From the bestselling author of "Underland," "The Old Ways," and "The Lost Words" comes an essay about the joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a book. Every book is a kind of gift for its reader, and the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual and psychological currency that leaves each participant enriched. Here, Robert Macfarlane tells the story of a book that was given to him as a young man and how he was eventually able to return the favor, even though he could never repay the debt. From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly crafted gem, a lyrical celebration of the transcendent power and humanity of the gifted book.