A meditation on escaping the chaos of modern life and rediscovering the luxury of solitude. Winner of the Prix Médicis for nonfiction, The Consolations of the Forest is a Thoreau-esque quest to find solace, taken to the extreme. No stranger to inhospitable places, Sylvain Tesson exiles himself to a wooden cabin on Siberia’s Lake Baikal, a full day’s hike from any "neighbor," with his thoughts, his books, a couple of dogs, and many bottles of vodka for company. Writing from February to July, he shares his deep appreciation for the harsh but beautiful land, the resilient men and women who populate it, and the bizarre and tragic history that has given Siberia an almost mythological place in the imagination. Rich with observation, introspection, and the good humor necessary to laugh at his own folly, Tesson’s memoir is about the ultimate freedom of owning your own time. Only in the hands of a gifted storyteller can an experiment in isolation become an exceptional adventure accessible to all. By recording his impressions in the face of silence, his struggles in a hostile environment, his hopes, doubts, and moments of pure joy in communion with nature, Tesson makes a decidedly out-of-the-ordinary experience relatable. The awe and joy are contagious, and one comes away with the comforting knowledge that "as long as there is a cabin deep in the woods, nothing is completely lost."

Picked up this title after a glowing review in The Economist's fiction section - incredibly engaging memoirs of the author's time as a hermit in the middle of nowhere. Never had I been inspired more to live the life of a hermit and observe the beautiful details of life that we often miss in our busy lives.

The author has a peculiar eye for detail, and I found myself wanting to know more about the environment around him - in fact, my next step is to read through his Epicurean reading list that he took along with him for his isolated read. Couldn't help but think that maybe it would have been more practical to just take a Kindle along with his library on it... however I'm sure he'd be disgusted to read that.

One of the best books of the year for me.

The Consolations of the Forest by Sylvain Tesson is a memoir in the form of a diary about half a year in an isolated cabin on the shores of Lake Baikal in Siberia. The cabin is a day or more away from any neighbor and Sylvain's visitors are few and seldom. He brings fairly spartan supplies for his stay; a lot of books, vodka and cigars. He supplements his food with fish he catches in the lake and the streams nearby. Not quite a hermit, he is nevertheless isolated from current events and regular social interaction. Most days are spent doing chores, reading, hiking and journaling. There are occasional visitors and he sometimes visits his neighbors at least a day away on foot or by kayak. During the latter part of his stay he has two puppies for companions. His life takes on the rhythm and character of his Siberian neighbors.

This wonderful book offers a window into the author's rich inner life and the virtues of solitude and self-reliance. We hear his romanticized view of the life and history of his Siberian neighbors. The lake and its surround, along with the seasons and the weather, are important characters. The writing is spare, beautiful, introspective and idiosyncratic.

"In the depths of the taiga, I changed myself completely. Staying put brought me what I could no longer find on any journey. The genius loci helped me tame time. My hermitage became the laboratory of these transformations."