordinary experience, really. Sympathetically built cabins house massive telescopes (they are not as expensive as I thought they would be to buy, I did ask!) and through them you can see all kinds of constellations and stars and wondrous things. We were looking at the Owl and Dragonfly Clusters, navigating via the Plough and the Milky Way; that’s about as much as my amateur brain could accommodate (Cassiopeia rings a bell).
But of course, this being Britain, the weather can be dodgy and star gazing is not guaranteed! But the darkness (and wind!) is unrivalled. It is black, the trees a mere smudge of an outline. Yes, it is a bit spooky, especially with the wind howling a gale. The glow of Newcastle could be seen in the distance (“a city’s illuminations are a proud marker of civilisation“) and as the author says there are 9 million streetlamps (one for every eight people). Light pollution is quite a thing when you think about it.
Matt Gaw chose to visit the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, and back in 2009 it was the first one established in the UK – now there are a few more dotted around the country.
He ponders the moon and its significance and influence on mankind and on the earth in general, both past and present (and I felt very worried when I discovered that each year the moon moves 3.87cm further away from us into space, which means that in billions of years time, the moon’s light will be invisible and the earth (abandoned by then) will spin slow and lifeless. Now that’s a big thought to keep me awake at night). We are just tiny specks, so insignificant. I have decided I could never be an astrophysicist because I cannot even begin to fathom the scale of space. So I had better just stick to the world of books.
He experiences what it means to be in the absolute dark and how we, as a culture, always seem to gravitate towards the light. Darkness is fear-inducing and prior to electric lights, ‘nightfall’ presaged a period of some hours when human senses (the reduction of vision) were diminished and vulnerability was ever present; and scary children’s stories certainly don’t help the fear of night-time beasties and ghouls, and criminals, who often use the cover of darkness for dodgy doings.
If the publishers and the Dark Sky Observatories have any nous, then they will seriously be considering stocking copies of this book in all their Observatories. It would greatly enhance the visitor experience. The book is, in a way, an affirmation of what visitors have seen and gives just more breadth to a layman in the world of astrophysics and telescopes.
*asterism – a prominent pattern or group of stars that is smaller than a constellation
If you want to get to know the sky better, then you can download an App like SkySafari. Point your phone and it should tell what you are seeing.
This is a beautifully produced book, with thick quality paper and a book cover with the texture of handmade paper. It’s truly appreciated.
Check out our YOU TUBE #booktube https://youtu.be/jiTXnY5c7Mo
“Most people live in places where the glow of artificial light will trespass into their lives…”
A couple of weeks ago I spent the evening and some of the night at the Kielder Observatory and therefore was enchanted to be presented with Under the Stars (A Journey into Light) which built on my short learning of a couple of hours in the dark-sky park in Northumberland. It is quite an extraordinary experience, really. Sympathetically built cabins house massive telescopes (they are not as expensive as I thought they would be to buy, I did ask!) and through them you can see all kinds of constellations and stars and wondrous things. We were looking at the Owl and Dragonfly Clusters, navigating via the Plough and the Milky Way; that’s about as much as my amateur brain could accommodate (Cassiopeia rings a bell).
But of course, this being Britain, the weather can be dodgy and star gazing is not guaranteed! But the darkness (and wind!) is unrivalled. It is black, the trees a mere smudge of an outline. Yes, it is a bit spooky, especially with the wind howling a gale. The glow of Newcastle could be seen in the distance (“a city’s illuminations are a proud marker of civilisation“) and as the author says there are 9 million streetlamps (one for every eight people). Light pollution is quite a thing when you think about it.
Matt Gaw chose to visit the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, and back in 2009 it was the first one established in the UK – now there are a few more dotted around the country.
He ponders the moon and its significance and influence on mankind and on the earth in general, both past and present (and I felt very worried when I discovered that each year the moon moves 3.87cm further away from us into space, which means that in billions of years time, the moon’s light will be invisible and the earth (abandoned by then) will spin slow and lifeless. Now that’s a big thought to keep me awake at night). We are just tiny specks, so insignificant. I have decided I could never be an astrophysicist because I cannot even begin to fathom the scale of space. So I had better just stick to the world of books.
He experiences what it means to be in the absolute dark and how we, as a culture, always seem to gravitate towards the light. Darkness is fear-inducing and prior to electric lights, ‘nightfall’ presaged a period of some hours when human senses (the reduction of vision) were diminished and vulnerability was ever present; and scary children’s stories certainly don’t help the fear of night-time beasties and ghouls, and criminals, who often use the cover of darkness for dodgy doings.
If the publishers and the Dark Sky Observatories have any nous, then they will seriously be considering stocking copies of this book in all their Observatories. It would greatly enhance the visitor experience. The book is, in a way, an affirmation of what visitors have seen and gives just more breadth to a layman in the world of astrophysics and telescopes.
*asterism – a prominent pattern or group of stars that is smaller than a constellation
If you want to get to know the sky better, then you can download an App like SkySafari. Point your phone and it should tell what you are seeing.
This is a beautifully produced book, with thick quality paper and a book cover with the texture of handmade paper. It’s truly appreciated.
January 29, 2022
An exploration of humans’ and wildlife’s connection with the night and the night sky, Under the Stars was beautifully written and packed with facts about humans’ relationship with the night throughout history, and the damaging effects of the 24/7 glow - never less bright than a cloudy day in London - in which we live in now.
These are topics which absolutely fascinate me, and I can absolutely see the appeal of living somewhere remote and dark, where night means something and we can see the stars. I found the facts fascinating throughout and definitely enjoyed this read. However, not as much as I was anticipating I would, which I think comes down to a personal preference for fiction over non-fiction.
3.5 stars
These are topics which absolutely fascinate me, and I can absolutely see the appeal of living somewhere remote and dark, where night means something and we can see the stars. I found the facts fascinating throughout and definitely enjoyed this read. However, not as much as I was anticipating I would, which I think comes down to a personal preference for fiction over non-fiction.
3.5 stars
June 19, 2021
3.5 stars. This is a book that is kind of nature writing with a twist, it’s about darkness and the night, in particular the night sky. Split into sections Gaw writes about walking at night, visiting an observatory, visiting the Isle of Coll and a few other places, the history of light at night and the problem of light pollution.
Overall I enjoyed this. I found the writing style initially difficult to get into as it felt that each sentence was over peppered with adjectives and then the information was all crammed together. I felt the subject was strong enough to speak for itself without the need for lots of added extras. However the author made an excellent case for the importance in reducing the amount of light and brightness we use at night. The advantages of doing so are clear and important. We’ve lost so much of the natural rhythm of things as a result and the effect on wildlife and nature is extremely concerning. The more I read about nature, the more I despair at humans and wonder how we can do so much damage and not seem to care. That being said this book ended on the positive note pointing out that much can be done and in some places that is already starting to happen.
Overall I enjoyed this. I found the writing style initially difficult to get into as it felt that each sentence was over peppered with adjectives and then the information was all crammed together. I felt the subject was strong enough to speak for itself without the need for lots of added extras. However the author made an excellent case for the importance in reducing the amount of light and brightness we use at night. The advantages of doing so are clear and important. We’ve lost so much of the natural rhythm of things as a result and the effect on wildlife and nature is extremely concerning. The more I read about nature, the more I despair at humans and wonder how we can do so much damage and not seem to care. That being said this book ended on the positive note pointing out that much can be done and in some places that is already starting to happen.
August 13, 2024
If there is an award for 'author who took the greatest number of words to say not much at all', then Matt Gaw should definitely win it. The whole book could be summed up as 'turn off more artificial lights so that humans and wildlife benefit'.
Gaw can write well and some of his descriptions are very poetic, but I just found the whole thing so unnecessarily wordy that I couldn't wait to finish it. I also found his tendency to over-dramatize was a bit irritating, especially the bits where he goes for a walk in the dark with no torch and starts acting as if his life is at risk. Maybe I'm the wrong readership for this book, because I've spent most of my life in rural areas, but it's pretty basic self-care to decide whether or not a torch is necessary before you leave home. If it is, you take one. If it isn't, you don't. There's no need for all this drama.
I really enjoyed Gaw's previous book on canoeing down rivers, so if you're new to his work, I'd suggest starting with that.
Gaw can write well and some of his descriptions are very poetic, but I just found the whole thing so unnecessarily wordy that I couldn't wait to finish it. I also found his tendency to over-dramatize was a bit irritating, especially the bits where he goes for a walk in the dark with no torch and starts acting as if his life is at risk. Maybe I'm the wrong readership for this book, because I've spent most of my life in rural areas, but it's pretty basic self-care to decide whether or not a torch is necessary before you leave home. If it is, you take one. If it isn't, you don't. There's no need for all this drama.
I really enjoyed Gaw's previous book on canoeing down rivers, so if you're new to his work, I'd suggest starting with that.
May 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book about looking up into the sky and seeing the wonders it has to offer. Most visible in otherwise utter darkness, the mysteries the stars and moon hold in the night's sky. I found it interesting how he discussed the inherent fear of the dark, and his contradiction to it by seeking it out, going out of the civilisation to find the areas of no light pollution. The impact such light pollution has had and is having on the wildlife is also covered, with birds that orient themselves in the night to the light of the moon, have been drawn to cities instead due to the unnatural lights. As someone who definitely enjoys the starry nights and looking up in awe, I hope others do the same, and actively seek out such opportunities.
January 16, 2021
Reading this book not only inspired and informed me on so many levels, it has also made we want to learn much more about about what takes place under the stars - and how both nature and humans are impacted by the lack of natural darkness in our night skies. Definitely one to refer back to and learn from.
January 28, 2024
Our planet is a bright light in the universe with so much light pollution, but there parts where we can truly appreciate the beauty of our night sky. This is a wonderful book that reconnects with nature in a way we all should.
September 21, 2025
quick read whilst at the library. nice, poetic but definitely rambles. i enjoyed it though. however i never really saw any clear goal to the book. it was just about how Gaw appreciates the night sky. rambly stories. good though.
February 7, 2022
What a surprise this one turned out to be. Beautifully written, sensitive and intelligent prose, so pleased I chose this one to listen to.
June 12, 2023
I had no idea what the book was about, so I started it with an open mind. It is a fascinating introduction into the dark skies movement, from a British perspective. The author's enthusiasm for his story is infectious, his use of language related to the topic is rich where poetic and narrative elements are mixed into the writing. The geography, descriptions, and contemplation of vast nighttime skies were well balanced. I enjoyed this book.
November 9, 2023
I enjoyed this nighttime perambulation.
November 17, 2024
It's been so lovely to have a few days with Matt Gaw this week. Some of you might remember how much I loved his most recent book, In All Weathers, which I read in April this year. I am very happy to report that Under the Stars, provided a similar level of inspiration and heart warming joy.
Gaw has a wonderful way with words. He's funny, insightful and his passion for the outdoors is definitely contagious. His books are well researched and he includes all kinds of fascinating trivia as well as sharing his own thoughts and experiences. He's highly readable, and if you're not necessarily a fan of non fiction, but feel like you ought to be, his chatty style might be a great route in.
In this book, we are taken on a journey to explore the history of our relationship with the dark, the way we've tried to dispel it and why. We learn what the consequences of light pollution are on us, on animals of all kinds and even on plants. Gaw also goes in search of real dark, of a night sky that is filled with stars.
I've become increasingly challenged by my attitude towards the dark, which errs more towards fearful than fascinated, but this book has definitely nudged me towards realising that I perhaps should try to get a bit more enthused about it.
I can't see much in the sky at night from my house. I live on the edge of a town, and we have recently been given an 'upgrade' to our street lighting. I've seen first hand the effect that's had, as our regular hedgehogs have stopped coming to our garden and I've heard birds singing at strange times of night. If that's my experience, in my little corner of the planet, I've sometimes found myself wondering what the bigger picture is. This book reinforced my feeling that something isn't right and needs legislation to reduce the damage we're doing.
Finding true dark takes commitment, but judging by the descriptions in this book, it might be worth the effort of tracking it down. I wonder whether that would be less frightening than the half dark we're more used to living with.
I also think I should mention the children's classic, The Owl Who was Afraid of the Dark. I kept thinking about it while I was reading this, and I was trying to remember when I first started to feel nervous about darkness, and how irrational it is. Perhaps I just need to try harder, because if Plop the Owl learned to love the dark, so maybe I can too.
Gaw has a wonderful way with words. He's funny, insightful and his passion for the outdoors is definitely contagious. His books are well researched and he includes all kinds of fascinating trivia as well as sharing his own thoughts and experiences. He's highly readable, and if you're not necessarily a fan of non fiction, but feel like you ought to be, his chatty style might be a great route in.
In this book, we are taken on a journey to explore the history of our relationship with the dark, the way we've tried to dispel it and why. We learn what the consequences of light pollution are on us, on animals of all kinds and even on plants. Gaw also goes in search of real dark, of a night sky that is filled with stars.
I've become increasingly challenged by my attitude towards the dark, which errs more towards fearful than fascinated, but this book has definitely nudged me towards realising that I perhaps should try to get a bit more enthused about it.
I can't see much in the sky at night from my house. I live on the edge of a town, and we have recently been given an 'upgrade' to our street lighting. I've seen first hand the effect that's had, as our regular hedgehogs have stopped coming to our garden and I've heard birds singing at strange times of night. If that's my experience, in my little corner of the planet, I've sometimes found myself wondering what the bigger picture is. This book reinforced my feeling that something isn't right and needs legislation to reduce the damage we're doing.
Finding true dark takes commitment, but judging by the descriptions in this book, it might be worth the effort of tracking it down. I wonder whether that would be less frightening than the half dark we're more used to living with.
I also think I should mention the children's classic, The Owl Who was Afraid of the Dark. I kept thinking about it while I was reading this, and I was trying to remember when I first started to feel nervous about darkness, and how irrational it is. Perhaps I just need to try harder, because if Plop the Owl learned to love the dark, so maybe I can too.
February 18, 2020
I rarely go out after dark any more, and so I too fail to notice the impact of the night and how the elements look so very different in fading light. In Under the Stars, the author takes us a journey from the dark into the light with a special lyrical magic brought to life by his powerful description of the night sky and of how this exploration, not only made him appreciate the beauty of the night, but also how in using his senses in a different way it gave him a much greater awareness of everything he saw and experienced.
The author writes with warmth and delicate balance, explaining everything he saw and felt with a fine eye for detail and a joyous pleasure at the mystical pull of observation. Filled with a plethora of facts that you never knew you needed to know, Under The Stars is a real feast for all the senses. The author takes us on an enlightening journey, from the lure of moonlight in coastal Suffolk, the gaudy brightness of the city of London, the sheer brilliance pulled from the natural light over dark skies, and the ethereal splendour of starlight over The Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides, there is so much to enjoy in this beautifully written exploration of the night sky in all its majesty and unique glory.
There is so much we take for granted in our world, that we fail to recognise the beauty of nature as it surrounds us and it’s only when we take away the obvious can we appreciate what is there for us to see if only we would take the time to slow down and really look to see what’s happening when we allow the night sky, and nature, to speak directly to us.
The author writes with warmth and delicate balance, explaining everything he saw and felt with a fine eye for detail and a joyous pleasure at the mystical pull of observation. Filled with a plethora of facts that you never knew you needed to know, Under The Stars is a real feast for all the senses. The author takes us on an enlightening journey, from the lure of moonlight in coastal Suffolk, the gaudy brightness of the city of London, the sheer brilliance pulled from the natural light over dark skies, and the ethereal splendour of starlight over The Isle of Coll in the Inner Hebrides, there is so much to enjoy in this beautifully written exploration of the night sky in all its majesty and unique glory.
There is so much we take for granted in our world, that we fail to recognise the beauty of nature as it surrounds us and it’s only when we take away the obvious can we appreciate what is there for us to see if only we would take the time to slow down and really look to see what’s happening when we allow the night sky, and nature, to speak directly to us.
March 2, 2023
Having read Julia Baird's "Phosphorescence", I was excited to read a book extolling the value of the night sky. Gaw's use of language if often wonderful, with rich metaphors and a story telling style that is easy on the eyes/ears.
The problem I had with this book is that, despite making some good points about the effects of modern "light pollution" on our world, Gaw continued to make straw men of different people groups, or places, then undermining his own arguments. For example, he used some selective quotes from the Bible to imply that it had some vendetta against the dark (& a straw man attempt to attach broad christian belief to 17th Century superstition), then soon after acknowledges that he himself felt fear when he was walking in rural Scotland & got lost because he couldn't see anything.
Gaw longs for the world to enjoy more darker skies. I can connect with that, as one of my favourite things to do is go walking in the dark in outback NSW. But when one allows one's passion to frame anything at odds with that passion as foolish or evil, then it undoes a little of your argument.
The problem I had with this book is that, despite making some good points about the effects of modern "light pollution" on our world, Gaw continued to make straw men of different people groups, or places, then undermining his own arguments. For example, he used some selective quotes from the Bible to imply that it had some vendetta against the dark (& a straw man attempt to attach broad christian belief to 17th Century superstition), then soon after acknowledges that he himself felt fear when he was walking in rural Scotland & got lost because he couldn't see anything.
Gaw longs for the world to enjoy more darker skies. I can connect with that, as one of my favourite things to do is go walking in the dark in outback NSW. But when one allows one's passion to frame anything at odds with that passion as foolish or evil, then it undoes a little of your argument.
July 1, 2020
Was looking forward to this as had loved his river-riding previous book. Wanted an exploration of travelling in natural darkness - always fascinated with the starlit landscapes of Tolkein, and wondering whether you could really travel in starlight/moonlight. However, found there was too much coverage of the evils of artificial light at night and not enough simply experiencing the natural darkness. The final episode on the Isle of Coll did it for me - sparking descriptions - but just not enough of it in the book. I think people drawn to this book are probably well aware of the evils of light pollution, and don't need too much explanation. Didn't have the magic of his first book, but still glad I read it. Have just checked the date of the next full moon, and may be found trudging around the countryside in the dark very soon!
January 28, 2022
A thoughtful book that meanders above us pointing out things we take for granted and most of us know so little about. It is written in a poetic beautiful way which is not too technical. Made me want to put on my warm clothes and gaze upwards…in a Dark Sky site of course.
February 23, 2020
“When the sky is naturally dark, other lights are revealed, some of which – like the night sun – we didn’t even know we were missing out on. With too much artificial light there is a darkness of a different kind in our lives.”
Matt Gaw was inspired to explore the nocturnal world by his ten year old son who, arguing for a later bedtime, complained about having to spend so much of his life asleep. Gaw realised that he had not experienced the world at night except when it is artificially lit. He started to go on walks, especially in places where true darkness still exists. There has been recognition recently within the environmental community that, in man’s quest for personal safety, the prevalence of artificial light is another way he is damaging our increasingly fragile ecosystem.
“By chasing away darkness and hiding the cues given by natural light we have created another imbalance in the natural world that impacts on plants, pollinators, mammals, birds and, eventually, us.”
Before coming to this understanding, Gaw goes out into the night to gauge his reaction to the removal of light. He ponders why people are so often afraid of the dark. Children grow up with stories of monsters and other dangers. Throughout history, rulers would impose curfews on their populace under the guise of safety but, more likely, to prevent sedition. Groups would cluster together and post lookouts. City gates would be locked during the night hours. Darkness was associated with the morally corrupt and lawbreakers. Predators lurked in shadows where dire deeds could occur unseen.
Contemporary society retains many of these fears despite lights now shining bright – particularly in cities – throughout the night. As well as walking around his local vicinity, Gaw visits various locations: a remote beach in East Anglia, a difficult to access forest in Scotland, woodland on Dartmoor, a Scottish island designated a Dark Sky Community. He discovers true fear when he loses his bearings. He discovers the wonder of the Milky Way when visible to the naked eye. For comparison, he also visits London where the lights never dim. He reflects on the effects of night working on people, and the damaging confusion artificial lighting causes in other creatures’ behaviour.
The wonders to be discovered are interspersed with the realities of the natural world – red in tooth and claw – potentially perilous if disrespected. Gaw takes risks in his nighttime journeys that could have ended quite differently.
At the start of the book the author is unfamiliar with even basic astronomy. By the end he has become familiar with many constellations. This book is about so much more though than star gazing. It is a study of yet another disconnect man now has with nature and the damage this has wreaked. It is a reminder of the health benefits of darkness, the effects on circadian rhythm. It is an appeal for man to take notice of his actions – to pause and consider.
The writing is rich and poetic in places. The author is passionate about his subject in a way that draws the reader in. A beautiful elucidation on the importance of returning to a more natural darkness. An illuminating walk through the wonderment of night.
Matt Gaw was inspired to explore the nocturnal world by his ten year old son who, arguing for a later bedtime, complained about having to spend so much of his life asleep. Gaw realised that he had not experienced the world at night except when it is artificially lit. He started to go on walks, especially in places where true darkness still exists. There has been recognition recently within the environmental community that, in man’s quest for personal safety, the prevalence of artificial light is another way he is damaging our increasingly fragile ecosystem.
“By chasing away darkness and hiding the cues given by natural light we have created another imbalance in the natural world that impacts on plants, pollinators, mammals, birds and, eventually, us.”
Before coming to this understanding, Gaw goes out into the night to gauge his reaction to the removal of light. He ponders why people are so often afraid of the dark. Children grow up with stories of monsters and other dangers. Throughout history, rulers would impose curfews on their populace under the guise of safety but, more likely, to prevent sedition. Groups would cluster together and post lookouts. City gates would be locked during the night hours. Darkness was associated with the morally corrupt and lawbreakers. Predators lurked in shadows where dire deeds could occur unseen.
Contemporary society retains many of these fears despite lights now shining bright – particularly in cities – throughout the night. As well as walking around his local vicinity, Gaw visits various locations: a remote beach in East Anglia, a difficult to access forest in Scotland, woodland on Dartmoor, a Scottish island designated a Dark Sky Community. He discovers true fear when he loses his bearings. He discovers the wonder of the Milky Way when visible to the naked eye. For comparison, he also visits London where the lights never dim. He reflects on the effects of night working on people, and the damaging confusion artificial lighting causes in other creatures’ behaviour.
The wonders to be discovered are interspersed with the realities of the natural world – red in tooth and claw – potentially perilous if disrespected. Gaw takes risks in his nighttime journeys that could have ended quite differently.
At the start of the book the author is unfamiliar with even basic astronomy. By the end he has become familiar with many constellations. This book is about so much more though than star gazing. It is a study of yet another disconnect man now has with nature and the damage this has wreaked. It is a reminder of the health benefits of darkness, the effects on circadian rhythm. It is an appeal for man to take notice of his actions – to pause and consider.
The writing is rich and poetic in places. The author is passionate about his subject in a way that draws the reader in. A beautiful elucidation on the importance of returning to a more natural darkness. An illuminating walk through the wonderment of night.
May 14, 2025
*4.29 Stars
Notes: I read through this novel from an entirely appropriate curiosity of what it was about. I had really only ever known of this book for a short amount of time before. I had a higher amount of an interest level in reading through the story, that I was curious in understanding as much of the plot as I could until the end of it.
It is actually possible to read through this book under stress. There are enough explanations of descriptions in the beginning few chapters - for the second half of the novel to be read through.
However, concentration is immediately required to read through more than 50% of the book. I would avoid reading through more than 25% with any type of a headache. In fact, if anyone has any form of a headache at all, I’d just entirely skip this book. There can be advanced and difficult to understand content relating to years of scientific research and other scientific fields that require focus to properly comprehend.
From how everything was previously written in the beginning, I was enjoying the second half of the book. There are types of nonfiction content referenced appropriately for the content in later chapters to be understood.
I was glad that I got to read through this book. I have recently been trying to find more novels similar to lesser-known nonfiction books that I could enjoy a ton.
Notes: I read through this novel from an entirely appropriate curiosity of what it was about. I had really only ever known of this book for a short amount of time before. I had a higher amount of an interest level in reading through the story, that I was curious in understanding as much of the plot as I could until the end of it.
It is actually possible to read through this book under stress. There are enough explanations of descriptions in the beginning few chapters - for the second half of the novel to be read through.
However, concentration is immediately required to read through more than 50% of the book. I would avoid reading through more than 25% with any type of a headache. In fact, if anyone has any form of a headache at all, I’d just entirely skip this book. There can be advanced and difficult to understand content relating to years of scientific research and other scientific fields that require focus to properly comprehend.
From how everything was previously written in the beginning, I was enjoying the second half of the book. There are types of nonfiction content referenced appropriately for the content in later chapters to be understood.
I was glad that I got to read through this book. I have recently been trying to find more novels similar to lesser-known nonfiction books that I could enjoy a ton.
January 4, 2023
I have been noticing the moon more in the last few years and also walking back from events at night and usually enjoying it. I think that most people don't walk in darkness and, as a female, I understand. This book talks of the author's search for natural darkness and exploring at night. After his first night hike he feels more alive. Other hikes find him lost in the woods or wading in thigh high mud in bogs, or sitting afraid in total darkness waiting for a little natural light or cloud shifts to reveal some moonlight and the chance to continue walking.
Looking at the stars he experiences his insignificance and paltry worries, like you do. On another hike he feels overcome by the darkness and gives in to despair and tears. Mostly he uses these times to gather his thoughts. Night walks are done in his local area (Bury St Edmonds) and also in London for comparison, causing general dissatisifaction. Awareness of the upset of night lights to wildlife is causing some nature groups to lobby for more areas of natural darkness or, at least, to limit outside lighting after midnight. One area that limits lights is the island of Coll, where Gaw is able to view amazing astral displays.
Suffolk library
Looking at the stars he experiences his insignificance and paltry worries, like you do. On another hike he feels overcome by the darkness and gives in to despair and tears. Mostly he uses these times to gather his thoughts. Night walks are done in his local area (Bury St Edmonds) and also in London for comparison, causing general dissatisifaction. Awareness of the upset of night lights to wildlife is causing some nature groups to lobby for more areas of natural darkness or, at least, to limit outside lighting after midnight. One area that limits lights is the island of Coll, where Gaw is able to view amazing astral displays.
Suffolk library
April 2, 2021
I remember,quite vividly, a caravan holiday on the Isle of Barra. Walking back to the caravan with my wife around 11pm on a clear October evening I was mesmerised at the amount of stars I could see above my head. In fact they seemed around me in three dimensions.
The Milky Way was astounding. I long to see such a night again.
Our towns and cities are awash with light. The stars and Milky Way diluted to invisibility. Matt Gaw in his book takes a journey into light paradoxically it must be taken in the darkest nights. What I tried to put into words that night on Barra he does so in spades.
If you want to walk in the pitch blackness of night and marvel at what darkness shows up then this is the book for you.
A wonderful read illuminating his love for dark skies. In this day where climate change is all the rage we are actually losing at great speed the dark areas of our planet. This is quickly robbing us of our natural view of the night sky.
Read this wonderful book and you will long to gaze up to the stars from a dark area.
The Milky Way was astounding. I long to see such a night again.
Our towns and cities are awash with light. The stars and Milky Way diluted to invisibility. Matt Gaw in his book takes a journey into light paradoxically it must be taken in the darkest nights. What I tried to put into words that night on Barra he does so in spades.
If you want to walk in the pitch blackness of night and marvel at what darkness shows up then this is the book for you.
A wonderful read illuminating his love for dark skies. In this day where climate change is all the rage we are actually losing at great speed the dark areas of our planet. This is quickly robbing us of our natural view of the night sky.
Read this wonderful book and you will long to gaze up to the stars from a dark area.
January 15, 2022
*4.5 ⭐️
A beautiful and informative book following Matt Gaw as he acquaints himself to a version of the world most of us don’t see: the night sky.
I first of all have to praise the writing of this book. The author was able to paint the most stunning picture of the world at night while also describing his own awe of seeing it.
I also think he did a brilliant job of combining his own experiences while weaving in facts about the nighttime.
I listened to the audiobook so I don’t have the facts at hand, but I want to reread this book so I can highlight the ones that impacted me. The author tells us about how artificial light not only affects people and crime but also disorients animals and even affects plantlife.
This book is one that I think will change my behaviour when it comes to my relationship with the light and the dark. The way Matt describes the night sky has me wanting to experience it for myself. His enthusiasm and curiosity is infectious.
A beautiful and informative book following Matt Gaw as he acquaints himself to a version of the world most of us don’t see: the night sky.
I first of all have to praise the writing of this book. The author was able to paint the most stunning picture of the world at night while also describing his own awe of seeing it.
I also think he did a brilliant job of combining his own experiences while weaving in facts about the nighttime.
I listened to the audiobook so I don’t have the facts at hand, but I want to reread this book so I can highlight the ones that impacted me. The author tells us about how artificial light not only affects people and crime but also disorients animals and even affects plantlife.
This book is one that I think will change my behaviour when it comes to my relationship with the light and the dark. The way Matt describes the night sky has me wanting to experience it for myself. His enthusiasm and curiosity is infectious.
June 18, 2022
Writing that sparkles light the darkest night sky
We live in an orange-glow of night, washed by the need to illuminate and banish darkness. But what consequence does this have for us and for the world around us when the dark of night is confined to the margins?
Matt Gaw has written a book that sparkles with eloquence, a treatise on the importance of night and darkness, on the wonder of the star-scape and how we as a modern technically advanced society have pushed night away. Yet the opportunity to experience real dark, away from light pollution and streets bathed in a perma glow from dusk til dawn, is something wondrous, enlightening and illuminating (puns definitely intended).
And something we have forgotten or never had the chance to experience.
A wonderful book and one that leaves me dreaming of seeking out darkness so I can look up and find the light.
Highly recommended.
We live in an orange-glow of night, washed by the need to illuminate and banish darkness. But what consequence does this have for us and for the world around us when the dark of night is confined to the margins?
Matt Gaw has written a book that sparkles with eloquence, a treatise on the importance of night and darkness, on the wonder of the star-scape and how we as a modern technically advanced society have pushed night away. Yet the opportunity to experience real dark, away from light pollution and streets bathed in a perma glow from dusk til dawn, is something wondrous, enlightening and illuminating (puns definitely intended).
And something we have forgotten or never had the chance to experience.
A wonderful book and one that leaves me dreaming of seeking out darkness so I can look up and find the light.
Highly recommended.
March 27, 2021
It’s so hard to work out how to review this book. This touched my soul in a way I truly wasn’t expecting. The prose has a lyrical, almost mythical quality that makes you think about the stars and light on a truly deeper level. Personally as well, I felt this book also helped me understand and appreciate my fondness for autumn and winter on a much more primitive and again deeper level. I’ve always been a fan of the stars, going to the observatory with my father every fortnight in winter but I think since starting this book I’m just appreciating the night sky on a whole new level, dare I say even craving for it now to see the stars in the sky.
This is a thought provoking book and one I think everyone should take a chance on.
This is a thought provoking book and one I think everyone should take a chance on.
April 21, 2021
Under the Stars, by Matt Gaw, is a beautiful and evocative piece of nature writing, inviting us all to step outside and look up at the night sky. It seeks to encourage people, young and old, to appreciate the darkness of night, and the beauty it brings to our skies. Gaw recounts his realisation that modern life and the development of our world has exponentially increased the amount of light pollution present in our skies, meaning we’re unable to see the majority of the stars above us. This is a problem particularly in large towns and cities. We follow Gaw as he narrates his experiences searching for the beauty in the skies, and we learn of places where you can get great views of what lies above us. We also experience a holiday with his family, where he tries to encourage his children to appreciate the night skies just as much as he does, and we learn of strategies that governments could put in place to help us to reclaim our skies.
This is a truly quaint and remarkable book, and Gaw’s passion for nature and the night are clearly apparent throughout. His use of language is redolent and evocative of simpler times, inviting us to reconnect with nature in the easiest of ways. This is a truly astounding book, and I think the cover design is lovely.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Elliott and Thompson, for the review copy of this book. I really loved this one, and will definitely be looking into Gaw’s other book, The Pull of the River.
This is a truly quaint and remarkable book, and Gaw’s passion for nature and the night are clearly apparent throughout. His use of language is redolent and evocative of simpler times, inviting us to reconnect with nature in the easiest of ways. This is a truly astounding book, and I think the cover design is lovely.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Elliott and Thompson, for the review copy of this book. I really loved this one, and will definitely be looking into Gaw’s other book, The Pull of the River.
June 6, 2023
I loved this. It’s an exploration of night and basically a love letter to the stars and a call to end light pollution.
Matt Gaw writes very vividly, whilst never coming off as too highbrow. I really enjoyed the descriptions of nighttime walks in different locations, which basically make up the bulk of each chapter in the book. I also liked the history woven through it and have learned a lot.
The only downside for me was that, because this is nature writing and therefore in the main, a setting description, it could sometimes touch on becoming a little repetitive and I would find myself becoming a little lost with where I was up to. That’s a very minor criticism though.
Would high recommend if you’re into nature writing or history.
Matt Gaw writes very vividly, whilst never coming off as too highbrow. I really enjoyed the descriptions of nighttime walks in different locations, which basically make up the bulk of each chapter in the book. I also liked the history woven through it and have learned a lot.
The only downside for me was that, because this is nature writing and therefore in the main, a setting description, it could sometimes touch on becoming a little repetitive and I would find myself becoming a little lost with where I was up to. That’s a very minor criticism though.
Would high recommend if you’re into nature writing or history.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews