Customer Reviews

The White Island

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THE WHITE ISLAND is about a year and a half in the life of Sir John, Eighth Baronet Lister-Kaye (1946 - ). In 1968 - 1969 the lifelong naturalist-at-heart took a long step toward becoming the full-fledged professional wildlife master that he has been since the 1977 founding of Aigas Field Centre near Inverness, Scotland.

Lister-Kaye first set foot on the White Island (Kyleakin Island aka Eilean Bhan) in March 1968 at the invitation of its owner, the great Gavin Maxwell. Together they would write a book on British wildlife and erect a new-style wildlife zoo. Sadly, even before John's return in December to work full-time, Gavin Maxwell had been moved to hospital in Inverness, leaving John to run the already begun zoo project and to do research for the book. On September 7, 1969 Maxwell died of lung cancer (he had smoked 80 cigarettes per day). That ended the project. John Lister-Kaye and colleagues then wound up affairs on the island and he went on to write numerous other books elsewhere in the highlands of Scotland. A few months later he had completed his first work, THE WHITE ISLAND, 179 pp.

Most people will read this book for its fine, colorful descriptive prose. Many will enjoy meeting Teko, the only surviving otter described in Gavin Maxwell's famous Ring of Bright Water. Other tame and wild animals on Klyeakin Island included Owl, as well a gannet, Max, Lister-Kaye's very young pure-bread labrador retriever and four soon to escape young foxes. Local wildlife noted include killer whales, basking sharks, gulls, herons and a cast of thousands. Weather varies from sunny to violent. Mountain scenery is all around.

Very striking are the visual aids to this text. An area map opposite page 1 pinpoints EILEAN BHAN in large type. A couple dozen black and white photos show the principal humans, pets and landscape. Diana Brown's unforgettable drawings include deer, an otter, an owl, other birds, a stethoscope, killer whale, a seal and mountain goats. Those drawings appear just when needed and make anyone want to experience the glorious islands where they live. -OOO-