March – Booklist
Springtime is more than just a change in the weather; it’s a season of awakening. As the earth comes to life again our own curiosity and all the possibilities of new beginnings bloom alongside the garden. Whether you want to cultivate the soil or your soul this season, these books are a great place to start. So, grab a spot in the sun and dive into these essential spring reads.
Nonfiction
Growing Flowers Everything You Need to Know About Planting, Tending, Harvesting, and Arranging Blooms by Niki Irving
Escape to the mountains of Asheville, NC with this whimsical guide to cultivating a lush, sustainable cutting garden. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned horticulturist, you’ll learn expert techniques for prepping soil, starting seeds, and harvesting seasonal favorites like peonies and dahlias. Also discusses how to turn your blooms into gorgeous, professional-grade arrangements for your home.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Captures the vast, evolving spirit of a nation through the eyes of one of its best-known poets. Whitman was a philosopher, and witness to history and this collection features his most profound works, including the moving Lincoln tribute “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” written during his time as a Civil War correspondent. It remains an essential, soul-stirring exploration of democracy, nature, and the human experience.
Entangled Life How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake
Journey into the hidden universe of fungi, the billions-of-years-old kingdom that supports nearly all living systems with an experienced biologist. Reveals how these mysterious organisms can solve problems without brains, manipulate animal behavior, and even survive the vacuum of space.
Game Time: A Baseball Companion by Steve Kettmann
A compilation of Kettmann’s favorite Roger Angell baseball essays, spanning 1962-2002. The pieces profile players such as Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Pete Rose, and David Cone, as well as the various teams and spring training camps that he’s studied. Introduction by Richard Ford.
Fiction
Chocolat by Joanne Harris
On the first Sunday in Lent, newcomers Vianne Rocher and her young daughter Anouk open a chocolate shop, La Céleste Praline, near the church in a small French village. Priest Monsieur Reynaud and Mademoiselle Rocher compete for the townspeople’s attention. This book is the first in a series you can discover.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim
On a rainy February day in London, Mrs. Lotty Wilkins notices an ad in the Times for a small medieval Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let for the month of April. A seed is planted in her mind, and soon she, along with three other women, find themselves on a holiday in Italy that will deeply affect their lives.
Spring by Karl Ove Knausgaard
Third in a quartet of fictionalized autobiographical works (one for each season), covers a single day in April, following the birth of the author’s daughter, and deals with both the routines and heartbreaks of family. Translated from the 2016 Norwegian edition. Some strong language.
The Finisher by Peter Lovesey
A nonathletic elementary school teacher has been forced to sign up for Bath’s springtime half marathon. Detective Peter Diamond is tasked with crowd control on the day of the race and catches sight of a violent criminal he put away a decade ago. Then he learns that one of the runners never finished the race and is missing. Some strong language and violence.
Image Description: Illustrated image of spring flowers (daffodils, crocus, daisies, and forget-me-nots)on a green background with the words “hello spring” at the top.