The Centaur — Algernon Blackwood

Set in the Caucasus between the Black and Caspian Seas, The Centaur centres on Terence O'Malley, a journalist of mystical temperament who is studying the peoples of the area. O'Malley, at odds with the pace and materialism of the modern world, rejects this way of life and instead countenances a return to nature which he interprets as a sense of kinship with the universe. This mystical novel weaves a fascinating tale while, at the same time, making a passionate plea for a lifestyle that is closer to nature.