Mar 17, 2021
The Water Tower’s Virtual Book Club met on February 23 to discuss “RAIN” by Cynthia Barnett. The book is an engaging natural and cultural tour of rain and discusses how rain helped shaped civilization, religion, and art.
Water and weather connect us all. Pluviophiles, those who love rain and find peace of mind during rainy days, have often referred to rain as “life’s great elixir.” However, throughout history humans have misunderstood rain and water which has come back to haunt us in the form of climate change and water scarcity. Barnett considers herself a defender of rain and often finds herself having to defend rain against constant misunderstanding.
The discussion on the book not only inspired readers to take a deeper look into the importance of rain, but also taught an appreciation of rain. During her presentation, Barnett talked about how water is the great bridge throughout history and connects culture and religion by bringing us all together. Water serves as the unifier of humanity and life because all life forms need water to survive. She explained that rain does not make the world cold and dreary, but rather it gives life and blazes it with color.
The pandemic has been challenging for every profession, including authors. According to Barnett, one of the hardest things for authors to overcome during the pandemic is not being able to personally interact with their audience. Authors rely on engaging with their audience to help inspire them and spark interest in their writing. Virtual events provide a great forum for authors and readers to connect while staying safe.
About the Author
Cynthia Barnett is an environmental journalist and is the author of water books such as Mirage and Blue Revolution. She is also the winner of the National Book Award and finalist for the 2016 PEN/E.O. Wilson Award for Literary Science Writing from the PEN America Center.
The next book club will take place in May. If you are interested in joining us for future book clubs or other TWT event, click below to join or view our calendar.