Enchantment by Katherine May Summary
Overview of Enchantment
In a world of anxiety and burnout, Katherine May's "Enchantment" offers a transformative journey back to wonder through earth, water, fire, and air. This lyrical meditation has become essential reading for those seeking to escape digital overwhelm and rediscover life's simple magic.
Similar books to Enchantment
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
When the World Loses Its Shimmer
Have you noticed how hard it is to finish a book lately? How birthdays feel like just another day, how you scroll endlessly but absorb nothing, how time itself seems to behave strangely-clustering in dark corners, looping back on itself? You're not alone in this peculiar emptiness. Katherine May's "Enchantment" names what many of us have been feeling but couldn't quite articulate: we've lost our capacity for wonder. Not the manufactured amazement of viral videos or Instagram sunsets, but something deeper-an ability to truly engage with the world around us. May, diagnosed with autism in adulthood and emerging from burnout, doesn't offer productivity hacks or mindfulness apps. Instead, she invites us on a journey through earth, water, fire, and air to rediscover what she calls enchantment: that small wonder magnified through meaning, an essential nutrient found only when we dig into our own soil of experience. This isn't depression-there's no self-loathing or destructive urges. It's something stranger: a difficulty engaging with anything substantial, an attention that slides away despite genuine desire, a feeling of flickering rather than existing solidly in the world. Friends describe similar states, attributing it to pandemic exhaustion, political upheaval, or that catch-all term: burnout. But what we're really experiencing is disenchantment-a disconnection from meaning itself. In our age of constant distraction and mounting anxiety, this book arrives like medicine for a sickness we didn't know how to diagnose.
The Unnamed Sickness and Lost Rituals
Sacred Moments and Body Wisdom
Deep Terrain Versus Shallow Surfaces
When Water Rises and the Unstoppable Creative Fire
Deep Play and Reclaaming What Was Buried
The Magic You Already Have
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Enchantment Summary in 11 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Enchantment into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 8 Insights from Enchantment in a Nutshell
Distill Enchantment into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Enchantment Lessons Told Through 17-Min Stories
Experience Enchantment through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Enchantment Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
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"
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"
Get the Enchantment summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.