Phosphorescence, by Julia Baird

The strapline of this title is - On awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark. The book reads as a philosophy-come-memoir and is all about building resilience. Baird blends research with case studies and anecdotes to argue the case for maintaining love, friendship, faith and connection to the natural world to endure and thrive in a difficult world. She writes with clarity and conviction, dipping into her childhood and adolescence, early career, experience of motherhood and bouts of severe illness to illustrate her points. It comes across as honest and giving, promoting the worth of positivity and determination in living a good life.