John Boorman's Nature Diary: One Eye, One Finger

In his eighty-eighth year, John Boorman reflects on the beauty of County Wicklow's nature in lockdown, writing with heightened appreciation of the trees on his estate. With illustrations by Susan Morley, this slim but meditative volume is a remarkable narrative by the creator of The Emerald Forest, Excalibur, and Deliverance.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2021
Publisher: The Lilliput Press Ltd

Stepping out of the conservatory, facing North, supported by my pusher, the first sight that captures my attention is the dying Sycamore, which manages to evade death every year by producing a healthy crop of leaves. However, despite its apparent decrepitude, I doubt if it can pull off the same trick again.

-1 April, 2020

In his eighty-eighth year, John Boorman finds solace during the lockdown period by immersing himself in the breathtaking natural beauty of County Wicklow. Nestled with his daughter and son amidst the hills of Annamoe, Boorman documents his daily walks and keen observations of the trees on his estate. Using only one eye and one finger, he writes with heightened appreciation of the wonders of his eyrie. Poetry flows effortlessly from his pen as he sits chairbound among his trees and flora, capturing the essence of sycamores, limes, beech, oak, redwood, shrubs, and flowers, as well as the melodious birdsong and ever-changing skies. Accompanied by illustrations by Susan Morley, this slender but meditative volume serves as a remarkable narrative from the mind behind The Emerald Forest, Excalibur, and Deliverance—a swansong like no other.

Weight: 198g
Dimension: 136 x 215 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843518068