In our hyper-connected, always-on society, the notion of retreat is both appealing and fraught: bosses, families and friends may frown on anyone who deliberately makes themselves inaccessible. Yet stepping back from the swirl of daily life--whether for a walk in the woods or an extended time away at an ashram or monastery--can prove restorative, even transformative. Scottish-Canadian writer Kirsteen MacLeod (The Animal Game) shares her experience with various types of retreat and examines its long history as a practice in her first nonfiction book, In Praise of Retreat.
MacLeod begins with the story of her own cabin in the woods, bought as an escape from city life, and goes on to broaden her view. Her (mostly non-religious) exploration includes ancient traditions such as pilgrimages, monastic life and the choice to become a hermit, as well as two wildly different experiences at yoga ashrams. She also emphasizes the importance of carving out space for solitude amid the bustle of everyday responsibilities. In Praise of Retreat--part memoir, part nature essay, part guidebook--is thoughtful, thoroughly researched (though at times the facts threaten to overwhelm the narrative) and often refreshingly wry. An epilogue (written in June 2020) acknowledges the odd timing of a book on retreat published during a global pandemic that has forced many people into their homes. While MacLeod's advice is certainly arriving at an unusual time, readers may still be able to draw wisdom and inspiration from her experiences and seek refreshment for themselves in solitude, as she has done. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams