Leigh Ann Henion
Nature writer Leigh Ann Henion discusses her new book, “Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Night,” Sunday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. at the Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, Virginia, as part of their “Sunday with Friends” series.
In this lyrical book Henion describes the marvels of the night that many people don’t even know exist: fireflies with synchronized blinking, salamanders migrating, owls nesting, glowworms squirming, moths transforming, bats flying, foxfire glowing and moon gardens blooming.
In the Appalachian region she describes visiting a synchronous firefly event in Tennessee, a bat outing in Alabama, a moth festival in Ohio, and bioluminescent mushrooms in North Carolina.
The book is so intriguing that general readers will perhaps ask themselves, “How did I not know that before?” “Night Magic” reminds us to focus on the biodiversity that surrounds us after sunset.
Henion uses celebrated nature writer and poet Wendell Berry as a touchstone for her book. Berry wrote, “To go in the dark with a light to know the light./ to know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,/ and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,/ and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.”
Henion is also the author of “Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer’s Search for Wonder in the Natural World.” Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Smithsonian, Backpacker and other publications. She lives in Boone, North Carolina.
The Friends of the Washington County Public Library is a volunteer, non-profit organization whose purpose is to help strengthen the resources of the library and to make it a dynamic force in the community.
The event is free of charge. There will be refreshments as well as book sales and signings after the event.
