Under the Birch Tree: A Memoir of Discovering Connections and Finding Home

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Nancy Chadwick forms an unlikely bond with the family’s birch tree, which she calls her birch buddy, and which, as she recalls, “became a metaphor for living, a guiding symbol for finding home.”

In her debut memoir, Nancy uncovers a family disconnected through lack of communication, solidarity, and harmony. It’s a story of true resilience in overcoming the effect her parent’s divorce has on the family unit. Thrown into a battle of self-discovery both personally and professionally, she must learn that to move on in pursuit of her own happiness, new beginnings, and new connections, she must first let go of the obstacles blocking her way.

This is a book that shows how faith can help conquer life’s hardships, forging a way through life‘s challenges and how reflection and discovery provide inner-strength and belief in one’s own abilities to succeed and to never surrender. I was completely absorbed while reading Under the Birch Tree, which shows how important connections are in establishing a solid grounding in life. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever questioned their place in life.