In each Three to Read essay, the writer suggests three books that share a connective thread of interest. Dixie Brillhart continues the series.

The visual attraction of the cover art is the stimulus that initially drew me to these three books.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
Cover Art: botanic-like image, a snail, and fern

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is not the type of title I usually dive into. Curiosity and the image of the fern and snail on the cover captured me. This book has quotes and illustrations about snails in every chapter. It was captivating for my inner child, who spent quite a lot of time searching for snail shells, almost like lost pennies, a currency of such times. So, is this book really all about snails?

Yes and No.

It's also about a token gift given to a woman who is convalescing from a long, mysterious illness that has affected her neurological system. Perhaps viral or bacterial, with no finite prognosis preventing her from resuming her previous pace of life. While she is resting over this long period of time, she is able to slow down, observe, listen, wonder, and slowly recover. With a new appreciation for our universe and all the creatures in it, finding a special affinity for this wild snail living in her room.

A Piece of the World, by Christina Baker Kline
Cover Art: a farmhouse along a coastline

Christina Olson lives in coastal Maine. She is tied to her home by her limited mobility. She had a fever as a child, most likely caused by the polio virus. She is coping with a limp and a deformed foot; she has no medical intervention, proper braces, or physical therapy. She accepts her limited ability and the restrictions of her life.

A young man visits the area of her home during summer vacation, discovering her and the beautiful coast of her home. He is looking for artistic inspiration and enters her world. She finds in him love, companionship, hope, and the desire to reach beyond her self-made limitations.

Andrew Wyeth is the man's name, an Artist. He sees such potential in her and paints her, finding beauty not only in her but also in the simple farm homestead where she lives with her family.

I See You Everywhere, by Julia Glass
Cover art: a still life by a window with a glass vase, a forsythia branch, and a seashell

A story written from the viewpoint and voices of 2 sisters, Louisa and Clem; Louisa is the older sister who works in the art world of New York City. Clem is a wildlife biologist. They find their lives and relationships becoming closer as they live a farther distance away from each other. Louisa in NYC and Clem in the Rocky Mountains.

Louisa's life is interrupted by a breast cancer diagnosis, resulting in surgery, treatments, divorce, recovery, and being a cancer survivor,

Clem is emotionally attached to her work with bears and is handling a disappointing turn of events regarding a decision she has made about a particular bear. Depression and seclusion lead to a devastating event for her.

These three books were connected by the thread of unexpected health issues: mysterious illnesses, viral or bacterial, cancer, and mental health problems. The results vary greatly and are sometimes influenced by unlikely factors such as the sound of a snail, attention, exposure to the arts, and family connections, and sometimes nothing can help. Our human resilience and mental influence from all our life experiences help us cope when this happens.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
A Piece of the World, by Christina Baker Kline
I See You Everywhere, by Julia Glass

Dixie grew up in Smith Station, Pa. She spent lots of time exploring nature in nearby streams, ponds, and meadows, and the natural beauty of flowers, plants, and animals has always inspired her. She also enjoys biology, reading, and being creative with various forms of the visual arts.

She has spent many years working in health care as a medical laboratory technician and a medical assistant. She has retired from her healthcare career and teaches a weekly Faith and Yoga class at St. Bartholomew’s in Hanover. 

She enjoys her family's company, including her four granddaughters, Airedale terrier Alistair, and husband Fred. She is always ready for a trip to Longwood Gardens or the National Parks.

All works copyright
Dixie Brillhart, the Authors, Publishers, and/or Andrew T. Smith