|
Nature and Science October 2020
|
|
|
|
| Fathoms: The World in the Whale by Rebecca GiggsWhat it's about: whales and their watery world, both of which humans are destroying.
Is it for you? Although filled with evocative facts about cetaceans (their milk is pink, their demise is called "whalefall"), Rebecca Giggs' lyrical yet sobering narrative is book-ended by heartbreaking accounts of beached whales.
Further reading: Nick Pyenson's Spying on Whales, Philip Hoare's The Whale: In Search of the Giants of the Sea, or Micheline Jenner's The Secret Life of Whales. |
|
| Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl by Jonathan C. SlaghtWhat it's about: a conservationist's five-year study of the endangered Blakiston’s fish owl in its natural habitat, the Primorye region of Russia.
Read it for: an authentically detailed account of scientific fieldwork, vivid descriptions of the terrain and its inhabitants (both animal and human), and, of course, the quest for an elusive bird.
For fans of: ornithology-themed travelogues, such as Tim Gallagher's Imperial Dreams or Vernon R.L. Head's The Rarest Bird in the World. |
|
| Tales from the Ant World by Edward O. WilsonWhat it is: a memoir by acclaimed biologist Edward O. Wilson, in which he shares his passion for myrmecology (the study of ants) while reflecting on a lifetime of studying the natural world.
Lessons learned? "There is nothing I can even imagine in the lives of ants that we can or should emulate for our own moral betterment."
Reviewers say: a "rapturously unapologetic hymn of praise to the roughly one quadrillion ants on the planet" (The Boston Globe). |
|
|
What can I do? : my path from climate despair to action
by Jane Fonda
The Oscar- and Emmy award-winning actress and activist describes how she relocated to Washington, D.C. to lead thousands in weekly demonstrations advocating for urgent responses to climate change, including fairer laws that acknowledge its human toll.
|
|
|
Horse crazy : the story of a woman and a world in love with an animal
by Sarah Maslin Nir
Acclaimed journalist and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir is one of them; she began riding horses when she was justtwo years old and hasn't stopped since. Horse Crazy is a fascinating, funny, and moving love letter to these graceful animals and the people who-like her-are obsessed with them.
|
|
|
The Midwest Native Plant Primer : 225 Plants for an Earth-friendly Garden
by Alan Branhagen
Do you want a garden that makes a real difference? Choose plants native to our Midwest region. The rewards will benefit you, your yard, and the environment—from reducing maintenance tasks to attracting earth-friendly pollinators such as native birds, butterflies, and bees. Native plant expert Alan Branhagen makes adding these superstar plants easier than ever before, with proven advice that every home gardener can follow.
|
|
|
The Remarkable Life of the Skin: An Intimate Journey Across Our Largest Organ
by Monty Lyman
What it is: a dermatologist's cross-disciplinary "circumnavigation of, and love letter to" human skin.
You'll learn: what makes skin waterproof, how to achieve a healthy glow without risking a sunburn, why we can't tickle ourselves, and much more.
Reviewers say: "Tantalizing tidbits of information abound" (Booklist) in this "illuminating and thought-provoking" (Kirkus Reviews) book.
|
|
|
The world-ending fire : the essential Wendell Berry
by Wendell Berry
Celebrating our cultural heritage, our history and our home, an essayist, novelist and poet presents a collection of writings of a life spent farming the fields of rural Kentucky with mules and horses, and of the deeply personal knowledge of the land cultivated by this work.
|
|
|
The human cosmos : civilization and the stars
by Jo Marchant
Revealing how early cultures celebrated the mysteries of a night sky now hidden by today’s pollution and tech, the best-selling author of Cure invites readers to reconnect the human experience to the remarkable cosmic cycles that shaped it.
|
|
And many more! Contact your librarian for more great books! |
|
|
|
|
|