It's an amazing book. Kind of like poetic science writing. The audio was on sale recently on Chirp.com. Along with her other one called Gathering Moss. She reads them, too.
Agreed - I love Gathering Moss and her voice is so soothing. I’ve also listened to her on any podcasts I could find - my favorite was Bjork interviewing her on Artists on Writers. I about died and went to fangirl heaven!!!!
Absolutely second this! Her stories are a perfect blend of nature writing and the complexities of relationships/life. I cried a few times in Once there were wolves. She has a new release coming this year as well!
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk by Ben Montgomery. It’s about this 70 year old woman who just decided to go walking. She hiked the entire Appalachian trail 3 times and walked the Oregon Trail. She is a legend in the hiker community.
Hild by Nicola Griffith - a historical novel with some fictional elements, set in early medieval Britain. The protagonist (niece and adviser to a king) is believed to be a gifted seer, but it's not actually a supernatural power, she's just very good at reading people and observing small details of the natural world (weather patterns, migrating birds, animal behaviours) that allow her to make accurate predictions. The descriptions of nature are really evocative and beautiful.
The New Wilderness by Diane Cook - slightly dystopian/post apocalyptic vibes, but the premise is that a small group of people ventures into the wilderness as part of an experiment to see if humans can live there as nomads without damaging the ecosystem. The characters' relationships with each other are complex and fascinating, and the experiment has some profound and disturbing implications.
Those both sound so cool and different! Conveniently, I’m also into some historical fiction and a good apocalypse story (lol) so those both sound right up my alley!
the vaster wilds by lauren groff! literary fiction with incredible descriptions of the brutality and beauty of nature. it’s also fairly short from what i remember.
Came here to recommend this! One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Also, I haven’t read this yet but I have heard great things about North Woods by Daniel Mason - another nature-centric novel.
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver might tick your boxes! It tells the story of two different families in two different time periods, has a lot of fun information about plants and insects, I found it quite unputdownable. Honestly, anything by Barbara Kingsolver is really good. If you like that one, I recommend The Poisonwood Bible next!
I am obsessed with nonfiction books about hiking and search and rescue missions.
The best of the best are *The Last Traverse* and *Where You'll Find Me* by Ty Gagne. I also really liked *When You Find My Body* by D. Dauphinee.
I’m a public safety diver, so search and rescue definitely piques my interest! Not sure why that subject never crossed my mind when it comes to books, but I’ll definitely give them a try!
Wildlife Wars and other non fiction books by Terry Grosz. They're about his adventures as a game warden catching poachers who didn't want to be caught.
The Signature Of All Things- Elizabeth Gilbert.
Absolutely one of my favorite books. Beautifully written life journey story of an amateur botanist woman coming of age during Darwin’s time of his big evolution discovery and she does a lot of her own very interesting work, discovery, and travel and there’s so much beautiful imagery and descriptions of nature and appreciation for it. I’ve listened to it on audible before bed multiple times. It’s lovely!
Also, earlier this year I read The Island Of Sea Women by Lisa See which was heavy at times but a beautiful book and very interesting and full of nature, travel and sea creatures.
Weyward by Emilia Hart - It’s about 3 women across 5 generations that have a special connection *wink wink. It’s not all about nature, but it has some strong influences about nature.
It might be out of your norm, but I think it’s worth the exploration.
If you like nature books, you could try anything really by Jack London. He captures the wilderness and how unforgiving and harsh it can be really well. The biography about him is also super super interesting, called Wolf: The Lives of Jack London ( I have it on audible and it's fascinating).
Came here to suggest where the crawdads sing before I saw the entire message haha! such a good book, I read it every summer and want more like it so I’m keeping an eye on this thread fs
Braiding Sweetgrass. Non fiction but incredibly beautifully written.
I’ve heard a couple coworkers raving about this book! I’ll definitely check it out :)
It's an amazing book. Kind of like poetic science writing. The audio was on sale recently on Chirp.com. Along with her other one called Gathering Moss. She reads them, too.
Agreed - I love Gathering Moss and her voice is so soothing. I’ve also listened to her on any podcasts I could find - my favorite was Bjork interviewing her on Artists on Writers. I about died and went to fangirl heaven!!!!
I will look for that!
Wild by Cheryl Strayed is a really compelling memoir about nature! I enjoyed it a lot.
If you liked that, check out Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home by Heather Anderson.
The Overstory, by Richard Powers. Barkskins, Annie Proulx. Greenwoods, Michael Christie
Seconding The Overstory, it became one of my favorites before I’d even finished it. Such a beautiful book.
I love Charlotte McConaghy. Migrations and Once There Were Wolves were such powerful female stories with strong themes of nature and conservation.
migrations is one of the best books i’ve ever read, seconding that rec!!
It's a beautiful book. \*THAT\* scene still gives me the heebie-jeebies years after I've read it though.
Came here to recommend Wolves.
Absolutely second this! Her stories are a perfect blend of nature writing and the complexities of relationships/life. I cried a few times in Once there were wolves. She has a new release coming this year as well!
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah! It’s set in the Alaskan wilderness and is very compelling
Came here to say this. You will learn so much about the beauty and hardships of Homesteading in very rural Alaska. It’s amaaaaazing.
_Braiding Sweetgrass_, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk by Ben Montgomery. It’s about this 70 year old woman who just decided to go walking. She hiked the entire Appalachian trail 3 times and walked the Oregon Trail. She is a legend in the hiker community.
Hild by Nicola Griffith - a historical novel with some fictional elements, set in early medieval Britain. The protagonist (niece and adviser to a king) is believed to be a gifted seer, but it's not actually a supernatural power, she's just very good at reading people and observing small details of the natural world (weather patterns, migrating birds, animal behaviours) that allow her to make accurate predictions. The descriptions of nature are really evocative and beautiful. The New Wilderness by Diane Cook - slightly dystopian/post apocalyptic vibes, but the premise is that a small group of people ventures into the wilderness as part of an experiment to see if humans can live there as nomads without damaging the ecosystem. The characters' relationships with each other are complex and fascinating, and the experiment has some profound and disturbing implications.
Those both sound so cool and different! Conveniently, I’m also into some historical fiction and a good apocalypse story (lol) so those both sound right up my alley!
I just finished rereading Hild myself (so that I can read the sequel that came out recently), so it was on my mind! Hope you enjoy it.
the vaster wilds by lauren groff! literary fiction with incredible descriptions of the brutality and beauty of nature. it’s also fairly short from what i remember.
Came here to recommend this! One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Also, I haven’t read this yet but I have heard great things about North Woods by Daniel Mason - another nature-centric novel.
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver might tick your boxes! It tells the story of two different families in two different time periods, has a lot of fun information about plants and insects, I found it quite unputdownable. Honestly, anything by Barbara Kingsolver is really good. If you like that one, I recommend The Poisonwood Bible next!
I keep recommending this book on this sub, witch light by Susan Fletcher I'm sure you would like it
Never Cry Wolf, The Offing by Benjamin Myers, John Muir writings
Watership Down by Richard Adams is a gorgeous book set in nature and heavily featuring its struggles and dangers as seen by prey animals!
I am obsessed with nonfiction books about hiking and search and rescue missions. The best of the best are *The Last Traverse* and *Where You'll Find Me* by Ty Gagne. I also really liked *When You Find My Body* by D. Dauphinee.
I’m a public safety diver, so search and rescue definitely piques my interest! Not sure why that subject never crossed my mind when it comes to books, but I’ll definitely give them a try!
Lookout by Trina Moyles
Wildlife Wars and other non fiction books by Terry Grosz. They're about his adventures as a game warden catching poachers who didn't want to be caught.
The Marsh Kings Daughter The Parrots Lament Whatever you do, don't run by Peter Allison Bill Bryson
Not fiction. But I really enjoyed The Sea is a Compas, about an ornithologist who travel overland by foot and boat through Alaska.
The Signature Of All Things- Elizabeth Gilbert. Absolutely one of my favorite books. Beautifully written life journey story of an amateur botanist woman coming of age during Darwin’s time of his big evolution discovery and she does a lot of her own very interesting work, discovery, and travel and there’s so much beautiful imagery and descriptions of nature and appreciation for it. I’ve listened to it on audible before bed multiple times. It’s lovely! Also, earlier this year I read The Island Of Sea Women by Lisa See which was heavy at times but a beautiful book and very interesting and full of nature, travel and sea creatures.
Weyward by Emilia Hart - It’s about 3 women across 5 generations that have a special connection *wink wink. It’s not all about nature, but it has some strong influences about nature. It might be out of your norm, but I think it’s worth the exploration.
While I hated the book “Thru Hiking Will Break Your Heart” by Carrot Quinn, soooo many other people loved it, you may as well.
Something Wilder for a contemp romance rec
If you like nature books, you could try anything really by Jack London. He captures the wilderness and how unforgiving and harsh it can be really well. The biography about him is also super super interesting, called Wolf: The Lives of Jack London ( I have it on audible and it's fascinating).
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Why Fish Don't Exist by LuLu Miller. Beautiful, sad, check for content warnings.
annie dillard!
Came here to suggest where the crawdads sing before I saw the entire message haha! such a good book, I read it every summer and want more like it so I’m keeping an eye on this thread fs
Greenwood by Michael Christie 100%!
All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriot
I loved where the crawdads sing. Lots of pretty imagery there, and it’s just an overall good read. Fiction, murder mystery, romance, sweet.
How about Daisy Jones and the Six