Justin McElroy, Sydnee McElroy, Teylor Smirl
[isbn]
Justin and Dr. Sydnee McElroy’s first book is as funny, educational, and fascinatingly horrifying as the podcast on which it’s based. Brilliantly illuminated by Teylor Smirl’s fantastic artwork, this is the perfect read for anyone who enjoys strange history, medical facts, or just having a good laugh at human “ingenuity” (with due celebration for the folks who’ve actually gotten things right). Remember: don’t drill a hole in your head!
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Melissa L Sevigny
[isbn]
I really loved this story. Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter were passionate botanists, and in 1938 they took a harrowing, exhilarating, life-changing journey through the Grand Canyon to map and collect the flora they found there. At the time, it may have felt like their journey was for nothing... companions didn't take them seriously, books of pressed plants were lost, journalists dismissed their work. But their work was recovered and documented,... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Ben Goldfarb
[isbn]
I suspect I really loved this book because it felt like something I'd read during my time as a college student studying geography. It is a really great story about the history of roads, and roadkill, and how humans often work backward to fix the mess they have made of the environment. From bears to butterflies, people are making crossings to reconnect animals to the territories they once roamed freely. There is even a chapter on folks in Portland... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Rosanna Xia
[isbn]
I was worried this book would be a real downer, but I found myself incredibly inspired and hopeful (and trying to figure out a way to move my family back to the north coast of California (I haven't had a book make me so homesick in quite a long time!)). Rosanna Xia is an environmental journalist, and her writing is engaging and thoughtful. The stories of each community she highlights gives you hope that climate adaptation is possible, and that... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Nona Fernandez, Natasha Wimmer
[isbn]
Chilean novelist Fernandez weaves her own constellation in this book-length essay that roots her mother's brain scans to the stars, to national grief, to loss and the fragility of memory, and to what is left behind for the living. A slow, deep breath in shimmering prose — one of my faves of the year.
Recommended by SitaraG
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Christian Cooper
[isbn]
This book is a delight! Christian Cooper came into the national spotlight in 2020 for having the audacity to 'bird while black' in Central Park. A queer, pagan, Black nerd, Cooper's memoir chronicles birdwatching throughout his life. He has a unique and amusing voice that comes through his writing, even as he speaks of coming out, his sometimes difficult family history, and the time a white woman called the police on him when he reminded her that... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Jeff Goodell
[isbn]
Jeff Goodell is an incredibly engaging writer, and I loved his book The Water Will Come. I was hooked by the stats listed at the beginning of this book, and read it every chance I got. The summer heat in Portland is not what it was thirty years ago when I moved here, and Goodell begins the book talking about the heat dome Portland recently had the pleasure of cooking under. This book lays out how the heat of the planet is changing... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Gloria Dickie
[isbn]
Bears are beloved, and terrifying, and worthy of careful and empathetic study (the human impact on bear life is both obvious and greater than you think)! Gloria Dickie takes us a thoughtful, thorough, and eminently readable tour of the eight remaining bear species, which is (of course!) a tour through the challenges and creative coping methods required for living on our increasingly complicated planet. Pick this one up if you're a fan of Fat Bear... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Richard Tarnas
[isbn]
This book makes a clear and elegant argument for the correspondence between planetary alignments and patterns of human history. What do the French Revolution and the cultural revolution of the 1960s have in common? A Pluto-Uranus conjunction! This book is for historians, sociologists, et.al., and also for anyone interested in astrology’s big picture.
Recommended by Marianne T
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Halberstam, Judith
[isbn]
For the gays, the theys, the horror fanatics, and the monster apologists. Halberstam delivers some truly phenomenal pop culture critique in this volume, which, while at times theoretically dated (stage cough, Freud, stage cough), still turns over some really interesting rocks in accessible and entertaining language. I'm particularly fond of the "bodies that splatter" chapter.
Recommended by SitaraG
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Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua
[isbn]
The first chapter of Young Lutunatabua and Solnit's new manifesto, Not Too Late, says that "hope is not like a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky...hope is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency." It is a call to action and an antidote to doomer-ism, and a must-read for every cynical idealist.
Recommended by CJ H.
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Naira de Gracia
[isbn]
The Last Cold Place is a delightful mix of memoir and nature writing. De Gracia utilizes the stark Antarctic landscape to explore a dual narrative of humanity's relationship with nature and her own personal quest to find herself. It's an inspiring story of a young person figuring out their life path, a call to action to protect our animal neighbors in the face of climate change, and ultimately, a great book about penguins.
Recommended by Mar S.
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Keith Richards
[isbn]
Stories from the heart of the Rolling Stones. Amazing how many great tales are in here (and that Keith remembered them). All of the musical greats get mentioned and it's all delivered with a humor and charm that's very disarming. A special mention for Charlie Watts, present throughout.
Recommended by Paul S.
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Gary Snyder
[isbn]
Gary Snyder is a student of Buddha and Thoreau. Enclosed in The Practice of the Wild are nine essays on habitat, ecology, their interconnectedness, and an attempt to inspire our involvement in general care. The first ecosystem is the heart — our consciousness — and so long as it's covered up, the outside world will reflect how we treat ourselves. Perhaps Synder is attempting to illicit an awakening of our compassion and attention beyond... (read more)
Recommended by Dana S.
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Rodney Stotts, Kate Pipkin
[isbn]
We forget sometimes how powerfully healing our connection to nature can be. Rodney grew up in a bad neighborhood, disconnected from the land, and heading toward a life full of crime. When he goes to work for a conservation group, his life changes. The journey he goes through, the pain of his mother's death and losing his friends... I cried. He found his path and shows just how important second chances are.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Tobin Mitnick
[isbn]
Must Love Trees is a quirky, knowledge-based labor of love for tree admirers everywhere. There is a little something for everyone here. While undoubtedly an identifier for North American trees, this book is also a humorous guidebook with insights and observations brought to us by an author who really loves his trees and the forests around them.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Michio Kaku
[isbn]
Quantum computing. What is it and what can it do for us? According to Michio Kaku, the emerging world of quantum computing can solve endless issues important to humans today — climate change, medical research, world hunger. With Kaku's contagious joy of science, we'll learn how our quantum futures could look.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Elizabeth Bradfield and Cmarie Fuhrman and Derek Sheffield
[isbn]
Cascadia: the region that stretches from Southeast Alaska down to Northern California, and from the Pacific Ocean to parts of Idaho and Montana. Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry is exactly as promised. Various writers and artists, spanning style and content, share their love of the Cascadia region through illustrations, poems, and natural history.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Alastair Gee, Dani Anguiano
[isbn]
My elderly mother was evacuated from the Camp fire by a kind neighbor and came to stay with me for three months. The fire missed her house by 1500 ft. When I took her home, seeing the devastation firsthand was overwhelming.
Gee's well-written book is intense and personal! A staggering read.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Jeff Goodell
[isbn]
Extremely readable, well-reported, and like most climate books, fairly upsetting. ¯\_(?)_/¯ Still, it is an excellent resource on the current and future impact of climate change on the world's vulnerable coastlines.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Robert MacFarlane
[isbn]
I didn't just read this book, I savored it. I found quiet moments to absorb it, ponder it, plan wishful vacations around it, one wonderful chapter at a time.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Rebecca Solnit
[isbn]
Reading this book (an analysis of the life of one of the most prolific writers and anti-fascists of the twentieth century, from a woman whom I consider to be one of the most insightful writers of the 21st), I came to understand a truth at the core of Orwell's writing, as well as that of my own disaffection: any movement, whether political or otherwise, that refuses the promise of peace and joy to its adherents, is not a movement worth struggling... (read more)
Recommended by CJ H.
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Tim Higgins
[isbn]
One of my New Years' Resolutions is to not read one more single word about Elon Musk or Tesla — but I read this book in December, so it doesn't count. Higgins seems to understand something about Tesla and the economy that most of Musk's critics (and supporters) really can't bring themselves to grasp: mainly that (1) lying to the public is in no way illegal, and (2) if a company's only merit is that it's too big to fail, well, then... it's not... (read more)
Recommended by CJ H.
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Lee Mcintyre
[isbn]
This book made me a better communicator.
Whether it be recent vaccine conspiracies or the nearly one-hundred-year war against biological evolution, we have all been witness to the ubiquity of science denial in the U.S.A. (and elsewhere). While it may seem that those who deny scientific consensus are a lost cause, author Lee McIntyre has concluded otherwise. Drawing on both personal experience as well as several political and psychological... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Julian Aguon
[isbn]
If I could, I would shelve this book in every applicable section, so as to get the maximum number of eyes on it! It is certainly welcome in the climate change section, as its overarching theme is the threat of rising seas to Guam and other Pacific Island nations. I'd also welcome it in US History, where you can learn about our government's treatment of Guam, its people, its resources. Literature Reference? Yep, the book is full of loving... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
A follow-up to Sapiens, Homo Deus takes a look into the speculative future of mankind and the potential trials and tribulations our species may face in the millennia to come
Recommended by Sarah No
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Sean Carroll
[isbn]
Sean Carroll blends physics and Lucretian philosophy in a style he calls poetic naturalism. The result is a solid primer on the history of physics, bayesian probability, the arrow of time, emergence, and many other compelling topics.
Recommended by Justin Horein
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Daniel Lieberman
[isbn]
Even athletes struggle with that voice inside telling them that a nap sounds better than running. Why is that? Lieberman does a great job explaining how humanity evolved from being "naturally" active to having to want to move. I loved how he used Jane Austen to explain Darwin's theory of natural selection. And I learned so much about how the human body uses energy. Definitely a great read if you're interested in exercise science.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Eric Dean Wilson
[isbn]
After Cooling is an engrossing and entertaining read on a seemingly mundane topic! The history of cooling is really quite fascinating and Wilson's style is super readable. A truly enjoyable book that taught me a lot and challenged my concepts of comfort.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Emma Marris
[isbn]
This book stayed swirling in my thoughts for weeks after I finished it. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and doesn't pull any punches talking about humans, animals, and the nature of our co-existence. I can't recommend it enough.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Steven Pinker
[isbn]
Really a powerpoint presentation as much as a book. If you can make it through all the data, it's quite informative.
Recommended by Justin Horein
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Randall Munroe
[isbn]
No one speaks to my unending desire for fun facts like Randall Munroe. Always delightful, absolutely hilarious, and yet somehow along the way you’re learning thermodynamics or aerospace engineering. Real science with wacky scenarios — a perfect shared read accessible to curious minds of any age.
Recommended by Sarah R.
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Neil Shubin
[isbn]
While it's easy to imagine how simple adaptations occur in nature, the question "how do BIG evolutionary changes happen?" can be difficult to grasp for the average layperson. Author Neil Shubin, with his talent for revealing the intuitiveness of hard science, unveils life's capabilities for change beyond variation, and does so in a way both engaging and accessible.
More than just "interesting," I had several "wow!" and "oh my gosh, of course!"... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Kim Stanley Robinson
[isbn]
I knew I had to read this the second I saw the title. I too, love California's High Sierra, though I have spent far less time in the Range of Light compared to Robinson. Part memoir, part history lesson, part geological survey, this is a book for those that fall in love with a magnificent sky-kissing landscape that they cannot shake from their soul. The pictures and maps — so often lacking in books that deserve them — are superb. If you or... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Markiyan Kamysh
[isbn]
Part Kerouac. Part Barry Lopez. Totally weird and poetic. Travelers make their journeys to the Zone from all over the world for all different reasons. Kamysh guides them through. No stories here exactly, just life — kind of. Sometimes reality can be much stranger than fiction, and here we get what very well could be a final glimpse of a relatively undisturbed Chernobyl, a place the author calls "the most exotic place on Earth."
Recommended by Eric L.
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Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing
[isbn]
Set in the PNW's own Cascade Mountains, Tsing's examination of the Matsutake mushroom trade and its far-reaching affects on trade and currency locally and abroad is at once journalistic, scientific, and socially motivated. A fascinating look at how ecosystems emerge and thrive in spite of capitalist excavation, Tsing helps readers imagine a world where life and humanity coexist and even build new value systems together.
Recommended by SitaraG
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Jonathan Meiburg
[isbn]
This book is a delight, and I've added a visit to the Falklands to meet the hilarious, obnoxious, Johnny Rooks to my bucket list. Meiburg is an entertaining writer, and his descriptions of his travels throughout South America to find the amazing caracaras were wonderfully vivid. One of my top five books from 2021!
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Grady Hillhouse
[isbn]
The engineered environment is all around us and pretty much impossible to escape. While we live so dependently on these systems, we take for granted the profound benefits engineering bring to our lives. In Engineering in Plain Sight we get a front-row view of what it takes to run our cities and a better understanding of the systems around us. With clear illustrations and layman-friendly writing, we get an opportunity to explore (and... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Sandra Lawrence, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
[isbn]
All hail the glory of mushrooms! Quite possibly the most beautiful and important resource in the natural environment, mushrooms have been treasured since the dawn of humans. The Magic of Mushrooms walks us through the practice and lore of the mighty fungus, showing us how people have treasured, been fascinated by, and misused the mushroom throughout history. The illustrations are beautiful as they speak to the magical influence the... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Dan Saladino
[isbn]
I could not put this book down! An insightful look at how global homogenization has not only shaped what and how we eat, but has ruthlessly reduced the variety as well. Saladino walks us through the rich and varied food choices of the past that were important cultural markers of the societies that nurtured them. He then describes their loss, be it due to habitat cleared for monoculture crops, war, climate change, or simply time. Saladino rounds... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Robert A Jacobs
[isbn]
As terrifying as it is that we once again find ourselves potentially inching towards a nuclear standoff, it's even more terrifying to consider the costs already incurred from nuclear weapons testing — a toll we will pay for centuries. This book is a disturbing read, but as the machinations of the military-industrial complex become more distant and obfuscated, it's one that needs our attention.
Recommended by John Ha
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Lorene Edwards Forkner
[isbn]
Lorene Edwards starts each chapter with thoughts that make you feel like you are getting advice from your friendly neighbor. I was impressed with the additional tips that help gardeners navigate our Pacific Northwest weather. My favorite part was being able to focus on one month at a time so I didn't get overwhelmed. A must have!
Recommended by Erica B.
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Sy Montgomery
[isbn]
Like a bird of prey, this short book may not weigh a lot, but its grip is fierce. Sy Montgomery’s account of her encounters with hawks and a master falconer is full of heart. This is superb nature writing.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Taylor Brorby
[isbn]
This is one of those rare books where every word is perfect, the storytelling is precisely paced and, while fractal, never feels broken or out-of-step. Environmentalist Broby ties the destruction of his beloved North Dakota home to the destruction of queer bodies, weaving his coming-out tale seamlessly into the story of coal and oil mining in the American Prairie. The effect is devastating and beautiful, and the book left me in breathless tears... (read more)
Recommended by Deana R.
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Frans de Waal
[isbn]
Gender has become one of the most ubiquitous topics in both popular and academic discourse. While much has been written on the psychological and biological aspects of human gender, what might gender expression among humanity's closest living relatives, the other great apes, tell us about our own experiences with the topic?
Frans de Waal seeks to answer that question in this multifaceted and accessible work of science writing. De Waal draws on... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Ben Orlin
[isbn]
Math Games with Bad Drawings made me smile. A well-organized format gets you quickly to what you need. The positive tone and happy stick figure drawings guide you through the how-tos and history of each game. If you already know the standard game (like Dots and Boxes), Orlin includes variations or similar games for continued fun. Simple household materials, easy-to-learn rules, but complex play make this a perfect gift for anyone (or... (read more)
Recommended by Erica B.
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Michael J. Hathaway
[isbn]
The second book in a planned trilogy (following the excellent The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing), What a Mushroom Lives For explores the world created by the interplay between matsutake and the people, plants, and animals who are shaped by them. The world of fungi is fascinating and Hathaway is a wonderful guide.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Yuri Herrera and Lisa Dillman
[isbn]
This slim volume, which chronicles the 1920 El Bordo mine fire in Pachuca, Mexico, is a brave, diligent, and heartbreakingly beautiful act of solidarity. Herrera travels back in time to restore dignity and a voice to workers who were afforded neither for nearly a hundred years; to show kindness to their families, who were questioned and humiliated as they mourned; and to condemn their employer, who declared his workers dead as they still drew... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Thomas Halliday
[isbn]
Otherlands is a voyage through the bygone menageries of Earth's past. But this book is more than a simple exploration of Earth's history — built firmly on the fascinating sciences of geology, paleontology, and evolutionary biology — it is also a passionate love letter to this strange little planet we call home. What makes Otherlands unique is the touch of poetry author Thomas Halliday weaves into the text, evoking a sense of the... (read more)
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Richard Dawkins
[isbn]
The Greatest Show on Earth is a fun, engaging, and informative read. You'll find the expertise and passion of Dawkins shining bright on every page as he takes you on a journey of discovery. This is an excellent book both for biology enthusiasts and for those new to this field of science. Simply put, I'd recommend this work to anyone and everyone wanting to know more about the intriguing world of evolutionary biology.
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Sagan, Carl and Druyan, Ann
[isbn]
The Demon Haunted World is one of those books with the power to truly change your perspective of the world. In this incisive yet emotionally engaging treatise, Carl Sagan not only shines a light on our darkest superstitions and fears but also demonstrates why science and reason are not simply the best way toward a brighter future, but the only way. A must read for every scientist, skeptic, and human being.
Recommended by Nickolas J.
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Louise L Hay
[isbn]
A best-selling classic, this book changes lives. I read it years ago and have used affirmations ever since. Especially these days, we could all use a little improvement in our lives, so why not utilize the power of daily affirmations, as millions do!
Recommended by Marianne T
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Roddy Scheer
[isbn]
In the Pacific Northwest, we’re gifted with so many natural wonders that it can be hard to keep track: enter Roddy Scheer’s indispensable guide. This book will be my personal tour guide for spring (and summer, fall, and winter, too).
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Diana Beresford Kroeger
[isbn]
We heal ourselves by healing the trees.
“...the forest is far more than a source of timber. It is our collective medicine cabinet. It is our lungs. It is the regulatory system for our climate and our oceans. It is the mantle of our planet. It is the health and well-being of our children and grandchildren. It is our sacred home. It is our salvation.”
—from the Introduction, by the author
Recommended by Marianne T
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Roger Fouts
[isbn]
This book will break your heart and then put it back together again.
Recommended by Milo D.
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Matt Kracht
[isbn]
Believe it or not, there are dumb birds all over this whole stupid world. In this follow up to The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, you’ll learn to identify dumb birds on every single idiotic continent. Split into helpful categories like show-offs, dork-legs, and murder birds, you’ll become a true expert on these little jerks.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson
[isbn]
I read a lot of books about climate change. They can be depressing, infuriating, and induce apathy over action. All We Can Save is truly the most inspirational book I've read on our climate emergency. The book is full of essays, poetry, and art by a wonderful variety of women who share their passion, creativity, ideas, and hope as they fight for the future. What fantastic collection.
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Elizabeth Kolbert
[isbn]
Elizabeth Kolbert examines the ways human intervention has caused environmental devastation. And yet, further intervention seems all that will mitigate the consequences. Don't we have a responsibility to explore any and all measures to save the environment? To what degree do we have the right?
Recommended by Abigail R.
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Merlin Sheldrake
[isbn]
Reading Merlin Sheldrake feels like getting a personal tour of the most overlooked kingdom of life from an enthusiastic expert. Helpfully illustrated and full of fascinating stories, Entangled Life is the perfect introduction to mycology for a lay reader. You will never look at fungi the same way again.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Philipp Dettmer
[isbn]
As someone living with an autoimmune disease, I've long had a love-hate relationship with my immune system, but I've rarely thought about the system as a whole. Dettmer rectified that. Immune is an engrossing illustrated primer on the wonders and horrors of the immune system that will leave you with a new appreciation for the human body.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Fukiharu Toshimitsu , Bone Eugenia
[isbn]
Mushrooms are having a moment (or maybe are always en vogue in the Pacific Northwest). These gorgeous illustrations from the 18th and 19th centuries are captivating, whether you're a fan of fungi in the culinary, scientific, or strictly aesthetic realm.
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Rebecca Solnit
[isbn]
A contemplation on the life of one of the 20th century's greatest essayists, journalists, and truth-tellers by one of the 21st century's greatest? I'm in! I dropped everything on my TBR with plans to fly through it in a weekend, but quickly slowed down because this is an adroit, scholarly collection that deserves to be savored with deliberative reflection.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Nick Offerman
[isbn]
Join Nick Offerman, Jeff Tweedy, and George Saunders on a journey to Glacier National Park. Offerman’s observations about conservation, history, and geology, and humorous musings about the area, will make you feel like you’re right alongside him, selecting gear from REI, sipping on coffee, and smelling the fresh air together with your pals.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Susan Orlean
[isbn]
From tigers as household pets to show dogs, backyard chickens, and one very famous whale, Orlean is in fine form in this collection of essays detailing our various relationships to animals. As always, her prose is insightful, informative, and full of incisive metaphors.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Jessica Pierce, Marc Bekoff
[isbn]
We are a dog-loving people, collectively. Approximately 76,811,305 dogs are in the United States as I write this, and just how many of those dogs do you suppose could go on living happily without their loving human (or any human for that matter) by their side? It's an interesting question, and one that the authors, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff, have tried to figure out. What traits would make the most sturdy specimen in the wilds, roaming free... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Mary Roach
[isbn]
Mary Roach always offers absorbing, entertaining science, and Fuzz, all about “when wild animals break laws intended for people,” delivers the funny and fascinating goods — full of facts, wry wit, and important commentary on the ways animals and humans (in all their goodness and not-so-goodness) can coexist.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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James Kelman
[isbn]
Winner of the 1994 Man Booker Prize, How Late It Was, How Late follows the trials and tribulations of our main character Sammy after he unwisely picks a fight with some plainclothes police. Getting beaten senseless, literally, he wakes up the next day completely blind. Written in Kelman's inimitable style with an emphasis on the first-person stream-of-consciousness technique, Scottish literature is a law unto its own self and this book... (read more)
Recommended by Fletcher O.
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Carrot Quinn
[isbn]
Jumping between her childhood in Alaska and time spent traveling across the country via hopping trains, Carrot Quinn’s book is searing, gut-wrenching, and deeply nomadic. Whether she’s writing about her mother or about how to hop a freight train, Quinn’s prose is evocative, direct, and eloquent.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Barry Lopez
[isbn]
It feels reductive to call Barry Lopez's work nature writing. He had a gift for taking the awe that the natural world can inspire and distilling it into prose. It is difficult to choose just one of his books to recommend — read them all! — but Arctic Dreams is exceptional. Epic in scope and execution, it covers every aspect of the Arctic: its Native peoples, flora, fauna, geology, explorers, climate. In Lopez's skilled hands the barren... (read more)
Recommended by Emily B.
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Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan
[isbn]
Carl Sagan wrote about our smallness in the universe in the most uplifting way imaginable. He understood it first-hand; the famous “Pale Blue Dot” photo was taken by Voyager on his recommendation to NASA. It would be easy to look at a photograph like that and say: “We are so small; nothing we do matters.” Instead, Sagan says: "[I]t underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish…the only home we've... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Masanobu Fukuoka and Larry Korn
[isbn]
Out of print and highly sought after in the US for more than 25 years, Masanobu Fukuoka’s natural farming manifesto is no less revolutionary today than it was when it was first published in 1978, and arguably more necessary with time. A radical rethinking of agriculture, global food systems, and the relationship between humans and the earth we inhabit, The One-Straw Revolution contains both practical gardening advice and profound,... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Terry Tempest Williams
[isbn]
Activist, author, and conservationist Terry Tempest Williams is as vital as the wildernesses she so magnificently writes about (whether on a map or located within). For nearly four decades now, this advocate, defender, and all-around American treasure has been an unwavering voice for environmental and social justice, encouraging compassion for and (re)connection with the natural world. In Erosion: Essays of Undoing, Williams balances... (read more)
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst
[isbn]
The Heartbeat of Trees is a love letter to the forest. Rejecting the credo that humankind has caused too much damage to ever restore our ties with nature, Wohlleben draws on recent scientific studies to show how intensely we are connected to the natural world even now — and how vital that connection will be for the battle ahead.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Carol Gracie, Amy Jean Porter
[isbn]
I love this new entry in the Pedia Books series by Princeton University Press. Fun, informative, and prettily illustrated by Amy Jean Porter. Open anywhere and be delighted!
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Kevin Hobbs
[isbn]
A beautiful encyclopedia of the world's trees, informative and enchanting. It discusses special animal-tree relationships that have existed through time, such as between the giant ground sloth and the avocado tree, but also how human relations with trees have altered from the time of Neanderthals to today.
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Max Adams
[isbn]
I love this book! It's the perfect coffee table or display volume, with gorgeous illustrations, as well as photographs that really give you a sense of being in the presence of each tree. Each entry is the perfect blend of informative and charming, emphasizing traditional and current use by humans and animals. From trees that purify the soil or water (moringa, for an example of the latter), to those that provide food, medicine, cosmetic oils (sea... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Helen Macdonald
[isbn]
Helen Macdonald returns with an essay collection centered on our relationship to the world around us. Whether she’s discussing migration patterns, mushroom hunting, or returning to her childhood stomping grounds, MacDonald paints an eloquent and illuminating portrayal of the natural world.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Erika Engelhaupt
[isbn]
I take a great deal of enjoyment out of the weird, and the dark, and the gory. I guess it's the adult version of children's ghost stories told around the campfire. Let's be honest, who exactly can resist a creepy science tale at family dinner? As they say, truth is often stranger than fiction, and I'm thinking Gory Details: Adventures From the Dark Side of Science will prove this old adage in spades.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Sarah Stirling
[isbn]
Taking cues from everything going on in the world, many have found a need to reconnect with the spaces around us and of course, nature is such a large part of that. Nature walks in our neighborhoods have become commonplace, foraging has become a cherished family activity, and mushrooms have become sought-out treasures. I think many of us took nature for granted before 2020. It took a pandemic to open our eyes to the wonders around us. Rewild... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Neil DeGrasse Tyson and James Trefil
[isbn]
A philosopher’s science guide, for every curious mind who likes to pore over beautiful photos and graphs about the universe and revel over its (and our own) origins. You really can’t go wrong with physicists Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil at the helm.
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Michelle Nijhuis
[isbn]
Read Nijhuis if you want to understand the conservation movement and its key figures. A dense but deeply important read, Beloved Beasts depicts the triumphs without papering over the racism and colonialism that have always been deeply intertwined with the movement.
Recommended by Emily B.
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John Bradshaw and Sarah Ellis
[isbn]
Want to prove to the dog people in your life that cats can learn tricks too? This guide will explain how to train your kitty to sit, high five, take their medicine, get in their carrier, come when called, and generally impress your friends, family, and people at the local dog park with your cat on a leash.
Recommended by Alice G.
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Jenny Odell
[isbn]
In 2020, we were forcibly thrust into the long-promised future of virtual hyper-connectivity. Given this new landscape, Jenny Odell's perceptive analysis of the anxious routines of our online lives has taken on new meaning. Going beyond simple critique, she offers a considered framework for reimagining our relationship with the virtual and the real.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Michael E. Mann
[isbn]
Fossil fuel companies and politicians beholden to business interests have waged a propaganda war, transforming climate change in the public imagination from the urgent responsibility of governments and corporations into an issue of personal responsibility. In The New Climate War, Mann reveals the inner machinations of this war and empowers readers to fight back.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Bill Bryson
[isbn]
Bill Bryson takes the reader through fascinating facts of the human body (the kidneys process over 3 pounds of salt a day!); best guesses as to why we exist the way we do (is the uvula a "mudflap for the mouth"?); and the often questionable medical experiments and characters that have helped illuminate how the body works. The Body is a surprisingly cheerful journey through both the ways in which we seem to be perfectly designed, and the... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Anna Wiener
[isbn]
Uncanny Valley is the truest thing I’ve ever read. It’s such a precise picture of the last decade in the tech industry, told in matter-of-fact prose that made me gasp and cringe and laugh. Anna Wiener takes readers on her journey from barely-scraping-by publishing assistant to well-compensated tech worker, and how she grapples with the slow burn of false promises and the unforeseen consequences of the venture-backed playground of Silicon... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Steven Johnson
[isbn]
Johnson has a knack for honing in on pivotal moments in scientific history, and making the big, lofty ideas behind them, as well as the more intimate personal aspects of the people involved, riveting. This chronicle of the 1854 cholera outbreak in London is also an exciting detective story — one with huge ramifications for the development and sustainability of urban life. It’s an especially timely read during the age of COVID-19.
Recommended by Lori M.
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Yuval Noah Harari
[isbn]
There are a lot of choices in evolutionary science titles, and I personally feel it can get a bit overwhelming. When Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens came out a few years ago, it really brought evolutionary science to the masses. Thoughtful, engaging writing that is accessible, even to the non-science-y folks. With The Birth of Human Kind (Sapiens #1), we can see Harari's work brought to life in captivating illustrations, further encouraging... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
[isbn]
The calmness of nature poetry combined with beautiful watercolor artistry makes for a delightful combination. I find myself staring at the few sample copies provided, and yearning for more. I'm bookmarking this title as my go-to gift for all my fellow nature lovers.
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Michael Pollan
[isbn]
Credited with igniting the mainstream's consciousness surrounding food, Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan carefully examines the culture and processes of the food we eat. A catalyst for various food movements in the 21st century, Pollan successfully wrote a text that challenged and changed the way omnivores the world over think about what's on their dinner plate.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Ed Yong
[isbn]
If you've been devouring British science writer Ed Yong's insightful articles on COVID-19 in The Atlantic these last few months, but haven't read his 2016 book, you are in for a treat. Yong's enthusiasm for his subject — the microbial world and our ever-expanding research into it — is absolutely infectious. Yong shares some of the most significant research into our planet’s diverse and countless microbes and explains the symbiotic... (read more)
Recommended by Lori M.
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Douglas W. Tallamy
[isbn]
Buying books for the climate change section can get a little depressing sometimes, so when a book with “hope” in the title comes along, I pay attention! This title is part of a growing area of climate literature that focuses on big picture changes individual folks can make — in this case, how to make your backyard part of a conservation corridor for wildlife in order to help boost biodiversity. Practical, inspirational, and full of scientific and... (read more)
Recommended by Leah C.
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Barry Lopez
[isbn]
As someone who has broadened the notion of what it means to be both a world traveler and a profoundly curious writer, it’s no wonder that National Book Award–winning author Barry Lopez, now 74 years old and battling terminal cancer, has given us a work so expansive it can only be named Horizon. Lopez has visited more than 70 countries, and though his book is loosely divided into just six regions — from the Oregon Coast to the... (read more)
Recommended by Renee P.
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Mark Kurlansky
[isbn]
A Pacific Northwest native, I’ve been surrounded by salmon culture my whole life. I was shocked by how much I didn’t know about these incredible fish and their possible fate, but who better than Mark Kurlansky to teach me with this concise yet wide-ranging history.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Lauren Redniss
[isbn]
Oak Flat is simultaneously an object of mesmerizing beauty and an urgent book of complete necessity. Lauren Redniss tells the tale of the struggle to preserve a site sacred to the Apache people from a copper mining project that would destroy it utterly. Her vibrant illustrations and careful curation of competing voices convey the high stakes while honoring the dignity of the people on both sides, and the dignity of the natural world as... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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John Wackman, Elizabeth Knight
[isbn]
Consumerism is such a tricky friend. I"ll be the first to admit that I'm attracted to something new and shiny, even when the item I'm replacing could be repaired easily. I'm convinced that there must be a happy medium in there somewhere, and the rise of the repair café culture definitely brings that point home. Repair Revolution: How Fixers Are Transforming Our Throwaway Culture reminds us that we don't always need to upgrade, and that... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Brian Greene
[isbn]
On a journey from the Big Bang to the likely entropic death of our universe, Greene reminds us that we are nothing more than bundles of particles created through natural selection and random chance, beholden to nature’s laws — but there is infinite beauty in the meaning we create in the space in between.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Joshua D Mezrich
[isbn]
When Death Becomes Life is a beautifully written tribute to science, medicine, and humanity, viewed through the capable lens of a transplant surgeon. Joshua Mezrich synthesizes over 100 years of medical history, shares extraordinary stories about his patients, and writes emotionally and joyously about his own life's work. A remarkable and inspiring memoir.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Damon Krukowski
[isbn]
An interesting, fun, and thoughtful look at sound, both ambient and musical, by a member of one of my favorite bands ever (Galaxie 500). A great companion to the podcast.
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Robert MacFarlane
[isbn]
With poetic command of language, keen observational gifts, and worldly perspective, Robert Macfarlane seamlessly blends scientific inquiry, nature writing, travelogue, adventure tale, reportage, history, and requiem for our Anthropocenic age. Perceptive, reflective, and educative, Underland is unequivocally one of the year's must-read books; it is a masterful, magnificent work.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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