Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age
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- Create Date：2023-02-28 05:19:35
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Katherine May
- ISBN：B0B4RJ7PVW
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Summary
From the New York Times-bestselling author of Wintering， an invitation to rediscover the feelings of awe and wonder available to us all。
Many of us feel trapped in a grind of constant change: rolling news cycles， the chatter of social media， our families split along partisan lines。 We feel fearful and tired， on edge in our bodies， not quite knowing what has us perpetually depleted。 For Katherine May， this low hum of fatigue and anxiety made her wonder what she was missing。 Could there be a different way to relate to the world， one that would allow her to feel more rested and at ease， even as seismic changes unfold on the planet？ Might there be a way for all of us to move through life with curiosity and tenderness， sensitized to the subtle magic all around？
In Enchantment， May invites the reader to come with her on a journey to reawaken our innate sense of wonder and awe。 With humor， candor， and warmth， she shares stories of her own struggles with work， family， and the aftereffects of pandemic， particularly feelings of overwhelm as the world rushes to reopen。 Craving a different way to live， May begins to explore the restorative properties of the natural world， moving through the elements of earth， water， fire， and air and identifying the quiet traces of magic that can be found only when we look for them。 Through deliberate attention and ritual， she unearths the potency and nourishment that come from quiet reconnection with our immediate environment。 Blending lyricism and storytelling， sensitivity and empathy， Enchantment invites each of us to open the door to human experience in all its sensual complexity， and to find the beauty waiting for us there。
Many of us feel trapped in a grind of constant change: rolling news cycles， the chatter of social media， our families split along partisan lines。 We feel fearful and tired， on edge in our bodies， not quite knowing what has us perpetually depleted。 For Katherine May， this low hum of fatigue and anxiety made her wonder what she was missing。 Could there be a different way to relate to the world， one that would allow her to feel more rested and at ease， even as seismic changes unfold on the planet？ Might there be a way for all of us to move through life with curiosity and tenderness， sensitized to the subtle magic all around？
In Enchantment， May invites the reader to come with her on a journey to reawaken our innate sense of wonder and awe。 With humor， candor， and warmth， she shares stories of her own struggles with work， family， and the aftereffects of pandemic， particularly feelings of overwhelm as the world rushes to reopen。 Craving a different way to live， May begins to explore the restorative properties of the natural world， moving through the elements of earth， water， fire， and air and identifying the quiet traces of magic that can be found only when we look for them。 Through deliberate attention and ritual， she unearths the potency and nourishment that come from quiet reconnection with our immediate environment。 Blending lyricism and storytelling， sensitivity and empathy， Enchantment invites each of us to open the door to human experience in all its sensual complexity， and to find the beauty waiting for us there。
Reviews
Becki
，
After reading reviews of Katherine May’s other books I was excited to dive into this， however I don’t think it was as good as I expected it to be。 There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and there were parts that I struggled to get through because my mind kept wandering。 Parts of it were very relatable to life， and others not so much。 I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this book through Net Gallery and I have just reviewed Enchantment by Katherine May。 #Enchantment #NetGallery
Rita Egan
，
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Enchantmentby Katherine MayWhen Katherine May published "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times" in February 2020， her timing couldn't have been any better。 At a time when the whole world was forced to retreat， isolate and yet somehow continue， her words were a calming balm and a reminder that acceptance and acknowledgement of sadness is often the first step towards healing， and that there is tremendous power in conserving our energy for the new season。In "Enchantme ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Enchantmentby Katherine MayWhen Katherine May published "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times" in February 2020， her timing couldn't have been any better。 At a time when the whole world was forced to retreat， isolate and yet somehow continue， her words were a calming balm and a reminder that acceptance and acknowledgement of sadness is often the first step towards healing， and that there is tremendous power in conserving our energy for the new season。In "Enchantment"， Kay invites us to find magic and awe in the world around us as we emerge from our forced hibernation。 Using the restorative power of the natural world， she divides this book into four sections， the ancient elements Earth， Water， Fire and Air and the quintessential epilogue， Aether。 This book spoke volumes to me about existential exploration。 It is calming， meditative and grounding。 Interspersed with anecdotes from her own observations as she navigated her pathway through neurodiversity and the sensorial intensities associated with it， there is much to glean as we all endeavour to forge ahead into this forever changed life。Keep a copy of this on your nightstand， if only for the gorgeous cover。Thanks to #netgalley and #faberandfaber for the egalley。 。。。more
Mel Stanton
，
A beautiful poetic book， that resonated in many parts， with myself。 It isn't my normal style of book to read， so was pleasantly pleased with what I read， but could be quite confusing and drift off in parts。 Thank you to netgalley， the publishers and author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review。 A beautiful poetic book， that resonated in many parts， with myself。 It isn't my normal style of book to read， so was pleasantly pleased with what I read， but could be quite confusing and drift off in parts。 Thank you to netgalley， the publishers and author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Shannon
，
Was so looking forward to this one but I found it not as strong as Wintering。 Some relatable pandemic struggles and advice for reconnecting with nature with good narration but it was a little weird the narrator was trying the author。 I would have preferred to hear from her in her own voice。 Much thanks to @prhaudio for the complimentary ALC！
Steve
，
I was immediately excited to see that Katherine May had a new book coming out。 I really enjoyed Wintering， in which she guided us through some of the darker times， and her style of combining her personal journey through depression with a mirroring journey through place was a perfect foil for her experience-guided wisdom。In Enchantment she is looking at her desire to recapture a sense of wonder at the world， having found the pandemic months of lockdowns emotionally draining。 Her usual retreat of I was immediately excited to see that Katherine May had a new book coming out。 I really enjoyed Wintering， in which she guided us through some of the darker times， and her style of combining her personal journey through depression with a mirroring journey through place was a perfect foil for her experience-guided wisdom。In Enchantment she is looking at her desire to recapture a sense of wonder at the world， having found the pandemic months of lockdowns emotionally draining。 Her usual retreat of words and books is eluding her and so she looks outside of herself into the special places that imbue meaning。 From hidden springs to the vastness of the dark skies and the mere company of bees， connection is made， and a quiet joy opens。In essence this is a spiritual journey， but perhaps its strength is that it is understated。 Katherine does not have a pre-determined goal， or God， in mind but is seeking something beyond the confines of her physical self and that knocking at the door is answered。 Enchantment is not an exultation to follow the author’s path， but rather a conversation had with a friend about a personal discovery。For some， everything I have said above will grate against their certainty， and that is okay。 We are all on different journeys and respond to different stimuli and even to different language。 For me， Katherine’s style of writing is an attractive model for discussing a spiritual journey， to share the stories of our ups and downs， our struggles and our revelations。It is a little ironic that whilst Katherine is quite careful when she explicitly talks about faith to avoid declaring for one or another of the established religions， she speaks with such clarity to them about what the faith journey is。 She describes our worldly prejudices often distort spiritual truths and a tendency to want easy， comfortable answers distracts from the crucial responsibility of inner work。There are times during the reading when it would be nice to dig a little deeper， other times when one might like a little more clarity but， on closing the book， this isn’t the place。 Enchantment is not a self-help guide; it is an encouragement to look up and see the world around us in all its beautiful detail and its awesome vastness and experience being a part of it。 That is where we find the wonder that is beyond all understanding。 。。。more
Jen
，
I read this book with book darts and pencil close by， marking many passages for their insight and inspiring prose。 Katherine May puts words to feelings I had but had not articulated。 Her quest to seek enchantment is my own as well， and this book will have a spot on my forever shelf， as I return to it to inspire and guide me。
Alexandra （thebookishglow）
，
Enchantment is a beautifully written book that offers a fresh perspective on the ways in which nature can bring us joy， solace， and a sense of connection to the world around us， particularly our creative and spiritual pursuits。 May’s poetic and lyrical writing is a balm for the soul。 The book is divided into twelve chapters， each exploring a different aspect of her relationship to nature。 She begins by discussing the concept of enchantment itself， and from there delves into themes like awe， wond Enchantment is a beautifully written book that offers a fresh perspective on the ways in which nature can bring us joy， solace， and a sense of connection to the world around us， particularly our creative and spiritual pursuits。 May’s poetic and lyrical writing is a balm for the soul。 The book is divided into twelve chapters， each exploring a different aspect of her relationship to nature。 She begins by discussing the concept of enchantment itself， and from there delves into themes like awe， wonder， magic， and delight， and the ways they bring joy and solace into our busy， anxious lives。 Enchantment， she argues， brings us closer not only to nature， but to one another。 I’m especially drawn to May’s unique style and approach here—she weaves together her own personal memories and experiences with broader themes related to ecology， mindfulness， and spirituality。 Interwoven with scientific research and philosophical insights， her personal stories and anecdotes offer a rich and multifaceted perspective on how enchantment brings creativity， meaning， and connection to her life。 Part memoir， part nature writing， part spiritual journey， fans of May’s Wintering will find familiar comfort here and new readers will find the inspiration to forge a deeper connection to， and appreciation of， our place in the world。 Thank you @phraudio for the complimentary audiobook—this one is out February 28 ✨ 。。。more
Emily
，
This is the first book I have read by Katherine May so I had no preconceived ideas on what to expect。 I enjoyed the anecdotes such as searching for the Leonids meteor shower or how Katherine came to stop sea swimming and her subsequent swimming lessons， but found I often got lost in the meandering musings， and found that I had to go back to see if it was me losing focus or the narrative。 I think this is not the book for me， rather than anything negative about the book per se。 I'd recommend givin This is the first book I have read by Katherine May so I had no preconceived ideas on what to expect。 I enjoyed the anecdotes such as searching for the Leonids meteor shower or how Katherine came to stop sea swimming and her subsequent swimming lessons， but found I often got lost in the meandering musings， and found that I had to go back to see if it was me losing focus or the narrative。 I think this is not the book for me， rather than anything negative about the book per se。 I'd recommend giving it a go if you're feeling burnout and like you've lost your wonder after the pandemic。 Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review 。。。more
Kimberly
，
Absolutely delightful and engaging read。 In our anxious， hurried world， we often miss the wonder， the mystery， the magic， the enchantment that lies all around us。 The author is a wonderful weaver of herstories， her experiences， where she encountered the magical in both the small and greater things of this world。 I read this book each evening before going to sleep and couldn't wait to read the next section。 The book is divided into the elements - earth， wind， fire， water。 Each chapter can be read Absolutely delightful and engaging read。 In our anxious， hurried world， we often miss the wonder， the mystery， the magic， the enchantment that lies all around us。 The author is a wonderful weaver of herstories， her experiences， where she encountered the magical in both the small and greater things of this world。 I read this book each evening before going to sleep and couldn't wait to read the next section。 The book is divided into the elements - earth， wind， fire， water。 Each chapter can be read entirely on its own。 The entire book centers around the theme of finding enchantment and do pull you toward that theme。 However， if you can't read on consecutive days， you will still be able to follow。 I highly recommend this book。 All of us need to find the enchantment in our days。 。。。more
Katy Wheatley
，
In my opinion， Katherine goes from strength to strength as a writer。 The turning point for me was The Electricity of Every Living Thing in which I think she found her self and her voice and with Wintering and now Enchantment， there is so much richness that has been harvested from that discovery。 Enchantment talks about burn out， which is something I can heartily relate to， and the need to find a way to reconnect with the magic of the world。 Not big， showy magic or the promise of a quick fix if y In my opinion， Katherine goes from strength to strength as a writer。 The turning point for me was The Electricity of Every Living Thing in which I think she found her self and her voice and with Wintering and now Enchantment， there is so much richness that has been harvested from that discovery。 Enchantment talks about burn out， which is something I can heartily relate to， and the need to find a way to reconnect with the magic of the world。 Not big， showy magic or the promise of a quick fix if you only follow these five steps， as promised in self-help books the world over。 No， this is dormouse magic。 This is the awakening from the wintering of Katherine's previous book and a tentative exploration of what allows you to personally connect yourself to the world and your joy in it。 I love that Katherine offers no promises or concrete solutions and that often there are backward steps before progress is made。 I love that she makes no secret of the fact that it is not easy， but it is most definitely worth it。 That fleeting reminder that magic is real， and most often found in the quiet， still gaps we find between things and that it is personal and unique to you is also very comforting and reassuring。 This book moved me so much that towards the end of it I found myself with tears trickling down my face in a moment of perfect recognition of what Katherine was sharing and talking about。 If you're looking for a sticking plaster or a magic bullet， this is not for you， but if you're looking for communion in the dark of the path you are treading and the promise of light; if you are looking for permission to do it entirely your own way， then it is here and it is most welcome。 。。。more
Cheryl
，
I am not familiar with this author or her previous work， so I went into this book a blank canvas。I was expecting a self-help kind of book， but instead found it to be a very intimate set of journal entries so to speak， reflections on childhood， her own changing life and attitude to the world around her and voicing what many feel as we emerge from lockdown and realise our entire thought process and energy has changed。I read my own thoughts in many of the passages regarding lockdown and the way the I am not familiar with this author or her previous work， so I went into this book a blank canvas。I was expecting a self-help kind of book， but instead found it to be a very intimate set of journal entries so to speak， reflections on childhood， her own changing life and attitude to the world around her and voicing what many feel as we emerge from lockdown and realise our entire thought process and energy has changed。I read my own thoughts in many of the passages regarding lockdown and the way the world feels now that we've all spent so much time in our own heads， "surrounded by constant conversation but feeling lonely"， a very profound sentence that hit home rather hard！I really enjoyed this book， thank you to the author for allowing us all a glimpse inside her memories。Thank you for Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC。 。。。more
Angela Watt
，
Let me start by saying I love Katherine May's book Wintering and it's one I've bought many times as a gift and recommend over and over to others。 So I was delighted to see that she'd written another entitled Enchantment。 Katherine explores how she has tried to rediscover a sense of wonder and awe， that feeling of being enchanted once again by life and the things in it。 She opens by talking about the impact of the pandemic。 I found myself crying。 I hadn't been able to express my feelings about ho Let me start by saying I love Katherine May's book Wintering and it's one I've bought many times as a gift and recommend over and over to others。 So I was delighted to see that she'd written another entitled Enchantment。 Katherine explores how she has tried to rediscover a sense of wonder and awe， that feeling of being enchanted once again by life and the things in it。 She opens by talking about the impact of the pandemic。 I found myself crying。 I hadn't been able to express my feelings about how I felt until I read her words: 'And so when the old， familiar world came back again–slowly， haltingly， unsteady on its feet–I barely knew what to do with it。 I unlearned it too well。'She goes on to talk about the ways in which she became reacquainted with enchantment， sometimes searching for it among familiar things and at other times exploring new avenues。 I won't spoil it by telling you what these subjects are。 Instead， I encourage you to read the book and go on the journey with the writer。I give this 4。5 stars instead of 5 as I don't think it quite lived up to the joy that Wintering brought me， but it is nonetheless highly recommended， and I'd buy it purely to read the way the author describes her grandmother eating an orange。 This jerked me back nostalgically to my grandmother eating a pomegranate - a memory I'd not thought of in years and one which warmed me。This book is a tonic， something to hold close and dip into during times of need and when you feel disconnected from the world。 。。。more
Demelda Penkitty
，
Feeling bone-tired， anxious and overwhelmed by the rolling news cycle and the pandemic age， Katherine May seeks to unravel the threads of a life wound too tightly。 Could there be another way to live - one that feels more meaningful， more grounded in the places beneath our feet？ One that would allow us to feel more connected， more rested and at ease， even as seismic changes unfold on the planet？Craving a different path， May explores the restorative properties of the natural world and begins to re Feeling bone-tired， anxious and overwhelmed by the rolling news cycle and the pandemic age， Katherine May seeks to unravel the threads of a life wound too tightly。 Could there be another way to live - one that feels more meaningful， more grounded in the places beneath our feet？ One that would allow us to feel more connected， more rested and at ease， even as seismic changes unfold on the planet？Craving a different path， May explores the restorative properties of the natural world and begins to rekindle her sense of wonder。 It is a journey that takes her from sacred wells to wild moors， from cradling seas to starfalls。 Through deliberate attention and ritual， she finds nourishment and a more hopeful relationship to the world around her。I have adored Katherine May's previous books and wondered if I would love Enchantment as much but I need not have worried as this book， like the others resonated with me on so many levels。I was lucky enough to be gifted an advanced reading copy for which I am most grateful， I will undoubtedly be buying myself a finished copy so much did I enjoy this Enchantment。 Writen during the pandemic Katherine May puts into words just how so many of us felt during Covid and afterwards。 The limbo， the strange restlessness but with crippling inertia。 This is a book about rediscovery， seeing the extraordinary in the mundane。 It's about reconnecting and grounding。 It's beautiful， it's inspirational and it's magical。Highly recommended。 。。。more
Gem ~
，
Beautifully written and an exquisite journey of discovery through snapshots of memories that invoke a curious joy of the simple and the intricate。Katherine May leads you by the hand through chapters dedicated to the elements， the very fabric of our every day world that we can tune in to， whenever we want to。 In a complicated world that is jammed with overwhelm and fear， there are windows to parts of nature that remain unaffected， unaware of these troubles， and it is by witnessing these small won Beautifully written and an exquisite journey of discovery through snapshots of memories that invoke a curious joy of the simple and the intricate。Katherine May leads you by the hand through chapters dedicated to the elements， the very fabric of our every day world that we can tune in to， whenever we want to。 In a complicated world that is jammed with overwhelm and fear， there are windows to parts of nature that remain unaffected， unaware of these troubles， and it is by witnessing these small wonders that we can connect deeper with what grounds us through it all。 I got a strong feeling that this book delivers whatever it is you need at the time you're reading it， be it nostalgia， solace， inspiration or something deeper to reflect back on your own life， I believe different people will gain different things from the stories it features， but also by what isn't said， the gaps in details there for us to insert our own experiences。 。。。more
Alexandra （birdyreads）
，
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead books for my eARC。 Ok， so I thought this book was good。 I really enjoyed Katherine's previous book Wintering。 However， I did not connect with this one as much。 That is not to say this book was not bad and it did have many wonderful moments。 Enchantment was beautifully written and did offer curious observances of life。 I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little meandering and gentle reads。 Thank you to NetGalley and Riverhead books for my eARC。 Ok， so I thought this book was good。 I really enjoyed Katherine's previous book Wintering。 However， I did not connect with this one as much。 That is not to say this book was not bad and it did have many wonderful moments。 Enchantment was beautifully written and did offer curious observances of life。 I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little meandering and gentle reads。 。。。more
Beth Menendez
，
Katherine May I owe you an apology。 Do not let the time between start and finish fool you。 I started this book yesterday and finished it today and feel I should apologize for not reading it sooner。 This new book is amazing。 It’s exactly what many of us experienced and experience during Covid put into words。 That restless not sure what to do with yourself but this isn’t it feeling put into actual words with a suggestion of a road map to get out。 It was honestly like eating fine chocolate and real Katherine May I owe you an apology。 Do not let the time between start and finish fool you。 I started this book yesterday and finished it today and feel I should apologize for not reading it sooner。 This new book is amazing。 It’s exactly what many of us experienced and experience during Covid put into words。 That restless not sure what to do with yourself but this isn’t it feeling put into actual words with a suggestion of a road map to get out。 It was honestly like eating fine chocolate and really enjoying it and delighting in knowing you will be able to savor it again。 March will not come quick enough for me to share this amazing book （though I do love winter now thanks to her first so I’m looking forward to savoring the next two months）。 Yes to this book。 Absolutely yes。 。。。more
Lisa
，
I was gifted an advanced copy of this book。 I adored Wintering and couldn’t wait for this book to come out。 This book， written during the numbing pandemic， is about awakening， revitalizing the frozen parts of our minds that went to sleep like limbs that have remained motionless for too long。 It’s about rediscovering—or discovering for the first time—the enchantment， or magic vision in the world—not for the remarkable， but seeing the extraordinary spark in the mundane。 It’s about grounding and co I was gifted an advanced copy of this book。 I adored Wintering and couldn’t wait for this book to come out。 This book， written during the numbing pandemic， is about awakening， revitalizing the frozen parts of our minds that went to sleep like limbs that have remained motionless for too long。 It’s about rediscovering—or discovering for the first time—the enchantment， or magic vision in the world—not for the remarkable， but seeing the extraordinary spark in the mundane。 It’s about grounding and connecting， and capturing joy and beauty and specialness in our everyday。 It’s about renewing relationships with others and with yourself and the world after being dormant and afraid。 It’s an inspiring collection of essays， and I want to explore my corner of the world in search of connection and vitality。 。。。more
Meegan Petrucci
，
I received this book in a giveaway and was so excited to read it， but this book was definitely not my favorite。 The title and description really don’t fit the book。 It seems like it’s going to be more applicable to everyone， but it’s really just a handful of stories about the author。 It tries to come off more insightful than it is and a lot of it is just really surface level and basic。 It peppers in some relatable modern day anxieties and post Covid existence， but it just doesn’t live up to what I received this book in a giveaway and was so excited to read it， but this book was definitely not my favorite。 The title and description really don’t fit the book。 It seems like it’s going to be more applicable to everyone， but it’s really just a handful of stories about the author。 It tries to come off more insightful than it is and a lot of it is just really surface level and basic。 It peppers in some relatable modern day anxieties and post Covid existence， but it just doesn’t live up to what the title is。 The first half of the book is pretty negative and complaining which was off putting and the epilogue tries to tie in the title and premise of the book that the last 200 pages really didn’t do。 The whole book just feels very disjointed。 I feel like this tried to be similar to Braiding Sweetgrass and it just isn’t it。 。。。more
John Lovie
，
I received an advance review copy of Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age on the winter solstice， which seemed entirely appropriate， as I spent last winter reading her previous books Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times， and The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman's Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way HomeLike many of us emerging from the long winter of the Covid years， Katherine May finds herself burned out， with her anxiety flooding and her motivation ebbi I received an advance review copy of Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age on the winter solstice， which seemed entirely appropriate， as I spent last winter reading her previous books Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times， and The Electricity of Every Living Thing: A Woman's Walk in the Wild to Find Her Way HomeLike many of us emerging from the long winter of the Covid years， Katherine May finds herself burned out， with her anxiety flooding and her motivation ebbing。 In this set of essays， loosely organized under the elemental headings earth， water， fire， and air， she reminisces about the enchantment she felt as a child and wonders if it can help her break out of her funk。 She rediscovers that enchantment through deliberate attention to places in nature and the occasional historic or prehistoric artifact。 For her these are sacred spaces。 Others have called them Thin Places。Katherine May is delightful writer。 She carries the reader gently along。 She has a gift for metaphor and a love of language that shines through。The author and I have much in common。 We both grew up in coastal southern England， although I now live in coastal Washington State。 We love coastal paths and open water swimming， and it seems we have similar inner lives。 I find much relatable in her work。 It was a pleasure to join her on this personal spiritual growth journey。 I read the book the day after the solstice， as the days start almost imperceptibly lengthening from winter towards spring， as we gather to celebrate the holidays and make plans for the new year。 This book is the perfect companion for the season。 。。。more
Emily
，
Some really lovely insights and meditations on the anxious state of our world。
Candy
，
This is beautifully written and gently reassuring。
Alyssa Harvie
，
If you， like me， mistakenly took this book for some kind of self-help type book， you will be disappointed。 （Though I’ve had Wintering on my TBR for ages I didn’t read it before Enchantment， so clearly I just missed the memo。） This book is rather a collection of personal essays and the introspections of the author。 It was so thought-provoking and profound。 I’ve truly never read anything like it before and absolutely devoured it in just a few days。 If you want to reframe your perspective on the wo If you， like me， mistakenly took this book for some kind of self-help type book， you will be disappointed。 （Though I’ve had Wintering on my TBR for ages I didn’t read it before Enchantment， so clearly I just missed the memo。） This book is rather a collection of personal essays and the introspections of the author。 It was so thought-provoking and profound。 I’ve truly never read anything like it before and absolutely devoured it in just a few days。 If you want to reframe your perspective on the world and how we humans live and create meaning in our own lives， you will adore this read。Thank you so much to Riverhead for the advance copy！ 。。。more
Jennifer
，
In an age of constant change and feeling unable to keep up with it all， many of us feel overwhelmed， tapped out， and at a loss for how to move forward。 Katherine May's prescription is to invite enchantment into our lives， finding magic in the mundane and wonder in the moment。 May's writing， and especially her emphasis on our need to commit to paying attention to the little things in the world around us， resonates with me the way a Mary Oliver poem does: offering a snapshot of an encounter with n In an age of constant change and feeling unable to keep up with it all， many of us feel overwhelmed， tapped out， and at a loss for how to move forward。 Katherine May's prescription is to invite enchantment into our lives， finding magic in the mundane and wonder in the moment。 May's writing， and especially her emphasis on our need to commit to paying attention to the little things in the world around us， resonates with me the way a Mary Oliver poem does: offering a snapshot of an encounter with nature or memory and filling it with the tenderness of appreciation and delight。This book of essays， arranged according to the elemental forces of nature （earth， water， fire， and air）， shares some of the losses May encountered during the pandemic but also some of the treasures she has found in adapting to a different pace of life。 Reading them provides an oasis of calm reflection for those of us needing a reminder that we're not alone in feeling worn out -- and that we can find our own moments of enchantment all around us。 It's a book that， like her previous book Wintering， will be a safe harbor to return to time and again when I need comfort。Thank you， Riverhead Books/Penguin Random House and NetGalley， for providing an eARC of this book。 Opinions expressed here are solely my own。 。。。more
Leorah
，
As soothing as “Wintering” was before it。
Kimberly Christenson
，
I went into this book with a handful of doubt as to whether I could love it as much as Katherine May’s previous book， Wintering。 But Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age resonated with me just as deeply。 It gently and beautifully guides us to reignite the innate spark of hope， wonder， even magic， that became buried for so many of us through the challenges of recent years。“The awe-inspiring， the numinous， is all around us， all the time。 It is transformed by our deliberate attention。 It I went into this book with a handful of doubt as to whether I could love it as much as Katherine May’s previous book， Wintering。 But Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age resonated with me just as deeply。 It gently and beautifully guides us to reignite the innate spark of hope， wonder， even magic， that became buried for so many of us through the challenges of recent years。“The awe-inspiring， the numinous， is all around us， all the time。 It is transformed by our deliberate attention。 It becomes meaningful when we invest it with meaning。 The magic is of our own conjuring。 Hierophany—that revelation of the sacred—is something we bring to everyday things， rather than something that is given to us。” 。。。more
Deborah
，
Just as beautifully written and thought-provoking as Wintering。 May describes enchantment and wonder and hierophany （learned some new magical words here） in ways I found myself nodding my head。 She tries to pass on the sacredness of the outdoors and nature to her kid。 But he isn't her and has his own opinions and， maybe， that's okay。 I totally relate to that。 Many highlights here。 Just as beautifully written and thought-provoking as Wintering。 May describes enchantment and wonder and hierophany （learned some new magical words here） in ways I found myself nodding my head。 She tries to pass on the sacredness of the outdoors and nature to her kid。 But he isn't her and has his own opinions and， maybe， that's okay。 I totally relate to that。 Many highlights here。 。。。more
Gwen
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For those of us who have enjoyed May's first two books， this is a welcome opportunity to follow along as her thoughts evolve and deepen。 New readers will find this a welcoming entry point to her work。 May's writing， blending the deeply personal with the universal， remains a thoughtful and moving alternative to the harried way of life so many of us wish to transcend。 For those of us who have enjoyed May's first two books， this is a welcome opportunity to follow along as her thoughts evolve and deepen。 New readers will find this a welcoming entry point to her work。 May's writing， blending the deeply personal with the universal， remains a thoughtful and moving alternative to the harried way of life so many of us wish to transcend。 。。。more
Tag
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enchantment awakening wonder in an anxious age