Norway Public Library spring book group looks at nature

NORWAY — Norway Memorial Library will hold a a spring book discussion, “Conversations about Nature,” from April 4 through May 16.
The naturalist John Muir once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. For going out, is really going in.”

The three-session discussion group will give readers a chance to take literary walk through nature, discuss how nature can improve a sense of well-being and gain insight into how nature can be more fully appreciated.
The sessions are from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays April 5, 25 and May 16.

They include:
April 4: “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative,” by Florence Williams. From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas―and the answers they yield―are more urgent than ever.

April 25: :The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating,” by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. In a work that beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature, Bailey shares an inspiring and intimate story of her encounter with a Neohelix albolabris — a common woodland snail. While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own place in the world.

May 16: “The Outermost House: A Year of Life on the Great Beach of Cape Cod,” by Henry Beston. A chronicle of a solitary year spent on a Cape Cod beach,_ _this book_ _has long been recognized as a classic of American nature writing. Beston had originally planned to spend just two weeks in his seaside home, but was so possessed by the mysterious beauty of his surroundings that he found he “could not go.” Instead, he sat down to try and capture in words the wonders of the magical landscape he found himself in thrall to: the migrations of seabirds, the rhythms of the tide, the windblown dunes, and the scatter of stars in the changing summer sky.

To request the books and for more information, please call the library at 743-5309 ext. 1 or visit the library’s website at www.norway.lib.me.us