At a superficial level, Soil is a gardening memoir, full of gorgeous descriptions of plants and getting your hands in the soil. But the garden in question is a political gesture, an act of resistance and an assertion of belonging. Camille T. Dungy uproots the staid monoculture of the suburban garden, and takes a fierce, critical look at its assumptions. In this conversation, we talk about the way that gardens can become a means of social control and conformity, but also an expression of freedom and solidarity that crosses generations. We also touch on the idea of outsidership, and the difference between choosing to stay at the edges, and being forced out of the centre. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Camille’s website Camille’s book, Soil Camille's Instagram Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past few years, resistance has been a live issue for many of us, whether we’re wondering for the first time how to bring about social change, or realising that we need to find new ways to be activists.  For Kaitlin Curtice, this resistance is an ongoing practice, informed by her perspective as an Indigenous American, and imbued with gentleness, integrity and personal sustainability. In this episode, we talk about her book, Living Resistance, how her own perspective developed over time, and - appropriately for this podcast - how we can live in this unsettling moment. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Kaitlin’s website Kaitlin’s book, Living Resistance Kaitlin's Instagram Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wolf carries an almost unbearable amount of symbolism in western culture, encapsulating the predatory, the carnal, the supernatural and the ravenous. But in her book Wolfish, Erica Berry suggests that it’s time to understand wolves differently: as tender, as hunted, as guardians of the landscape.  What’s more, those evil qualities may be better attributed to ourselves than to wolves. Berry weaves memoir with natural history, cultural critique, folklore and conservation to show that wolves have too often been a cypher for all our fears, and that this has left them under threat of extinction.  In this fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, recorded as part of Katherine’s True Stories Book Club, Erica discusses her experiences with wolves real and imagined. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Erica’s website Erica’s book, Wolfish Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I stumbled across Dacher Keltner’s work when I was first researching Enchantment, and now - for the final episode in this season - I’m honoured to speak to him about Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.   Dacher’s research attempts to understand this very fleeting, ineffable emotion. He and his colleagues have shown that  awe induces a feeling of being small within a vast universe - a radical shift into context. What’s more, by absorbing ourselves in awe, we become better people, more motivated to go out and do good. In this episode, we explore how it feels to experience awe, how we can seek it out in the everyday, and we share the personal experiences of awe that have inspired both of our books.  Dacher Keltner is a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the director of the Greater Good Science Center. He has over 200 scientific publications and six books, including Born to Be Good, The Compassionate Instinct, and The Power Paradox. He has written for many popular outlets, from The New York Times to Slate. He was also the scientific advisor behind Pixar’s Inside Out. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Dacher’s website Dacher’s book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marjolijn van Heemstra believes that we can change the world by gazing into the night sky. Her book, In Light Years There’s No Hurry, explores the ‘overview effect’, a personal transformation reported by astronauts who have seen the earth from space. People who’ve experienced this rare view often report an ethical shift taking place, a new sense of mission in their lives. They come to see themselves as guardians of their planet, rather than its passive citizens.  Clearly not all of us can - or want to - leave the atmosphere to gaze over the earth from space. But in this thought-provoking conversation, Marjolijn makes a case for us learning to draw on the overview effect from where we stand, suggesting that this could lead us to become better stewards of our environment, and form closer bonds with the communities around us.  Marjolijn is a Dutch theatre-maker, journalist and poet who has recently been named Amsterdam’s Poet Laureate. Her most recent work has focused on reacquainting ourselves with darkness, and this includes her creative project The Night Watch, and the Amsterdam Dark Festival, of which she is the founder. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Marjolijn’s Instagram Marjolijn’s book, In Light Years There’s No Hurry Amsterdam Dark Festival Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we return to a richer, more complex understanding of national identity and personal ethics - one that can only come from folklore? Amy Jeffs is the perfect person to ask. An art historian and printmaker, she creates immersive retellings of ancient stories, beautifully illustrated with her own woodcuts and etchings. In this week’s episode of How We Live Now, we discuss the function and appeal of folklore, and roam around the wind-blasted landscapes of Medieval Britain. We get a glimpse of the British Isles through ancient eyes - a haunted place stranded on the far edge of Europe, isolated and vulnerable, but full of courageous, hardy folk. What can these tales tell us about who we are now? And how can we restore this agile way of understanding the world? Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Amy’s Instagram Amy’s Twitter Amy's book, Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain Amy’s book, Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of How We Live Now, Katherine speaks to author and public intellectual Báyò Akómoláfé. We consider how we can step out of the belief that humanity is in control of a passive planet, and instead wonder how we can learn to read the intelligence of the systems and landscapes that we inhabit. We meander our way to autism, and begin to think about how we can create a new language of neurodivergent experience that resists the labels applied from disinterested - or disgusted - outside viewers. And we take a look at ‘hushes’, the shadowy, scuttling figures that disrupt Báyò’s narratives. Born in Nigeria, Báyò is a writer, speaker, teacher and founder of The Emergence Network who finds his most sacred work in fatherhood. His book, These Wilds Beyond Our Fences, is an extraordinary meandering through the cutting edge of contemporary philosophy framed in letters to his daughter, Alethea. He is also the editor of We Will Tell Our Own Story, an anthology exploring Black African scholarship and knowledge. He now divides his time between Germany, India and the USA. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Bayo’s website Bayo's book, These Wilds Beyond Our Fences Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free, extended intros and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerri ní Dochartaigh’s writing rings with a sense of connection between this world and the otherworld, and nowhere is it expressed more clearly than in her latest book, Cacophony of Bone. Here are pages full of subtle signs that are legible only to those who are in the practice of seeking them. It’s a work of plain mysticism, a very personal representation of direct contact with the sacred. At its roots, it’s about perception: how we allow it, honour it, foster it. How we can allow ourselves to encounter beauty and transcendence in the everyday. But there’s also a hidden political dimension to Kerri’s work. She’s showing us a way of life that’s largely been lost, a mode of perception that has been deliberately crushed and denied. It’s a spiritual mode that’s democratic, resistant, dangerous. These times are ripe for it. In this interview, we talk about the practice of everyday mysticism, its connection to Kerri’s Irish heritage, and the ways that reading has been warped by contemporary life. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Kerri’s instagram Kerri's book, Cacophony of Bone Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When I spoke to Morgan Harper Nichols, she was taking a break from assignment-writing for the MFA in Interdisciplinary Media Arts she’s studying. That’s a telling detail for this exuberant soul: she has ideas and energy to spare, and she’s always learning, always reaching towards new forms. A visual artist, writer, musician, speaker and podcaster, I always see her as a communicator first and foremost. She draws on all these different modes of expression to facilitate the sheer urgency of what she has to say.  In this episode, I talk with Morgan about the ways that her work ushers us towards a kind of reenchantment with life itself - but, in all honesty, I quickly lost control of the whole interview. Like me, Morgan is autistic, and I got lost in the joy of spending an hour in her thoughtful, inquisitive company. This is a conversation about how we see our work and the world around us, and how creativity helps us to connect.  Morgan Harper Nichols is an autistic mixed media artist from the Atlanta, Georgia area who has worked with brands such as Google, Starbucks, Hallmark, COACH, KIND bar, and her work has been featured in places such as Target, Anthropologie, Kohls, Barnes & Noble, among others. She is the author of books that combine words and vibrant images, including You Are Only Just Beginning, How Far You Have Come, All Along You Were Blooming, and Peace is a Practice. She is also the creator of the Storyteller app, and her podcast, The Morgan Harper Nichols Show.  Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Morgan's website Morgan’s instagram Morgan’s podcast, The Morgan Harper Nichols Show Morgan's book, You Are Only Just Beginning: Lessons for the Journey Ahead Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pico Iyer’s latest book, The Half Known Life, looks at the ways in which we seek paradise on earth, sometimes in places that are fraught with risk. In this episode, he and Katherine talk about the similarities in their work, particularly the ways in which they explore secular understandings of big spiritual questions, and they touch on the differences, too. Where Katherine is drawn to the local and the known, Pico quests after the insights that come to travellers and strangers. They are two different ways of looking at the same question: that of how to live a good and peaceful life, via the practice of enchantment. Pico can truly be called a veteran travel writer, having published his first book in 1984, and gone on to publish fourteen more, on subjects ranging from the Dalai Lama to globalism, from the Cuban Revolution to Islamic mysticism. They include such long-running sellers as Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, The Global Soul, The Open Road and The Art of Stillness. His writing regularly features in Time, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, and the Financial Times among many others, and his four talks for TED have received more than 10 million views so far. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Pico and Katherine in conversation about The Half Known Life Katherine and Pico in conversation about Enchantment Pico's book, The Half Known Life Pico's website Join Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free and immersive, bonus mini-episdes Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're in between seasons of How We Live Now and Katherine is in the midst of talking about her new book Enchantment in radio and podcast interviews. We wanted to share one of these conversations with you in the How We Live Now podcast feed. In this episode of The Shift with Sam Baker, Sam and Katherine talk about Katherine’s midlife autism diagnosis, why she believes we’re living through the burnout decade and how to wrest back control of our lives from our work.  Buy Katherine's new book Enchantment: US & Canada, UK Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Follow Katherine on Instagram Find all the episodes of the The Shift with Sam Baker here: https://podfollow.com/the-shift-on-life-after-40-with-sam-baker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkish journalist Ece Temelkuran understands the problems of rightwing populism better than most: she lives as an exile, after her criticism of the Erdogan regime threatened her liberty. But despite the very personal toll that our current politics has taken, Ece remains optimistic. The seeds of a new society, she says, lie in communities, and the ways they find to come together. In this episode, Katherine and Ece discuss courage, truth and learning to befriend our fear. We also touch on the power of Twitter in the days before Elon Musk took over - so maybe a little of our optimism was misplaced! But Ece has a unique ability to put our current political conflicts into a global context, and her faith in grassroots action is redemptive.  Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Ece's website Ece's books Follow Ece on Instagram and Twitter Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Gannon is a true digital native, a storyteller who finds creative inspiration in online communities, and who has sought a more thoughtful way to be in the digital spaces that so dominate our lives.  In this episode, Katherine and Emma discuss what it means to be a digital citizen - the pleasures and the agonies of coming together in the ether, and the ways it can both warp and welcome connection. Emma’s is a nuanced take, emphasising our own agency within social media spaces, and inviting us to be thoughtful and disciplined, rather than reactive and addicted. Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Emma's website Emma's books Follow Emma on Instagram and Twitter Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Griffiths’ writing has long explored the link between land, culture and our potential for connection, but her father’s death during lockdown made this more vital than ever. Denied the comfort or closure of a funeral, Jay had to find other ways to connect, mourn and memorialise, and in this gentle, wide-ranging conversation she and Katherine talk about imaginary journeys, ritual and delving into a sense of place.  Behind all of Jay’s work is an ecological urgency, and a sense of grief for the life that we seem to be losing. Here, it’s expressed through the idea of homelessness, both literal and metaphorical. But she also introduces us to the character of Nemesis, offering us a model for justice that might just see us through the next decades.  Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Jay's website Jay's books Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us are enduring a painful new awareness of the conflicts that underpin our social relationships. For Buddhist teacher Lama Rod Owens, this is the beginning of a revolutionary path to our liberation - a necessary upheaval that will rebalance us forever. In this profound, perspective-shifting conversation, we are urged to stop looking for short-cuts and panaceas for our suffering, and instead to engage with the deep, transformative work of change.  Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Pre-order Katherine's new book, Enchantment, released March 2023: UK and US & Canada Links from the episode: Lama Rod's website Lama Rod's books Follow Lama Rod on Instagram and Twitter Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a Sikh in America gives Simran Jeet Singh a very particular insight into the divisions that run between us: on one hand, his visible differences have made him a target for racism; on the other, his religion emphasises the connectedness of all humans, and urges him towards compassion, forgiveness and love. In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, Katherine and Simran explore building empathy, seeing the divine in everyone, and how being forced to confront white supremacy has helped Simran to develop a language to challenge those who would attack him. The Sikh value of Chardi Kala is hard to miss here: the sense of everlasting optimism that propels him forward. Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Simran's website Simran's book, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life Follow Simran on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find shownotes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it comes to getting together, Priya Parker turns our assumptions on their heads: gatherings, she says, benefit from firm rules and careful management, which allow us to relax more, communicate better, and come away feeling positive. It’s all about clarity of purpose. A lack of structure leads to chaotic and draining events, and may even put us in conflict.  In this episode, Katherine asks Priya how we can learn to be in the same room again - whether it’s with colleagues, family or even complete strangers. For those of us who have found it tough to return to social spaces after the pandemic, this is a reassuring conversation, reminding us of the pleasures of meeting, and offering a blueprint for more enriching, less fraught, future gatherings. Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices. Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UK Links from the episode: Priya's website Priya's book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters Follow Priya on Instagram and Twitter Join Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-free Sign up to receive Katherine's newsletter Find show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website. Follow Katherine on Instagram Image credit: Photographer, Adam Ferguson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan Cain’s groundbreaking book, Quiet, taught a generation of readers to perceive and value their introvert qualities. Her latest book, Bittersweet is a song to the complex space between happiness and sadness. In this episode, Katherine talks to Susan about how she came to move so comfortably in the understated parts of life, and why the minor key is so beautiful.  While we’ve been away, The Wintering Sessions have been undergoing a metamorphosis. Katherine talks us through the process of becoming How We Live Now, and offers us a peek at the season to come.  Links from the episode: Susan's Links: Susan’s latest book, Bittersweet Online Twitter Instagram Katherine's Links: Patreon Newsletter Homepage Instagram Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Wintering Sessions with Katherine May. Author Raynor Winn talks to Katherine May about the losing her home when her husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and finding new life from having nothing. Raynor Winn has captured a multitude of hearts with her book, The Salt Path, which recounts the time she lost her home just as her husband received a terminal diagnosis. With nothing to lose, they set off to walk the South West Coast Path carrying nothing but a tent. Here Raynor reflects on that transformative time that redefined the meaning of home - and gives a welcome update on Moth’s health. We also hear about her book, The Wild Silence. I adored talking to Raynor about our shared love of the South West Coast Path, as I always do :) RAYNOR LINKS Raynor’s new book, Landlines Online Twitter Instagram KATHERINE LINKS Shop all books from The Wintering Sessions Patreon Newsletter Homepage Twitter Instagram The Wintering Sessions Katherine's writing class Note: this contains affiliate links which means Katherine will receive a small commission for any purchases made. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we take a rest over the summer, we’re sharing some remastered episodes from Season One, chosen by listeners. This week, I talk to Leah Hazard, NHS midwife extraordinaire and author of Hard Pushed, part memoir of Leah’s life on the labour ward, and part exploration of the current state of the profession. Leah is as funny, wise and warm in person as she is in print, and she talks about the life-changing decision to leave her TV career and train to be a midwife, and the moment when the stress became too much during one very busy night on the ward. References from this episode: Leah’s Twitter Leah’s Instagram Leah’s book Hard Pushed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.