Under the Birch Tree

A Memoir of Discovering Connections and Finding Home

A birch tree grows tall and arabesque in the front yard of Nancy Chadwick’s childhood home. Over time the tree becomes her buddy and first learned connection, synonymous with home—and one spring morning, she makes a discovery under its boughs that foreshadows the many disconnections within her family, relationships, jobs, and home that are to come. Through the chapters in her life, Chadwick’s search for home carries her through with unflinching honesty, but in the end, it is a story of survival and triumph over adversity. She does not wallow in self-pity but remains tenacious as she examines her life. An exploration of what it means to belong, Under the Birch Tree is a success story of finding home.

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Praise for Under the Birch Tree

Chadwick brings numerous anecdotes to life with vivid dialogue and details of settings and characters.

Kirkus Reviews

Under the Birch Tree is the story of one woman’s search for home, connection, and belonging. Courageously navigating turbulent challenges and life transitions, Chadwick eventually discovers what she was looking for all along–the inner rootedness of the birch trees that have been her lifelong companions.

Patricia Pearce, author of Beyond Jesus: A Spiritual Odyssey

An exploration of what it means to belong, Under the Birch Tree is a success story of finding home. Candidly engaging, Nancy Chadwick’s memoir is an inherently fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking read from beginning to end.

Midwest Book Review

A story of finding strength in the midst of silence and secrets, and the joy of using that strength to create a life of meaning, self-worth, and faith. Nancy Chadwick’s memoir is rich with the details of a sustaining inner vision of home.

Nancy G. Shapiro, author of The Book of Calm: Clarity, Clarity, Compassion, and Choice in a Turbulent World

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.

San Francisco Book Review