★An evocative journey through geology and landscape, seen through the eyes of one of Scotland’s most beloved poets and storytellers.
★Blending nature writing, memoir essays, and poetry, guiding readers to explore the gemstones, crystals, and precious minerals found across Scotland.
★When the city traps people behind screens and inside subway cars, this book pulls you out into the wilderness to crouch down and see how a stone has held secrets for hundreds of millions of years and how it teaches you to feel wonder again.

Blending lyrical prose with personal reflection, Kenneth Steven explores mountains, glens and shores in search of gemstones and crystals. He recounts his delight at discoveries of gold glinting in Highland burns, freshwater pearls embedded in mussel shells, and aquamarines, garnets, amber and agates hidden in the wild places where others rarely roam.

Beguiled by their forms, colours, and sometimes glittering bril- liance, he finds the thrill of unearthing riches more precious even than the gems themselves. Stone by stone, he considers the origins and allure of these natural treasures, revealing not only their geo- logical stories but their place in history and imagination. Steven’s deep connection to the land shines through as he interprets the meaning and magic, inviting readers to see both the landscape and its hidden gems with fresh wonder.

Kenneth Steven is a successful poet, novelist, children’s writer and broadcaster who has published some 25 books. His BBC Radio 4 documentary on the island of St Kilda won him a Sony Award. His novel The Well of the North Wind (SPCK, 2016) was a spiritual tale set on 6th-century Iona, whilst 2020 (Saraband, 2017) was longlisted for the Portico Prize. In non-fiction, Beneath the Ice (Saraband, 2016) tells the story of the Arctic Sami people. He is also the author of a companion essay collection in the In the Moment series, Atoms of Delight (2024)