‘NOT the Pied Piper.....’

The more I listen, the more I love this book!
Nothing quite like it in its ability to create a world of Enchantment, & assist one to enter in.....
The’Pied Piper’ refers to certain books that insist on packing more into every day, resulting (for some) in a sense of weariness throughout....this is a gentle encouragement to ‘come alive’ as the day begins — to observe, to rest & relax, in what you alone can experience; above all, to understand how you can create

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Fellow larks

As a lark, hearing other morning voices and their routines was inspiring. I love my quiet mornings but this book gave me pause to consider patterns other than my established ones to make more of those lovely, solitary dawns.

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A call to creativity

A beautiful and provocative short book about the benefits of waking early. A mixture of memoir, interviews with artists, scallop fishermen and birdwatchers - a manifesto for morning. I loved it and have got up early every day since I started it.

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Wonderful manifesto

This is a very calming book in that you really do sense the serenity of dawn in it. The author has a somewhat deadpan voice but after hours of upbeat American self-help narrators, even this is fine. The other narrator who voices the interviewees is good but would have been even better if he’d avoided softening his voice to represent women and even putting on a slight Northern lilt for a Yorkshireman. Unnecessary since the content is so good. If you tried the truly awful 5am Club, this is a marvellous antidote to it. Really lyrical, great interviewees and a good argument for waking up early and just pottering. Loved it!

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Just brilliant! One of my favourites!

I love the format of this book about early morning rising, the author reads his work beautifully as does Samuel West. It's an audio book that I frequently return to and each time I discover something new. I just love it!

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Profound and poetic

Listening to this book, I was able to escape the confines of daily life and appreciate early mornings as though I was Allan Jenkins myself.

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Very little insight. Less “manifesto”, more “birdsong journal”

The subtitle(s) and synopsis led me to believe this book would serve as a “how to” guide with expert tips and insight on how to wake up early. However the majority of this book is made up of a journal of bird songs the author heard and how much tea he drank. He offers very little with actually helping to “make time”.

The journal is interspersed with interviews with other early risers which is slightly more interesting; I particularly enjoyed listening to other people’s challenges when asked “what do you least like about waking up early”. I would have liked for a larger variety of interviewees though as they are entirely made of creative types.

The author reads this book which I’d normally commend but his monotone, soothing voice (which would be excellent for golf commentary) actually had me (ironically) fighting to stay awake for my morning listen.

There is a sliver of science and a few rules for waking up early in the final chapters which are vaguely more interesting. However they are not enough to save this book from feeling like anything other than a self congratulatory pat on the back from the author and his pals on already being able to wake early.

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1 person found this helpful