Book cover of Mountains of the Mind

Book description

WINNER OF THE GUARDIAN FIRST BOOK AWARD

Once we thought monsters lived there. In the Enlightenment we scaled them to commune with the sublime. Soon, we were racing to conquer their summits in the name of national pride.

In this ground-breaking, classic work, Robert Macfarlane takes us up into the…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked Mountains of the Mind as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I’ve been drawn to the mountains since I was a child and reading this book helped hugely in explaining my fascination with this terrain.

It details how man was initially fearful of the mountains and how that situation changed from the 17th century on, and looks at early attempts to explore and understand these highlands, with a particular focus on mountaineering. It’s beautifully written and very engaging.

From Peter's list on man’s exploration of the mountains.

Nobody uses language like Robert Macfarlane, and I’m always amazed (and a little envious!) when I’m reading his transportive prose. All of his books are fantastic, but this history of the mountaineering movement, mixed with his own experiences navigating trails, is a nice introduction to his masterful way of stringing words together.  

If you love Mountains of the Mind...

Ad

Book cover of Sea Sagas of the North: Travels and Tales at Warming Waters

Sea Sagas of the North by Jules Pretty,

Sea Sagas of the North is about story and transformation.

Story is a simple device common to every human culture. Put simply, the patterns of good story match the shapes of our lives. Story was once tales told at every flickering fireside, the children’s faces upturned and wide-eyed. Now it…

Want books like Mountains of the Mind?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Mountains of the Mind.

Browse books like Mountains of the Mind

Book cover of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Book cover of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Book cover of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,276

readers submitted
so far, will you?