Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
8 used & new from £11.99
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
A Book of Silence
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

A Book of Silence (Hardcover)

by Sara Maitland (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
RRP: £17.99
Price: £12.59 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £5.40 (30%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

6 new from £12.59 2 used from £11.99
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover Order it used
Paperback Order it used

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees by Roger Deakin

A Book of Silence + Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees
Price For Both: £19.58

One of these items ships sooner than the other. Show details

  • This item: A Book of Silence by Sara Maitland

    Temporarily out of stock.
    Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees by Roger Deakin

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Notes from Walnut Tree Farm

Notes from Walnut Tree Farm

by Roger Deakin
4.2 out of 5 stars (4)  £6.99
Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees

Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees

by Roger Deakin
4.2 out of 5 stars (18)  £6.99
Why Go to Church? 2009: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book

Why Go to Church? 2009: The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book

by Timothy Radcliffe
4.6 out of 5 stars (10)  £6.59
The Wild Places

The Wild Places

by Robert Macfarlane
4.0 out of 5 stars (26)  £4.49
Finding Happiness: Monastic Steps For A Fulfilling Life

Finding Happiness: Monastic Steps For A Fulfilling Life

by Christopher Jamison
4.6 out of 5 stars (8)  £9.09
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Granta Books (1 Nov 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1847080421
  • ISBN-13: 978-1847080424
  • Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 33,026 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Review
'A Book of Silence grapples with ideas at the very heart of what it is to be human' -- The Times

'Her artful book ... demands to be taken on its own terms' --Independent

Review
'Unique in its subject, and timely, because good, healing silence is becoming hard to find'

'A brave, honest, fascinating book'

See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(3)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 11 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

A Book of Silence
72% buy the item featured on this page:
A Book of Silence 4.3 out of 5 stars (15)
£12.59
Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees
10% buy
Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees 4.2 out of 5 stars (18)
£6.99
Notes from Walnut Tree Farm
9% buy
Notes from Walnut Tree Farm 4.2 out of 5 stars (4)
£6.99
The Shack
4% buy
The Shack 3.8 out of 5 stars (271)
£3.99
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

15 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A book about silences, 15 Dec 2008
By Dr. L. Murgatroyd (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a riveting and quirky book, beautifully written, entertaining and profound. Impossible to classify, it is part travelogue, part witty and devastatingly open autobiography, part review of the experiences of silence of people as diverse as early Christian desert hermits, 20th century yachtspeople and Buddhists.
Mid-life, Maitland chose to place silence at the centre of her life and she explores what this might mean for her in late 20th Century Britain. She addresses challenging issues, such as the fear of what might happen in silence, and practical issues such as earning her keep.
To my mind, she doesn't always get it quite right - her fascinating discussion of voice hearing that sometimes happens in silence does not distinguish between hearing 'inner voices' of guidance and 'outer voices' made by the wind , for example. Her description of silent Quaker worship doesn't quite grasp that this is a listening silence, in which the worshippers' active 'listening towards God' is more important than any spoken word. But these are small points in a huge work, and I would thoroughly recommend this book as a good read for practitioners of silence and others alike.
Maitland articulates beautifully much that is not spoken of in our society , including the importance for everyone of having enough silence in our lives. The book is is not an invitation to silence as such, but offers insights and many possible paths for readers to follow. I can think of several very different people for whom it would be a great present!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book of Silence, 6 Jan 2009
This was an utterly absorbing book. Thought-provoking and unique, I would recommend this to everyone. I picked it up in the bookshop by chance - I had never heard of Sara Maitland, but found her writing style entrancing. The ways in which she explored silence; in history, religion, literature and especially within her own life, were fascinating.

This book has charm. Give it a try.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
72 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Satisfying Non Fiction Book I've Read For Years, 12 Nov 2008
By M. C. Wherly (New Brighton, Merseyside United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This book is beyond classification. It's a spiritual text, an autobiography, a survey of particular branches of science, cosmology and history, a travel yarn, a series of closely-observed, beautifully-executed descriptions of the natural world. It's also in parts wonderfully funny. To my mind, Ms Maitland has outdone the achievement of the Annie Dillard of 'Pilgrim At Tinker's Creek' - high praise from me, for that is my all-time favourite book.
Thoughout the book deals with challenging material, but I - who often get too lost to be found in many books I pick up - was amazed by my own clarity throughout. This I owe to the author's limpid style and the fact that every page is packed with important and beautiful things.
Any criticism? I wanted more. Much more. But the rest was Silence.

Michael Wherly
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Book of Silence
A very amusing and self-deprecating read. Explores people's desires for silence. As a result of this book, I've gone on to read several others quoted in her book. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Perki

5.0 out of 5 stars interested reader
Wonderful book, a thoughtful response to the issues of silence from both a humanist and religious perspective. Read more
Published 2 months ago by D. J. Mcclean

5.0 out of 5 stars what a nerve to live in silence and by oneself.............
When I read the bookreview of "A Book of Silence" in my Dutch newspaper, I esteemed it as a book for me....... Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. Jonker

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking and inspiring.
This is a truly fascinating book exploring the most primaeval of our senses. In a reaction against the superficiality of a world where silence is becoming increasingly associated... Read more
Published 3 months ago by M. Blore

5.0 out of 5 stars silence and solitude
The author has pursued both solitude and silence from a variety of perspectives, especially religious and literary. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bob

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Sara Maitland's affinity with nature, her love of quiet remote places and her true understanding of silence shone through throughout the book and I loved every minute. Read more
Published 3 months ago by dizzydiane

4.0 out of 5 stars A Book of Silence
The book combines personal experience with research into the meaning and pursuit of silence. This is achieved with a style of writing that is eminently readable. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Brian Lovatt

3.0 out of 5 stars The sound of silence
In middle age, the feminist author, Sara Maitland, lives on her own for the first time, and surprises herself by falling in love with the vast silences of solitude. Read more
Published 5 months ago by J A C Corbett

5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
I heard this book talked about on the radio and was immediately interested. It has fulfilled all my expectations, beautifully written, profound, thoughtful, full of interesting... Read more
Published 5 months ago by DS Radenhurst

1.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment
Having eagerly anticipated the arrival of this book, I was most disappointed that the content was mostly about two things of little interest to me - Sara Maitland and religion... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Kathy

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

Beauty without the Beast

Olay Regenerist Daily 3 Point Treatment Cream
From au naturel to party glam, we have all the best names in cosmetics and skincare.

›Discover Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

  

Up to 53% off Braun Series Shavers

Braun Series 3 390cc Clean & Renew System Rechargeable Foil Electric Shaver
Get in touch with your smooth side with Braun Series shavers, now with Gillette blade technology.

›Discover Braun Series at Amazon.co.uk

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (73)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (462)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (164)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (80)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates