Our non-fiction book pick for May, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature. Author Elisabeth Tova Bailey shares an inspiring and intimate story of her encounter with a Neohelix albolabris—a common woodland snail.

About book club:

Join us in the taproom for our casual, no-commitment book club. Feel free to come every month or dart in and out depending on your schedule and interest in each month's books. Everyone is welcome! There is no fee, no purchase necessary, and no attendance requirements. We are very casual! Discussions are fun, lively, and friendly and are usually led by our staff bookworms Molly and/or Ben.

Book club has become so popular that we now have two meetings a month, one for fiction and one for non-fiction. The non-fiction meeting is the first Wednesday of each month at 7 PM and the fiction meeting is the third Wednesday of the month at 7 PM.

About the book:

Winner of the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing
Winner of the John Burroughs Medal
Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award in Natural History Literature

“Brilliant.” —The New York Review of Books

While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own place in the world.

Intrigued by the snail’s molluscan anatomy, cryptic defenses, clear decision making, hydraulic locomotion, and courtship activities, Bailey becomes an astute and amused observer, offering a candid and engaging look into the curious life of this underappreciated small animal.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is a remarkable journey of survival and resilience, showing us how a small part of the natural world can illuminate our own human existence, while providing an appreciation of what it means to be fully alive.