Recommended Reading

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s bestselling book Braiding Sweetgrass asked readers to reimagine themselves as a part of nature. Now, the Potawatomi scientist examines concepts of community and currency by pointing to ways plants and animals use natural resources. Throughout, she introduces ecological frameworks, like the gift economy: “A woolly knit hat that you purchase at the store will keep you warm regardless of its origin, but if it was hand knit by your favorite auntie, then you are in relationship to that ‘thing’ in a very different way…You’re likely to take much better care of the gift hat than the commodity hat, because it is knit of relationships.” Unassuming at first glance, Serviceberry is a radical manifesto at heart.

This engrossing novel—characterized as young adult but enjoyable by grown-up adults, too—begins with fifteen-year-old Ezra Cloud feeling stuck in Minneapolis when he longs to be on the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation in rural Canada. After a fight with a bully, Ezra is sent there to live with his grandparents and work the traplines his grandfather has run for decades. As he juggles danger and self-discovery in the wilderness, Ezra navigates layers of masculinity, belonging, and heritage. From the storyline to the imagery of northern Canada to watching this young man learn to embrace his Ojibwe identity, this is a book that sinks its teeth in and won’t let go.

In 2020, when most of her friends were settling down, Australian Sophie Matterson yearned for adventure. She learned how to train five wild camels—Jude, Delilah, Charlie, Clayton, and Mac, with whom she set off on a 2,900-mile traverse coast to coast. Her memoir, The Crossing, details the highs and lows of her journey, from the harsh desert winds to the warmth of strangers in remote communities. She often went weeks without seeing another human, but the camels were her constant companions. Between the startling beauty of the outback, the animal kinship, and Matterson’s reflections, this is one delightfully captivating read.

Rachel S. Gross’s Shopping All the Way to the Woods investigates the surprisingly commercial history of America’s outdoor recreation, revealing a contradiction: The act of enjoying nature often begins with shopping. Over a century and a half, the outdoor sector has evolved from mom and pop outfitters to a major economic industry, driven by billions spent annually on gear that is increasingly more about fashion than function. With well-timed humor and fascinating insights, Gross invites us to become more aware of the choices we make—and perhaps make better ones—as she unravels a complex web of consumerism, identity, and the allure of wilderness.

This forty-four-page feast of brilliantly charming text and gorgeous art by poet Mary Lyn Ray and Italian illustrator Felicita Sala celebrates the wonder of, yes, rocks. From the mountains to the sea, lines of free verse weave philosophical musings: “But it’s hard to ignore a rock. You can tell, right off, that big ones are to climb on. That’s their way of inviting you to know them—and to see where you are.” It’s considered a children’s book, though I agree with what Sala writes on her website, “that part of growing older is not, as we think, the distancing ourselves from our childhood (only in terms of time), but in fact the very opposite. The older we grow, the closer we get to what we were as children.” When You Find the Right Rock is a mesmerizing ode to the natural world and its teachings—and a nudge toward the openness of youth.

New Orleans-based journalist and paddler Boyce Upholt explores all angles of the Mississippi in The Great River. Combining historical reporting with dispatches from his canoe, he uncovers new stories on the culture of the river, the engineering feats of levees and dams, and the surprising development of steamboats. It’s packed with a rich cast of rogues and heroes, and there are surprises at every bend. The Mississippi might seem an artifact of a distant time, but Upholt’s book paints an extraordinary portrait of a mighty river that shaped the modern world, as well as the urgent consequences of our attempts to control nature.