|
|
|
|
Nature and Science February 2026 |
|
|
|
| Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings by Myriam GurbaLatine author Myriam Gurba’s poetic essay collection -- structured around 20 plants of her native California -- is intentionally designed to disorient the reader. The process of finding one’s way through the book’s “labyrinth” entails careful attention to Gurba’s observations about life and nature, which range from the scientific to the deeply personal. For fans of: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. |
|
| Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life by Tara LohanEnvironmental journalist Tara Lohan uplifts in her report on United States waterways and the growing movement to remove dams blocking their courses. Incorporating the perspective of Indigenous tribespeople whom she met while chronicling the health of rivers in the Pacific Northwest, Lohan clearly explains the benefits, both environmental and communal, of undamming our rivers in her hopeful, inspiring book. |
|
| The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind by Simon WinchesterAuthor and journalist Simon Winchester presents a celebration of wind. Drawing fascinating references from science, engineering, and literature, Winchester is clearly enraptured by this natural force, evidenced by his vivid depictions of its role in civilization’s destruction (typhoons, tornadoes, wildfires) and salvation (wind-powered energy solutions). This is a captivating ode to elemental nature in the vein of Cynthia Barnett’s Rain: A Natural and Cultural History. |
|
|
|
The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds
by Julie Zickefoose
The Bluebird Effect is about the change that's set in motion by one single act, such as saving an injured bluebird--or a hummingbird, swift, or phoebe. Each of the twenty five chapters covers a different species, and each chapter is illustrated with Zickefoose's stunning watercolor paintings and drawings. Not just individual tales about the trials and triumphs of raising birds, The Bluebird Effect mixes humor, natural history, and memoir to give readers an intimate story of a life lived among wild birds.
|
|
|
|
How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity
by Douglas J. Futuyma
A marvelous journey into the world of bird evolution. Douglas Futuyma describes how evolutionary science illuminates the wonders of birds, ranging over topics such as the meaning and origin of species, the evolutionary history of bird diversity, and the evolution of avian reproductive behaviors, plumage ornaments, and social behaviors. A must-read for bird enthusiasts and curious naturalists, How Birds Evolve shows how evolutionary biology helps us better understand birds and their natural history, and how the study of birds has informed all aspects of evolutionary science since the time of Darwin.
|
|
|
|
The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty
by Sy Montgomery
When Sy Montgomery went to spend a day at falconer Nancy Cowan's farm, home to a dozen magnificent birds of prey, it was the start of a deep love affair. Nancy allowed her to work with Jazz, a feisty, four-year-old, female Harris's hawk with a wingspan of more than four feet. From the first moment Jazz swept down from a tree and landed on Sy's leather gloved fist, Sy fell under the hawk's magnetic spell. Over the next few years, Sy spent more time with these magnificent creatures, getting to know their extraordinary abilities and instincts. --Publisher website.
|
|
| Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili TaylorAward-winning actor Lili Taylor first became a birdwatcher and nature advocate about 15 years ago during a break between film projects. She noticed how observing the sparrows and jays outside her house awakened her senses, especially her ability to listen, a skill she prizes in her acting work. Today she goes birding whenever she can, in the city and country, and will inspire her readers to rediscover the gift of noticing the world around them. For fans of: Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
|
|
|