A New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century Readers Pick
#1 New York Times Bestseller
A Washington Post and Los Angeles Times Bestseller
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on "a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise" (Elizabeth Gilbert).
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings--asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass--offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.
When writer and navigator Tristan Gooley journeys outside, he sees a natural world filled with clues. The roots of a tree indicate the sun's direction; the Big Dipper tells the time; a passing butterfly hints at the weather; a sand dune reveals prevailing wind; the scent of cinnamon suggests altitude; a budding flower points south. To help you understand nature as he does, Gooley shares more than 850 tips for forecasting, tracking, and more, gathered from decades spent walking the landscape around his home and around the world. Whether you're walking in the country or city, along a coastline, or by night, this is the ultimate resource on what the land, sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, and clouds can reveal--only if you know how to look!
#1 Bestseller in Stargazing
Publisher's Note: The Lost Art of Reading Nature's Signs was previously published in the UK under the title The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs.
Rare Air, the culmination of artist Sarah Kaizar's dedication to illustrating endangered fauna, features 66 endangered species of flight--33 birds, 5 bats, 12 bees, and 16 butterflies--presented in her scientifically accurate and utterly engaging pen-and-ink style. Complementing the art are informative and story-driven natural histories of each species by writer A. Scott Meiser, as well as interviews with biologists who are working to sustain some of the same species. An introduction highlights how Kaizar developed this project, while the "How to Get Involved" appendix provides helpful tips on actions readers can take to help these creatures. Kaizar's work informs readers about the world around them in a way that is beautiful and engaging, while also examining the environmental conditions that put these species at risk. Rare Air broadens the conversation about environmental study and inspires readers across the country to care for our winged creatures.
