I’m usually not picky about where I read books. In bed, on the couch, in a waiting room — anywhere is fair game as a place to sneak in some reading.
But, the only time I read Infinite Paradise: Witnessing the Wild, a Memoir was when I sat on my garden patio in the cool of a summer evening, while sipping a glass of homemade lemonade and listening to birdsong.
It was absolutely perfect.
What’s Infinite Paradise about?
In Infinite Paradise, author Dianne Ebertt Beeaff chronicles a full year spent at her rustic home situated on 16 glorious acres along the Conestoga River in Southern Ontario, Canada. The book isn’t your traditional memoir. Instead of reflecting upon deeply personal experiences, it delves into the author’s experience with the land and wilderness around her. It’s reminiscent of an almanac, though with much more personality.
Infinite Paradise is broken into seasons, then into months. Those months are then divided into vignettes that summarize the days spent observing and interacting with the wildlife around Beeaff’s home. Regular topics include:
- bird murmurations and other seasonal animal activity
- what plants and flowers to look for each season
- local geologic formations and birthstones and other gems
- moon cycles
- folklore from various cultures and the origins of month names
- inspirational quotes from essays, books, treaties, poems, songs from throughout history
What I loved about Infinite Paradise
Infinite Paradise is just such a soothing, relaxing read. There’s no real story, other than following the light-hearted adventures and daily tasks of Beeaff’s family. I was happy to follow them as they took care of their 16 acres.
Since Northern NJ has similar flora and fauna to Beeaff’s part of Canada, a lot of outdoor activity in Infinite Paradise was familiar to me. I reveled in all the animal antics, foraging adventures, and crescendos of color as Mother Nature changed her dresses for the seasons.
How to read Infinite Paradise
While you can read Infinite Paradise all in one go – which I do recommend for your first encounter – I can see this book being a great seasonal read.
Infinite Paradise starts in Spring, which begins in early March. These passages are inspiring and invigorating, just like the start of the season itself. They made me want to jump up each day to see what plants had sprouted and what new birds were at my feeder. The Winter Season passages, which run December – February, are delightfully cozy and snow-filled. They made me look forward to blustery winds and snow flurries.
I read the Summer Season section over May, June, and July. It was a perfect way to appreciate the delights of the season, both on the page and in my own backyard. Beeaff waxes poetic about the long, warm, light-filled evenings, and I was right there with her. I was even a tiny bit sad when I moved on to reading the Autumn Season section. But, it only took a few September pages to make me excited for cooler weather, crunchy leaves, and seasonal holidays to roll around.
A little note about the publisher, She Writes Press
Remember my posts about hybrid publishing? She Writes Press, which published Infinite Paradise, is one of those few reputable hybrid publishing companies out there. (And, no, it’s not one that offered me a book deal.) Yes, I was interested in reading Infinite Paradise for its content, But, I also wanted a chance to inspect the quality of a She Writes Press book.
And, I’m impressed. Infinite Paradise is wonderfully edited, copyedited, proofed, and put together. I did receive an ARC, so it wasn’t the final version of the book. But, even the quality of the ARC was impressive. **makes note to self for publishing future**
Should you read Infinite Paradise?
You need to read Infinite Paradise is you’re looking for a relaxing, meandering tale of nature and all its wonders. If you’re a fan of As the Season Turns podcast with Lia Leendertz, you will absolutely love this book. It’s a great guide for seasonal living, which is becoming more and more popular (thankfully!).
You’ll also enjoy this book if you liked The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan, and if you liked the naturalist aspects of fiction like The Vaster Wilds, The Fabled Earth, and Where the Crawdads Sing.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for Infinite Paradise?
Check back in for the book-inspired recipe: Autumn Farro Salad.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
Thanks so much for this post!
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂