The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year
As Renkl lovingly documents nature’s cycles across the seasons, she invites us to slow down, explore, and experience all the world offers.
In November and December 2026, the Science Friday Book Club will read “The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year” by Margaret Renkl. Both poetic and practical, “The Comfort of Crows” explores the changing landscapes, plant life, and animal visitors in Renkl’s yard across the course of a year. Along the way, she contemplates the transitions in her own life and in the lives of the people around her. Written as a journal, the book invites readers to contemplate their own experiences with nature and encourages everyone to take a moment to really look at the wild world around them. “The Comfort of Crows” is the Community Choice selection for 2026, voted on by our SciFri Book Club community.
There are so many ways to dive in and participate! You can grab your own copy of the book (to support the author and SciFri), join the discussion in our online Book Club community group, sign up for our email newsletter, or RSVP for our upcoming Book Club events.
This Book Club season kicks off on Sunday, November 1, and you can read along with us! Discussion questions are shared in the community group on Monday of each week and via the newsletter on Wednesdays.
We’ll be (loosely) following this schedule, but all our readers are welcome to join us at their own pace. Note: Book pages are given as a reference; the exact pages may vary in your copy.
- November 1–8: “Wherever You Are, Stop What You’re Doing” to “Praise Song for Mole Hands in Coyote Scat,” pages xv–44
- November 9–15: “The Crow Family” to “Praise Song for the Alien in the Shade Garden,” pages 45–94
- November 16–22: “Hide and Seek” to “Praise Song for the Baby Chickadees,” pages 95–132
- November 23–29: “The Season of Singing” to “Praise Song for the Carpenter Bees Eating Our Fence to Ruin,” pages 133–160
- November 30–December 6: “Kept Safe in the Womb of the World” to “Praise Song for Fingers That Do Not Form a Fist,” pages 161–198
- December 7–13: “The Season of Making Ready” to “Because I Can’t Stop Drinking in the Light,” pages 199–232
- December 14–20: “The Lazarus Snail” to “Author’s Note,” pages 233–266
For this book, we have also created a shared interactive space in our online community group for members to post their own doodles, snapshots, and reflections on nature. Come get creative with us!
Related Segment
The SciFri Book Club reads ‘The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year’
Save the date(s): SciFri Book Club events
Book Club Kickoff
Got thoughts about our podcast episode with Margaret Renkl? Let’s talk about it! Join us on Zoom for a free, informal conversation to kick off our reading of “The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year.” We’ll dig into the interview, share first impressions, and get oriented on what’s ahead. No prior reading is required. If you haven’t heard the interview yet, we’ll catch you up. Everyone is welcome!
- When: Tuesday, November 10 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
- Where: Science Friday’s Zoom
- Tickets: Free! RSVP for link
Please note that this is the working schedule, but of course, the news could change our plans.
Author Q&A Livestream with Margaret Renkl
Award-winning author, editor, and columnist Margaret Renkl has written about flora, fauna, and culture for nearly a decade. Learn about her work and writing as we discuss “The Comfort of Crows,” the natural world, and the power of observation. Come with your curiosity—we’ll be taking your questions in the YouTube livestream chat. You do not need to have read the book to participate. Everyone is welcome!
- When: Friday, November 20 at 4 pm ET / 1 pm PT
- Where: Science Friday’s YouTube channel
- Tickets: Free! RSVP for reminders
We are pleased to offer live English closed captioning for this event. If you RSVP, you will receive the recording link after the event.
Book Club Community Meeting
Want to connect with other Science Friday Book Club members, share your thoughts about the reading, and discover resources for deeper learning—all without leaving home? Our community meeting is the place for you! While the informal conversation will focus on themes and topics from the current book, you’re welcome to join us regardless of how far you’ve read. No spoilers. Come and chat!
- When: Thursday, December 17 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT
- Where: Science Friday’s Zoom
- Tickets: Free! RSVP for link
Related Article
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Grab your own copy
If you’d like to purchase a physical copy, we encourage you to start local! Check out the SciFri Book Club partner bookstores and libraries—if you’re in the area, consider supporting your local bookseller or public library (plus, mention our Book Club for a percentage off your purchase at participating shops!).
If they don’t have the book in stock or you’d rather purchase online, you can support Science Friday by buying your copy on our Bookshop.org page.
Want more ways to read? This book is available in a few formats via online retailers, your local library, or elsewhere:
Your local library may not currently have “The Comfort of Crows” in its catalog, but many branches offer options for patrons like you to submit book suggestions to librarians. Look for ways to suggest new titles via the Libby on your library’s website, or a suggestion box at your local branch!
Join our community space
And as you start reading, join us on our online community space: the SciFri Book Club is on Mighty Networks, a platform where we can gather, read and discuss science books together. We’ve built this community space to create a better way for readers to stay connected with other Book Clubbers, and we hope you’ll join us there!
Sign up for our newsletter
Subscribe to SciFri Book Club emails to stay updated on our monthly reads and join us for community discussions. We’ll send emails a few times per week.