It's here! Browse the 2024 Penguin Christmas gift guide
The Four Elements

The Four Elements

Reflections on Nature

Summary

In The Four Elements, poet and philosopher John O'Donohue draws upon his Celtic heritage and the love of his native landscape, the west of Ireland, to weave together a tapestry of beautifully evoked images of nature. As John explores a range of themes relating to the way we live our lives today, he reveals how the energy and rhythm of the natural world - its innocence and creativity, its power and splendour - hold profound lessons for us all.

With a foreword written by his beloved brother Pat, this illuminating treasury is a unique collection of reflections inspired by the ancient wisdom of this earth.

Reviews

  • There are certain threads that run through the work of John O'Donohue. They manifest themselves with different colours and textures. The form may change for different purposes of rhythm and resonance, but the intention remains constant. It is grounded in human vulnerability and the desire, the longing, for a connection to the wonder of the divine in nature, and human life within it.
    Michael D Higgins, politician and broadcaster

About the author

John O'Donohue

JOHN O'DONOHUE was a poet, philosopher and scholar, a native Gaelic speaker from County Clare, Ireland. He was awarded a PhD in Philosophical Theology from the University of Tübingen, with post-doctoral study of Meister Eckhart. John's numerous international best-selling books include: Anam Cara, Beauty, Eternal Echoes, To Bless the Space Between Us, Walking in Wonder, among many others, guides readers through the landscape of the Irish imagination. On November 29, 2022, John's latest book was launched, a 25th Anniversary Edition of his beloved classic, Anam Cara. The edition includes a new Foreword by Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, a new Afterword by John's brother, Pat, along with insightful reflections from John's inner circle of friends. More information can be found: https://johnodonohue.com/
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more