Still Life With Chickens by Catherine Goldhammer Summary
Overview of Still Life With Chickens
When divorce shatters her world, Catherine Goldhammer rebuilds by the sea with her daughter and six baby chickens. This frank, funny memoir reveals how unexpected feathered companions taught her resilience and joy. What wisdom can simple chickens offer during life's most challenging transitions?
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Key takeaways
When Life Forces You to Start Over
Have you ever stood at the precipice of complete reinvention, not by choice but by necessity? Catherine Goldhammer found herself there-facing divorce, financial uncertainty, and the daunting task of uprooting her life and her daughter's. "Still Life with Chickens" isn't just about moving houses; it's about rebuilding an identity when the old one crumbles. The urgency wasn't merely emotional but brutally practical-packing boxes while trying to envision a future that looked nothing like the past. What makes this journey so compelling is its messy authenticity. There's something profoundly disorienting about dismantling the familiar while having only the vaguest outline of what comes next. Catherine navigates this terrain with her daughter beside her, both processing their own versions of loss and possibility. The practical challenges-finding affordable housing, managing suddenly limited finances, deciding what possessions deserve space in their new life-intertwine with deeper questions about identity and belonging. Throughout this upheaval, Catherine maintains surprisingly amicable ties with her ex-husband, adding nuance to a narrative that could easily slip into bitterness. There are no villains here-just two people who couldn't continue together, trying to minimize the damage to themselves and their child. This sense of displacement-of being untethered from your own life-permeates the early chapters, yet within this very untethering lies the seed of reinvention.
The Promise That Changed Everything
Building Sanctuary From Scratch
When Home Is a Work in Progress
When Chickens Become Contraband
Nature's Perfect Gift
Finding Grace in Unexpected Places
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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