Book Review: Vesper Flights

by Helen Macdonald Vesper flights is the name of the sunset behavior of swifts, who rise high into the air, out of sight, in order to reorient themselves to the world. Vesper Flights is also the name of a collection of essays by Helen Macdonald, and it, too, is a reorientation to the world, particularly …

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Book Review: FOLLOWED BY THE LARK by Helen Humphreys

Henry David Thoreau’s words were my companion during the writing of this novel. I read through all of his journals and his voice guided mine. I appreciated his wise and witty counsel and hope that this book conveys some of his mercurial spirit. –Helen Humphreys In Followed by the Lark, a new book by Helen Humphreys, …

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The best environmental books we’ve read in 2023

This is the eighth year that we’ve gathered together a list of our favorite books from the past 12 months. Seeing this list makes me appreciate what EcoLit Books has accomplished over the years — drawing attention to authors and presses you might not read about in the more mainstream publications. But that’s what we’re …

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Book Review: Skylab: The Nature of Building

What does it mean to be an architect in the Anthropocene? This is the question that attracts me to books about building reuse and earth architecture as well as writings by architects such as Tom Kundig, Weiss/Manfredi and Jeff Kovel of Skylab. Skylab is an architecture firm based in Portland that has designed some of …

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The Goose: Issue 20.1 is now available

The Canadian environmental arts journal The Goose just published their latest edition under the theme “Moving on Land.” And it includes an article by EcoLit contributor Nicole Emanuel! This issue is one of the biggest issues to date in The Goose! With three (3) editorials; eight (8) articles; fourteen (14) poems; fourteen (14) creative non-fiction pieces …

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Book Review: Picturing a Better World: The Climate Action Handbook

Willard Scott (for the young ones out there: America’s weather person) once said: “Everyone complains about the weather, but nobody ever seems to do anything about it.” You could say the same thing about climate change. There is no shortage of books about climate grief these days, and I empathize, but I also think we …

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New and forthcoming environmental books (October 2023)

So many books, so little time. Here are a few titles that came across our radar as of late… be sure to check them out! Hitman for the Kindness ClubHigh Seas Escapades and Heroic Adventures of an Eco-Activist By Paul Watson Spanning 1961 to 2022, this electrifying collection of essays captures the spirit, mettle, and …

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Q&A with JoeAnn Hart, author of Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival

JoeAnn Hart, long-time contributor to EcoLit Books, is the author of three novels (including Float) and a forthcoming short story collection from Black Lawrence Press: Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival. This collection, the winner of the 2022 Hudson Prize, includes stories that have been published by a number of literary journals, including Prairie …

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Q&A with Gene Helfman, author of FINS

Gene Helfman, EcoLit Books contributor and author of Beyond the Human Realm, has a new book out — a “novel of relentless satire” and an impassioned defense of sharks. I recently asked Gene about the book and what inspired him to write it. Here’s what he had to say… Tell us about your latest book FINS, …

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Book Review: Three Bears, not Eight

A Review of Gloria Dickie’s Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future In my life I have had the privilege of seeing more grizzlies, more blacks, and more polar bears than I can remember, most at respectable distances but some a bit too close for comfort.  And while I may not be able to recall details …

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Book Review: Living in the Time of Red Flag Warnings

It’s fire season here in southern Oregon. Which is another way of way of saying it’s just another season here in southern Oregon. Over the past decade fires have become a year-round occurrence — if not wildfires then prescribed burns. Smoke is an ever-present reminder of the dangers of wildfire. As are the empty lots …

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The Ecological Citizen: Vol 6. No. 2

The slogan for The Ecological Citizen is Confronting human supremacy in defense of the Earth. Which is why I welcome each new issue, including this recent edition, published recently. Essays of note include: WITNESS: A garden without sparrows – from population to ecosystem collapse, and beyondWitness  by Cardini AAccess PDF A life of deep connection: A tribute …

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Book Review: The wildflowers and mushrooms of North America

The wildflowers are in bloom here in Oregon. And while I love coming across them on hikes I’m mostly clueless about what exactly each flower is. I consult the iNaturalist app (which is excellent by the way) though I find myself feeling a bit guilty afterwards; I’d like to at least make an effort to …

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New and forthcoming environmental literature

So many new and exciting novels and books of nonfiction and poetry have come across our desks and inboxes as of late. Here are just a handful that caught our eyes… B/RDS Beatrice Szymkowiak B/RDS endeavors to dismantle discourses that create an artificial distinction between nature and humanity through a subversive erasure of an iconic work …

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