Things I Have Noticed: Essays on leaving/searching/finding

by Sophia Hembeck

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“I need to move on.
I need to be a river.
Like the Amazon.
I have piranhas inside me. And crocodiles.
And things undiscovered.”

Held together by three essays on leaving / searching / finding; this book is about the things we find on the way.

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Genres: Nonfiction, Poetry

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2021

About the author

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Sophia Hembeck is a writer and visual artist based in Edinburgh.

She has published three books of essays called:

Things I Have Noticed / Muse Letter Publishing, 2020

Things I Have Loved / Muser Letter Publishing,
2023

Things That Are Different Now / Muse Letter Publishing, 2025


Every Sunday she writes The Muse Letter on substack, where she wonders about the meanderings of life. Read on themuseletter.substack.com

Reviews

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading The Muse Letter (Sophia Hembeck’s weekly newsletter) since its launch last year and was so excited to delve into this book. Sophia is honest and funny in her observations and creates a relatable space for readers to pass through her personal history. It’s a beautiful and timely collection of musings, which I look forward to rereading in times of reflection.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophia schreibt sich bei mir tief ins Herz. Ich sehe mich in so vielen ihrer Beschreibungen wieder und habe so viele Stellen im Buch markiert, die ich in der Hektik des Alltags schon so oft nachgelesen habe. 🤲🏻

[Joe Haskett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Having recently moved abroad, with a very vague plan as to where I am going next - I loved the theme of these essays ; leaving, searching, finding.

I thought the style of writing was engrossing - and I was pleased to read that this was self-published via Kickstarter. Those who believe they are artists, are artists. The author believed in herself as writer and has published a beautiful book. Well worth a read.

[Myrthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very last line in this collection made me tear up, I will be back in Edinburgh in a month and I will get the second book, asap.

[Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this collection of essays. Most non-fiction I read comes from older authors so I thoroughly enjoyed the voice of a mid-twenties writer. Prologue and outro were (maybe oddly) my highlights!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I had known it for a long time but like most situations that are not exactly bad enough – bad but one could imagine worse – they are the hardest to leave behind. Because it might not get better and it could definitely get worse."

The blue print, the pictures and little quotes, the writing style, the footnotes, the descriptions of Edinburgh, the musings about writing, being a writer, wanting to be a writer, about leaving things behind, about art school, therapy, anxiety, soufflés/surviving. I loved it all.

[Kennedy! · Rating 2 out of 5]

just alright, but promising i suppose. am interested in reading more by this author in the future that is maybe a little more polished/thorough? i did think the irreverent use of footnotes was quite funny. the use of the myth of persephone as analogy couldve been stronger if it didnt (im sorry!) feel like something i read on tumblr in 2017 (im sorry!!). also, couldve done with more research/actually reliable sources (sorry to say that www.astrologywithheather.com is not really a reliable source of information).

[Alexis Montante · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovelovelove i bought this in berlin and i finished it in the U.S. but it resonated so well with me it was so so nice i even dmed the author afterwards to tell her i loved it. perfect book at a perfect time in my life

reread 3.12.24
just as lovely as the first time

[MIMI · Rating 3 out of 5]

read in 3 days, very touching and beautifully written, only critique i have is the bad typesetting that heavily disturbs the flow of reading :-(

[Nada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read that in one sitting because i couldn't put the book down, i just couldn't.

There are rare moments in my life when I ever felt this seen, this understood. There is a person on this earth having words for things i could never describe, and it feels so damn good!

Following Sophia's story from Thailand to Berlin and Edinburgh, she describes her thoughts, struggles, also the struggles with therapy (though it seems to me she and her therapist were not a good match but who am I to say that).
I love her writing style!
And i learned something about Thailand which is also nice :D

The best part though is the end.
But i suggest you reading it for yourself .
Because after that you'll feel less alone <3

5 / 5

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

the perfect first holiday read. sophia is a thoughtful and curious writer, and i’ve been a fan of her muse newsletters since they came out. i especially loved the persephone comparison, and last chapter (this is about a soufflé / this is about survival). i kind of thought i was the only person who put way too much importance on perfecting literally one dish over lockdown (did it reflect my value and capabilities? oh, absolutely. did i perfect it? not even close) so that chapter made me smile. the last third was my favourite, and the passage on self publishing. as someone who reads with a (perhaps *too*) critical eye, the collection needed a line edit.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book. Very relatable especially as a 20 something girl that loves Edinburgh and lives in Berlin. Realistic at a time than heart warming. The kind of book you pick up again to re-read lines that made you feel like being hugged or that triggered a (probably needed) reflection. I am looking forward to reading Things I have loved after this.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book from start to finish. Sophia Hembeck’s writing has a special way of making you feel like you’re her sidekick and chosen confidant along each of her adventures.

What a gorgeous book to start the year with!

[Sabrina Nordlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A firm reminder that I'm not totally alone in my scariest thoughts, Sophia is an excellent writer.

[gabriele · Rating 4 out of 5]

interestingly, i read this on the ferry from newcastle to amsterdam, while i am considering doing the exact opposite and leaving edinburgh for berlin.

[Edén Ríos · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a real and beautiful book
You can tell Sophia is writing from the core of the heart and that takes a lot of courage. Thank you

[Clemence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! Definitely need to read more from that author. I felt very connected to every word and paragraph. I relate and it makes me feel and think a lot about myself…

[Anca · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙

[Lauren Galligan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice content !! Lots of big thoughts. There were many typos ://

[Sophia Hembeck]

This book is currently available at www.museletterpublishing.com