Book Talk with Author Margaret Renkl

 Free Event | Margaret Renkl: Celebrating and Protecting Nature’s Gifts 

Join the South Carolina State Museum for a special evening with celebrated author and environmental writer Margaret Renkl, presented in observance of South Carolina Arbor Day. 

Known for her lyrical reflections on the natural world and Southern life, Renkl will share insights from her work and discuss how we can reconnect with and protect the beauty around us. The evening will feature a moderated conversation with James Barilla, University of South Carolina professor of creative writing and author of My Backyard Jungle, followed by a reception and book signing. 

Renkl is the author of three acclaimed collections of essays, including The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year—winner of the 2024 Southern Book Prize and Reese’s Book Club’s 100th pick. Through her writing, Renkl invites readers to slow down, observe, and rediscover the wonder in everyday encounters with nature. 

A native Southerner and graduate of the University of South Carolina, Renkl’s voice resonates with warmth, empathy, and a passionate call to stewardship. Her work reminds us that caring for our environment begins at home… right in our own backyards. 
 
“The phenomenon of ecological grief is real. Many of us do require fuel to restore our spirits. You will find that fuel in this book.” 

-- Review of The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl for NPR by Barbara King 

Get to know author Margaret Renkl here.