In Praise of Nature Writing
To be human, is to experience nature with wonder, curiosity and delight - just watch a young child outside on the grass revelling in the texture, feeling the wind, watching the birds and the trees, smelling the fresh air and the plants, and experiencing the play of light and shade.
As we grow we want to make sense of the world around us. We read books to find out more about our favourite part of nature, to enjoy and be inspired by another person's view of the natural world, and to experience the beauty of images captured in photography and illustration. Nature writer Robert Macfarlane says "when I am with serious conservationists – the people at the delivery end of saving the planet ...I ask them what switched on their passion for protecting nature and the answer is almost always the same: an encounter with a wild creature and an encounter with a book."
Whether you are thrilled by New Zealand bush, icy landscapes, eerie underwater worlds, sweeping savannas, or tropical forests, the library has a book just for you. Here are some of my favourites.
New Zealand
Dunedin writer Neville Peat has written some fantastic books on the natural environment.
Writer and photographer Craig Potton's books are beautiful and uplifting.
Here on Earth: The Landscape in New Zealand Literature by Dunedin poet David Eggleton and Lake, Mountain, Tree: An Anthology of Writing on New Zealand Nature and Landscape by Philip Temple are both inspirational.
Informative and Inspiring
Animal (Reaktion Books) Series
Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds. Scott Weidensaul
Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells. Helen Scales.
Tibet Wild: A Naturalist's Journeys on the Roof of the World. George Schaller.
Any books by Jane Goodall, Carl Safina, Rebecca Solnit
You can't go past David Attenborough. DPL holds the Zoo Quest series from the 1950’s and 1960's in stack, the groundbreaking Life on Earth (1979), plus lots more recent titles.
Healing Power of Nature
Common Ground. Rob Cowen.
H is for Hawk. Helen Macdonald
Landmarks. Robert Macfarlane.
Nature Cure. Richard Mabey
The Peregrine. J. A. Baker.
Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees. Roger Deakin
The Wood for the Trees: The Long View of Nature from a Small Wood. Richard Fortey.
Books That are Gorgeous To Look At
The Deep. Claire Nouvian
Frozen Planet: A World Beyond Imagination. Alastair Fothergill
Night visions: The Secret Designs of Moths. Joseph Scheer.
One Planet: A Celebration of Diversity. Nicolas Hulot
The Shell: Five Hundred Million Years of Inspired Design. Hugh Stix