naturalist book reviews
perspectives on the natural world
for non-scientists
Fiction & non-fiction
Braiding Sweetgrass . . .
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Kimmerer, a botanist, professor of plant ecology, and Potawatomi woman, weaves together Indigenous understanding, science, and her individual experiences to bring new insight into human beings’ relationship with the natural world. Listen to the author’s audiobook reading (in addition to adding the book to your print library). Her presentation adds immeasurably to her words.
What It’s Like to Be a Bird . . .
by David Allen Sibley
Basics, latest research, straightforward innovative presentation, amazing artwork . . . a treasure for anyone fascinated by birds, nature, and the world in which we live.
The Mosquito . . . by Timothy C. Winegard
In this sweeping review of the role of mosquito-borne disease in the course of human history, historian and political scientist Winegard weaves a compelling narrative of thousands of years of society and politics, along with a good smattering of revolution, biology, and racism. Despite some entomological criticism (See Stephen L. Doggett, The Mosquito, a Human History of Our Deadliest Predator, Book Review, FAOPMA Newsletter, 34 (Jan. 2020)), the history review alone makes the book worth reading. It also makes one think more deeply about why wetlands have been so fervently destroyed throughout history.