Books with category 🪵 Nature
Displaying 5 books

Wish You Were Here

2021

by Jodi Picoult

Diana O'Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She's not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.

But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It's all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.

Almost immediately, Diana's dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father's suspicion of outsiders.

Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside

2021

by Nick Offerman

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play offers a humorous and rousing set of literal and figurative sojourns, as well as a mission statement about comprehending, protecting, and truly experiencing the outdoors. This narrative is fueled by three journeys undertaken by actor, humorist, and New York Times bestselling author Nick Offerman.

Offerman has always felt a particular affection for the Land of the Free—not just for the people and their purported ideals but for the actual land: the bedrock, the topsoil, and everything in between that generates the health of your local watershed. In this book, Nick takes a humorous, inspiring, and elucidating trip to America's trails, farms, and frontier to examine the people who inhabit the land, what that has meant to them and us, and to the land itself, both historically and currently.

In 2018, Wendell Berry posed a question to Nick, a query that planted the seed of this book. This led Nick on two memorable journeys with pals—a hiking trip to Glacier National Park with his friends Jeff Tweedy and George Saunders, as well as an extended visit to his friend James Rebanks, the author of The Shepherd's Life and English Pastoral. He followed that up with an excursion that could only have come about in 2020—Nick and his wife, Megan Mullally, bought an Airstream trailer to drive across (several of) the United States.

These three quests inspired some “deep-ish” thinking from Nick about the history and philosophy of our relationship with nature in our national parks, in our farming, and in our backyards; what we mean when we talk about conservation; and the importance of outdoor recreation, all subjects very close to Nick's heart.

With witty, heartwarming stories and keen insight into the human problems we all confront, this book is both a ramble through and a celebration of the land we all love.

The Anthropocene Reviewed

2021

by John Green

The Anthropocene is the current geologic age, in which humans have profoundly reshaped the planet and its biodiversity. In this remarkable symphony of essays adapted and expanded from his groundbreaking podcast, bestselling author John Green reviews different facets of the human-centered planet on a five-star scale—from the QWERTY keyboard and sunsets to Canada geese and Penguins of Madagascar.

Funny, complex, and rich with detail, the reviews chart the contradictions of contemporary humanity. As a species, we are both far too powerful and not nearly powerful enough, a paradox that came into sharp focus as we faced a global pandemic that both separated us and bound us together. John Green’s gift for storytelling shines throughout this masterful collection.

The Anthropocene Reviewed is a open-hearted exploration of the paths we forge and an unironic celebration of falling in love with the world.

Entangled Life

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake is a fascinating journey into the world of fungi, an essential but often overlooked kingdom of life. Sheldrake, a biologist and mycologist, explores how these extraordinary organisms live, grow, and interact with their environment, offering insights into their crucial role in our ecosystems.

Through his engaging narrative, Sheldrake brings to light the complex and often hidden networks that fungi create, revealing how they can teach us about connectivity and symbiosis. He delves into the various ways fungi can be utilized for ecological and biotechnological purposes, from decomposing matter to creating new materials.

With a blend of rigorous science and captivating storytelling, Entangled Life not only expands our understanding of fungi but also challenges our perception of life itself. It's a compelling read for anyone interested in the natural world and the untapped potential of these enigmatic life forms.

Under a White Sky

Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction, delves into humanity's transformative impact on the environment. Kolbert presents a critical question: After causing extensive damage, can we now alter nature to save it?

Living in the Anthropocene, an era defined by significant human influence on our planet, Kolbert explores the new world we are shaping. She introduces us to scientists working to save the world's rarest fish in the Mojave, engineers in Iceland transforming carbon emissions into stone, Australian researchers developing heat-resistant coral, and physicists considering the use of tiny diamonds to cool the earth by reflecting sunlight.

With human civilization being a millennia-long defiance of nature, Kolbert examines whether our latest interventions, which once imperiled Earth, could now be its only salvation. Under a White Sky offers an original and multifaceted look at the environmental challenges we must confront, characterized by inspiration, terror, and a touch of dark humor.

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