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Migration: A Memoir of Moving On
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 27“Migration is my favorite kind of love story, the kind that makes you dog-ear pages and call old friends and stumble outside with eyes newly tuned to the fluttering world."—Erica Berry, author of Wolfish
A stunning debut memoir examining the end of a marriage and the path to self-discovery—and the wisdom of birds that guides the way.
After the heartbreaking and surprisingly swift end of her marriage, Elizabeth Grey surveys the remnants of a life no longer hers and wonders, “Which self goes on living after it ends? And who is she anyway, when she is not a part of us?” Stunned and unmoored, she begins to disentangle her life from what she once called home. From the Oregon coast awash in sea spray to the blufftop meadows in rural Wisconsin, Grey embarks on a migratory journey to rediscover the boundaries of herself.
Leaning on the wisdom of birds, she searches for a place to call her own and learns to let the beauty of a former life live on without remaining tethered to the past. She witnesses a kildeer collecting scraps to make her tiny square of earth beautiful and learns of the bar-tailed godwit and the impressive 7,000-mile flight between her wintering grounds and where she will attempt a nest. Grey calls attention to moments in nature that are often overlooked, pausing to inhale the waking in a hammock to discover a lone feather on her belly; an egg cracked into a pan, revealing a double yolk; poppies and wild mustard; a painfully beautiful blue sky. She pauses and notices—and each serendipitous occasion sparks awakening, guiding her toward the person she is becoming.
Illustrated beautifully throughout, and with writing that sings from the page, “a western meadowlark crying in exaltation of spring,” Migration is a love letter to solitude and beauty, a poignant meditation on discovering meaning and solace in the teachings of the avian world.
A stunning debut memoir examining the end of a marriage and the path to self-discovery—and the wisdom of birds that guides the way.
After the heartbreaking and surprisingly swift end of her marriage, Elizabeth Grey surveys the remnants of a life no longer hers and wonders, “Which self goes on living after it ends? And who is she anyway, when she is not a part of us?” Stunned and unmoored, she begins to disentangle her life from what she once called home. From the Oregon coast awash in sea spray to the blufftop meadows in rural Wisconsin, Grey embarks on a migratory journey to rediscover the boundaries of herself.
Leaning on the wisdom of birds, she searches for a place to call her own and learns to let the beauty of a former life live on without remaining tethered to the past. She witnesses a kildeer collecting scraps to make her tiny square of earth beautiful and learns of the bar-tailed godwit and the impressive 7,000-mile flight between her wintering grounds and where she will attempt a nest. Grey calls attention to moments in nature that are often overlooked, pausing to inhale the waking in a hammock to discover a lone feather on her belly; an egg cracked into a pan, revealing a double yolk; poppies and wild mustard; a painfully beautiful blue sky. She pauses and notices—and each serendipitous occasion sparks awakening, guiding her toward the person she is becoming.
Illustrated beautifully throughout, and with writing that sings from the page, “a western meadowlark crying in exaltation of spring,” Migration is a love letter to solitude and beauty, a poignant meditation on discovering meaning and solace in the teachings of the avian world.
376 pages, Paperback
Expected publication February 2, 2027
About the author
Elizabeth Grey
75 books18 followersLibrarian Note: There are multiple authors by this name in the GR database.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I laughed, I cried, and I adored this entire memoir. The author's ability to articulate her emotional experience had me relating to her story frequently throughout the entire story. Her careful study of birds and artful connection of their habits to her own life not only taught me about birds (of which I am not very knowledgable) but also illuminated the connection between our human experiences and the natural world. I will read this book many times, I'm sure.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received this book for free as a Goodreads giveaway.
This very personal memoir of a marriage - a marriage that ended - is seeped in a kind of dreamy melancholy. And bird metaphors. It’s actually beautifully written, but I have to admit, I lost patience with it after a while.
This very personal memoir of a marriage - a marriage that ended - is seeped in a kind of dreamy melancholy. And bird metaphors. It’s actually beautifully written, but I have to admit, I lost patience with it after a while.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
It was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews