X-Book

The Half Bird

Click Buy to Log in and see personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

Discover the incredible story of one woman's solo journey across the Bay of Biscay, into the Mediterranean, and the unexpected joy of solitude, self-discovery and resilience
__________

'We have no idea how much resilience there is inside us until we have to draw on it. We learn that we grow through adversity only as we go through it. That we crave happiness like plants leaning toward the light'

When Susan quit her job in London and set sail off the south coast of England on her beloved sailboat, Isean, she was unaware this spontaneous departure would lead to a three-year journey spanning several countries across the continent.

With only the very basics on board, resourcefulness becomes an unexpected source of joy and contentment. The highs and lows of living in such an extreme way awakens a newfound appreciation for the beauty of her surroundings, for being safe - for just being alive.

For all the physical and navigational challenges of her journey, the other side of her story reveals a more important change - an inner journey - that took place along the way.

This wasn't merely a challenge, a mid-life adventure or gap-year career break; it was much gentler than that, but much greater too.

She was seeking nothing less than an entirely different life, having left the land far behind to call the wild, unbiddable sea home.
__________

©2024 Susan Smillie (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

Absorbing, moving, impressive
Guardian
A beautiful, wise and open-hearted odyssey through life, loves and the sea. Susan lives many of our dreams, showing how we need nature, solitude and community – and less stuff! – to flourish and find freedom
Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly Isles
Susan Smillie's story is told with all the invigorating energy of a crisp wind under a cloudless sky. The way she renders the world as seen from the prow of her beloved Isean is utterly beguiling. The Half Bird is a wonderful book – and one that shows vividly and fearlessly that there are many ways for an adventurous woman to live
Charlotte Higgins, Chief culture writer, The Guardian
A lesson on how to live, how to heal, how to grow and how to fly
Gordan Buchanan, wildlife filmmaker
This book is for all nature lovers, freedom lovers and anyone who dreams of escaping the daily grind. Without a big budget or much experience, Susan makes her dream happen and takes to a life at sea. We travel with her through her solo journey, experiencing the highs and lows, the fear and loneliness as well as the joy and elation of being truly free. I would recommend it to anyone, sailor or not, who wants a life-affirming, moving and compelling read
Guy Grieve, author of Sea Legs: One Family’s Adventure on the Ocean
There is a rare subtlety in so much of this. Smillie finds a freedom, beauty, and joy in amongst the rolling waves and shifting tides of loss, illness, and grief. The Half Bird is an immensely enjoyable ocean adventure, but what emerges is a deeply inspiring story about the quiet strengths that reside within us all
Will Millard, author and BBC presenter
I didn't know a love song between a woman and her boat could transport, and transfix me. The Half Bird made my heart whole
Rhik Samadder, author of I Never Said I Loved You
Author Susan Smillie
Narrator Susan Smillie
Duration 7 hours and 49 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9780241713556
Format Audiobook
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Genre Memoirs, Sailing / yachting, Self-help, personal development and practical advice, Travel writing
Availability AU, GB, IE, US

About xigxag

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at £8.99. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from £3.99. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.