Bear Witness
My second novel, Bear Witness, is published by Saraband. It envisages the reintroduction of brown bears to Scotland in the future.
Here's what people said about it:
'Moving, intelligent and quietly passionate.' A.L.Kennedy.
'Lyrical and tight'. Scotsman review here.
'A passionate and subversive book, written with a poet's touch.' Jason Donald, author of Choke Chain.
'Since reading it .. I see lynx tracks along the forest paths, hear wolves in the distance and catch glimpses of bear cubs whenever I am out in the hills. It is a fine thing for a novel to change your perception, especially your physical perception of the natural world.' Northwords Now review.
'Mandy Haggith is a wonderful storyteller. Science, politics, romance and nature observation all combine as she explores re-wilding of both individual and land. This is a book with bite, relevant to contemporary debate about large predators but also a source of many other pleasures and surprises. I know I’ll re-read it many times.' Kenny Taylor, writer and naturalist
'Activists challenge the parliament of a newly independent Scotland with a campaign to celebrate the new dawn through a symbolic reintroduction of bears into the wildest Highlands. There have been moments throughout the history of nature writing when a writer slips through the electrified fences that keep nature and society apart, and liberates not just a biological truth but also a self-fulfilling prophecy. Mandy Haggith’s daring and at times beautifully worked novel is one such moment. This IS what will happen. Read and learn.' Jim Crumley, author of The Last Wolf
'A passionate and authoritative novel. In Bear Witness, her rich and complex second novel, Mandy Haggith has written an ecological page-turner set in Norway and Scotland in the not too distant future. Callis MacArthur, a troubled scientist who counts pollen grains, is driven by her passionate desire to change the big picture by returning bears to the wilds of Scotland. Haggith’s moving novel explores different kinds of loss as Callis’ vision is challenged by disaster in her personal and professional life. Haggith’s evocation of landscape and wildlife is lyrical and vivid, written with a poet’s eye for detail. Her characters convince and entertain. (One of her male characters surely deserves a novel of his own and left me hoping for a sequel.) This ambitious, visionary novel belongs to no single genre but encompasses romance, drama, comedy and literary fiction. Bear Witness is a big-hearted book and deserves to find a wide readership. It will make a significant contribution to the debate about the future of Scotland’s wilderness.' Linda Gillard, author of Star Gazing
The launch of Bear Witness at Glencanisp Lodge, on Earth Day, 22 April 2013, had lots of media coverage, including this piece on the BBC.
£8.99