The Meaning of Geese

• The Meaning of Geese by Nick Acheson
• Chelsea Green Publishing, 2023. 230 pages.
• ISBN: 9781915294098. Hbk, £20.
• Bookshop from £18.00.

Nick Acheson's new book is a poignant and intimate study of the lives of geese as they flock to us during the winter months. Spanning seven months, in the wake of lockdowns and a harsh winter, Acheson keeps a diary of his sightings and observations. This style of writing makes The Meaning of Geese a fast-paced, easy read.

The information that Acheson provides us with is focused and informative in some ways, but it also contains beautifully lyrical lines which are dispersed throughout. He recounts his days of exploration and observation as he journeys around Norfolk on his mother's trusty 40-year-old red bicycle. He details everything from the highs of finding rare geese to the lows of poor weather and bike repairs, but he also shares his love for these underrated birds with like-minded enthusiasts. These thought-provoking discussions detailing history, landscape, biology and conservation all show the beauty and complexity of these birds that are so often overlooked. It becomes immediately clear just how much joy these birds provide Acheson with as he recounts childhood and also more recent struggles with isolation. They truly are "The souls of winter".

What really stuck with me was Acheson's vivid descriptions of different geese, landscapes and other birds that he encounters along the way. His journey across Norfolk could be described as a bit of a wild goose chase in some ways, but it also stands out as a story of love for a landscape and its seasonal visitors. There is something about journeying on a bicycle that offers you a new perspective to the world around you and allows you to look a little deeper and the changing landscapes and this is something Acheson captures perfectly.

The prologue sets up the book beautifully with its snippets of memoir and detail of place that brings the pages to life in the eyes of the reader. By the end, for me, it seemed pretty impossible to read this book and not yearn for the calls of Pink-feet or for the sight of a skein flying overhead.