Smoke Hole

Looking to the Wild in the Time of the Spyglass

By: Martin Shaw

Narrated by: Martin Shaw

Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

For more Smoke Hole content subscribe to the Smoke Hole Sessions podcast to hear amazing conversations between Martin Shaw and some of our most admired writers, actors, comedians, and musicians like Sir Mark Rylance, John Densmore, and others...

“With potent, lyrical language and a profound knowledge of storytelling, Shaw encourages and illuminates the mythic in our own lives. He is a modern-day bard.” (Madeline Miller, author of Circe and The Song of Achilles)

At a time when we are all confronted by not one, but many crossroads in our modern lives - identity, technology, trust, politics, and a global pandemic - celebrated mythologist and wilderness guide Martin Shaw delivers Smoke Hole: three metaphors to help us understand our world, one that is assailed by the seductive promises of social media and shadowed by a health crisis that has brought loneliness and isolation to an all-time high.

Smoke Hole is a passionate call to arms and an invitation to use these stories to face the complexities of contemporary life, from fake news, parenthood, climate crises, addictive technology, and more. Shaw urges us to reclaim our imagination and untangle ourselves from modern menace, letting these tales be our guide.

©2021 Martin Shaw (P)2021 Chelsea Green Publishing

The stories we need right now from long ago…

Martin Shaw thank you! For your exquisite attention to detail, for your permission and encouragement to carry stories, for your explosive illumination and your lowering of the lamp, and your ecstatic navigation of the water that lies in between. This is a beautiful book of delicious medicine that has dirt under it’s fingernails. I am just gearing up to wander through my third listen, and I’ve just made some room in my split Ashwood pack, for a little nest for these stories to live in.

well worth the time

all three stories are very powerful and I agree with the interpretations and I think people would do well to listen and ponder how life could be so much better if we can return to some of the wildness and the power of community and the power of learning ourselves being responsible for ourselves

Beautiful

This book, and the epic reading of it, left me where only the best books do- inspired, confused, shaken up, and thoughtful. I have no better compliment for the author or his work than that I will think about it forever.

Mixed reviews

I liked the concept of bringing back old tales and telling stories with a lesson involved but this book did not go into extensive depth and was repetitive at the end without new learning. Lots of soundbites. Could be done better. The author does draw you in to listen, however, so it was an easy audiobook.

super awesome

a most wonderful collection of stories. a wonderful narrative to fit our current time.

A balm for our times

Brilliant. Do yourself a favor, listen and listen well. This man is the voice of the ancients shining their light, love and guidance through. Hope rests in Remembering. And these stories help us do just that. Thank you Martin Shaw.

Flawless

One of the most important things ever written/spoken. You will not regret the time with these words.

No superlative does justice.

Great storytelling combined with a powerful and essential message for our time - urgent, compassionate, wiley, humorous, and efficacious.

Martin Shaw does it again

What an incredible thing it is to share this world with a storyteller such as Martin Shaw

Such beauty and magic

Love this, the depth, the aha relating moments and the truth of reclamation of ourselves from this technological world.

Once again Dr. Martin Shaw is spot on

This was the perfect listening for me as we came out of lockdown and helped me to reflect on both my hesitance to rejoin the world and my eagerness to dive straight in. Spot on and of course beautifully read by a master storyteller. 🌀🌀🌀🌀

Brilliant!

Loved this book! From beginning to the end. Martin Shaw narrates exquisitely, as always.

Grow them back!

This book will transport you to places you didn't know even existed. Excellent work from Shaw. Buy it, you won't regret!

A balm for our times

Beautiful folklore told with commentary, grounded in the now with Shaws intelligent observations. I wish his whole collection was available in this form, his writing is highly suited to being read out loud - especially by him!

Amazing and timely

I loved this. Everything about it. It contains three amazing stories that seem to speak to the current state of the world. It also contains MUCH wisdom and I find myself going back to it again and again. And the delivery…. Well, the book is worth it for that alone.