To the Island of Tides

A Journey to Lindisfarne

By: Alistair Moffat

Narrated by: David Rintoul

In To the Island of Tides, Alistair Moffat travels to - and through the history of - the fated island of Lindisfarne. Walking from his home in the Borders, through the historical landscape of Scotland and northern England, he takes us on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints and scholars, before arriving for a secular retreat on the Holy Isle.

Lindisfarne, famous for its monastery, has long been a place of sanctuary. It is an island rich in history: The Romans knew it as Insula Medicata; it reached the height of its fame in the dark ages, even survived Viking raids, before ultimately being abandoned after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. Today, the isle maintains its position as a space for retreat and spiritual renewal.

To the Island of Tides is a meditation on the power of place, but also a more personal journey - a chance for a personal stocktaking and a reflection on where life leads us.

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It’s Alistair

Always a good listen. This one requires a bit more focus as there’s a message as well as personal reflection involved.

A good story polluted by naval gazing

This is a fascinating topic and a story that I was 100% ready to be captivated by, however, the author devotes way too much attention to his banal interior dialogue. I think a personal narrative can really enrich history, however, Moffat's reflections felt like filler. Furthermore, I didn't get the sense that his pilgrimage transformed his perspective at all, only confirmed his biases. Great narrator but a poor choice for this book where his voice accentuates the author's pretension.

Not what I was hoping

I kept waiting for the story to get going and it just didn’t go anywhere. A droll travelogue of moving from one road and one personal reflection to another. I can’t recommend this one.