If you love nature writing, you simply must read this, and you must not rush it. Macfarlane’s prose is sumptuous and his sense of wonder is palpable.

A bold statement: I think Playground is my favorite Richard Powers so far. I know he won the Pulitzer for The Overstory (which I definitely enjoyed!), but I said what I said.

I feel genuinely better prepared to decide what kinds of things are personally worth my effort (and my guilt). The time I spent listening to this audiobook was time extremely well spent.

What If We Get It Right? is one of the best books I’ve read this year, and almost certainly the best audiobook specifically. I am going to be pushing this into people’s hands (or headphones) for years.

This ended up being one of my favorites from the 2023 Booker Prize longlist. I’m also glad I read this with a book club, because holy moly is there a LOT to process after that ending.

I can’t quite say that I ENJOYED this book — it’s tense and uncomfortable and heavy — but it’s also unputdownable, and there’s no denying that Eleanor Catton is an incredible talent.

This book is drop-dead gorgeous and you simply must purchase yourself a physical copy. And if you read it a little at a time — don’t rush it — you will walk away moved and inspired.

How High We Go in the Dark is a heartfelt, unsettling book set in a near future riddled with plague and climate change. I enjoyed some chapters more than others, but liked the book overall.

The Intersectional Environmentalist is a short but impactful read. While I did know some of the things it teaches, I learned plenty new and felt re-called to action.

This Changes Everything is a hard-hitting book on climate change issues, full of real-world stories and examples. I sometimes lost the narrative thread, but I’m really glad I read it.

Clean AIr is a smart, surprising, character-driven thriller set in a world ravaged by climate change. I read 75% of it in one sitting and was so surprised by the twist/reveal.

Wallet Activism is a great book and I’m really glad I read it. It taught me new things, reminded me of others, and inspired me to make some changes.

All We Can Save is a moving, hopeful, and digestible collection of essays on climate activism. It made for an excellent book club discussion and inspired me to join/stay in the fight.

Braiding Sweetgrass was everything people told me it would be: warm, moving, eye-opening. I read a chapter a day and never wanted it to end.