Everyday magic

Enchantment, by Katherine May

by Liz Treacher, Author

'Our sense of enchantment is not sparked by grand things,’ says Katherine May. It’s ‘all around us all the time.’ In her latest book Enchantment (Faber & Faber 2023), Katherine explores how the four elements of earth, wind, fire and air can rekindle our ability to see wonder in the everyday. The trick is to look closely at everything.


May’s previous book Wintering (Penguin 2020) was about allowing ourselves to rest and take stock after the difficult years of the pandemic. Now Enchantment is about reconnecting with our creative sides.


Of course, this sounds easier than it is and May knows this. Like a chef showing us how to cook a recipe, she demonstrates how to do it using examples from her own life. Wild swimming, bee keeping, walking in the wilderness, gardening; Katherine invites us along to each activity. And while she is doing it, she tells us what is going on inside her head.


It’s these explanations that made the book so enjoyable for me. Because the author has an ability to express her thoughts in a such a clear, precise way, it felt as if she was expressing my thoughts too. Reading other comments on the book confirmed that many readers feel the same. Somehow, by giving a form and shape to our worries and preoccupations, she allows us to set them aside, at least for a while.


This is a deeply satisfying book, like a conversation with an old friend. Afterwards, you can’t remember exactly what was said, but you feel soothed, uplifted and, yes – enchanted.

Liz Treacher is a writer and teacher based in Dornoch. Her two romantic comedies (The Wrong Envelope and The Wrong Direction) are set in 1920 and tell the story of an impetuous artist and his determined post lady. Both titles are available to buy from Dornoch Bookshop.