There are a myriad of books out there on global warming and the way the environment is shifting, but what if we take a look at a different angle about the Earth? These books will have us stop and watch the world turn or revisit the knowledge we might have forgotten, all of which reminds us just how important the Earth is.
1. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Kimmerer draws upon her background as an indigenous scientist to share the lessons that our world’s flora and fauna have to teach us. We can learn to hear the voices of the natural world around us which assists us in awakening our ecological consciousness.
2. The Overstory: A Novel
The Overstory is an ode to the natural world. Through this book, Powers takes us on a journey to see the world that exists alongside ours. Interlocking fables create concentric rings throughout different regions and times.
3. Tentacle
We cannot forget the oceans of our world and how important they are as well. Indiana takes us on a more fantastical journey as we follow a young woman on her adventure through time to save the oceans of our world.
4. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
When we stop to watch life happen, sometimes we can witness something that shifts how we see the world. This is what Bailey writes about in her novel. Bedridden with illness, Bailey watches the actions of a common woodland snail and finds herself invested in thoughts about its curious existence. Focusing on a smaller aspect of the world illuminates our own human existence and incites reflection.
5. The World Without Us
In this thought experiment, we take a trip to the world without humans. Weisman enlists the help of specialists in various fields to answer the question of what would happen to the world if humans disappeared. The first changes would happen within days followed by significant reclamation by nature itself.
6. California: A Novel
Lepucki spins a tale of a distressingly plausible near future where humans are pushed to the edge of survival and isolation. Two people are left in the wilderness alone, mourning a life suddenly torn from them. When one finds out she is pregnant, the two question their ability to raise a child alone so they decide to travel to the nearest settlement. However, this settlement brings a whole different slew of problems.
7. Latitudes of Longing: A Novel
To round out this list we take a look at Latitudes of Longing and its epic love story. In the search for true intimacy, we follow characters across the globe to take a look through their eyes. From two different scientists to a yeti and a turtle the viewpoints come from a wide variety of places and give us a truly unique look at the world we live in.
There are so many more books out there that might make about the Earth. In fact, there is even a whole genre for it. If you find yourself interested in some of the titles listed here, take a look at the genre of eco-fiction where the stories focus primarily on the environment and the changes it can have. Even a small ripple of remembrance of the Earth can cause a wave of change someday, so if that starts with a book, let it be one of these!
Want more recommendations? Click here!