4 Books for Nature Lovers to Add to Their Next Reading List

Book lovers are oftentimes synonymous with nature lovers. Both share a reverence for peace and beauty, which creates a harmonious marriage of hobbies. This spring, as the skies clear up and the landscape turns green, take a book outside and lounge in your favorite lawn chair—we’ve made a list of four books that nature lovers are sure to enjoy.

1. The Forest Unseen

   By David Haskell

The premise of this book is simple, yet the layers of depth woven into it are sure to catch the attention of its readers. David Haskell uses a square-meter patch of land in a Tennessee forest as the center of a year-long observational experiment. Haskell visits this patch nearly every day and records the land’s evolution with the changing of seasons. He blends the progression of his examination with lessons in biology. Haskell’s novel about one small bit of land serves as an educational guide for our appreciation of the bigger picture.

2. Forest Bathing

   By Dr. Qing Li

This unique book offers a look into the under-utilized healing power of trees. Dr. Qing Li, an expert in forest medicine, wrote this novel as a love letter to the health and happiness that comes from spending time in the wild. Boasting more than 100 color photographs, Li’s novel explores the effects forest bathing has on factors such as our mood, energy, concentration, and other health benefits.

3. The Thing with Feathers

   By Noah Strycker

This book by Noah Strycker does not stop at mere education—it explores perspective. Strycker tells the stories of birds as never told before. He explains their habits, their memories, and their intelligence as a whole. Written with delicate and informative prose, this novel takes a deeper look into different species of birds and what makes them special.

4. Ranger Confidential

   By Andrea Lankford

Whatever your assumption regarding a park ranger’s career may be, Andrea Lankford tells a different story. Some may imagine heroic adventures, while others may think it a simple job—holding no more depth than a hat and a pair of hiking shoes. In reality, it is a job that comes with a host of dangers—some of them life-threatening. Lankford’s account goes deep into both the rewards and the heartbreak of one of the world’s most mysterious careers.