A Country Year: Living the Questions

by Sue Hubbell

For those of us that have made the time and space in our lives for regular observations of nature, this book asks the same questions that we do and is is organized into a series of seasonal reflections on nature from a single woman who is a beekeeper in the Ozarks. Hubbell shares with the reader her trials and tribulations of such a life, from finding out what is wrong with a sick beehive to getting along with her community members who have a decidedly different background from hers.

Prior to becoming a beekeeper in the Ozarks, Hubbell was married and was a librarian at Brown University. What brought her to the Ozarks to start beekeeping, and what keeps her there alone, is a personal story she shares with readers as though they are her close friends.

This book is an education in natural history revolving around interesting flora and fauna and a window into the incredible world of the Ozarks. Ultimately, what makes this book so enjoyable is the authors’ willingness to share her personal fears, thoughts, anxieties, and questions about nature and the world around her; and the reader’s realization that so many of us are asking the exact same questions.

I encourage you to read this book and join us in a group discussion. We will be discussing this book at Nature’s Narratives Book Discussion Group on December 12, 2011 at 5:30 pm. Please register to join us for the discussion and check out the other must-reads as part of this group!