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Dear Jon,

Greetings. I hope that this note finds you safe and healthy.

My wife, Melissa, and I are well and hunkered down at home on Nantucket with the research assistant, Dora

My life as an author is a fairly solitary existence most of the time. I am accustomed to working from home, so bunker life has not been much of an adjustment. While I've still been enjoying getting out for walks with Dora, there are things I miss and look forward to getting back to when life returns to normal-having lunch at the Nantucket Pharmacy, dinners at 56 Union, and hanging out at the Atheneum. 

Now more than ever, books bring us solace and insight to see us through these trying times. Here's a pic of the current stack of books in the front parlor of my home on Nantucket

Flannery O'Connor's short stories can't be beat for their strange relevance to these very strange times; the travel writing of Paul Theroux is a wonderful antidote to the cooped-up blues; and, as a New Englander, I relish the wide open spaces Craig Johnson writes about in his Longmire series. Follow the hashtag #BooksConnectUs on Instagram to see what others are reading-and to share your own reading choices.

I recently spoke with Alex Scordelis from Inside Hook about reading Moby-Dick in a time of crisis. Check out that interview HERE.

In February, The History Channel aired a wonderful docudrama about George Washington. I was interviewed for this series and appear as a talking head in all three two-hour episodes. I recommend it if you're looking for something to binge-watch while staying home. Other shows I've enjoyed watching recently are (I hate to admit it) Tiger King, Broadchurch, and a new documentary about the group ZZ Top.  (Can't beat ZZ Top.)

I've been looking for ways to support local small businesses who are being hit hard by limited hours and mandated closures. On Nantucket, our local independent bookstores are working hard to serve readers here and afar. They are accepting orders on their website and over the phone, and fulfilling them via free media mail shipping, curbside pick-up, and local home delivery. Visit the Nantucket Book Partners website for more information. If you''d like to buy books online from independent bookstores, check out Bookshop.org for easy one-click shopping. And be sure to check out what local businesses in your area are doing to serve the community to see how you can help them stay afloat.

Like all of you, I''ve had plenty of cancellations and postponements. As I write this, the next appearances on my calendar are in the fall, including talks at the US Botanic Garden in DC, the Cape Cod Maritime Museum, and the Boston Public Library. Although the Nantucket Book Festival has been canceled, I'll be doing a podcast with Admiral James Stavridis at some point soon that will be available as part of a Virtual Nantucket Book Festival that's being put together, so look for that.  There are also tentative plans to hold a "Local" Nantucket Book Festival in either the late summer or fall, during which I'll be hosting a Whaling Hour with a number of authors.  Once the Local Festival is scheduled, I'll make sure the details are included on the Events & Appearances page on my website.

As this year marks the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower passengers on US shores, my publisher has released an updated trade paperback edition of Mayflower with a new Preface by me.

Visit my website for details and buy links.

While so many others are suffering, I am thankful to be healthy and safe at home. I wish you the best during these difficult times.

As always, I am grateful for your support.

-Nat Philbrick