Words from the Woods Book Circle
Join this offering from the East Haddam Land Trust and
East Haddam Library System at the Rathbun Library,
to soak in the writings of natural scientists who expand
and deepen our awareness of the ecologies of life.
By reading about the seen and unseen relationships
of the wood-web, our experiences of forests, waterways,
and meadows of East Haddam will be enriched.
In March, 2026, the book circle was recognized by the
Connecticut Land Conservation Council with its
Excellence in Community Engagement award for
"a unique monthly program connecting literature
to ecology."
Read more here.
The book circle gathers in a meeting room at St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church, 31 Main Street, East Haddam, directly
across from the Rathbun Library, on the below-listed dates
from 1:30 to 3 pm.
All are welcome.
Copies of the books may be borrowed through
the East Haddam Library System.
Optional hikes on our local preserves and creative
opportunities will be paired with the writings as
separate events.
Questions? Email Gaynell at gaynell@ehlt.org.
The Book Circle resumes in September.
September 21, 2026:
Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom,
Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
October 19, 2026
The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds
to Save the Planet by Scott Weidensaul
November 16, 2026
How Flowers Made Our World: The story of Nature's
Revolutionaries by David George Haskell
December 21, 2026
Orion Magazine, Autumn 2021 issue: Are trees farming
people, and what does slime know. Copies of this issue
of Orion Magazine will be available during the
October and November book circles.
January 18, 2027
Nature and the Mind by Marc G. Berman, PhD
February 15, 2027
Astonished by Beauty: A Field Guide to the Practice
of Paying Attention by Tom Lowe Fleischner
The readings for March - June, 2027
will be posted at a later date.
Previously Read
June 15, 2026:
The Nature of Oaks by Doug Tallamy, 2021.
May 18, 2026:Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine
by Alan Lightman, 2018.
April 20, 2026: Stirring the Mud: On Swamps, Bogs,
and Human Imagination by Barbara Hurd, 2008.
March 16, 2026: How to Read a Tree: Clues and Patterns
from Bark to Leaves by Tristan Gooley, 2023.
February 9, 2026:
Immense World: How Animal Senses Revealthe Hidden
Realms Around Us by Ed Yong, 2022
January 12, 2026:
Is A River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane, 2025.
November 17, 2025 Book:
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change our Minds,
by Merlin Sheldrake
October 20, 2025 Book: Everyone read their book of choice
that depicts a relationship with an animal.
September 15, 2025 Book:
Wild Comfort: Solace of Nature by Kathleen Dean Moore
June 16, 2025 Book:
The Hiden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
May 19, 2025 Book:
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
April 21, 2025 Book:
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence
Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth
by Zoe Schlanger
March 17, 2025 Book:
Dirt, The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth
by William Bryant Logan
February 10, 2025 Book:
Old Growth, The best writing about Trees
from Orion magazine
January 13, 2025 Book:
The Forest Unseen, A Year's Watch in Nature
by David George Haskell
December 16, 2024 Book:
Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, 2003
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
November 18, 2024 Book:
The Song of Trees: Stories from Nature's Great Connectors
by David George Haskell
October 21, 2024 Book:
Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of
North America (2022)
by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billingurst
"What a delight it is to gather with kindred spirits who appreciate and respect our fellow non-human beings, whether they be trees, fungi, moss, and others too numerous to name!"
~ Anne Simpkinson, book circle member.
"In this world of broken connections between people, it’s comforting to know that for millions of years trees and plants have been working together to keep the forests vibrant and healthy. We’re fortunate in East
Haddam to have so much protected open space that helps protect that fungal network."
~ Evelyn Morgen, Director, East Haddam Library System
On The Forest Unseen: "This book highlighted aspects of nature that I did not know I should be curious about. Not just lichen, moss, birds, fireflies, salamanders, and plants - life forms that had already captured my interest - but snails and mosquitoes and ticks; tree xylem and leaf shapes; caterpillars and ants and springtails; and how we must use caution to not view all the life we share this planet with through our narrow human view. There is so much to learn by watching, and by watching we must humbly accept that we will never know all. It is the mystery that is truly fascinating." - Joene Hendry, EHLT director
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