A staple of West Marin for over 50 years, Point Reyes Books is more than a shop, it’s a community hub that reflects the sensibilities and interests of its namesake town.
In addition to hosting world-renowned authors in conversation both in-person and online, Point Reyes Books connects to the locals through programs such as the Point Reyes Books Canon, a collection of titles that capture the essence of the store, and the Natural History Library, featuring a collection of books that touches on local topics.
The store also offers a Community Supported Bookstore Loyalty Program that is inspired by the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, which encourages loyal customers to help local farmers be sustainable. Now, Point Reyes Books is establishing a new curated program, “Thinking Like a Mountain,” a quarterly subscription and event series that delivers literary works about ecosystems, resilience and climate.Â
The subscription series is inspired by writer Aldo Leopold, considered by many to be the father of wildlife ecology and the United States’ wilderness system, who coined the term “thinking like a mountain” in his 1949 book A Sand County Almanac. In the book, Leopold describes taking a holistic approach to understanding ecosystems by centering on the interconnectedness of life.
In that vein, Point Reyes Books’ new series focuses on books that, “examine how we relate and connect to the natural world in a time of unprecedented human-made change.”
Once a season, subscribers will receive a subscription box including a featured fiction or non-fiction book or collection of poetry or essays. The box will also contain an interview with the writer (when possible) as well as suggestions for further reading, listening or viewing, occasional merchandise and a link to an exclusive event.
The bookstore will host in-person gatherings when it is safe to do so, though it will commit to providing a streaming option and will also record the event for later viewing.Â
In addition to these exclusive subscription events, Point Reyes Books is hosting several virtual readings and conversations with acclaimed authors and writers about ecological issues.
On Tuesday, July 6, Michael Pollan virtually celebrates the release of his new book, This is Your Mind on Plants, at 6pm. The following Tuesday, July 13, Cynthia Barnett present her latest book, The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of the Oceans, at 4pm. On Thursday, July 22, poet and nonfiction writer Lisa Wells discusses her new book, Believers: Making a Life at the End of the World, at 7pm.
Get tickets to these and other readings, and join the “Thinking Like a Mountain” subscription series at ptreyesbooks.com.
