Shulman has written a beautiful exploration of midlife spiritual transformation. The author, a feminist deeply entrenched in the vibrancies of New York City, spends six months alone in an isolated cabin on an island off the coast of Maine. Eating mussels, weeds, and other edibles she gathers, Shulman discovers a composure and confidence that revitalizes her sense of self and her understanding of the wider world. She luxuriates in "long thoughts" and learns to accept whatever fate brings her way. These spiritual insights serve her well when she moves on to new jobs teaching writing and iterature at the University of Colorado and the University of Hawaii. Drinking the Rain is a well-wrought paean to solitude and the delights that accrue from a simple, centered, and wonder-filled life.