A Year In Nature: A Memoir of Solace

by Clare Walker Leslie

After writing twelve books over a period of forty years, I said I was finished. However, my life and the life around me has changed and I felt it time to offer to people pages from my own personal nature journals which have been my guides and deep sources for both learning and solace since I began writing books, back in l978. I decided to publish a book that is not instructive or text heavy. Beginning with the Winter Solstice and going through the twelve months of the year, I have chosen one hundred twenty -two pages from my own illustrated/hand written journals of the last three years revealing my reflections, doubts, joys, responses to both family, political, environmental worries and the deep solace I continually find going out into my local nature. As both urban and rural naturalist, educator, wife, mother, grandmother I open my journal pages as they are personal yet universal to all of us as we question our own lives in balance with the ongoing and continual cycles of nature’s seasons.

Genres: Memoir, Art, Nature, Nonfiction

130 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2020

About the author

Clare Walker Leslie is a naturalist, artist, and writer. She is best known for her nature journals. She advocates their use by the wider public.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and educational. I don’t have time in my life right now to journal but I can live vicariously through her books. The words and the art are beautiful.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Year In Nature: A Memoir of Solace provides a wonderful in-depth view into the nature journals of Clare Walker Leslie. She selected 122 pages from her own illustrated/hand written journals over a four year period. We see a picture of her journals day by day, month by month, for a full year. This volume is incredibly inspirational. I think, again, this is a wonderful opportunity to see how Leslie teaches from her own experience. The point, of course, is not to replicate exactly what she does; but rather to take the inspiration of a woman documenting what she observes and transform the process in to something of your own on a blank paper. I think you will find encouragement through this book if you are hesitant to begin a nature journal. Incorporated throughout the text is also little bits of wisdom and life which add to the experience. I could even see this as an excellent tourism publicity for the Northeast! It's beautiful.

**Note: I was provided a review copy of this book by the author. Opinions are my own.

[Angela Boord · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I like best about Clare Walker Leslie’s work is that it isn’t intimidating and she shares it so generously it makes it easy to think, “This is something I could do, too.”

This compilation of nature journal pages from the past few years is comforting as well, as it feels like a witness to their difficulty for everyone and a reminder of the healing power of nature.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing - soothing and inspiring.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful rendering of a year in words and pictures - highly recommend.