Nature Minute Book Club

It's February and the days are getting noticeably longer, but we still have quite a few cold weeks ahead of us here in the Northeast. This month is like life in the Stone Ages: nasty, brutish, and short. I have snow coming twice before the Super Bowl is over, and I'm pretty sure more will be along shortly afterwards. Once the big game is over, what else is there to until spring but read? Having said that, feel free to peruse these titles from the Nature Minute book shelf.

Voyage of the Turtle: In Pursuit of Earth’s Last Dinosaur by Carl Safina

Safina travels the globe following sea turtles from their nesting grounds to their feeding grounds and points in between, looking for answers. What’s being done to protect them? What are the negative impacts people have on them, and how can we reduce or turtle-stomping footprint? Just where to they go and what do they do? If nothing else, you’ll learn just how immense these magnificent critters are and how they have adapted to a carefree life adrift and the challenges they face.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben 

Wohlleben, a German forester, takes us into the heart of his forest to show us how trees interact with friends and family, other tree species, and the animal world. Fascinating ideas about tree cognition, memory, and communication, as well as trees’ nurturing abilities will change the way you look at plants. Is a forest bigger than the sum of its parts? 

The Sun’s Heartbeat by Bob Berman

This book is the sun’s biography, from its humble birth to its spectacular future death. In between, learn about our changing relationship with the sun over the centuries, how it influences everything, and take a historical trip through own growing sea of knowledge about our nearest star. A seasoned skywatcher, Berman has yet to lose his sense of awe over solar eclipses.

Travels in Alaska by John Muir

America’s leading conservationist of the 19^th century recalls his journeys to Alaska in 1879, 1880, and 1890 in this book, which was still unfinished as the time of his death. Relying on his careful expedition notes, Muir gives a poetic narrative of his voyages exploring mountains and glaciers and documenting the flora and fauna of the Last Frontier while describing the scenery with a sense of reverence and awe. His love of life and the outdoors really shines through.

The Thing With Feathers by Noah Strycker

This book is about birds and people. Not relationships between the two, but common traits that will shock you. In some regards, birds are just as intelligent as humans. Sometimes, understanding their behavior helps us understand human nature. Deep down inside, on some basic level, maybe we’re not above the animals. Language and culture are thought to be defining human traits, but what happens when a “lower” animal develops art?