Robert Twigger

Robert Twigger is a British author, poet, adventurer, and polymath whose books combine travel writing, philosophy, natural history, and personal adventure in ways that defy easy categorisation. His book 36 Islands is a captivating account of his journey through a chain of islands, weaving together travel narrative, natural observation, and philosophical reflection into a book that is simultaneously a physical journey and an exploration of what islands mean to the human imagination. Twigger won the Newdigate Prize for poetry at Oxford and went on to write books that range from Angry White Pyjamas, his acclaimed account of training in a Tokyo riot police dojo, to Red Nile, a sweeping history of the world's longest river. His writing is characterised by intellectual curiosity, physical courage, dry wit, and a willingness to follow his interests wherever they lead, whether that means learning martial arts in Japan, crossing the Sahara, or investigating the science of creativity. Twigger is a compelling advocate for the idea that polymathy, the pursuit of multiple skills and interests, is more natural and fulfilling than narrow specialisation, and his own life serves as vivid evidence for this philosophy. 36 Islands is available as an audiobook, offering listeners an engaging, thought-provoking journey with one of the most original and adventurous writers working in English today.