First published 2020
Katherine May faces a cascade of disruptions when her husband becomes seriously ill, her son refuses to attend school, and her own health problems force her to quit her job. These crises leave her feeling displaced and uncertain. Rather than simply enduring this difficult period, May decides to explore what these fallow times might teach her. She draws wisdom from diverse sources, studying how dormice survive winter hibernation and examining solstice rituals across cultures. She reads C.S. Lewis and Sylvia Plath for insight into darkness and renewal. She plunges into cold water swimming and contemplates arctic landscapes. Through these investigations, May develops a new understanding of life's difficult seasons. She learns to find beauty in winter's quiet moments and strength in accepting sadness as natural. Her journey reveals how retreat and rest can become tools for transformation, helping her see life as a cycle of seasons rather than a straight path forward.
Genres: self-help, contemporary, memoir, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-growth, self-discovery
256 pages · Hardcover · Riverhead Books
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness