I finished The Salt Stones this morning, and it is my favorite book for 2025. I live on 5 acres in an agricultural valley of the PNW Cascade foothills where I spend spring, summer and fall growing vegetables, fruit, and medicinal herbs. Though I don't have animals, except two dogs, one who sprints out to the pasture each morning to inspect/smell who had the audicity to travel through his pasture over night, and the other who barks at the ravens who fly overhead, your writing about your sense of place, your heft of place, resonated with me deeply. I am 67 this week, and thinking about moving this past year, back to an urban environment, but now I am rethinking it. Would I wither away in the city? Thank you for such a beautiful book! I am looking forward to the book club.
If your place is like the picture Helen shared of Mathias looking up at those crows that got away, again. Well, it sounds nice to someone who is in the city not too far from Seattle.
Helen's book is a thing of beauty, which demands another read after some time goes by, in my opinion. I was encouraged by reading The Salt Stones to read James Rebanks The Place of Tides. Loved it and after skipping around some am now reading his The Shepherd's Life. Wow! As Helen shared, that's a lot of work.
Bryn Greenwood has a new book out this year called Nobody Knows You Are Here. It's a little scary, but what a writer she is.
I agree about re-reading Helen's book again - I always gain more the second time around with a deep book like hers. Thx for the additional recommendations. I have The Sheperd's life on a book order list. I agree the work sounds hard and requires such dedication. As a knitter who works primarily with American wool, I appreciate the work of sheep tenders.
Very much looking forward to the book club! After reading The Salt Stones, now one of my all time favorite books and which I recommend to all my reading friends and family, I delved into Jean Giono's work. Oh my goodness. His writing is so deep, so connected to the land it is almost unexplainable. Where will it be possible to get a copy of The Serpent of Stars when it becomes available? The party at the arts center is going to be epic.
I grew up on a ranch in Montana so can relate to your farm and raising sheep. Being that close to the land, animals, and nature, one is shown all the good in life through the full spectrum to the hard parts. Some days are heartbreakingly beautiful, other heartbreakingly dark and the full weight of the world is on one's shoulders. Many days go by between the two, and sometimes I think it is these ordinary, yet not ordinary days, where the best in life is. It is all about noticing and living each day for who it is.
Jenny, thank you for sharing these beautiful words about your own experience. I’m so glad you are deep in conversation with Giono! You can order Serpent after March from Archipelago Books. Be well, and thanks again. H
I am making a note to order the book in March from Archipelago Books. Oddly, before I became acquainted with The Serpent of Stars, I already had somehow acquired The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. So I was doubly excited! Thank you, you are welcome and be well, too:)
Cannot wait to converse about belonging and place and the in between together in community. Love this Helen - thank you for your continued leadership and guidance on this path.
I finished The Salt Stones this morning, and it is my favorite book for 2025. I live on 5 acres in an agricultural valley of the PNW Cascade foothills where I spend spring, summer and fall growing vegetables, fruit, and medicinal herbs. Though I don't have animals, except two dogs, one who sprints out to the pasture each morning to inspect/smell who had the audicity to travel through his pasture over night, and the other who barks at the ravens who fly overhead, your writing about your sense of place, your heft of place, resonated with me deeply. I am 67 this week, and thinking about moving this past year, back to an urban environment, but now I am rethinking it. Would I wither away in the city? Thank you for such a beautiful book! I am looking forward to the book club.
Sue, thank you for sharing a word-image of your life on the land - a part of the world I’d love to explore myself.
Sue,
If your place is like the picture Helen shared of Mathias looking up at those crows that got away, again. Well, it sounds nice to someone who is in the city not too far from Seattle.
Helen's book is a thing of beauty, which demands another read after some time goes by, in my opinion. I was encouraged by reading The Salt Stones to read James Rebanks The Place of Tides. Loved it and after skipping around some am now reading his The Shepherd's Life. Wow! As Helen shared, that's a lot of work.
Bryn Greenwood has a new book out this year called Nobody Knows You Are Here. It's a little scary, but what a writer she is.
All the best,
Tim
I agree about re-reading Helen's book again - I always gain more the second time around with a deep book like hers. Thx for the additional recommendations. I have The Sheperd's life on a book order list. I agree the work sounds hard and requires such dedication. As a knitter who works primarily with American wool, I appreciate the work of sheep tenders.
The New Yorker! Excellent. And delighted about the book club. Sounds like belonging.
Very much looking forward to the book club! After reading The Salt Stones, now one of my all time favorite books and which I recommend to all my reading friends and family, I delved into Jean Giono's work. Oh my goodness. His writing is so deep, so connected to the land it is almost unexplainable. Where will it be possible to get a copy of The Serpent of Stars when it becomes available? The party at the arts center is going to be epic.
I grew up on a ranch in Montana so can relate to your farm and raising sheep. Being that close to the land, animals, and nature, one is shown all the good in life through the full spectrum to the hard parts. Some days are heartbreakingly beautiful, other heartbreakingly dark and the full weight of the world is on one's shoulders. Many days go by between the two, and sometimes I think it is these ordinary, yet not ordinary days, where the best in life is. It is all about noticing and living each day for who it is.
Congratulations for The Salt Stone accolades!
Jenny, thank you for sharing these beautiful words about your own experience. I’m so glad you are deep in conversation with Giono! You can order Serpent after March from Archipelago Books. Be well, and thanks again. H
I am making a note to order the book in March from Archipelago Books. Oddly, before I became acquainted with The Serpent of Stars, I already had somehow acquired The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono. So I was doubly excited! Thank you, you are welcome and be well, too:)
Cannot wait to converse about belonging and place and the in between together in community. Love this Helen - thank you for your continued leadership and guidance on this path.
How do we sign up and pay for belonging book club—love this idea
Hi Marydale, if you follow me now, you’ll get a post in late December with the first book, and you can join Belonging then. Thank you!
Gorgeous and inspired as ever.