A Fire in the Rain

Les Harding is Reference Librarian at the University of Waterloo.

If you have ever dreamed of escaping the rat race, then this little book
is probably for you. Its author is a transplanted Ontarian who traded
the insanities and stresses of the big city for a rustic life on a quiet
island off British Columbia’s coast. He is also a United Church
minister who works with the Kwakiutl Indians and has learned much from
them. This book brings together 52 short, contemplative essays, which
are arranged loosely to follow the seasons.

According to Atkinson, “Entering the woods is like entering a
temple.” That is a good summation of the content and tone of this
book. A quiet religiosity, derived from things like watching the
ceaseless tides and listening to birdcalls, permeates its pages. The
author has a nice turn of phrase, a gift for striking imagery, and an
eye for the simple joys of living.

I read this book straight through, which I realize now was a mistake.
Doing so made the author’s relentless pantheism seem a bit tedious at
times. To get the most out of this volume, read only a few pages at a
sitting.