Song of The Sky; An Exploration of the Ocean of Air
by Guy Murchie
First Published by Houghton Mifflin 1954

Simple descriptions or labels cannot capture the essence of this eclectic and well-researched book, which proved a popular award winner in its day. The recipe includes one part meterology, one part navigation, one part history of early flight, one part bird flight, one part flying lore, one part travel log, one part war story, seasoned with a dash of Ripley's Believe It or Not. Six pages detail the names of the planet's various winds, in the native tongues of the people who encounter them. In trying to comprehend how the book came to be so varied, it helps to understand that the author was a mariner, a school teacher, a pilot, a navigator, a musician, a war correspondent, and an artist. He has illustrated the book with pen and ink renderings of art deco C-54 transports, majestic sky scapes, and technical sketches of snow crystals. In all, it is as rich and comprehensive response to flight and the sky as any author has recorded for us.

Murchie was obviously a great influence on Richard Bach's early flying books. His narrative style of framing topics about navigation within a flight across the Atlantic must have been the inspiration for Bach's "Stranger to the Ground," another great book about flying. Murchie takes you on journies through the evolution of early ocean navigation, celestial navigation, and flight. Fascinating even for non-pilots and non-science oriented readers. A master of explaining complex phenomenon, "Song of the Sky" will leave the reader with an appreciation of man's long struggle to conquer the ocean and sky. If you like Richard Bach or Ernest Gann, you will absolutely love "Song of the Sky."

Guy Murchie is extraordinary: a wartime flier who knows the world of science intimately, yet describes it all with the soul of a poet. Go aloft with him: feel the air currents lift your body, yet know why the air molecules move as they do. Whether you are interested in airplanes--or meteorology-- or navigation--or not, this book belongs in your library. Illustrated with numerous tiny drawings by the author.

I first read Music of the Spheres over 30 years ago and that now ragged hardbound copy I read as a teenager is still, as ever since first reading it, the first book pulled from the shelf when I am curious about some natural phenomenon or need to explain in detail some theory of science e.g. Relativity and Quantum theory to one of my children. His poetic elucidations of the workings of the universe both teach the mind and touch the reader's heart. This book, along with his, The Seven Mysteries of Life, will provide both the student and lay teacher ample sources of reference for things scientific for a lifetime. Patrick Stonehouse

Unequalled for friendliness of tone and accessibility, a personable survey of the microscopic and macroscopic phenomena of the universe. Some of the science is slightly out of date (it was written in 1967) but if you want a thought-provoking introduction to the current views of the physical universe, this is it. I read my copy over and over, and it always gives me new insights in the way Murchie combines ideas that have not been combined before. With excellent illustrations by the author, and the author's own index, which is a deep work of art in itself.

Having just read Mr. Murchie's first book Men on the Horizon I felt a sense of oneness with his spirit after reading The Soul School. If life is a school for the soul, Mr. Murchie is one of its best Headmasters as he teaches his readers who share in his life through his lucid and poetic writings. His book The Music of the Spheres influenced my early life and gave me some direction toward eventually discovering my own comet last year C/1998 H1 and this, his most recent masterpiece, I think shall influence this later part of my life to help me discover myself. Here is an honest man who, I think, can look at himself in a mirror without regret and say that he has here written, with all its pluses and minuses, an inspiring story of his life which may be a shining example to all mankind. Patrick Stonehouse atrick@rocketmail.com

I feel May Sarton pretty much hit the nail on the head with her praise found on the back of the book. "A good book to take to a desert island as sole companion, so rich is it in knowledge and insight." I can't sum up my feelings towards the book in any more concise terms. This is basically an entire biology textbook expanded and opinionated. This is one of the few textbooks that isn't one. If you are able to complete this entire book and retain all of its teachings you would now have a comprehensive knowlegde of all life. This book is almost a sacred text, you can gather most of your knowledge of life from its contents. This brings me to the downside of this illuminating book. This author may turn off several scientific readers in the book because part of the exploration into science and philosophy includes facing the spiritual world as Murchie would have said it. His wider thinking is in no way dogmatic, but it more closely resembles a new age type. However I urge you, a religious skeptic, to read this book. There is NO other book of its kind penned by another author. So buy it. I would buy a couple dozen copies just to own. To conclude with the praise of Buckminster Fuller, "Embraces all the most important information about everything humanity needs to know for continuance aboard planet Earth, or anywhere else in the universe."

Guy Murchie was an amazing man and "The Seven Mysteries ofLife" was his most astonishing and magnificent book. It presentshis comprehensive, systematic, and brilliant vision of the worlds of matter, life, mind, and spirit in extraordinarily beautiful, simple, poetic, and apt language, with an endless series of absorbing and inspired illustrations that are mostly drawn, with noble erudition, from the scientific literature. It is a work of genius - a masterpiece of ideonomy - and I feel little hesitation in declaring it one of the 200 greatest books that have ever been written.

- Patrick Gunkel

I first read this book many years ago - and then made the mistake of lending it out a few years ago, and losing it! I have missed it, and am delighted to find it again. A fascinating - and highly original, yet scientific examination of what Mr Murchie quite rightly decribes as the Seven Mysteries of Life. From breathing, through the nature of Life itself, and including a sometimes quite hilarious look at the sexuality of everything from fungi to sea slugs. Correlating the planet and its activities to human existance and behaviour, he writes in a totally entertaining way. I was unable to put this rather large book down, and look forward to receiving my new copy - now that I have found it again. Recommendation: Anyone who enjoys learning something about many things, who has love of life and nature, and a fascination with different philosophical views. Thick, wordy, and worth savouring

Readers be aware "The World Aloft" is an abridgement of "Song of the Sky." I own both books and use the paperbacked "The World Aloft" as a portable travel copy, since "Song" is a thick, heavy book. If you are unable to procure "Song fo the Sky"; "The World Aloft" captures the essentials of the original book: treasure it and learn from Murchie.