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A Book of Silence

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A Book of Silence

By: Sara Maitland
Narrated by: Polly Lee
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£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

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A personal and cultural exploration of silence and its value in our lives - "[an] artful book, mixing autobiography, travel writing, meditation, and essay" (Independent, UK). 

In her late 40s, after a noisy upbringing as one of six children and adulthood as a vocal feminist and mother, Sara Maitland found herself living alone in the country and, to her surprise, falling in love with silence. In this fascinating, intelligent, and beautifully written book, Maitland describes how she began to explore this new love, spending periods of silence in the Sinai desert, the Scottish hills, and a remote cottage on the Isle of Skye. 

Maitland also delves deep into the rich cultural history of silence, exploring its significance in fairy tale and myth, its importance to the Western and Eastern religious traditions, and its use in psychoanalysis and artistic expression. 

Her story culminates in her building a hermitage on an isolated moor in Galloway. "Her book is probably unique in its subject, and timely, because good, healing silence is becoming hard to find, and we may not know we need it" (Guardian, UK).

©2008 Sara Maitland (P)2021 Tantor Spirituality Meditation Tradition
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I did not enjoy the narrator's voice..it was a little strained and stern, which became a little irritating.

There were a few helpful insights

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Like others, I didn’t enjoy the abrupt stilted narration but the book was fascinating and compelling, leaving me with a deeper affinity with silence.

Affinity

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Profound and thought provoking read, with the quiet gift of healing. Well written and beautifully read.

Simply the best🙂. Did not wish it to end.

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I started off enjoying this book, about the author's life and journey into silence. However 6 hours in, when she started delving into different creation myths and big bang theory, I feel bogged down with words and theory and have now decided to abandon the book. Very well researched and written, but not for me.

well researched but I got bored

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