Books That Bring Us Back To Nature (And Remind Us That We Are Never Separate)

Physical books bring us closer to nature, in the sense that they literally are nature – holding a book in your hand is holding a tree in your hand. They ask us to be present and listen, something that nature needs us to do now more than ever. They also ask us to slow down and fall into the sweet rhythm of turning pages, opening our minds to new information, and sometimes even digesting entire universes.

But content matters too, and that’s why I am bringing you some of my favorite books that have, in my heart and mind, reconnected me with the wild world around and inside of me. They’ve expanded my view of just how complex and intelligent the life of the natural world around us really is. 

A Note On Consciously Purchasing Books

While these days it is easy to buy books through Amazon, there are so many reasons why you shouldn’t. Also, Amazon hurts authors. Before searching for a new copy of a book, why not do a little investigating and see if your local library already has it? If they don’t there’s a chance that they’re willing to order a copy that you can check out. Have a friend that you can borrow a copy from instead? Even better!

But if you decide to go the route of buying a book, try your best to source your books directly from the author, or independent book stores (like Firestorm – my favorite queer, vegan, anarchist bookstore) unless you are buying them second hand. In that case, I recommend ordering them from ThriftBooks. I’ve been using this platform for years to find pre-loved books, and unlike AbeBooks, it is not owned by Amazon.

1. Women Who Run With The Wolves

Chances are you’ve already either heard about, seen, or read parts of Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. It was published in 1922 and spent 145 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list over a three-year span. Author and poet Clarissa Pinkola Estés weaves together important themes and specific, useable life knowledge about love and relationships, our bodies, female intuition, and nature through brilliant storytelling that is laced with love and wisdom.

I’ve been slowly savoring my way through this book for years, returning to sections that feed my soul and taking all of the time I need. This book is not one to rush through, but if you’re wanting to glide around through different stories that call to you, you’ll probably be glad that you did. My favorite part so far has been section 7, “Joyous Body: The Wild Flesh” because it gave me the gift of a whole new understanding and appreciation for all of the curves, indents, and shapes that make my body what it is.

You can purchase a new or used copy of Women Who Run with the Wolves here on ThriftBooks.

2. Dirt Witch

Dirt Witch was written by Atulya K Bingham, a natural builder who tells us the story of her first build when she found herself in Turkey, on raw land with know former building knowledge or experience. Atulya is a talented and creative storyteller who brings the natural world around her alive for the reader, if they aren’t already viewing the rocks, trees, and even breeze in their breathing states. This story is one that is inspiring to people of all ages and genders, proving that it is often possible to (literally) build your dream natural building from the ground up, but is a whimsically told in a way that only Atulya can do.

Be sure to follow The Mud Home blog and listen to the Unruly podcast episode with Atulya where we dig into natural building, earth whispering, and all things dirt witcheyness. Atulya has penned multiple books, and you can check out all of them here!

You can purchase Dirt Witch on ThriftBooks here.

3. The Heartbeat of Trees

The Heartbeat of Trees is a book that I randomly picked up, not knowing how enthralled with it I would become. Did you know that plants can hear and see? That’s right. After reading this book by Peter Wohlleben I learned that and so much more!

I’ve always been one to instinctively know that trees and other plants are individuals who have “minds” and senses of their own, but this is often seen as too “out there” and “woo woo” by the general skeptical population. For those who have felt those same sentiments about plants as me, you’ll be delighted to find that not only are you correct, but the science is there to back it up.

Spoiler alert! Years ago a test proved that at least some plants can hear. Peter writes, “Scientists discovered that the roots of Arabidopsis oriented themselves towards clicks in the frequency of 200 hertz and then grew I that direction. They can also produce sounds that function as a kind of Morse code.” They’ve also found that plants are not fooled by the sounds of fake rushing water vs real rushing water (they only grew roots towards the real water) and that they were irritated by white noise.

As a society we desperately need to return to the forest and respect the trees. This books makes an argument for that protection without even trying.

If you’re as fascinated as I am and ready to learn more, be sure to grab a used copy here and check out all of Peter’s books!

4. Braiding Sweetgrass

Braiding Sweetgrass is kin to Women Who Run With the Wolves, as it teaches important lessons about our relationship with ourselves and the earth through an informed yet robust lens. Robin Wall Kimmerer seemingly effortlessly yet humbly weaves together tales and memories from her own life that are worth pondering.

Again, I’ve taken my time with this book, sipping on its sweetness for over a year now, re-reading stories that deserved a longer steep in my consciousness. You can buzz around and read the stories as you please, but in my opinion they are best read in order so that you can understand how the author’s life is progressing in relationship to the lessons she is presenting. Robin delivers the text in the book with a balance of scientific knowledge, personal experience, and indigenous wisdom. 

You can grab a used copy here and then learn more about her other book, Gathering Moss, here.

5. Your Brain On Plants

Our last book to make the list, Your Brain on Plants, did not make it because it was brilliantly written like so many of the others on this page, but because it serves as a useful, easy to use tool that reminds us that plants are powerful when it comes to healing our mind and body. I highly recommend it for people who are “beginners” when knowing what plants to use to fight disease, give an emotional boost, or heal the physical body.

What’s so great about this book is that it is divided into sections by “uses” that are easy to navigate, and highlight a lot of common foods that you probably already have on your countertop or in your fridge. They colorful pages are filled with scientific information on the benefit of specific plants, but in layman’s terms. 

Grab a used copy of this book on ThriftBooks here.

This article was written as a part of the “Unruly Travel & Nature” corner on the Unruly Travel blog. If you’ve been itching to get out and explore epic lakes, mountains, and volcanoes around the world, this section is for you. If you’ve even wondering how people have nurtured their relationship with themself through nature (or with nature herself) this section is for you. If you’re not sure why nature is worth protecting, this section is for you. And finally, if you’ve wanted to learn more about just how magnificent and unruly nature really is, enjoy exploring this corner of the blog!