WHO KNEW There Were So Many Great Environmental Books to Read?
Call me old school, but I like books. I like the feel and smell of them. Each one is a little creation in itself and, after many reads, begins to have its own personality—like the page that has the spilled tea or the well-worn corners and creases of perennial favorites.
If you still visit bookstores, you might have noticed how the Nature section has grown over the years. Many books have daunting titles predicting the end of life as we know it, or talking about mass extinctions, or the fact that microplastics now invade every facet of life. It can get depressing—sort of like tuning into the news these days.
It pays to know oneself, and I know that, despite believing what the gloomy titles proclaim, I don’t need to immerse myself in it. I prefer to read something that gives me hope, engages my intellect, tells a story and maybe inspires me to learn more, or possibly change my behavior. Luckily, there are quite a few books out there that fit the bill, and I want to mention a few here.
First, The Creation of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World (2016), by Andrea Wulf. A great choice for history and adventure lovers. It follows the life of the famed 18th-19th century German naturalist, Alexander von Humboldt. My biggest takeaway was von Humboldt’s observations from over 200 years ago recognizing the interconnectedness of all living things and realizing that human agency—particularly colonialism—could have a detrimental impact on climate and the environment.
Second, The Overstory (2018), by Richard Powers. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel weaves together the stories of several people while illustrating the critical role of trees in our lives. The Pulitzer Prize citation called The Overstory, “An ingeniously structured narrative that branches and canopies like the trees at the core of the story whose wonder and connectivity echo those of the humans living amongst them”. One fictional character is based loosely on Canadian scientist and conservationist, Suzanne Simard, known for her groundbreaking work in mycorrhizal networks and forest ecology.
Third, Wilding (2018), by Isabella Tree. This inspirational work of non-fiction tells the story of Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, and their 3,500 acre farm, Knepp, in West Sussex, UK. With over-farmed soils, the farm teetered on bankruptcy, so, in 2000, Isabella and her husband chose to let nature take over and start the process of healing. The book chronicles this visionary, challenging, and sometimes miraculous journey as a wide variety of species—some of them extinct in the UK—have returned and now flourish at Knepp, along with an explosion of biodiversity.
Fourth, Beaverland (2022), by Leila Philip. If all you know about beavers is the domed houses you see scattered through ponds and still waters by the side of the road, this book will be an eye opener. Philip covers a variety of angles while researching the huge role that beavers have played historically, ecologically, economically, and culturally, and the story has a personal element as you walk with the author on her journey of discovery. The restorative power of these animals to the ecological landscape is another salient reminder of the interconnectedness of all living things and how our wanton disregard or destruction of nature’s balance will have a huge cost to our future.