Happy to highlight this new release in “Nurture Your Nature,” a round-up of new and notable books on birds, in the Books section of Zoomer magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Heartfelt thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book, as I was very much interested in this subject - the wildlife in our gardens.

I was mesmerized already while reading the introduction! The language of the book was as the music to my ears, eloquent and beautiful. Each chapter guides the reader through each of the five senses from the native wildlife perspective, from the smallest and the most inconspicuous creatures, bugs, reptiles, birds, and plants. The author made a thorough research for every single observation and anecdote experienced in her own backyard (that is probably much larger than mine!), and that meant a lot to me, because everything made complete sense and made me respect the nature all the more, even when it appears to us unfair and cruel. Even bibliography was exquisite.

Thanks to this book I was reminded of the importance of wildlife sanctuaries, and even our urban gardens can become ones. We just need to allow native plants to grow naturally and without any toxins, and animals will come back on their own.

Highly recommended!

Wildscape; Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and other Sensory Wonders of Nature by Nancy Lawson is a delightful book that belongs on every library shelf! I felt so lucky to get a copy for myself! I have shared on my goodreads, bookstagram, and booktok!

Wildscape by Nancy Lawson

This book is a beautiful celebration of nature. From plants and trees to birds and bees, Lawson deep dives into every bit of our eco-system to witness the magic of every plant and creature and the science that supports it.

This book is not for your average gardener. Though Lawson’s writing is beautiful and wondrous, it relies heavily on scientific research. Only true nature lovers will enjoy the thoughtful minutiae of our natural world presented here and for that reason, I feel the book could have used a tighter edit. The parts of the book where Lawson connects to herself in a personal way to the eco-science shine the brightest.

Overall, a fascinating and lovely read. If you want to get lost in the sights, sounds, touch and scent of nature then this book is for you.

Nancy does it again! A stunning book for any nature lover’s heart. I appreciated every perspective from all of the “scapes” she discusses. If only we could entice everyone to see the world through the eye of every living thing on the planet instead of a human-oriented eye only.

A must for any gardener and naturalist.

Here’s a book written by someone who clearly loves observing and learning about the nature which surrounds her, and is an advocate for leaving space and quiet for other forms of life. Divided into chapters of what are thought of as the five human senses, the book covers a wide variety of flora and fauna which people are likely to encounter and examines how lives are affected by those senses. There are many photos—it’s hard to judge from the advance e-copy I received, but it’s a potentially beautiful (and important) book which I look forward to seeing in print.

Thanks to Princeton Architectural Press and NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

Lawson's love of nature really shines in this book. You feel yourself getting lost in nature in this well-researched book.

If there was a silver lining to the Covid 19 pandemic, it was the time many of us needed to reconnect with the natural world, whether you lived in a city or in the middle of nowhere, there was great solace to be found in the sights and sounds of nature. Lawson takes readers along on a journey to meet some of creatures that kept us company during those dark days, from the tiniest bees to the magnificent moose, she shows us how each of these life forms are dependent on each other for survival and how we need to understand that all flora and fauna connect in an interlocking puzzle that sustains life for all of us on this very fragile planet