The Lost Art of Reading Nature's Signs

June 29, 2015
British naturalist Gooley (The Natural Navigator) encourages readers to get outdoors and explore the world around them in this handy, fact-filled guide. He plays detective by reading signs in rocks, clouds, and trees. Rather than give information on specific locations, Gooley lays out “techniques that can be applied on any walk in almost any area.” Beginning with discussions about the “ground, the sky, the plants and animals,” he explains how to survey landscapes by looking at shape, overall character, routes, tracks, edges, and detail—a method he devised that goes by the acronym SORTED. For example, understanding the contours of a map before setting out on a hike improves the likelihood that hikers will be “greeted with tea and Mars bars” upon their return “instead of helicopters and news crews.” Subsequent sections on clouds and cloud formations—cumulonimbus, cumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus—are designed to help spot trends in weather patterns. Gooley’s comprehensive volume should pique the curiosity of budding nature-lovers and is ideal for anyone keen on forging a deeper connection with the land.