Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved H Is for Hawk, read The Goshawk, The Peregrine, Landmarks and The Outrun. All blend nature, memory and personal healing in beautiful, careful prose.
Helen Macdonald's memoir tells how she trained a goshawk named Mabel while grieving her father's death and wrestling with the author T.H. White. The books below share its mix of memoir, nature writing and literary reflection. All are nonfiction, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Goshawk | T.H. White | Adult | the book behind the book |
| The Peregrine | J.A. Baker | Adult | nature writing classics |
| Landmarks | Robert Macfarlane | Adult | words and place |
| The Outrun | Amy Liptrot | Adult | recovery and nature |
| Wintering | Katherine May | Adult | quiet resilience |
| Wild | Cheryl Strayed | Adult | walking and grief |
| The Wild Places | Robert Macfarlane | Adult | landscape journeys |
| Crow Country | Mark Cocker | Adult | bird lovers |
| Vesper Flights | Helen Macdonald | Adult | more Macdonald |
| The Hidden Life of Trees | Peter Wohlleben | Adult | forest curiosity |
| Braiding Sweetgrass | Robin Wall Kimmerer | Adult | science and story |
| The Salt Path | Raynor Winn | Adult | walking memoirs |
| Lab Girl | Hope Jahren | Adult | science memoirs |
| Late Migrations | Margaret Renkl | Adult | family and nature |
| Why Fish Don't Exist | Lulu Miller | Adult | offbeat science stories |
1. The Goshawk by T.H. White
White's 1951 account of trying and failing to train a goshawk, which Macdonald discusses in her book. Eccentric and revealing, a good companion read.
Best for: the book behind the book.
2. The Peregrine by J.A. Baker
A man follows peregrine falcons through an English winter and writes in dense, poetic prose. A modern nature classic.
Best for: nature writing classics.
3. Landmarks by Robert Macfarlane
Explores the words people use for landscapes and the way language shapes nature. A lovely, thoughtful book.
Best for: words and place.
4. The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
A woman returns to Orkney to recover from alcoholism and finds healing in the wild. Honest and lyrical.
Best for: recovery and nature.
5. Wintering by Katherine May
A writer reflects on difficult seasons of life and learning to rest. Gentle and wise.
Best for: quiet resilience.
6. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
After her mother's death and her divorce, a woman hikes the Pacific Crest Trail alone. Funny, raw and gripping.
Best for: walking and grief.
7. The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane
The author travels to wild corners of Britain and Ireland. Lyrical and adventurous.
Best for: landscape journeys.
8. Crow Country by Mark Cocker
A writer follows rooks and crows across Norfolk. Detailed, patient and affectionate.
Best for: bird lovers.
9. Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
A collection of essays by Macdonald on nature and attention. Short pieces, full of wonder.
Best for: more Macdonald.
10. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
A German forester explains how trees communicate and support each other. Simple and charming.
Best for: forest curiosity.
11. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A botanist and Potawatomi writer blends science and indigenous wisdom. Warm and widely loved.
Best for: science and story.
12. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
A couple walks England's South West Coast Path after losing their home. Moving and hopeful.
Best for: walking memoirs.
13. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
A scientist writes about her life, her love of plants and her friendship with her lab partner. Funny and moving.
Best for: science memoirs.
14. Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl
A natural history of family, birds and loss in Tennessee. Short essays with heart.
Best for: family and nature.
15. Why Fish Don't Exist by Lulu Miller
A science writer blends biography and memoir while searching for order in chaos. Odd and unforgettable.
Best for: offbeat science stories.
How to Choose
For more falconry, read The Goshawk or The Peregrine. For walking memoirs, Wild and The Salt Path. For essays, Vesper Flights and Landmarks. For gentler comfort, Wintering. Nature writing rewards slow reading, so take your time and read a few pages outdoors if you can. Nature memoirs pair well with time outdoors. Take one of these books on a walk or a trip, and read a chapter on a bench. If you keep a notebook, write down the birds or plants you see. Many readers find that slowing down this way is the best response to a book about grief and attention.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is H Is for Hawk about?
It tells how Helen Macdonald trained a goshawk after her father died and how T.H. White's story echoes hers.
Did H Is for Hawk win awards?
Yes. It won the Samuel Johnson Prize and the Costa Book of the Year in 2014.
Do I need to know about falconry?
No. Macdonald explains the basics clearly.
Is it sad?
It deals with grief, but it also describes healing and beauty.
Which book is closest to it?
The Peregrine and The Outrun share the same depth of nature and feeling.
Is H Is for Hawk about falconry or grief?
Both. Macdonald uses the hawk to cope with her father's death and weaves in the life of T.H. White.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. Macdonald narrates the audiobook herself, which many readers praise.
Is H Is for Hawk a good gift?
Yes. It suits readers who love nature, memoir or beautiful writing.
How long is H Is for Hawk?
About 300 pages in most editions.
Does Macdonald have other books?
Yes. Vesper Flights is a collection of her essays, and she also wrote Falcon, a cultural history.
Is this list in order of quality?
No. The books are listed by similarity and variety, so start with the one that sounds best to you, and use the Best for lines to pick quickly.