4.0 stars

Oh the illustrations are so beautiful!

If you like books about the deep connection that exists between every creature in this creation as well as the connection between nature and spirituality, you'd probably like this book as much as I did!

I especially enjoyed that this book sis so quotable! I wanted to use so much of it in my journal!

I wish I had noticed it was a Christian book when I requested this ARC, though. Somehow I missed that when I requested the ARC since I tried to stay away from reviewing religious books.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this title, but my reading interests have changed. I will not be finishing this book, but look forward to others in the future.

I loved one of Haupt's previous books and couldn't wait to dig into this one. We are in capable hands with Haupt - let her guide you through an investigation of the interconnectedness of life. I hope that even those who are skeptical will find a morsel of truth here.

This was one of my favourite books of 2021. Not only is it extremely beautifully and well written, but I think it honestly changed my life and outlook. I went walking through a field in the rain and got stinging nettles on my feet because of this book. And I loved it. I wrote an essay on this book for my class. I recommend this book to everyone who is even slightly interested in nature because I think it will give you a greater appreciation for all life and allow you to be more optimistic and grateful for every moment of your life. This is a truly wonderful book.

This isn’t my usual genre, but I really enjoyed this one. I learned a lot of new information and will definitely recommend it to my customers.

Deepen your connection to the natural world with this inspiring meditation, "a path to the place where science and spirit meet" (Robin Wall Kimmerer).

In Rooted, cutting-edge science supports a truth that poets, artists, mystics, and earth-based cultures across the world have proclaimed over millennia: life on this planet is radically interconnected. Our bodies, thoughts, minds, and spirits are affected by the whole of nature, and they affect this whole in return. In this time of crisis, how can we best live upon our imperiled, beloved earth?

Award-winning writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s highly personal new book is a brilliant invitation to live with the earth in both simple and profound ways—from walking barefoot in the woods and reimagining our relationship with animals and trees, to examining the very language we use to describe and think about nature. She invokes rootedness as a way of being in concert with the wilderness—and wildness—that sustains humans and all of life.

In the tradition of Rachel Carson, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Mary Oliver, Haupt writes with urgency and grace, reminding us that at the crossroads of science, nature, and spirit we find true hope. Each chapter provides tools for bringing our unique gifts to the fore and transforming our sense of belonging within the magic and wonder of the natural world.


Thanks to Netgalley for the copy!
This book is going to be the first nature/a bit science/ memoir book that I've ever read. I enjoy this book just fine and I definitely can feel what the author's love about the nature.

In her new book Rooted, Lyanda Lynn Haupt weaves together her love of nature, insights as a naturalist, life experiences, and philosophical musings as a creative, imaginative and spiritual person. It is a delightful, informative, and thought-provoking read.

I enjoyed the personal stories that connected her deep love for the natural world that began as a child to her interest in spiritual matters that began with her Catholic upbringing and expanded as she grew older.

The varied topics of frogs, moths, orcas, and birds, the reciprocal relationship between trees, earthing, forest bathing, Jungian philosophy, mindfulness, the life of Rachel Carson, the writings of Thomas Merton, camping solo, and night vision.

The chapter "Relate" with the story of the kidnapping of the Salish Sea orcas in the 1960s and 1970s hit me hard. I'd never heard that tale before, but my innate antipathy towards aquariums and zoos was justified as I read.

In the same chapter, she brings up Descarte's "I think therefore I am" statement that divided mind and matter, that separated humans from nature, and encouraged us to think of ourselves as the only life forms with consciousness.

Now that we are on the edge of losing it all, some of us are slowly waking up, shedding our shoes, and taking barefooted steps back into the heart of nature, listening, reconnecting with our many plant and animal sisters and brothers, relearning the ways to reintegrate ourselves with nature. To become again.

Read Rooted. You'll be glad you did.


* I received a free e-galley from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am a fan of Ms. Haupt’s, as I adored her book “Mozart’s Sterling”. This was a quick observation on nature and naturalism; worth the read!

This is an enjoyable read that mixes nature, memoir, philosophy and science. Beautiful black and white illustrations accompany it. I didn't necessarily learn anything but I enjoyed the book quite a lot.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Small essays/stories under a certain theme. Get different connections to nature, so nice for those who want that variety. Author's own connections and research included.

Lovely book ,a book that took me out into nature .I was really aware of the trees around me of my feet touching the earth .There was so much to learn about trees and the spiritual world around us. #netgalley#little brown

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw the cover of this book I thought 'Yes! If I were a Venn diagram, this is EXACTLY where I would stand!' - at the overlap of where science, nature, and spirit meet. I was surprised at how different this intersection can look in other shoes, though perhaps I shouldn't have been. Following the footsteps of Mary Oliver, Rachel Carson, or Robin Wall Kimmerer will all lead you to the same place, but from different perspectives. Here Lyanda Lynn Haupt joins the chorus of those singing the praises of the natural world.

In addition to the wonderful illustrations, there were passages in this book that were beautiful and thought-provoking. I particularly liked the musings on death at the end; I often meditate on the thought that every molecule in my body has been a part of millions of different organisms through billions of years leading back to the time when all things were the stuff of stars. It is humbling to carry that idea forward, too, and realize that every molecule in your body will go on to become a small part of innumerable things in the future for as long as time exists. I was glad to see I am not the only person who has been awed by that knowledge.

At other times, I feel like the author missed the point. For example, in a section about naming, she discusses the idea of 'true names' for organisms and asks the reader to learn the names of organisms around us- scientific, or common, or indigenous, or to come up with our own names- and she seems to miss the point that naming is an entirely human construct. Perhaps indigenous names are closer to capturing the essence of a life form in words because of their deep history with that landscape, as the author seems to suggest, or perhaps not. Regardless, organisms exist in the world with no need to name themselves. Why would an organism without human language have a true name spoken in a human tongue? What if we freed ourselves of our human desire to categorize and separate and instead let ourselves experience the world in its wholeness, unencumbered by the confines of human language?

Additionally, I was surprised to find that "spirit" for this author referred to a Christian spirituality. Christianity is not a religion rooted in nature; its creation story begins with God placing Man above nature. Other worldviews place humans in the web of ecological community, as a part of the natural world rather than above it. The focus on Christian mystics/mysticism was not my flavor of eco-spirituality, but I recognize that the same might not be true for other readers.

I agree with the author that many human issues come from a feeling of disconnect between us and the world around us, and that the solution to this is to embrace our place in community and deepen our connection with it (in the ecological sense of the word 'community', including not only humans but all the living organisms around and within us). For myself, I wish that the roots of this book were less like those of the monocots (plentiful, but close to the surface) and more like those of the dicots (digging deeply and stretching wide). This book would be a great place to start for those embarking on their journey to seek deeper connection with the natural world, giving readers plenty of ways to begin digging in.

I really liked the idea of this book, connecting to nature and finding the place where science, nature, and spirit meet, but overall I found some of the text overwhelming.

My favorite parts were the personal stories, hearing about walking barefoot in the forest and how a person can connect to the local natural landscape was really inspiring. Some of the chapters read like a series of essays, which is good, but I missed some of the author’s personal connection when the section went into other examples or stories of others. Seeing other examples was helpful but sometimes it felt too descriptive which took me away from the main focus.

Overall I’d recommend this book to be read slowly over time, in a physical form, so you can flip to the sections that sound the most interesting and inspiring. Reading in the digital format approaching the text to be read cover to cover, I think it was lacking slightly, as it wasn’t easy to reference the beginning of the chapter to revisit the overall topic. I was hoping to be a bit more inspired by the content, but I think I will pick up a physical copy once it’s released, as I was highlighting a lot in the beginning but lost steam as I was reading in a cover to cover approach.

When I read the description of this book I thought this was exactly what I was looking for. I am interested in how my world is connected to nature. Why my heart is drawn to that which is part of the natural world. How I am more at peace in the forest or at the water or even in my own gardens, in the silence, watching the bees flit from flower to flower. I was looking for more of how my mindfulness is connected to these feelings. That’s not what I found here. The book summary doesn’t provide an accurate description of what is found inside.
Through multiple short chapters, the reader is encouraged to be more aware, to listen and to be open to nature. This done from experiences that the author has had herself. It is easy to read one section and think about it, work with your thoughts and move on to the next without losing any continuity.
I was expecting more research, more depth to the experiences, more ways to relate my thoughts and feelings to being “rooted” or grounded. There seemed to be more speculation and author opinion with a christianity tone (even though at the start of the book it was mentioned that was not going to happen) instead.
This would be a good beginners book for those that are not aware of what being grounded or “rooted” is and are looking for a way to get started. For those already walking in that journey this book will not be a means of further understanding.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Throughout the pandemic, I have been taking more walks and observing the natural world around me which has led to more of an interest in the intersection of nature and spirituality. This book was exactly what I was looking for; I can't imagine a better time to read it either.

During this pandemic I have seen friends on social media share rejuvenating experiences in nature through daily walks or hikes into the wilds, views from windows from homes in cities and woods and moors, experiences with fox frolicking in suburban yards or wild birds landing on outstretched palms offering seed and suet.

My brother walks every weekend with his girlfriend, through every weather. They seek out the lonely places, the empty dirt roads, the parks only populated in sunshine.

I have the local city park filled with towering oak trees and black squirrels hopping across the grass, a hawk watching overhead, or the protected woods were trillium carpet the forest floor in spring.

Even my own patio, sitting under the apple trees, offers a daily respite, watching the robins joyously splash in the bird bath, the sparrows flitting in and out of their nesting box, while bee and butterfly visit the herb garden and zinnia, perhaps oblivious to the rabbit who sneaks in to steal leaves from the rose bush.

How does anyone get through a week without communing with nature? A glimpse of flowering tree or autumnal glow of color across the grass? The raucous call of the Blue Jay or the hoot of an owl in the night?

Lyanda Lynn Haupt writes that being rooted in nature is a spiritual practice. She shares her personal stories of walking barefoot and alone in the forest, camping and walking blind at night, healed, and sometimes afraid, by the experience.

The spirituality of oneness with all the earth is ancient, the constructiveness of all life part of religious experience found in many faiths, including Christianity. But modern humans live in houses and work in rooms and Western society buys and uses and discards; we have lost wonder and respect and stewardship for Earth.

Haupt's witness shows us how to regain the sacred, how to claim sisterhood with all living things, how to embrace the darkness, and how to heal the earth and ourselves.

I received a free galley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Rooted by Lyanda Lynn Haupt is a well-researched, deftly written treatise on mindfully connecting to our environment. The author integrates philosophy, science, and mysticism to create a guide for living a more connected life. It will inspire you to shed your shoes and observe the flora and fauna on a more regular basis. At times, I felt the author went on a tangent or two before coming back around to the main thesis. I also would have liked more scientific tie-in with the philosophy - at times it was a mere mention of a quote or correlative study without much depth. I recommend this book for those who are looking for a unique and primal way to connect with the world, those who are interested in ecology or philosophy, or someone looking to incorporate mindfulness into their lives.

Advanced copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For nature writers and Spirit seekers. I have always believed that we are all connected and this book meets so many of my innermost beliefs head on. I loved it.

Absolutely fascinating read. For someone who is interested in all things wild, I learned, grew, and was challenged to experience on my own. I cannot wait to receive my own copy for reference and rereading.

Rooted tells of the interconnectedness of our world, relating stories from science, artists, philosophers and the author’s own life to the ways in which nature and humans impact each other. Through each section of the book, Haupt urges us to be more aware of our surroundings, to listen and wander, grow and create. Each section is elaborated upon through a series of short chapters containing anecdotes, research, stories and poetry.

Haupt provides a strong perspective throughout the course of this book, and I enjoyed the variety of resources and perspectives that she shares. The book is well-researched in easily digestible chapters with thought-provoking ideas.

There were times, however, when I felt there were too many stories and quotes being used, as I wanted more balance between the research and the author's own perspective. I also found myself wanting certain areas of the book to go even deeper, elaborating further on what we can do to better support the natural world around us.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read, reminding us of the importance to connect and relate to the nature around us. Especially for readers of Peter Wohlleben and Robin Wall Kimmerer, look for this book hitting the shelves in May.

Thank you to Net Galley and Little, Brown and Company publishing for this ARC.