James Kelman
[isbn]
Winner of the 1994 Man Booker Prize, How Late It Was, How Late follows the trials and tribulations of our main character Sammy after he unwisely picks a fight with some plainclothes police. Getting beaten senseless, literally, he wakes up the next day completely blind. Written in Kelman's inimitable style with an emphasis on the first-person stream-of-consciousness technique, Scottish literature is a law unto its own self and this book... (read more)
Recommended by Fletcher O.
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Carrot Quinn
[isbn]
Jumping between her childhood in Alaska and time spent traveling across the country via hopping trains, Carrot Quinn’s book is searing, gut-wrenching, and deeply nomadic. Whether she’s writing about her mother or about how to hop a freight train, Quinn’s prose is evocative, direct, and eloquent.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Barry Lopez
[isbn]
It feels reductive to call Barry Lopez's work nature writing. He had a gift for taking the awe that the natural world can inspire and distilling it into prose. It is difficult to choose just one of his books to recommend — read them all! — but Arctic Dreams is exceptional. Epic in scope and execution, it covers every aspect of the Arctic: its Native peoples, flora, fauna, geology, explorers, climate. In Lopez's skilled hands the barren... (read more)
Recommended by Emily B.
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Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
[isbn]
Carl Sagan wrote about our smallness in the universe in the most uplifting way imaginable. He understood it first-hand; the famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo was taken by Voyager on his recommendation to NASA. It would be easy to look at a photograph like that and say: “We are so small; nothing we do matters.” Instead, Sagan says: "[I]t underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish…the only home we've... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Masanobu Fukuoka and Larry Korn
[isbn]
Out of print and highly sought after in the US for more than 25 years, Masanobu Fukuoka’s natural farming manifesto is no less revolutionary today than it was when it was first published in 1978, and arguably more necessary with time. A radical rethinking of agriculture, global food systems, and the relationship between humans and the earth we inhabit, The One-Straw Revolution contains both practical gardening advice and profound,... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Terry Tempest Williams
[isbn]
Activist, author, and conservationist Terry Tempest Williams is as vital as the wildernesses she so magnificently writes about (whether on a map or located within). For nearly four decades now, this advocate, defender, and all-around American treasure has been an unwavering voice for environmental and social justice, encouraging compassion for and (re)connection with the natural world. In Erosion: Essays of Undoing, Williams balances... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst
[isbn]
The Heartbeat of Trees is a love letter to the forest. Rejecting the credo that humankind has caused too much damage to ever restore our ties with nature, Wohlleben draws on recent scientific studies to show how intensely we are connected to the natural world even now — and how vital that connection will be for the battle ahead.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Carol Gracie, Amy Jean Porter
[isbn]
I love this new entry in the Pedia Books series by Princeton University Press. Fun, informative, and prettily illustrated by Amy Jean Porter. Open anywhere and be delighted!
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Kevin Hobbs
[isbn]
A beautiful encyclopedia of the world's trees, informative and enchanting. It discusses special animal-tree relationships that have existed through time, such as between the giant ground sloth and the avocado tree, but also how human relations with trees have altered from the time of Neanderthals to today.
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Max Adams
[isbn]
I love this book! It's the perfect coffee table or display volume, with gorgeous illustrations, as well as photographs that really give you a sense of being in the presence of each tree. Each entry is the perfect blend of informative and charming, emphasizing traditional and current use by humans and animals. From trees that purify the soil or water (moringa, for an example of the latter), to those that provide food, medicine, cosmetic oils (sea... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Merlin Sheldrake
[isbn]
Reading Merlin Sheldrake feels like getting a personal tour of the most overlooked kingdom of life from an enthusiastic expert. Helpfully illustrated and full of fascinating stories, Entangled Life is the perfect introduction to mycology for a lay reader. You will never look at fungi the same way again.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Helen Macdonald
[isbn]
Helen Macdonald returns with an essay collection centered on our relationship to the world around us. Whether she’s discussing migration patterns, mushroom hunting, or returning to her childhood stomping grounds, MacDonald paints an eloquent and illuminating portrayal of the natural world.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Erika Engelhaupt
[isbn]
I take a great deal of enjoyment out of the weird, and the dark, and the gory. I guess it's the adult version of children's ghost stories told around the campfire. Let's be honest, who exactly can resist a creepy science tale at family dinner? As they say, truth is often stranger than fiction, and I'm thinking Gory Details: Adventures From the Dark Side of Science will prove this old adage in spades.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Sarah Stirling
[isbn]
Taking cues from everything going on in the world, many have found a need to reconnect with the spaces around us and of course, nature is such a large part of that. Nature walks in our neighborhoods have become commonplace, foraging has become a cherished family activity, and mushrooms have become sought-out treasures. I think many of us took nature for granted before 2020. It took a pandemic to open our eyes to the wonders around us. Rewild... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Neil DeGrasse Tyson and James Trefil
[isbn]
A philosopher’s science guide, for every curious mind who likes to pore over beautiful photos and graphs about the universe and revel over its (and our own) origins. You really can’t go wrong with physicists Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil at the helm.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Michelle Nijhuis
[isbn]
Read Nijhuis if you want to understand the conservation movement and its key figures. A dense but deeply important read, Beloved Beasts depicts the triumphs without papering over the racism and colonialism that have always been deeply intertwined with the movement.
Recommended by Emily B.
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John Bradshaw, Sarah Ellis
[isbn]
Want to prove to the dog people in your life that cats can learn tricks too? This guide will explain how to train your kitty to sit, high five, take their medicine, get in their carrier, come when called, and generally impress your friends, family, and people at the local dog park with your cat on a leash.
Recommended by Alice G.
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Michael E. Mann
[isbn]
Fossil fuel companies and politicians beholden to business interests have waged a propaganda war, transforming climate change in the public imagination from the urgent responsibility of governments and corporations into an issue of personal responsibility. In The New Climate War, Mann reveals the inner machinations of this war and empowers readers to fight back.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Bill Bryson
[isbn]
Bill Bryson takes the reader through fascinating facts of the human body (the kidneys process over 3 pounds of salt a day!); best guesses as to why we exist the way we do (is the uvula a "mudflap for the mouth"?); and the often questionable medical experiments and characters that have helped illuminate how the body works. The Body is a surprisingly cheerful journey through both the ways in which we seem to be perfectly designed, and the... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Anna Wiener
[isbn]
Uncanny Valley is the truest thing I’ve ever read. It’s such a precise picture of the last decade in the tech industry, told in matter-of-fact prose that made me gasp and cringe and laugh. Anna Wiener takes readers on her journey from barely-scraping-by publishing assistant to well-compensated tech worker, and how she grapples with the slow burn of false promises and the unforeseen consequences of the venture-backed playground of Silicon... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Steven Johnson
[isbn]
Johnson has a knack for honing in on pivotal moments in scientific history, and making the big, lofty ideas behind them, as well as the more intimate personal aspects of the people involved, riveting. This chronicle of the 1854 cholera outbreak in London is also an exciting detective story — one with huge ramifications for the development and sustainability of urban life. It’s an especially timely read during the age of COVID-19.
Recommended by Lori M.
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Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
There are a lot of choices in evolutionary science titles, and I personally feel it can get a bit overwhelming. When Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens came out a few years ago, it really brought evolutionary science to the masses. Thoughtful, engaging writing that is accessible, even to the non-science-y folks. With The Birth of Human Kind (Sapiens #1), we can see Harari's work brought to life in captivating illustrations, further encouraging... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Michael Pollan
[isbn]
Credited with igniting the mainstream's consciousness surrounding food, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan carefully examines the culture and processes of the food we eat. A catalyst for various food movements in the 21st century, Pollan successfully wrote a text that challenged and changed the way omnivores the world over think about what's on their dinner plate.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Danae Horst
[isbn]
Nature has a way of clearing our mind, and taking us to a place that's a little less tense. While a lovely nature walk may not be feasible for all of us, we can certainly enjoy nature in our home... one houseplant at a time. Environmental profiles, plant descriptions, and all the basics required for thriving indoor greenery are included in this expansive title.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Ed Yong
[isbn]
If you've been devouring British science writer Ed Yong's insightful articles on COVID-19 in The Atlantic these last few months, but haven't read his 2016 book, you are in for a treat. Yong's enthusiasm for his subject — the microbial world and our ever-expanding research into it — is absolutely infectious. Yong shares some of the most significant research into our planet’s diverse and countless microbes and explains the symbiotic... (read more)
Recommended by Lori M.
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Douglas W. Tallamy
[isbn]
Buying books for the climate change section can get a little depressing sometimes, so when a book with “hope” in the title comes along, I pay attention! This title is part of a growing area of climate literature that focuses on big picture changes individual folks can make — in this case, how to make your backyard part of a conservation corridor for wildlife in order to help boost biodiversity. Practical, inspirational, and full of scientific and... (read more)
Recommended by Leah C.
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Barry Lopez
[isbn]
As someone who has broadened the notion of what it means to be both a world traveler and a profoundly curious writer, it’s no wonder that National Book Award–winning author Barry Lopez, now 74 years old and battling terminal cancer, has given us a work so expansive it can only be named Horizon. Lopez has visited more than 70 countries, and though his book is loosely divided into just six regions — from the Oregon Coast to the... (read more)
Recommended by Renee P.
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Mark Kurlansky
[isbn]
A Pacific Northwest native, I’ve been surrounded by salmon culture my whole life. I was shocked by how much I didn’t know about these incredible fish and their possible fate, but who better than Mark Kurlansky to teach me with this concise yet wide-ranging history.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Laura Trethewey
[isbn]
Trethewey shows humanity's dependence on the sea, and currently, humanity's changing relationship to it. Revealing different aspects of this connection through different oceans, the book is like several extremely well researched and written long-form essays. One thing Trethewey does well is taking an overwhelming topic and making it accessible through the stories of individuals who represent a global issue like the refugee crisis, property... (read more)
Recommended by Bill L.
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Lauren Redniss
[isbn]
Oak Flat is simultaneously an object of mesmerizing beauty and an urgent book of complete necessity. Lauren Redniss tells the tale of the struggle to preserve a site sacred to the Apache people from a copper mining project that would destroy it utterly. Her vibrant illustrations and careful curation of competing voices convey the high stakes while honoring the dignity of the people on both sides, and the dignity of the natural world as... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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John Wackman, Elizabeth Knight
[isbn]
Consumerism is such a tricky friend. I"ll be the first to admit that I'm attracted to something new and shiny, even when the item I'm replacing could be repaired easily. I'm convinced that there must be a happy medium in there somewhere, and the rise of the repair café culture definitely brings that point home. Repair Revolution: How Fixers Are Transforming Our Throwaway Culture reminds us that we don't always need to upgrade, and that... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Brian Greene
[isbn]
On a journey from the Big Bang to the likely entropic death of our universe, Greene reminds us that we are nothing more than bundles of particles created through natural selection and random chance, beholden to nature’s laws — but there is infinite beauty in the meaning we create in the space in between.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Joshua D Mezrich
[isbn]
When Death Becomes Life is a beautifully written tribute to science, medicine, and humanity, viewed through the capable lens of a transplant surgeon. Joshua Mezrich synthesizes over 100 years of medical history, shares extraordinary stories about his patients, and writes emotionally and joyously about his own life's work. A remarkable and inspiring memoir.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Damon Krukowski
[isbn]
An interesting, fun, and thoughtful look at sound, both ambient and musical, by a member of one of my favorite bands ever (Galaxie 500). A great companion to the podcast.
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Robert MacFarlane
[isbn]
With poetic command of language, keen observational gifts, and worldly perspective, Robert Macfarlane seamlessly blends scientific inquiry, nature writing, travelogue, adventure tale, reportage, history, and requiem for our Anthropocenic age. Perceptive, reflective, and educative, Underland is unequivocally one of the year's must-read books; it is a masterful, magnificent work.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Isabella Tree
[isbn]
This book has done the impossible — it has given me hope for the future. Wilding is the true story of how the owners of a depleted British farm decided to return the ecosystem to its natural state in an attempt to make the land viable again — and the fact that 28 years later the plants and animals and insects and soil are all now FLOURISHING is so beautiful and hopeful and moving I can hardly stand it. This planet is desperate for more... (read more)
Recommended by Leah C.
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Pam Houston
[isbn]
Deep Creek, Pam Houston's new memoir, details her life over decades on her 120-acre ranch in Colorado, including rich, vivid details about rural life, and honest, sometimes searing stories about Houston's own history. For any fans of her earlier work, or anyone who loves strong female voices or nature memoirs, Deep Creek hits the spot.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Michael Lewis
[isbn]
The numerous exposés on the current president have almost entirely neglected the lower-level appointees currently burrowing into the agencies of the federal government. Who better than the author of Moneyball and The Big Short to chronicle the exploitation of weaknesses in our system?
Recommended by Keith M.
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Robert Michael Pyle
[isbn]
Along with salmon, rain, and huge trees, Bigfoot is one of the Northwest's enduring icons, yet the blurry beast seldom gets taken seriously. Where Bigfoot Walks is an open-minded and wide-ranging look at the phenomenon of Bigfoot, and the cultural significance of Sasquatch in regional history, place names, and collective consciousness. It takes us deep into the natural beauty of our remaining wilderness, investigates the cool weirdness... (read more)
Recommended by Jason W.
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Craig Childs
[isbn]
Part travel narrative and part investigative journalism, Craig Childs explores and contemplates the two major questions about us humans: who we are and where we came from. Though not providing definitive answers, Childs writes a great and fun adventure book about Ice Age America. A real fun read.
Recommended by Manuel H.
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Robin Wall Kimmerer
[isbn]
In this luminous and wise book, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer (Potawatomi Nation) makes a lyrical and convincing case for reimagining our relationship to nature as mutually beneficial. Taking the reader from her classroom to her lab to her (enviably abundant) garden to a rainforest in Oregon, Kimmerer demonstrates time and again how working with the land, as opposed to shaping it to one’s purpose, is a method rooted in Indigenous tradition and... (read more)
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Jenny Odell
[isbn]
Jenny Odell has achieved a spectacular balancing act, resulting in a timely and beautiful book. It’s easier to list what this book is not: it is never scolding, simplistic, unrealistic, or naïve. As she says, she’s an artist who works in the medium of context, and that allows her to shed a fresh light on the current culture of presentational productivity, and provide a viable strategy to combat it.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Roger McNamee
[isbn]
Roger McNamee advised Mark Zuckerberg during the early days at Facebook. Years later, he tried to tell his former mentee that things had gone terribly wrong. We’re all living with the consequences. Zucked shows that it was a combination of numerous human errors exacerbated by algorithms that brought us to this point, but the one man with the power to pursue solutions refuses to do so.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Jonathan Safran Foer
[isbn]
A thoughtful and urgent examination of climate change anxiety and how we can — and must — overcome it to take action.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Marc Hamer
[isbn]
In this quiet, respectful, and inspiring tome, Hamer uses moles as a framework for his philosophy on nature and life, incorporating prose, poetry and even illustrations. Part natural observation, part memoir of a life spent mostly outdoors, How to Catch a Mole is 100% delightful.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Maja Säfström
[isbn]
An engaging compendium of animal facts (bats give birth upside down! parrots name their young!) accompanied by playful ink drawings, Maja Säfström’s Amazing Facts About Baby Animals is a delightful way to celebrate the world’s diversity while refueling on fascinating conversation starters for all those holiday parties.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Barbara Natterson Horowitz, Kathryn Bowers
[isbn]
Safety. Status. Sex. Self-Reliance. Wildhood argues that mastering these four things are the markers of maturity. Using four different species (penguin, hyena, blue whale, and wolf), in addition to humans, the authors demonstrate how adolescent behaviors pertaining to these four competencies are universal, and have been in existence from the beginning. A fascinating, easily readable book, Wildhood is a MUST-READ for teachers,... (read more)
Recommended by Beth C.
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Thor Hanson
[isbn]
Both informative and readable, Buzz is a fascinating deep dive into the world of bees. Thor Hanson adeptly tours us through the history and mythology of the bee.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Christopher McDougall
[isbn]
I love this heartwarming true story about a donkey named Sherman. The author and his family rescued him from a hoarding situation. He was in bad shape, but with the help of friends, neighbors, and some fellow animals, Sherman trained to run the World Championship Pack Burro Race.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Randall Munroe
[isbn]
Cartoonist Randall Munroe’s impish love of physics has driven him to discover and share how to best use it for absurd ends, like moving a house with rockets or boiling a river with tea kettles. Please don’t do either.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Terry Tempest Williams
[isbn]
Activist, nature writer, and conservationist Terry Tempest Williams
is also an American treasure. In Erosion:
Essays of Undoing, Williams balances empathy and outrage, anger and
forgiveness, beauty and loss, hope and despair. Williams is a magnificent
writer and Erosion is simultaneously
a salvo and salve for our disquieting Anthropocenic age.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Caitlin Doughty and Dianne Ruz
[isbn]
Mortician Caitlin Doughty is a death myth-buster. Will My Cat is made up of kids' questions about death. Her practical approach helps to normalize the post-life we will all face. Her informative answers are sometimes yucky but always funny, making this guide to death good for the whole (slightly ghoulish) family.
Recommended by Tracey T.
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Sean Carroll
[isbn]
Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here, takes on some of the most challenging and mind-bending questions in modern physics in his new book, Something Deeply Hidden. In lucid prose, using accessible and hard-to-refute arguments, Carroll lays out his case that there are more than one of us — of everyone — in the universe. A persuasive, fascinating, and landmark work of physics.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Oliver Sacks
[isbn]
This collection is one of two books Sacks was working on when he passed away, and with probing essays on time, memory, creativity, and consciousness, it’s a fitting send-off. As usual, his inquiries reveal a dedication to intellectual rigor matched by an extraordinary generosity of spirit.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Sam Kean
[isbn]
Sam Kean is such an entertaining writer he can imbue a topic as mundane as air with page-turning drama, and with Caesar’s Last Breath he has done just that. Through a playful mix of stories and science, Kean expounds on the origins, human exploitation of, and changing composition of the air around us.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Edward O Wilson
[isbn]
Edward O. Wilson's latest book is a beautifully written and persuasive argument for resisting the separation of the arts and sciences, and understanding how — combined — they hold the keys to the most essential human traits. The Origins of Creativity is a graceful, intelligent, and crucial work.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Anil Ananthaswamy
[isbn]
The “double-slit” experiment has flummoxed scientists for 200 years. With concise, compelling prose that makes this complex, bizarre subject not only fathomable but downright fascinating, Anil Ananthaswamy explores the who, what, why, and how of one of the weirdest, most mysterious experiments in the history of science.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Edmund Morris
[isbn]
Thomas Edison was a colossus of American life, holding over a thousand patents when he died. The great inventor is a fitting subject for Edmund Morris’s final work, for which he spent seven years working through Edison’s voluminous archives.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Rachel Maddow
[isbn]
Rachel Maddow is known for digging deep to find surprising connections between the forces that shape contemporary politics. In her new book, she reveals just how pervasive, and toxic, Big Oil’s influence has been across the globe.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Naomi Klein
[isbn]
With signature moxie, Naomi Klein takes on climate reform through a series of essays that examine where we are, how we got to this point, and where to go from here. Her indefatigable efforts and journalistic integrity continue to blaze an enduring path of hope.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Christopher Ryan
[isbn]
Christopher Ryan wants you to reconsider the lives of our foraging ancestors. Perhaps, like me, you’ve never much considered their lives at all, and just assumed that any humans living before the advent of agriculture slogged through grim existences that — to the extent that they can even be imagined — were short and miserable. In Civilized to Death, Ryan makes a compelling case that whatever modern miracles prehistoric humans may have... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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Ian Stewart
[isbn]
Scientist Ian Stewart takes the complexity of our universe and explains it, bit by bit, according to how the numbers add up. Stewart also humanizes our history of calculations, explaining how we came to better understand the universe through detailing our insights, mistakes, recalculations, and lucky guesses. This book is for anyone who is fascinated by looking at the stars and wants to better understand their — and our — place in the cosmos.
Recommended by Bill L.
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Alexandra Horowitz
[isbn]
In Our Dogs, Ourselves, Alexandra Horowitz takes us inside the relationship between humans and dogs, opening our eyes to the many rules and requirements that narrate our canine friends’ domestic existences. From naming them to the songs we sing to them, she shows us who we are by how we treat them, and also a better way forward for honoring the true nature of these most loyal of all companions.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
Having written about mankind’s past and future, Harari turns his keen eye and provocative fusion of historical and scientific reasoning to an examination of the present. Harari is a captivating writer, unafraid to follow the paths technology, climate change, national politics, and other hot button issues are leading us on. It’s a journey well worth joining.
Recommended by Matt K.
|
Jaron Lanier
[isbn]
Social media is certainly affecting your life and your perceptions more than you realize, and you should challenge yourself to contend with Lanier’s arguments, which are clear, concise, and (unlike so much other technology writing) neither utopian nor dystopian.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Timothy Egan
[isbn]
Regional author Egan’s classic travelogue of the Pacific Northwest has only grown more prescient (and pressing) since its 1990 release. In The Good Rain, Egan follows the path of Theodore Winthrop, who in 1853 journeyed across Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Winthrop was overcome by the wild majesty of the Pacific Northwest; Egan is equally in awe, but also angry about the clear-cutting of old-growth forests, threats to local... (read more)
Recommended by Matt K.
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Eli Clare
[isbn]
I first encountered Eli Clare’s slim memoir in a graduate course on Disability Theory, but to be honest what really struck me at the time — and has stayed with me in the years since — is Clare’s way of integrating the seasonal shifts and geography of Oregon into his powerful story of navigating life as a trans man with cerebral palsy. Exile and Pride does an astonishing job of conveying the parallel experiences of personal and... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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David Quammen
[isbn]
David Quammen, one of the most beautifully lyrical — though also accessible — science and nature writers of our current age, has written an extraordinary chronicle of horizontal gene transfer (genes transferring across species lines — including eight percent of human DNA). In The Tangled Tree, Quammen illuminates this fascinating discovery with colorful narrative and thorough explanations of its wide-reaching implications.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Sam Kean
[isbn]
Science writer Sam Kean captures the WWII race for the atom bomb with the stylistic aplomb of John le Carré. With colorful characters and so-strange-they-must-be-true anecdotes of missions both successful and disastrous, The Bastard Brigade is a tremendously fun way to learn your history.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Michael Pollan
[isbn]
As captivating and wholly engaging as each of his previous books, Michael Pollan’s How to Change Your Mind explores the intriguing history of psychedelics and the remarkable promise they currently show in treating a variety of medical and psychological maladies, including PTSD and depression.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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John Zada
[isbn]
John Zada's lifelong interest in the legend of Sasquatch leads him to British Columbia in this well-written travelogue. I loved this exploration of the land and people that have kept these legends alive, especially when he delves into what it says about our society that these legends still hold such interest. Fascinating stuff!
Recommended by Leah C.
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Margaret Renkl
[isbn]
What a gorgeous meditation on life — all of it, from delicate moments of peace in a backyard garden to the life-altering landmarks of birth, death, love, and loss. Two intertwined narratives weave a loving portrait of nature, family, and the beauty of every small moment.
Recommended by Mary S.
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Nick Pyenson
[isbn]
In Spying on Whales, whale paleontologist Nick Pyenson takes us on a scientific adventure around the globe to investigate the past, present, and future of whales. His enthusiasm is catching, and this marvelous scientific exploration is accessible, fascinating, and inspiring.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Jacob Shell
[isbn]
In his fascinating book, Shell illuminates the surprising working relationship between humans and elephants that has existed for millennia in Southeast Asia. Prized for their strength and ingenuity, elephants are paired with riders during the day and roam free at night. Giants offers a new perspective on a beguiling creature.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Jonathan Kauffman
[isbn]
An interesting look at the politics and culture of common foods — granola, tofu, whole grains — that were once relatively unknown in postwar America. Kauffman trots out a cast of memorable characters, some altruistic and some self-serving, to chart the rise of brands, concepts, and foods that we know and love today.
Recommended by Eva F.
|
Adam Savage
[isbn]
I enjoyed this book immensely. If you do anything moderately creative, from amateur hobbyist to laser-focused builder, you'll find yourself in this book. Have dreams of doing something crafty but lack the confidence to start? This book is for you too. I love that Savage explains his processes, how they've adapted over time and experience, but doesn't say "this is the right way." In fact, I think the key point he makes is that everyone is... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Oliver Sacks
[isbn]
Journey once more with the master as he ruminates with wisdom and compassion on a variety of subjects, ranging from Spalding Gray to ferns, swimming, schizophrenia, and much more.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
|
Leda Meredith
[isbn]
I’m not actually a forager myself, but The Skillful Forager makes me want to become one. It’s pretty much a perfect book — the author’s dedication to this practice is evident on every page, it’s so incredibly thoughtful and well put together. So much helpful information can be found here, whether you’re an established forager or just getting started. I can’t wait to give it a try!
Recommended by Leah C.
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Derek Harvey
[isbn]
Tricky subjects are so much easier to learn when drawings, graphs, and simple basics are provided. Genetics is so popular right now, but not
exactly the easiest subject to wrap one’s mind around. The Secret Life of Genes: Decoding the
Blueprint of Life will pave the way to deeper understanding, guiding
us through this tricky, yet exciting subject.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
|
Matt Kracht
[isbn]
In this unique and hilarious birding field guide, Matt Kracht simultaneously loves and hates birds. For each North American species, the author lovingly insults our feathered frenemy with sardonic drawings and true facts. A perfect gift for any nature lover with a great sense of humor and who doesn’t mind a little profanity!
Recommended by Kim T.
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Hannah Shaw
[isbn]
If you’ve ever wondered what the various colors of kitten poop mean, wonder no more. Hannah Shaw has fostered hundreds of kittens, and distilled her experience into a useful guide. Solid, practical advice is punctuated by anecdotes and pictures of the adorable kittens that have passed through her capable hands. Want more Kitten Lady? You can find her on Instagram @kittenxlady and also on YouTube.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Alastair Fothergill, Keith Scholey
[isbn]
The earth is vast and richly vital, however we need to remain aware of the limits of the resources we draw from it, and each do our part to help restore the supplies that we deplete. In Our Planet, we are shown in breathtaking photos the gorgeous diversity that we are granted, and asked to acknowledge the ways that we’ve affected the ecosystem, which is the first step to finding the hope required to regrow the lush legacy of our home.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Temple Grandin, Richard Panek
[isbn]
Once again, Temple Grandin writes about what it's like to live with her brain, and the brains of other autistic people. This read is a lot more scientific rather than anecdotal, and in my opinion, it's exactly what the autism community and the loved ones of autistics need. There is physical scientific evidence that our brains are different and Dr. Grandin touches on the finest details. I will note that there is a bit of dated language, especially... (read more)
Recommended by Rin S.
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Temple Grandin and Margaret M. Scariano
[isbn]
This is the story of Temple Grandin's youth and how she came to grow into her autistic self. She writes so honestly and openly but from an objective point of view. I highly recommend this read to autistic adults or parents of autistic children.
Recommended by Rin S.
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Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst
[isbn]
In The Secret Wisdom of Nature, Wohlleben wraps up his nature trilogy by exploring the interconnectedness of the natural world. There's so much to learn here about how living things affect each other, and even more to ponder for the future — I found it both moving and thought-provoking.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Edward O. Wilson
[isbn]
Though briefer than some of his earlier tomes, Genesis displays the same razor-sharp intelligence and fascinating theories that Edward O. Wilson is known for. In his new work, Wilson looks at animal societies that exhibit altruism or cooperation to learn more about those qualities in human society. Engrossing and surprising.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Adam Higginbotham
[isbn]
Adam Higginbotham takes the very complicated — the design and operation of nuclear power plants — and the very, very complicated — Soviet bureaucracy — and makes them both comprehensible in this deeply researched and deeply terrifying minute-by-minute account of the disaster.
Recommended by Keith M.
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David Wallace-Wells
[isbn]
Reading this book is like slowing your car to gawk at a wreck, only to realize you’re in the wreck; it is equal parts disaster porn and collective autobiography. Wallace-Wells’s erudite breakdown of what climate change is doing to us right now, and what it is certain to do to our children, is savage in its dismissal of optimism and brilliant in its urgency. I’ve rarely read anything as politically galvanizing: This is writing to raise your heart... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Raleigh Briggs
[isbn]
An awesome do-it-yourself guide for simple remedies, medicines, and cleaners! I say simple, but you will acquire a lot of skills if you put any of these methods in practice. If you're interested in relevant homesteading skills in a fast-paced world where there is hardly any time for that, this is totally for you!
Recommended by Rin S.
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Daniel H. Pink
[isbn]
Timing isn't everything, but it might be more important than you think. Daniel Pink’s When combines insight from psychology, biology, and economics, along with helpful tips and tricks to help you maximize your day. Pink never fails to educate and entertain.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Dahr Jamail
[isbn]
The End of Ice is terrifying. It kept me up at night. In exacting, riveting prose, both elegiac and fierce, Dahr Jamail examines the impact of human-caused climate disruption on eight wilderness areas. Read it, weep, and then bust your butt to protect what we have left before it vanishes.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Steven Pinker
[isbn]
Offering hope through evidence, researcher and Harvard professor Pinker shows us that we are not only capable of overturning our base impulses and drive towards societal destruction, we are in fact already collectively striving towards better. His advice for how to consciously hold onto the progress we’ve made is bracing, fortifying, and refreshingly sound.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Doug Bock Clark
[isbn]
The Last Whalers is the extraordinary story of the Lamalerans, a tribe of 1500 hunter-gatherers who live on an incredibly remote island, and the ways that modern culture is encroaching upon their way of life, which is centered around subsistence whaling. Doug Bock Clark lived with the Lamalerans for three years, and his fascinating account brings them into sharp focus; The Last Whalers is compelling, page-turning journalism.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Adam Becker
[isbn]
Adam Becker's What Is Real? is a fascinating history of the development of quantum mechanics. I love that the book focuses not only on the competing theories but on the colorful cast of physicists who developed and promoted them over the last century. Becker makes the case that cutting-edge physics has been as much a battle of personalities as a search for empirical truth.
Recommended by Piers R.
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Jose Andres
[isbn]
As I read this book, a line from the cartoon movie Robots kept coming to mind: "See a need, fill a need." Chef Andrés flew to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to help feed residents for a few days. He ended up staying for weeks and eventually coordinated over two million meals across the island. We Fed an Island is an uplifting tale of community action. Andrés wears his heart on his sleeve, and his tenacity and compassion in... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Jon Mooallem
[isbn]
Mooallem wrote this book for his young daughter, making the often overwhelming topics of extinction and climate change feel much more approachable. He spans decades (sometimes centuries) with his extensive research and fieldwork and, while you certainly have learned something by the end, you feel much more as though you've gone on this "sometimes dismaying, weirdly reassuring" journey with Jon and his daughter. It'll leave you asking questions,... (read more)
Recommended by Alec B.
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Justin McElroy, Sydnee McElroy, Teylor Smirl
[isbn]
Justin and Dr. Sydnee McElroy’s first book is as funny, educational, and fascinatingly horrifying as the podcast on which it’s based. Brilliantly illuminated by Teylor Smirl’s fantastic artwork, this is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys strange history, medical facts, or just having a good laugh at human “ingenuity” (with due celebration for the folks who’ve actually gotten things right). Remember: don’t drill a hole in your head!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Timothy Egan
[isbn]
This is the story of the biggest forest fire in US history. Three million acres burned across three states, aided by the flammable gas that boiled out of pine sap during the conflagration!
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Esmé Weijun Wang
[isbn]
Although I do not share Esmé Weijun Wang's diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, I too have wondered how to separate my brain from my true self — is there even any distance at all? In this riveting collection of essays, she documents the realities of living with a stigmatized diagnosis and explores the elusive nature of identity. Translated literally, "schizophrenia" means split mind and Wang struggles to reconcile the sum of her parts into a... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Sonya Patel Ellis
[isbn]
Botanical Bible is an amazing book! A big fat book that could live on your coffee table for a couple of years and you’d still find interest in it. Filled with botanical history, art, recipes, and just a whole lot of beauty, this is a gardener’s dream book. I don’t often rave about books that are so cross-topic, but Botanical Bible really hits the sweet spot in being curated perfectly. My hat is off to author Sonya Patel Ellis... (read more)
Recommended by Tracey T.
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