Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of In Praise of Paths comes a humorous and modest Walden for modern times
Like many people today, Torbj rn Ekelund dreams of spending more time in nature. A busy father in the city of Oslo, he has no desire to travel the world to scale the highest mountains; instead, he simply wants to visit his local woods. So, he hatches a plan.
Ekelund decides to leave the city after work once per month, camp near the same tiny pond in the forest, and return to his job the next day. He does this for a full year. As he greets the same trees, rocks, and water each time, he describes his changing relationship to the environment and his shifting perspective on a human's role in nature as a whole. Evoking Henry David Thoreau and the four-season structure of Walden, A Year in the Woods asks if the secret to communing with nature lies in small rituals and reflection. It is the perfect companion for wanderers who are realistic about time and ambition, and yet long for a deeper connection to the natural world.
Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of In Praise of Paths comes a humorous and modest Walden for modern times.
Like many people today, Torbj rn Ekelund dreams of spending more time in nature. But he's so busy with city life that he has no desire to travel far or scale the highest mountain.
So, he hatches a plan.
Ekelund decides to leave the city after work and camp near a tiny pond in the forest. The next morning, he returns to work as usual. He does this once a month for a full year. What happens over the course of that year is nothing short of transformative.
Evoking Henry David Thoreau and the four-season structure of Walden, A Year in the Woods asks if the secret to communing with nature lies in small rituals and reflection.
As Ekelund greets the same trees, rocks, streams, and soil each month, he describes his changing relationship to the landscape. He observes minute signs of growth and decay around him. And he shifts his perspective on his role within the forest, and nature itself.
Theperfect book for readers who want a deeper connection with nature, but are realistic about time and money.
Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of In Praise of Paths comes a humorous and modest Walden for modern times--a thoughtful gift for the nature lovers in your life, or simply those who long to spend more time outdoors.
As nature becomes ever more precious, we all want to spend more time appreciating it. But time is often hard to come by. And how do we appreciate nature without disruption? In this sensitively-written book, Torbj rn Ekelund, an acclaimed Norwegian nature writer, shares a creative and non-intrusive method for immersing oneself in nature. And the result is nothing short of transformative.
Evoking Henry David Thoreau and the four-season structure of Walden, Ekelundwrites about communing with nature by repeating a small, simple ritual and engaging in quiet reflection. At the start of the book, he hatches a plan: to leave the city after work one day per month, camp near the same tiny pond in the forest, and return to work the next day. He keeps this up for a year.
His ritual is far from rigorous and it is never perfect. One evening, he grows so cold in his tent that he hikes out before daybreak. But as Ekelund inevitably greets the same trees and boulders each month, he appreciates the banality of their sameness alongside their quiet beauty. He wonders how long they have stood silently in this place--and reflects on his own short existence among them.
A Year in the Woods asks us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. Are we anxious wanderers or mindful observers? Do we honor the seasons or let them pass us by? At once beautifully written, accessible, and engaging, A Year in the Woods is the perfect book for anyone who longs for a deeper connection with their environment, but is realistic about time and ambition.
Synopsis
From the acclaimed author of In Praise of Paths comes a humorous and modest Walden for modern times.
As nature becomes ever more precious, we all want to spend more time appreciating it. But time is often hard to come by. And how do we appreciate nature without disruption? In this sensitively-written book, Torbj rn Ekelund, an acclaimed Norwegian nature writer, shares a creative and non-intrusive method for immersing oneself in nature. And the result is nothing short of transformative.
Evoking Henry David Thoreau and the four-season structure of Walden, Ekelund writes about communing with nature by repeating a small, simple ritual and engaging in quiet reflection. At the start of the book, he hatches a plan: to leave the city after work one day per month, camp near the same tiny pond in the forest, and return to work the next day. He keeps this up for a year.
His ritual is far from rigorous and it is never perfect. One evening, he grows so cold in his tent that he hikes out before daybreak. But as Ekelund inevitably greets the same trees and boulders each month, he appreciates the banality of their sameness alongside their quiet beauty. He wonders how long they have stood silently in this place--and reflects on his own short existence among them.
A Year in the Woods asks us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. Are we anxious wanderers or mindful observers? Do we honor the seasons or let them pass us by? At once beautifully written, accessible, and engaging, A Year in the Woods is the perfect book for anyone who longs for a deeper connection with their environment, but is realistic about time and ambition.