Books of Nature
With the weather turning and the desire to go outside waning here are some books to remind us of the about the great outdoors. Nature in some of its finest forms and the history and ideas that have surrounded them over the years. The topics in these books range from the longevity and grandeur of trees, to the history and significance of flowers. So to hold the dreary days at bay, explore nature from the comfort of your home.
American canopy : trees, forests, and the making of a nation by Eric Rutkow
Never before has anyone treated our country's trees and forests as the subject of a broad historical study, and the result is an accessible, informative, and thoroughly entertaining read. Audacious in its four-hundred-year scope, authoritative in its detail, and elegant in its execution, American Canopy is perfect for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
Seven flowers and how they shaped our world by Jennifer Potter
The lotus. The lily. The sunflower. The opium poppy. The rose. The tulip. The orchid. Seven flowers, each with its own story full of surprises and secrets, each affecting the world around us in subtle but powerful ways. But what is the nature of their power and how did it develop? Why have these particular plants become the focus of gardens, literature, art—even billion dollar industries?
The nature fix : why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative by Florence Williams
The Nature Fix demonstrates that our connection to nature is much more important to our cognition than we think and that even small amounts of exposure to the living world can improve our creativity and enhance our mood. In prose that is incisive, witty, and urgent, Williams shows how time in nature is not a luxury but is in fact essential to our humanity. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas--and the answers they yield--are more urgent than ever.
The forest unseen : a year's watch in nature by David George Haskell
In this wholly original book, biologist David Haskell uses a one-square-meter patch of old-growth Tennessee forest as a window onto the entire natural world. Visiting it almost daily for one year to trace nature's path through the seasons, he brings the forest and its inhabitants to vivid life. 
The reason for flowers : their history, culture, biology, and how they change our lives by Stephen Buchmann
An exploration of the roles flowers play in the production of our foods, spices, medicines, and perfumes reveals their origins, myriad shapes, colors, textures and scents, bizarre sex lives, and how humans-- and the natural world-- relate and depend upon them.
The hidden life of trees : what they feel, how they communicate : discoveries from a secret world by Peter Wohlleben ; foreword by Tim Flannery
Are trees social beings? In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers.
The hidden half of nature : the microbial roots of life and health by David R. Montgomery and Anne Bikle
Prepare to set aside what you think you know about yourself and microbes. Good health--for people and for plants--depends on Earth's smallest creatures. The Hidden Half of Nature tells the story of our tangled relationship with microbes and their potential to revolutionize agriculture and medicine, from garden to gut.
The songs of trees : stories from nature's great connectors by David George Haskell
David Haskell has won acclaim for eloquent writing and deep engagement with the natural world. Now, he brings his powers of observation to the biological networks that surround all species, including humans. Haskell repeatedly visits a dozen trees, exploring connections with people, microbes, fungi, and other plants and animals.
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