I’m Rhiannon. I love books that make me feel at home in this world – books about nature, connecting with each other, or books that take my breath away with excitement and wonder.
What did you like to read when you were young?
I loved reading as a kid and teen but wasn’t very good at figuring out which books were most worth reading to me, so I remember reading a lot of books I didn’t actually like very much. The ones I loved though were books about nature and books about strong girls (or anyone) who learn how to make a place in the world for themselves even if they feel like they don’t fit. Some absolute favorites were:
- the Harry Potter series
- Juniper by Monica Furlong
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
- kids gardening books by Sharon Lovejoy
What five desert island books would you choose?
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
One of my favorites and always helps me feel more at home anywhere in the world, even when things feel bad - Botany in a Day by Thomas Elpel
I never get bored of this book since there is always more to learn (and it would be helpful on a desert island) - Devotions by Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver is my ultimate hero and this is her thickest book of poetry! - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo OR East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The two longest of my favorite novels so it would last me a long time to read and re-read - The most up to date wilderness survival book!
I had to throw in a practical resource book because I’m all about being capable and prepared!
Is there a book that changed the way you see the world?
I read A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold as a young adult and this book (specifically the philosophical second half of the book) changed the way I saw the world and the kind of future I could have in it. It gave me hope, validation, and articulated language for me about how I felt about our relationship with the natural world and what kind of change I wanted to see and be a part of. I have distinct memories of reading certain passages – where I was, what time of day it was, what other things I should have been doing right then – and remember that exciting feeling of my mind expanding and making connections I never had before.