Publishers Weekly
02/10/2020
In her intimate and wise memoir, Winn (Whimsical Gardens) examines the painful breakup of her 25-year marriage. During her divorce, Winn realized that her most deeply held longing was to create her own identity and “to be known... and understood.” The author, who owns a landscape design company, chronicles her post-divorce life using garden nomenclature such as fallow, germination, emergence, and florescence. Throughout the thematic essays, Winn takes on the voice of a friendly advisor, as she explains the importance for her of being present with one’s pain, embracing others’ positive views of oneself, dealing with her need for external validation, and appreciating the beauty of the moment . She writes of purging toxic frenemies and learning to eventually appreciate her her ex-husband (“I was grateful that my marriage to Dan was able to end peacefully and develop into a friendship”). Readers enduring a rough patch in life will benefit from Winn’s empathy and hard-won wisdom. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
"When women share the truth about life and loss, hearts can begin to heal and hope is restored. Readers will embrace that gift in Rebecca Winn's comforting and lovely memoir on beginning again."—Sarah Ban Breathnach,author of Simple Abundance: 365 Days to a Balanced and Joyful Life
"Rebecca Winn's quiet reflections here remind us that the restorative powers of the natural world are elusive, enigmatic: so often, they take us far and away from ourselves, all the while rooting us firmly in who we are and where we are. Kudos to her for tracking these ambiguities with such grace and clarity."—Akiko Busch, author of How toDisappear
"Rebecca Winn is an artist with words. Her book, One Hundred Daffodils, proves the underestimated power of beauty to heal our deepest wounds. Using her garden, nature, and a delightful smattering of wild creatures, she weaves her midlife catastrophe into a beautifully written story of raw vulnerability, courage, and transformation. I was totally captivated and entranced."—Arielle Ford, author of Turn Your Mate Into Your Soulmate
"Intimate and wise . . . Readers enduring a rough patch in life will benefit from Winn's empathy and hard-won wisdom."—Publishers Weekly
"A warm, lushly sensitive memoir . . . restorative."—MPR News
"If you're dealing with heartache, Rebecca Winn knows how to ease the pain . . . If you're wondering what role you have in this world, Rebecca Winn can help you unearth it . . . If you're looking for wonder, oh my, Rebecca Winn knows where you need to immerse yourself."—fyi50+
"Comforting."—Dallas Morning News
"A botanical elixir for all of our aching hearts."—Superhero of Love Podcast
