Announcing: An oh-so-slow book club.

Take your time. We've got all year.

I have, historically, had a complicated relationship with book clubs.

I often feel like the standard book-a-month pace makes it difficult to deeply engage both with the book and with the discussion around the book, particularly if it’s a month where I have a lot going on. I read a lot, but usually whatever I feel like reading in any given moment. Reading for a book club feels different, like homework. (And I was never very good at finishing my homework.)

But I do love the idea of a group of like-minded folk discussing a book - and the ideas it brings up - all together. What if, I thought, we intentionally slowed down both the pace and the pressure? The trick would be to find a book that allowed for—even encouraged—a slow, thoughtful pace. Even better: a book that was specifically designed to be read in bite-sized pieces the whole year through.

I’d been thinking on this for a while, when I was wandering through my family’s bookstore and my eyes fell upon this gorgeous book: The Comfort of Crows, by Margaret Renkl.

The Comfort of Crows is a “literary devotional” that follows the ebbs and flows of a year of seasons, through the lens of creatures and plants in the author’s backyard. It’s structured in week-by-week essays, starting the first week of winter.

I read the introduction and first chapter when I first picked up the book and was tempted to just gorge on the whole thing right then - it’s that lovely - but I forced myself to stop: I want to read this book the way I believe the author intended it to be read; one chapter, one week at a time, the essay I’m reading reflecting the tiny tells of seasonal change that are happening outside my window in that moment.

The book is absolutely beautiful to look at, each chapter including a gorgeous full-color artwork (the book was illustrated by the author’s brother, Billy Renkl).

We will be delving into the material in the book in a variety of ways, with a new post each week. In addition to reflective essays from me, expect writing, journaling, and photography prompts as well as opportunities to explore the material in other creative ways (through your own artwork, foraging walks, and more.)

One post each month will be available to free subscribers, but to participate in the discussion threads or monthly Zoom calls, you will need to join as a paid subscriber. (Membership costs are going up after the New Year, so this is a great time to join.)

Remember, this is a super-slow, low-stakes book club for those of us who resist book clubs! You can join in when your life allows: no pressure, and no hurry.

Now, The Comfort of Crows begins with the first week of winter. The winter solstice is this Thursday, and I thought it would be madness for us to have a meaningful book club conversation three days before Christmas.

However, right now is a great opportunity to go ahead and purchase the book since you're probably doing some last-minute shopping this week anyway. Read the first chapter this/next week if you have time, or just wait until life calms down and join in then.

We will “officially” kick off on Tuesday, December 26, during that delightful week between Christmas and New Year’s that

Beth Kempton

aptly calls “The Hush”. Such a lovely and cozy day to dive into a new book, yes?

Here are some options for acquiring a copy of The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl:

Purchase a print copy. (I highly recommend this: the book is gorgeous, and remember you are going to be spending time with it all year!):

• Buy from my family bookstore, Paper Mill Books, on Bookshop.org (and support other indie bookstores at the same time!)

• Or pick up a copy at your favorite local indie bookstore. (I’d love for you to shout them out in the comments if you go that route!)

• And, of course, you can buy on Amazon. (Let’s face it, you probably already have stuff in your cart anyway.)

You can also read digitally:

• Download on Kindle

• Listen on Audible

I already own the hardcover book but will also purchase on Audible so I have options - I think this would be a lovely listen on a long walk and I am planning to read each chapter both with my eyes and with my ears to see how the experience is different each time.

During a time of year when most of us are thinking about creating magic and delight for other people, it’s a form of self-nurturing to plan something for ourselves in the quiet space when the dust has settled on the other side. Expect a post on Tuesday 12/26 with more on what you can expect over the coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, this would be a great time to identify a quiet space in your home, preferably near a window, so you can gaze out the window and reflect on the small, subtle changes each week brings to your landscape as you read along. What items would you like to have at hand when you sit down to read? A small table, perhaps, with some favorite pens, a sketchbook, a journal, a camera?

I hope that this opportunity will help you create space for quiet, thought and reflection, creativity, and most of all, yourself as we head into a new year. No hurry, no rush, no pressure. Just thoughtful conversation and nature. Sounds lovely, yes?

I can't wait to share this experience with all of you!