The New York Times best-selling coauthor of Sex at Dawn explores the ways in which “progress” has perverted the way we live — how we eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work, and die — in this “engaging, extensively documented, well-organized, and thought-provoking” (Booklist) book. Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is ending - balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankind’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. You’re lucky to be alive here and now. Well, maybe we are, and maybe we aren’t. Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the "progress" defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease.Prehistoric life, of course, was not without serious dangers and disadvantages. Many babies died in infancy. A broken bone, infected wound, snakebite, or difficult pregnancy could be life-threatening. But ultimately, Christopher Ryan questions, were these pre-civilized dangers more murderous than modern scourges such as car accidents, cancers, cardiovascular disease, and a technologically prolonged dying process? Civilized to Death “will make you see our so-called progress in a whole new light” (Book Riot) and adds to the timely conversation that “the way we have been living is no longer sustainable, at least as long as we want to the earth to outlive us” (Psychology Today). Ryan makes the claim that we should start looking backwards to find our way into a better future. Read more

Deserts are environments that can be inhospitable even to seasoned explorers. Craig Childs has spent years in the deserts of the American West, and his treks through arid lands in search of water reveal the natural world at its most extreme.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Read more

A stunning account of a colossal wildfire and a panoramic exploration of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind from the award-winning, best-selling author of The Tiger and The Golden Spruce “Riveting, spellbinding, astounding on every page…Captures the majesty and horror of one of [our] great disasters.” —David Wallace-Wells, #1 bestselling author of The Uninhabitable Earth In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada’s oil industry and America’s biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighborhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon. Through the lens of this apocalyptic conflagration—the wildfire equivalent of Hurricane Katrina—John Vaillant warns that this was not a unique event, but a shocking preview of what we must prepare for in a hotter, more flammable world. For hundreds of millennia, fire has been a partner in our evolution, shaping culture, civilization, and, very likely, our brains. Fire has enabled us to cook our food, defend and heat our homes, and power the machines that drive our titanic economy. Yet this volatile energy source has always threatened to elude our control, and in our new age of intensifying climate change, we are seeing its destructive power unleashed in previously unimaginable ways. With masterly prose and a cinematic eye, Vaillanttakes us on a riveting journey through the intertwined histories of North America’s oil industry and the birth of climate science, to the unprecedented devastation wrought by modern forest fires, and into lives forever changed by these disasters. John Vaillant’s urgent work is a book for—and from—our new century of fire, which has only just begun. * This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF of maps, images, and charts from the book.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Read more

Sunday Times Bestseller‘A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement’ Charles FosterWaterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month (September)Are trees social beings? How do trees live? Do they feel pain or have awareness of their surroundings?In The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben makes the case that 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. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death and regeneration he has observed in his woodland.A walk in the woods will never be the same again. Read more

Created for all global citizens, this universally respected volume of world maps has been completely revised and updated with fascinating visualizations of international trends and global conditions.National Geographic's flagship Atlas of the World, now in its 11th edition, provides authoritative maps of every country, ocean, and region of the world, as well as thematic maps and accompanying graphics showing important population, environmental, and economic patterns. Organized by continent and reflecting today's political boundaries and identities, this authoritative atlas is an indispensable reference for schools and libraries, as well as the latest resource for home browsing and study. A thematically organized opening section uses current data to visualize urgent concerns, such as Earth's last wild places, changing freshwater availability, human migration and refugee movement, and human rights conditions globally. The back of the book contains basic facts and flags of every country, as well as a comprehensive index cross-referencing more than 150,000 place names. A thought-provoking foreword by Alexander M. Tait, The Geographer of National Geographic, begins the book. Read more

Discover the complex and fascinating inner world of the mighty oak tree with this engaging nature book!The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars,  Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.“With our hearts and minds focused on the stewardship of the only planet we have, the best way to engage in a hopeful future is to plant oaks! Let this book be your inspiration and guide.” —The American Gardener Read more

Bestselling author/illustrator Julia Rothman shares a delightfully illustrated guide to all the beasts of the wild, from lions, tigers, and bears to musk oxen, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, foxes, badgers, bats, crocodiles, owls, flying squirrels and much, much more. Julia Rothman's series of Anatomy books are beloved by children and adults alike. In Wildlife Anatomy, Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd? Rothman's characteristic combination of curiosity and an artist's eye makes this wildlife treasury rich and full, and promises new discoveries every time it's opened. Read more

Updated for the first time in decades, this unparalleled reference work is the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the trees of North America and now includes the latest information on conservation status and the effects of climate change--from the creators of the world's most trusted field guides, a go-to source for millions of nature lovers "[Makes] it easier than ever to figure out which trees are in your yard or are along the trail while you’re hiking. Every nature lover needs this guide." —Portland Book ReviewThis handsome volume is the result of a collaboration among leading scientists, scholars, taxonomic and field experts, photo editors, and designers. An indispensable reference, it covers more than 540 species, with nearly 2,500 full-color photographs--including images of the bark, fruit, and flowers, as well as photos that illustrate leaf shape and seasonal color changes. For ease of use, the book includes a glossary, a robust index, and a ribbon marker, and is arranged according to the latest Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification system—with trees sorted by taxonomic orders and grouped by family, so that related species are presented together. Readers will appreciate the crisp detail of the photographs; range maps (reflecting the impact of climate change); physical descriptions; and information on fruit, habitat, uses, and similar species. The guide includes an important new category on conservation status and essays by leading scholars who provide holistic insights into the world of trees. Whether putting a name to the towering conifers spotted along a hike or getting to know the trees that grow in the backyard, readers will come to rely on this work of remarkable breadth, depth, and elegance. It is a must-have reference for the library of any nature lover, and is poised to become the number one guide in the field. Read more

Wildcraft your way to wellness with this guide book to nature's medicinal offerings!    In Northeast Medicinal Plants, Liz Neves is your trusted guide to finding, identifying, harvesting, and using over one hundred of the region’s most powerful wild plants. You’ll learn how to safely and ethically forage, and how to use wild plants in herbal medicines including teas, tinctures, and salves. Plant profiles include: *Clear, color photographs *Identification tips *Medicinal uses and herbal preparations *Harvesting suggestions.  Lists of what to forage for each season makes the guide useful year-round. Thorough, comprehensive, and safe, this is a must-have for foragers, naturalists, and herbalists in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Read more

David Allen Sibley, the preeminent bird-guide author and illustrator, now applies his formidable skills of identification and illustration to the trees of North America. Monumental in scope but small enough to take into the field, The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification more than has ever been collected in a single book into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format. With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species native trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear. / Author: David Allen Sibley / ISBN: 9780375415197 Read more

Gem Identification Made Easy is the first and only book that explains in non-technical terms how to identify diamonds and colored gems, and how to separate natural gems from imitations, treated stones, synthetics, and look-alikes. The book's approach is direct and practical, and its style easy to understand. In fact, with this highly accessible guide, anyone can begin to master gem identification. Includes over 150 photographs and illustrationsover 80 in full color!Using a simple, step-by-step system, the authors explain how to properly use essential but uncomplicated instruments to identify stones, what to look for gemstone by gemstone, and how to set up a basic lab at modest cost. Three of the instruments are inexpensive, portable, pocket instruments that, when used together, can identify almost 85% of all precious and popular stones.The key to avoiding costly mistakes and recognizing profitable opportunities is knowing both what to look for and what to look out for.Gem Identification Made Easy will help you:Open your eyes to the types of treatments, imitations, synthetics, look-alikes, and fakes in the gem market today.Learn how to tell the difference between them. Quickly spot:Synthetics, including synthetic emeralds and diamondsFilled diamondsDiffused "blue" sapphires and "red" rubiesHPHT-treated diamonds... and much more!Determine how to spot the newest "composite" imitations.Learn how to identify recently discovered gems such as “Mandarin” garnet, red “emerald,” and North Carolina's chromium-rich emeralds.Discover new treatments such as surface coatings to create “fancy color” diamonds and improve or change the color of many gemstones.Know when to seek help from a professional gemologist or lab.Become more professional in your business or hobby. Read more

Trek into the wild heart of the rain forest.  Discover a world teeming with life. Dense and humid and filled with secrets, rain forests are home to more than half the world's plants and animals. Using unique Photicular technology, Jungle parts the mysterious veil of this sun-dappled land, revealing in color and motion the living exuberance within.  Watch a tarantula scuttle across the forest floor. A dancing whipsnake flick its tongue. A Bengal tiger on the prowl, and a brilliant red-and-green macaw soar above the canopy.  Experience it for yourself.   Read more

Leading landscape photographers Diane Cook and Len Jenshel present Wise Trees—a stunning color-photography book containing more than 50 historical trees with remarkable stories from around the world.“The photographers sought out ‘inspirational trees—ones that had witnessed history, survived calamities, or were the focus of spiritual veneration’ and found over 60 examples from around the globe.” —Los Angeles TimesForeword byVerlyn Klinkenborg Supported by grants from the Expedition Council of the National Geographic Society, Diane Cook and Len Jenshel spent two years traveling to 59 sites across five continents to photograph some of the world’s most historic and inspirational trees. Trees, they tell us, can live without us, but we cannot live without them. Not only do trees provide us with the oxygen we breathe, food gathered from their branches, and wood for both fuel and shelter, but also they have been essential to the spiritual and cultural life of civilizations around the world. From Luna, the Coastal Redwood in California that became an international symbol when activist Julia Butterfly Hill sat for 738 days on a platform nestled in its branches to save it from logging, to the Bodhi Tree, the sacred fig in India that is a direct descendent of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, Cook and Jenshel reveal trees that have shaped our lives, our traditions, and our feelings about nature. There are also survivor trees, including a camphor tree in Nagasaki that endured the atomic bomb, an American elm in Oklahoma City, and the 9/11 Survivor Tree, a Callery pear at the 9/11 Memorial. All of the trees were carefully selected for their role in human dramas. This project both reflects and inspires awareness of the enduring role of trees in nurturing and sheltering humanity. Photographers, environmentalists, history buffs, and nature-lovers alike will appreciate the extraordinary stories found within the pages of Wise Trees! Read more

Winner of the 2024 James Beard Award for Restaurant and Professional book of the year. James Beard award-winning author and culinary game-changer Josh Niland returns with the ultimate guide to the art of Fish Butchery, with expert techniques and groundbreaking recipes that are an urgent call for action on culinary sustainability.    Josh’s multi award-winning debut The Whole Fish Cookbook created a new blueprint for fish cookery, while its bestselling sequel Take One Fish unpacked 15 different species to reveal their true gastronomic potential. In this latest book, Josh continues to open our eyes to the potential of fish in the kitchen.  Presented in three stunning sections—Catch, Cut and Craft—it’s both a challenge to the food industry to do things differently and a dazzling manual to the eye-popping potential in each and every fish. Featuring detailed instructions on how to prepare fish—from reverse butterfly to double saddle—as well as over 40 brilliant recipes for everything from fish sticks to pies, sausage and chorizo, Fish Butchery will disrupt, challenge and inspire the next generation. Read more

In the tradition of Elizabeth Kolbert and Barry Lopez, a powerful, poetic, and deeply absorbing account of the “lung” at the top of the world.For the last 50 years, the trees of the boreal forest have been moving north. The Treeline takes us along this critical frontier of our warming planet from Norway to Siberia, Alaska to Greenland, to meet the scientists, residents, and trees confronting huge geological changes. Only the hardest species survive at these latitudes including the ice-loving Dahurian larch of Siberia, the antiseptic Spruce that purifies our atmosphere, the Downy birch conquering Scandinavia, the healing Balsam poplar that Native Americans use as a cure-all and the noble Scots Pine that lives longer when surrounded by its family.It is a journey of wonder and awe at the incredible creativity and resilience of these species and the mysterious workings of the forest upon which we rely for the air we breathe. Blending reportage with the latest science, The Treeline is a story of what might soon be the last forest left and what that means for the future of all life on earth.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press Read more

A tender, fearless debut by a forester writing in the tradition of Suzanne Simard, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Robert Macfarlane.Only those who love trees should cut them, writes forester Ethan Tapper.In How to Love a Forest, he asks what it means to live in a time in which ecosystems are in retreat and extinctions rattle the bones of the earth. How do we respond to the harmful legacies of the past? How do we use our species' incredible power to heal rather than to harm?Tapper walks us through the fragile and resilient community that is a forest. He introduces us to wolf trees and spring ephemerals, and to the mysterious creatures of the rhizosphere and the necrosphere. He helps us reimagine what forests are and what it means to care for them. This world, Tapper writes, is degraded by people who do too much and by those who do nothing. As the ecosystems that sustain all life struggle, we straddle two worlds: a status quo that treats them as commodities and opposing claims that the only true expression of love for the natural world is to leave it alone.Proffering a more complex vision, Tapper argues that the actions we must take to protect ecosystems are often counterintuitive, uncomfortable, even heartbreaking. With striking prose, he shows how bittersweet acts--like loving deer and hunting them, loving trees and felling them--can be expressions of compassion. Tapper weaves a new land ethic for the modern world, reminding us that what is simple is rarely true, and what is necessary is rarely easy. Read more

Forests are restless. Any time a tree dies or a new one sprouts, the forest that includes it has shifted. When new trees sprout in the same direction, the whole forest begins to migrate, sometimes at astonishing rates. Today, however, an array of obstacles - humans felling trees by the billions, invasive pests transported through global trade - threaten to overwhelm these vital movements. Worst of all, the climate is changing faster than ever before, and forests are struggling to keep up. A deft blend of science reporting and travel writing, The Journeys of Trees explores the evolving movements of forests by focusing on five trees: giant sequoia, ash, black spruce, Florida torreya, and Monterey pine. Journalist Zach St. George visits these trees in forests across continents, finding sequoias losing their needles in California, fossil records showing the paths of ancient forests in Alaska, domesticated pines in New Zealand, and tender new sprouts of blight-resistant American chestnuts in New Hampshire. Everywhere he goes, St. George meets lively people on conservation's front lines, from an ecologist studying droughts to an evolutionary evangelist with plans to save a dying species. He treks through the woods with activists, biologists, and foresters, each with their own role to play in the fight for the uncertain future of our environment. Read more

Discover the complex and fascinating inner world of the mighty oak tree with this engaging nature book!The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars,  Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.“With our hearts and minds focused on the stewardship of the only planet we have, the best way to engage in a hopeful future is to plant oaks! Let this book be your inspiration and guide.” —The American Gardener Read more

According to Schauberger, water is akin to blood in the human body - the most important life-giving and energy-empowering substance on the planet. Yet, with incorrect, ignorant handling, it becomes diseased, affecting human, animal and vegetable life alike, causing physical decay and, in the case of people, their moral, mental and spiritual deterioration as well. Schauberger was a fearless exponent of natural energy and a fascinating polemicist, reveling in doing battle with contemporary orthodox scientists. Sadly, the same extractive and water management policies which brought devastation and widespread pollution in his day have even greater consequences today. Themes addressed in this book include: The natural pulsation of water and how to maintain it How minute differences in temperature affect the natural function of water in the earth, in plants and rivers. How to regulate rivers without damaging their vitality and health The natural conversion of sea-water into fresh water The consequence of sterilization and chlorination of water Read more

Level 2 guided reader that educates students about wildfires, their causes and effects. Read more