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Nature and Science October 2026 |
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| The Beasts of the East: The Fall and Rise of America's Eastern Wilderness by Andrew MooreAfter three centuries of urbanization and subdivision, many areas of the Eastern United States are finally undergoing habitat restoration, claims environmental writer Andrew Moore. His hopeful and captivating survey of wild lands east of the Mississippi features re-introduced bison, elk, and eastern red wolves. While Moore’s tone is optimistic, he cautions that while megafauna make headlines, full restoration requires efforts toward habitat integration and biodiversity. Try this next: Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries That Change How We Think about Animals by Christopher J. Preston. |
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| I Eat the Stars: How to Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World by Sarah WilsonIn Australian journalist Sarah Wilson’s meditation on living through an era of environmental and societal collapse, the author consults with her podcast guests -- mainly scientists, philosophers, and spiritualists -- in an attempt to grasp an idea “more useful” than hope. Wilson prefers truth (grim as it seems), enlivened by interpersonal and spiritual connectedness, and a life lived with purpose and love. Readers will find her “philosophical grappling with hard questions” (Kirkus Reviews) to be a balm for fraught times. |
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| It Could Be Otherwise: Science in the Age of Uncertainty by Stuart FiresteinNeuroscience professor Stuart Firestein argues against those who criticize science for not providing fixed, definitive answers to big questions. On the contrary, Firestein posits that this uncertainty is science’s greatest strength. Any theory that can be formulated may one day be superseded, a fact that points to the resilience and dynamism of the scientific method, and hints at how much remains to be discovered. This book is a great choice for readers “prepared to grapple with complexity” (Library Journal). |
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Otherworldly America: Explore the Most Unique Natural Wonders of the United States
by Jake Guzman
Travel across the United States and experience America's fascinating natural wonders. From glacier-covered peaks to windswept red-rock canyons, and moss-draped rainforests to sun-soaked coasts, Otherworldly America reveals the country's most breathtaking landscapes. Join nature photographer Jake Guzman as he explores hidden backcountry spots, iconic national parks, and overlooked state parks waiting to be discovered. Journey from Alaska's icy wilderness to Hawaii's tropical landscapes, through the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, the towering Rockies, the dramatic Southwest, and the vibrant Northeast and Southeast. Each location comes alive with stunning imagery, hike recommendations, captivating stories, and photography tips, making the adventures to these places as compelling as the landscapes themselves. Locations featured include everything from Kenai Fjords National Park, Kaua'i, Mount Rainier National Park, the Oregon Coast, Death Valley National Park, Custer State Park, Devils Tower, Monument Valley, Coyote Buttes, Ship Rock, Florida Keys, and so much more This is a perfect book for outdoor enthusiasts, armchair travelers, and anyone seeking landscapes so extraordinary they feel otherworldly--no spaceship required.
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| The Savage Landscape: How We Made the Wilderness by Cal FlynJournalist Cal Flyn proposes the ironic notion that the very concept of “wilderness” is manufactured by humans, since we tend to define it by the areas where people aren’t. The author travels to wild landscapes in her native Scotland, Brazil, Uganda, and Antarctica, marveling at the sights while referencing mythology, philosophy, and literature to examine the meaning that humans have invested in wild places. If you enjoy this, try Flyn’s last book, Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape. |
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Everyone's Trash: One Man Against 1.6 Billion Pounds
by Duncan Watson
... a fascinating look into the social aspects of the local landfill and the intricacies of waste disposal and recycling. Watson enthusiastically makes the case that 'recycling is a positive action that you can take to make a difference.' His engaging and heartfelt stories of people he's met through his work add depth and humanity to this portrait of a place that is often taken for granted but that is an absolute necessity and often a social community hub. -- BooklistEach day, every single person in the United States, all 324 million, discards about five pounds of waste. Be it a bottle that gets placed in a recycling bin or a piece of paper crumpled and tossed into the waste bin, every bit of the daily 1.6 billion pounds cast-off has a story. This book is full of those stories. It will wake you up and give you hope. As the author, Duncan Watson, says, More people in America recycle than vote. Recycling is more popular than Democracy!Watson has been running the City of Keene's solid waste program for 33 years. He has brought national attention to the program for solid waste disposal that Keene, NH, has built. He spins a good yarn, and the rich characters who populate the dump in Keene, New Hampshire, provide endless entertainment and a lot of laughs. He is also a yoga teacher, dog lover, and he visits Comic Cons all over the country, as he was a voice actor of Charlie Brown in three movies in his youth; Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, and Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown.By turns hilarious and heartwarming, distressing and hopeful, Everyone's Trash is about way more than recycling and trash. It's a poignant Xray of a small city's soul--and a testament to the power of connection, compassion, and community. -- Sy Montgomery, NYT Bestselling author, Soul of the Octopus, Of Time and TurtlesDuncan Watson turned his passion for recycling trash into creating a nationally recognized facility in southwestern New Hampshire. Now he tells his story, filled with unforgettable characters, self-deprecating humor, and a larger message for today. Like one of those unexpected discoveries many of us have picked up on a visit to our own recycling center, Everyone's Trash is a treasure. -- Dayton Duncan, author, The National Parks: America's Best IdeaFrom his first Recycling Center job in California to his Municipal Recycling Facility-MRF- 'Murph, ' in New Hampshire, Duncan shares the humanity of his life well lived and the intertwined storylines that come alive in every chapter. His skill as a recycling and waste professional is only surpassed by his ability to share heartfelt stories of humanity with his readers. It is the rare author who can be this honest in his narration and every reader will be the richer for the experiences he recounts. -- Mike Durfor, Executive Director (Ret.), Northeast Resource Recovery Association
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| Total Garbage: How We Can Fix Our Waste and Heal Our World by Edward HumesPulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edward Humes reveals the wasteful habits of modern life and offers numerous examples of communities pursuing more sustainable futures in this thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful book. In the follow-up to his 2012 book Garbology, Humes gives detailed breakdowns of multiple categories of waste and suggestions for converting our economy into a circular model that recycles more of what it produces. |
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| Trash Talk: An Eye-Opening Exploration of Our Planet's Dirtiest Problem by Iris GottliebWriter and illustrator Iris Gottlieb shares their fascination with trash by examining our relationship with it throughout history. Today, the trash industry is designed to keep our waste isolated from wealthier segments of society, so that many people never have to give it much thought. Gottlieb contrasts this with pre-industrial civilizations, in which people lived in proximity to waste sites and repaired many of the items that we dispose of today. Packed with the author’s illustrations, Trash Talk will have readers looking at trash in an entirely new way. |
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| Waste Wars: The Wild Afterlife of Your Trash by Alexander ClappA journalist based in Greece travels far and wide to uncover the filthy secrets of the garbage business. Alexander Clapp’s exposé reveals the eco-conscious “recycling” programs of wealthy northern hemisphere nations to be something a bit shadier: e-waste, plastics, and other disposables are often exported to countries in the Global South, where toxic waste poisons ecosystems and local labor is exploited. |
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| Year of No Garbage: Recycling Lies, Plastic Problems, and One Woman's Trashy Journey... by Eve O. SchaubMemoirist Eve O. Schaub (Year of No Clutter) provides a detailed account of her family’s attempt to produce nothing that will end up in a landfill for an entire year. The fact that the year coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic added complicated wrinkles, like the necessity of medical waste. Schaub’s candid and occasionally funny book offers useful tips for reducing (if not eliminating) household waste alongside thoughtful explorations of consumerism and civic responsibility. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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