I found this book to be very meandering. Gurba ultimately brings her wandering stream-of-consciousness thoughts full circle, but this book reads like a maze of ideas. While Gurba's writing is very good, parts of this book felt like they didn't quite fit the narrative she was presenting, almost as they were written as afterthoughts. The style overall reminded me of Maria Popova's book "Figuring," exploring different people and times to support the main focus of the book (Maria Mitchell for Popova, Gurba herself for this book). I won't say that I did not like this book, but I feel that it is one that needs revisiting so a reader can fully appreciate all that Gurba is saying, and understand what she doesn't say in text, but alludes to.

This is my first time reading Myriam Gurba and it's definitely not the last.

There are layers and layers of goodness in this book. Reading it has been an enriching experience: culturally, gender wise and just for the pleasure of it. I adore the author's way with words, mixing languages, meaning and personal significance, rhythm and magic.

There are book you just cannot relate to. This was not it for me. Being in the opposite side of the world from the fantastic Californian soil, having a different culture, but living the millennial woman life I couldn't feel closer to this narative. While Myriam Gurba speaks for herself, from her labyrinth of experiences and references, she illuminates a global search for a new relationship with the earth, with the body, a deeper understanding and relationship with our ancestor, an old / new spirituality of living with it all.

I cannot recommend this book enough and I am grateful to have received it in order to share my view on it. This is a piece of art that reveals a very specific window in our culture and we'll look back to this becoming a classic and a point of reference.

This is a fantastic read. Gurba's mix of personal stories and history on place had me hooked from the first page. I loved reading about rock collections, flowers, berries, and everything that encompasses. Inspiring and relatable, no matter where you are reading from. I enjoyed the focus on California. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the E-ARC.

Once I got into the first few pages I really enjoyed this writing style. I loved the different stories and memoirs and really appreciated the style. Some confronting history. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.