Portsmouth Public Library: Nature and Science: April 2026

Recent Releases

The Feather Wars and the Great Crusade to Save America's Birds
by James H. McCommons

In the late 19th century, America’s bird populations were under serious threat, with many species hunted to near extinction for sport, biological research, and (wait for it...) the ladies’ hat industry. Luckily for the birds, a concerted conservation effort took hold, led by an unlikely alliance between academics, wardens, hunters, docents, artists, and politicians. James H. McCommons’ book serves as a happy example of what is achievable when concerned parties come together. Read alike: The Birds That Audubon Missed by Kenn Kaufman.

When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy
by Beronda L. Montgomery

Plant biologist Beronda L. Montgomery’s richly detailed own voices book examines several varieties of common American trees and plants in a blend of memoir, Black history, and science. We learn facts both inspiring and haunting about traditional Black botanical knowledge, like that willow bark was boiled to make medicinal poultices, and that the hollow trunks of sycamores would often serve as safe shelter for people escaping enslavement. For fans of: the anthology A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars, edited by Erin Sharkey.

Under a Metal Sky: A Journey Through Minerals, Greed, and Wonder
by Philip Marsden

Discover the wonders and perils of the earth's precious metals--what they have offered us as humans, and how they've forever changed our relationship with the world around us The ground beneath our feet is full of riches: the ocher that allowed prehistoric humans to paint on cave walls; the tin that drove the early Industrial Revolution; radium, the source of Marie Curie's wonder; and lithium, the essential mineral of modern life found in our mobile phones and laptops. Each of these minerals has a story to tell, and each has its place in the broader story of human history. Under a Metal Sky takes us on a journey across the peat-rich Dutch lowlands, through Prague and Bohemia, and on to the gold-rich mountains of Georgia. Along the way, Philip Marsden uncovers the strange and colorful histories of alchemy, scientific revolution, industrialization, and technological innovation, peopled by figures like the Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II, Goethe, Marie Curie, and William Blake. But alongside wonder and inspiration, there has also been plunder and heedless exploitation, the consequences of which have set us on a path toward our own extinction. Beautifully written and wildly mind-expanding, Under a Metal Sky seamlessly blends travel writing, cultural history, and geology. Who knew the history of rocks could be such a page-turner?

Chasing Lewis's Monkeyflower: The Amazing Afterlife of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's Wild Plants
by Elizabeth Adelman

A look at the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the plant specimens the great explorers gathered on their way--and of their amazing afterlife. Elizabeth Adelman's Chasing the Missing Monkeyflower is the two hundred-year saga of finding, losing, and finding the wild plants collected on America's first exploration west, the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Thomas Jefferson handpicked Meriwether Lewis to lead the expedition, gather notable specimens along the way, and then write the journals, with one volume to include science-worthy descriptions and classifications of the plants that Lewis collected and pressed to preserve. Not a botanist, Lewis needed help to write this part of the journals. Ambition, deceit, theft, wealth, debt, alcoholism, loss, suicide, serendipity, and stubborn persistence cross the plants' paths in Philadelphia, New York, and London. This is the first work detailing the places, practices, and times of a cavalcade of people who touched the plants. A fascinating chronicle of an unexplored byway of the great American story.

How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries
by David George Haskell

Flowers are so much more than aesthetically pleasing, asserts biologist David George Haskell: they are nature’s true survivors. In addition to providing food and shelter for insects and birds, they adapt incredibly quickly to environmental changes, foster biodiversity, act as catalysts between different species, and are even capable of things like self-reproduction and “chromosome doubling” when the chips are down. For fans of: The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger.

Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature
by Robert M. Hazen and Michael L. Wong

It’s easy to observe the second law of thermodynamics -- that the universe tends toward entropy and disorder as time’s arrow moves onward -- in everything from aging bodies to rusting machinery. But astrobiologists Robert M. Hazen and Michael L. Wong propose that there is another “arrow” at work right under our noses, and that the evolving complexity of species, language, networks, and biotic communities on earth-like planets suggests movement toward a new kind of order. Readers will be thrilled by this “paradigm-shifting work of scientific daring” (Kirkus Reviews).

99 Ways to Die: And How to Avoid Them
by Ashely Alker, MD

As a physician specializing in emergency services, Ashely Alker knows a thing or two about the myriad ways that humans can perish. Including pithy advice about how to avoid premature death and job-related anecdotes that are unsettling, funny, and flat-out scary, Alker’s book is “enormously informative and exceedingly entertaining” (Library Journal). For another witty read about dark topics, try The Chick and the Dead: Life and Death Behind Mortuary Doors by Carla Valentine.

Winter: The Story of a Season
by Val McDermid

As we brace for another “hottest ever” summer, readers wistful for winter coziness will want to immerse themselves in Scottish crime novelist Val McDermid’s ode to the season of cold, rest, and reflection. McDermid’s beloved Edinburgh comes to life with her vivid childhood recollections of busy street scenes, sprinkled with Scottish holiday traditions and a few soup recipes. For fans of: The Light in the Dark: A Winter Journal by Horatio Clare.

Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Breakthrough Results
by Nir Eyal

An Instant New York Times Bestseller What if the real obstacle isn't your effort, your discipline, or your circumstances, but what you believe is possible? Behind every endeavor are beliefs that shape outcomes. Most people never question those beliefs, even when they hold them back. Beyond Belief by bestselling author Nir Eyal (Indistractable, Hooked) reveals one counterintuitive truth: these beliefs aren't facts. They're tools. Understand how they work, and you can set them aside when they are unhelpful and replace them with better ones to change what's possible for you. Backed by the latest neuroscience and psychology research, Eyal shows you how your hidden assumptions filter what you see, what you attempt, and what you achieve, and gives you a clear, practical method to change them. Learn how to: See what others miss - Beliefs filter your perception. Shift them, and options that were invisible come into view.Stay grounded under pressure - Change how you respond to uncertainty so steadiness becomes your default, not something you force.Break costly patterns - Improve your health, relationships, and career by removing interference - not adding more effort.Expand what you think you're capable of - Your limits aren't fixed. They're learned. And what's learned can be relearned.Once you understand how belief really works, you can stop fighting yourself -- and start building change that lasts.

Why We Drink Too Much: The Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture
by Dr. Charles Knowles

In his accessible debut, British medical professor Charles Knowles breaks down the science behind humans’ enduring fascination with drinking alcohol and explains why the urge to over-consume is all too common. Far from a sobriety diatribe, Knowles instead presents a straightforward summary of alcohol’s effects alongside the chilling story of how it nearly destroyed his own life, urging drinkers to retain perspective on their habit. Try this next: Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction by Judith Grisel.

Contact your librarian for more great books!