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A Place Between the Tides: A Naturalist's Reflections on the Salt Marsh
For every nature writer there seems to be one special place that tutors him or her in the ways of nature and the relationships of humans to the natural world, including the spiritual dimension. For Thoreau, it was a pond; for Henry Beaton, a barrier beach; for Annie Dillard, a creek. For Harry Thurston, it is the salt marsh, that part of the planet where land meets sea.
Based upon childhood memory and his naturalist’s journals, "A Place Between the Tides" is the story of Thurston’s return to the beloved environment of his boyhood when he moves to the Old Marsh, a 1.5-hectare marsh on the banks of the Tidnish River in Nova Scotia. Elegantly moving back and forth in time, from the present year through the past decade and all the way back to childhood, the book describes the seasons in the life of the marsh as filtered through two decades of Thurston’s living there. Blending acute analysis and a poet’s lyricism, Thurston explores and examines one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on Earth, a habitat that has been degraded relentlessly since European settlement, making the few standing marshes precious because they are so vulnerable and vital.
Based upon childhood memory and his naturalist’s journals, "A Place Between the Tides" is the story of Thurston’s return to the beloved environment of his boyhood when he moves to the Old Marsh, a 1.5-hectare marsh on the banks of the Tidnish River in Nova Scotia. Elegantly moving back and forth in time, from the present year through the past decade and all the way back to childhood, the book describes the seasons in the life of the marsh as filtered through two decades of Thurston’s living there. Blending acute analysis and a poet’s lyricism, Thurston explores and examines one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on Earth, a habitat that has been degraded relentlessly since European settlement, making the few standing marshes precious because they are so vulnerable and vital.
- GenresNatureNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2004
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138 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 21, 2021
Harry Thurston, a Canadian naturalist, journalist and author, writes A Place between the Tides: A Naturalist’s Reflections on the Salt Marsh. The book focuses on each month in a calendar year in a Nova Scotia locale adjacent to a salt marsh. Every chapter and month brings new surprises in an ever-changing habitat of flora and fauna. The book is a combination of the observations of a trained naturalist and his fond memories of growing up in this area, so full of nature’s wonders. Thurston's writing is superb. It is soft and quiet and yet filled with life, wisdom and information. I stopped reading occasionally because I found it too easy to read quickly and wanted to savour every minute I spent with this book.
A non-fiction book may not be for everyone; however, I found the book immediately transported me to the salt marsh each time I began to read it again. I have never read a book so jam-packed full of information and references about such a small and specific habitat and all the creatures and fauna that share this space with humans. The memoir aspect of the book is strong as well; when Thurston reflects on his life in Old Marsh on the banks of the Tidnish River in Nova Scotia. It is where he grew up surrounded by and fascinated by the salt marsh’s natural habitat. He left the area for more education and employment but returned later to live and write. This special place clearly has a strong draw for Thurston, very much evidenced by the details in this book. He shares his substantial knowledge of salt marshes and his experiences and observations in ways that are incredibly visual and poetic. His writing is so expressive that I was not surprised to learn Thurston has written twelve books of poetry, in addition to his non-fiction naturalist books.
Part of Description from the Publisher Greystone Books
“Blending acute analysis and a poet's lyricism, Thurston explores and examines one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on Earth. This is a story of the salt marsh, but it is also the story of a personal odyssey, a homecoming for Thurston as a naturalist, culminating in the re-discovery of the bounty of nature where land meets sea.”
This is a wonderful book about the natural world and what it is like to be lucky enough to grow up immersed in it. 4 stars
A non-fiction book may not be for everyone; however, I found the book immediately transported me to the salt marsh each time I began to read it again. I have never read a book so jam-packed full of information and references about such a small and specific habitat and all the creatures and fauna that share this space with humans. The memoir aspect of the book is strong as well; when Thurston reflects on his life in Old Marsh on the banks of the Tidnish River in Nova Scotia. It is where he grew up surrounded by and fascinated by the salt marsh’s natural habitat. He left the area for more education and employment but returned later to live and write. This special place clearly has a strong draw for Thurston, very much evidenced by the details in this book. He shares his substantial knowledge of salt marshes and his experiences and observations in ways that are incredibly visual and poetic. His writing is so expressive that I was not surprised to learn Thurston has written twelve books of poetry, in addition to his non-fiction naturalist books.
Part of Description from the Publisher Greystone Books
“Blending acute analysis and a poet's lyricism, Thurston explores and examines one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on Earth. This is a story of the salt marsh, but it is also the story of a personal odyssey, a homecoming for Thurston as a naturalist, culminating in the re-discovery of the bounty of nature where land meets sea.”
This is a wonderful book about the natural world and what it is like to be lucky enough to grow up immersed in it. 4 stars
August 4, 2021
To call a book "gorgeous writing" is probably over-used. But not here. Harry Thurston's use of words and descriptions is first class. It even made me want to read a subject I wasn't terribly interested in - the mundanity of a salt marsh over the course of a year.
But he brought it - and everything else he touched on - to life.
One thing I would like to have seen - a map or sketch of the area he talks so eloquently about - with the names of the trails and marshes.
But that's a small negative in a book so gorgeous.
But he brought it - and everything else he touched on - to life.
One thing I would like to have seen - a map or sketch of the area he talks so eloquently about - with the names of the trails and marshes.
But that's a small negative in a book so gorgeous.
July 9, 2025
Disappointing, a wholly humanized account of nature, evokes zero emotion in me or memories of my hundreds of hours at a marsh. Writing contains too much embellishment and too little substance. I can see why other readers might enjoy this, but as someone who loves outdoors and nature this is a book written by a modern internet human for other modern internet humans with all of the annoyances of the styles of writing popular today.
June 25, 2019
lovely descriptive read
October 25, 2015
A charming and wonderful book about the seasonal rhythms of nature.i enjoyed it very much. One of my fave bits... Black duck females now tend to prefer the foppish mallards as partners, consigning the black duck drakes to the status of cuckolds. Bright and flashy does make it in nature, as in showbusiness, it seems! Ha...love it
October 26, 2013
enjoyed the transition of the seasons impressed be the minutia of detail and daily observances ,oh to be a naturalist sounds like a great life draws me to revisit n.s. after 25 years recalls to me the natural beauty of the peninsula
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews