Many of the ideas for post topics come from science outlets like Nature. Others come from sites that list the daily holidays. One of those sites noted the month of March was “Gardening, Nature and Ecology book month”. I have never known this to be a thing, but the site gave credit to an outlet called Book Marketing Update. Perhaps it is no more than a cheap PR gag by a gardening and nature publisher. Even so, it seems a decent topic to write on. Besides, book reviews are straightforward to write.
I found three books that I thought would fit the mission statement of this site- the appreciation of nature, and the importance of science.
To write a good book review, though, you ought to read the book. When you pick an unenjoyable book, you must plow through it. Unfortunately, the first book I picked proved to be a challenge to get through, (which is why this post is coming out in April).
Nature’s Restorative Powers; Version 1
The temptation was there to write the review for this book last, but it is best to get it over with, so I can forget it outright. Awesome lead-up, right?
My first book is The Nature Fix; Why Nature Makes Us Happier Healthier and More Creative, by Florence Williams. I had a beefy review written about this book. I’m ditching that in favor of a simpler one.
I suppose my issue with this book could be personal. Right from the introduction, Williams sets a sour attitude. Her move from the idyllic haven of Boulder Colorado to the horrific mind-numbing cesspool that is Washington DC was the inspiration for this book. She never lets you forget this move and blames it for her emotional state.
One positive with the book, she talks to researchers worldwide who are working to quantify the benefits of nature toward easing depression. These studies ultimately aim to persuade governments to invest in the conservation of wild areas for the good of human health.
Her descriptions of different studies were interesting. When she’s not trying to be witty or insulting western culture, Williams cites plenty of quality research in psychology and neuroscience, studying human biological responses to nature. She was even allowed to participate in the research as a perk of being an author.
I would have gained more from the book if the author had not interjected so much of her own personal issues into the chapters. The whole book has little in the way of a central thesis. Each chapter seems like a one-off article without any underlying point except to prove how miserable the author is in the city.
On Goodreads, I gave this book 2 stars.
Nature’s Restorative Powers; Version 2
The second book on the list is Richard Louv’s The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in the Virtual Age. I wish I had read this book first.
This book seems to take up where one of Louv’s previous books, Last Child in the Woods, left off. Both books appear to be a thesis supporting the Nature Deficit Disorder hypothesis that Louv heavily promotes. The theory isn’t given much validity in mainstream science, but Louv throws out a lot of evidence to back it up.
The first two parts of the book sum up the entire point of Williams’ book. Many of those same studies were referenced in this book. There is a lot of evidence and bits of anecdotal experiences to back up the central theme of nature as a benefit to human life. Some of these studies suggest human evolution is closely tied to nature and people are losing a nature bond in our modern life.
Part two covers what Louv calls “Vitamin N”. He explains this as the essential additive in our lives that fulfill the need humans have for nature. If we have more vitamin N in our lives, studies suggest, we will be happier. Different words, but a variation on the same theme as the one set in Williams’ book.
In both books, the ideas presented sometimes come across as a bit “New-Agey”. Both authors admit to this. In both books they attempt to give some scientific evidence to support the claims.
Parts three and four detail more practical approaches to exploring nature. In part three we see how we can better form our lives around nature and bring a natural setting into everyday lives. I like the thought that nature happens wherever we can find it.
Part four deals mostly in an area it seems the author is renowned, getting children and families into nature. He advocates for families and children to bond and grow through nature.
These two sections come across as a bit “socio-economically entitled”. At one point, to his credit, Louv does admit to a certain privilege that not everyone has access to. He does try to include a few tips for the city dweller, or those with fewer resources.
Finally, part 5 suggests what can be done and implies we are already too late to correct the damage to nature. This is the part in most of these books where the authors campaign for reforms to our understanding and appreciation of nature.
If Goodreads allowed half stars, this book would have 3.5.
Ecology, Nature, Research all in One Book
The best was last. The most recent book on my list, and my favorite Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl, by Jonathan Slaght.
This book details the author’s field research and development toward earning his Ph.D., but there is so much more. Slaght brings all the anxiety and self-doubt into what it can feel like as a field researcher. It was inspiring for me as someone who has felt all that uncertainty in the past to read about someone who has been far more successful harbor those same sentiments.
He also brings the wild nature of the place into sharp focus. The very name of the region, Primorye, gives an idea of the bleak wilderness these owls call home.
There is no pretension when describing the people and lifestyle of the area. There is a certain survivalist feeling from reading about how these people exist in such a hostile environment. In contrast to the first two books, Slaght shows nature at its most raw and foreboding. We aren’t treated to a sanitized therapeutic approach to nature, this isn’t nature designed to make us feel welcome.
There is so much more to the book than just studying owls. The research is driving motivation for him to be in that place, but his experiences make this book enjoyable. Each section of the book tackles the five field seasons and the inevitable challenges involved in designing quality research.
I wish there were more books like these instead of the cleaned-up documentaries that paint field research as adventurous, always working out just the way you planned it. My fieldwork played out no more than an hour from my home in one of the most developed regions of the world , and it didn’t go off completely as planned. Reading this book me a sense of peace. My issues maybe weren’t all that uncommon.
The author reveals a lot of respect and love for the region and people; that comes through in his writing. There was no plodding through this book either. I found it to be almost a page-turner finishing in three days. This might not be for everyone, though. While my research area was estuarine invertebrates, in the mid-Atlantic US, I could still relate to the subject. Some readers might want more on the owls and less on the people, but for me this book feels like a fully formed all-encompassing nature piece.
This is one of the few books that got all the stars on Goodreads!
The take home:
These books probably should have been read in a different order. If I had read Louv’s older book first, I may have been less critical of Williams book. Nah…I still would have cringed and bristled at her attempts to be funny. I may have read through them more quickly though.
These books were read in the order of availability. The library had Williams’ book on hand, I had to wait about a week to get Louv’s and three weeks for Slaght’s!
All three illustrate the main emphasis of this site, the appreciation of nature and the wonder of science. Even if this recognition month was a publisher’s made-up marketing ploy, it is a great time and method for increasing awareness of the importance of nature and conservation.
This is also my way of advocating for the importance of libraries. Books are important, and in this age of instant technology, downloading an app or an audiobook takes away from a library’s resources. Just like we need an unplugged dose of nature, we need to hold a book in our hands and read the words in front of us.
