As a recent college graduate, I’ve been trying to ease myself out of (basically) a lifetime of school by filling my summer with books I’ve had on my must-read list for years. I recently wrote a review of Jane Goodall’s The Book of Hope. This book helped me get into the world of conservation literature. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of reading quite a few books on the subject. Here is a list of my top 3 favorites thus far!
The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild
By Enric Sala
Enric Sala is a professor turned world-renowned ecologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence. Throughout his career, Sala has seen some truly incredible things, some of which he details in this book. As a fellow at OneNature, this book was very on-target for me. We at OneNature are firm believers in the interconnectedness of humans, wildlife, and nature. Sala aimed to make a similar point in this book, using his real-life experiences to drive the point. He makes the case as to why the protection of nature and its inhabitants is the best insurance one could get and the economic benefits of doing so. Sala claims that once we truly understand how nature functions, only then will we comprehend why conservation is necessary for our survival.
Sala’s writing style was incredibly easy to follow, understand, and digest, making it the perfect book for absolutely everyone. Thanks to how clear and concise this book is, I learned a lot and was able to grasp most if not all of the information being handed to me. If you’re looking to get into the world of conservation and ecology, this book is a great starting point.
“Now is the time to repair the damage we have done to our brothers and sisters throughout nature, and give them more space, so they can heal—and heal us along the way.”
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
By Elizabeth Kolbert
This book has been on my must-read list since 2016, and I’ve just never gotten around to reading it until this summer. I must say, I’m shocked at how I managed to put off reading it this long, as it is my favorite book I’ve read this summer. Kolbert delves into how the first five mass extinctions (the Ordovician-Silurian extinction, Devonian extinction, Permian-Triassic extinction, Triassic-Jurassic extinction, and Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction) all involved an explosive shift in environmental conditions. The Anthropocene as a mass extinction event is not an unheard-of phenomenon. As a self-titled conservation geek, it is no surprise that I gravitate toward books that tackle the complex concept of humans being the creators of our own destruction: climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, etc. So, this book was right up my alley.
While the content of this book is rather alarming and grim, Kolpert’s writing style was what kept me engaged and intrigued throughout my time reading. I particularly liked how she added some much-needed humor and wit that cut through the depressive subject matter.
“…having freed ourselves from the constraints of evolution, humans nevertheless remain dependent on the earth’s biological and geochemical systems. By disrupting these systems—cutting down tropical rainforests, altering the composition of the atmosphere, acidifying the oceans—we’re putting our own survival in danger.”
Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel
By Carl Safina
This is one of the most well-known books on my ‘to-read’ list, and again, it baffles me that I managed to take this long to read it! Carl Safina, a MacArthur “genius” prize winner (along with many other awards), uses his writing to explore our relationship with the living world and how we’re impacting it. We get to see observe and tour a handful of animals in their natural habitat to uncover their thoughts and feelings.
I loved the content of this book, and Safina’s writing style sold it that much more for me. Safina writes in a way that makes you feel as if you’re with him traveling to national parks to survey the wildlife. OneNature president, Beth Allgood, recently traveled to Amboseli National Park where Safina also spent some time getting to know the landscape and its inhabitants. This is another easy read you won’t be able to put down until you’ve read every last word. I was thoroughly captivated and came away with a deeper sense of appreciation and respect for our world’s wildlife.
“Most people fantasize that if they won the lottery, they would quit their jobs and immerse themselves in leisure, play, family, parenthood, occasional thrilling sex; they’d eat when they were hungry and sleep whenever they felt sleepy. Many people, if they won the lottery and got rich quick, would want to live like elephants.”
Image by: Bart via Unsplash