In the Media

LATEST COVERAGE FOR WILDSCAPE!

Science Magazine: “Tomes & Tales for Fledgling Scientists”

Wildscape was shortlisted for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science also included a review in its magazine: “In Wildscape, Nancy Lawson guides readers through a sensory wonderland that transcends the usual human inclinations and concerns. …” writes senior editor Michael A. Funk. “For anyone who relishes a walk in the woods, this book offers fascinating new rabbit holes to hop down.”

The New York Times: “Quiet, Please: You Are Not Alone in Your Garden”

New York Times garden columnist Margaret Roach devoted a whole installment to coverage of Wildscape and featured many photos of our habitat and our wild neighbors. Very sensitively and thoughtfully written, this piece captures my inspirations and motivations for writing the book.

Growing Greener with Thomas Christopher:

When an interview starts with — “I’ve been reading your most recent book Wildscape, and I am just blown away. It’s the best piece of nature writing I’ve encountered in years” — you know your host certainly knows how to make a guest feel appreciated and welcomed! I loved speaking with Thomas Christopher about everything from the institutionalized cruelties of conventional gardening practices to the parallel rigors of science and journalism, all mixed in with a discussion of the fascinating web of floral and faunal connections all around us.

A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach:

Sometimes it’s not about figuring out how to start; it’s about learning to stop. Stop mowing, stop leaf blowing, stop disrupting the sensory environment. Put down the power tools and you’ll become attuned to a whole different world in the trees and rustling leaves. Margaret put it well when she said we have to put a “cease and desist order on ourselves.”

Cultivating Place with Jennifer Jewell:

My book weaves together personal and scientific narrative, and I was grateful to Jennifer for her questions about my father’s influence on me. We also explored many aspects of the complex sensory lives of wild beings. I always feel calmed and inspired after contemplating the world with Jennifer. She wrote in her show notes that “Wildscape is eye, ear, nose and heart opening!”

American Gardener magazine:

“Through the engaging writings of Nancy Lawson, Wildscape will open your eyes and heart to the ways in which nature works, while the stunning nature photography lures you to read on. … This book would be appreciated by gardeners and nature lovers, and also as bedtime reading to young enthusiasts. The stories are enchanting.”—Helen Yoest

The Joe Gardener Show with Joe Lamp’l:

We talked about frass-flinging and petal-decorating caterpillars, industrious chipmunks, and birds who struggle to be heard amid noise pollution. Joe also delved into one of my favorite parts of the Wildscape story, as we explored the influences of my own human family on my work as a nature writer, naturalist and activist. Special bonus: a story about Joe’s chippie friend who inhabits a burrow carved out by tree roots near his deck!

Booklist, Starred Review

“Lawson’s intimate study of caterpillars, slugs, snakes, beetles, and other smaller members of her garden community leads to a deeper understanding of not only their lives but also the rich interconnectedness within even a small ecosystem. Beautifully illustrated with close-up photographs, this is a book to savor and reread.”

Library Journal

“This author’s storytelling ability, along with vast, quality research that’s easy to understand, make this an important addition to public and academic libraries. … It is an essential read for academics, students of the natural sciences, and readers concerned about the environment.”

Publishers Weekly

“Lawson succeeds in highlighting the wondrous abilities of plants and animals. … [B]eautiful photographs illustrating the animals’ abilities nicely complement her explanations. The result is a blissful appreciation of nature.”

Butterfly Gardener magazine

“This book had me enthralled from the introduction. … With both scientific rigor and resonant prose, Lawson explores the world through the senses—not solely as humans understand it, but by describing the unique and diverse ways that plants and animals perceive their environments. … Her science is in-depth, but accessible; her tone, almost philosophical. In illuminating how various organisms navigate and communicate using their senses, and how they shape and influence their environments, Lawson not only fosters wonder and curiosity about nature and its vast complexity, but also provides insightful connections to the human experience. … An enchanting read for naturalists of all sorts.”—Casey Laine

The Writer’s Voice with Francesca Rheannon:

Creating habitat doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition, but more often than not and in far too many home spaces, it leans toward the nothing. We need to turn that trend around. That’s just one of the many subjects Francesca Rheannon and I covered in this half-hour conversation on her public radio show and podcast, The Writer’s Voice.