Footnotes:: January

plus what's on in February

2026 Begins

The northern lights came to Germany this past month, along with enduring snow. As I write this letter, the roof tiles are encased in ice, and the city feels like it’s holding its breath, waiting for warmer days.

It has been a freezing January, not only in temperature. I’ve been afraid to look at the news, and after looking, I’ve struggled to hold all that is happening. Writing has felt heavier, knowing the atrocities happening around the world.

What has helped is reading a massive amount of books. I’ve hit a book a day a few times this month, needing another world to escape into. Rereading Jane Eyre to prepare for the slow read was an excellent start to the year; her life has a painful start, and yet she finds the inner resources to continue. That example has kept me going through the dark days.

And yet, there are still little miracles around us. Friends up much later than me sent photographs of the Northern Lights, spotted from balconies across Berlin. What magic! I never thought this urban setting would allow us to see that gorgeous sparkle. If we keep our eyes open, and sometimes stay up past bedtime, there is still magic out there to find.

Views I never thought would find us in Berlin

Part of that magic appears in community. I went to the most wonderful book club I’ve ever attended this month: nearly thirty people gathered in a small flat, crowded in with tea and cake, to talk about how much we all love books. There was no assigned reading beforehand, only an invitation to bring a book we’d enjoyed (or hated) in 2025 to discuss as well as a book we’d be willing to give away for a book swap.

I met multiple fascinating new people, and we introduced ourselves not with small talk, but with a book that we shared in small circles on the floor scattered throughout the flat. I, of course, ended up with the noise-sensitive people in a separate room with the coats to buffer the chattering crowd.

We ended the evening with an auction of sorts, with our hostess holding up the swappable books we’d brought and inviting the donor to give an intro. People called out yes for the books they wanted until we’d divided up the stack among eager new readers. It was a gift, spending a few hours with so many book lovers.

If we look around carefully, the readers are always there. Keep looking, keep reading, keep sharing. We will weather this time together, speaking up for what we believe in along the way.

Thank you for being part of this community — it has been such a help to know we will be reading together again very soon.

And now for my recent favorites:

Most of my post and writing planning happens at the kitchen table, with Hugo getting his daily dose of lap.

Favorite reads from the end of 2025:

Making a Book Stack + Recent Excellent Reads

As a twist on our usual format, I shared a review of recent favorite books in our first member’s live of 2026. In addition, learn about my book stack project that is ongoing for 2026.

Inspiration from January:

• As we watch the world get crazier and scarier every day, Jillian Hess’s gorgeous post on Frederick Douglass’s notes and writing rang especially true.

• A friend shared this snail mail club, and it is the cutest thing I have seen in ages and might just change the world. (Beware - she designs especially good stickers.)

• Jeannine Ouellette’s beautiful piece on Alex Pretti and the events in Minneapolis is essential reading for all humans.

• Yes & Yes (also a local to Minneapolis) has excellent resources and links to follow up and help in this post.

• Freya Rohn’s beautiful piece about Norway and the work of two artists, a writer and a painter, cut short by the death and trauma during WWII, is both moving and timely.

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What’s on in February

February events for members:

• February 2 Jane Eyre’s slow read begins, running until May.

• February 13 Member’s live: January favorite reads and book chat. (details here)

Free for all:

• February 20 Louise Tilbrook and I are going live to discuss the relationship between handcraft and writing — free for all. (Details here)

Hope to see you there — replays will be available for all lives, too.

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