The Eight Master Lessons of Nature

July 29, 2019
In this expansive survey, nature writer Ferguson (Walking Down the Wild) argues that nature’s “harmony, balance, and rhythm” can teach humans how to live peaceful, vital lives. Ferguson’s eight assertions each speak to the powerful connections he sees between the natural and human worlds, each beginning with his lushly delivered observations of nature: “With the wheatgrass and bluestem paper dry, with many trees themselves at moisture levels lower than kiln-dried lumber, the land began to burn.” He then illustrates how the observations have been used to guide life—and asks readers to do the same. For instance, “dark night... sky shot full of stars... realms of wonder” can help readers foster a healthy sense of mystery by pondering the emptiness of deep space. Also, a “tumbling mountainside bedecked with the most glorious carpets of wildflowers” can help readers learn to thrive among diversity. Though organized as a series of loose lessons, the book lacks any real directives (lesson six, for example, is “We Live on a Planet with Energy Beyond Measure”), instead relying on Ferguson’s broad view of human history that each person is connected by universal myths and the innate feeling that “nature calls to each of us.” While nature lovers will enjoy this, self-help readers looking for concrete advice will be disappointed.

September 1, 2019
Eight lessons about getting back in touch with nature and "befriending the powerful emotions that nature often ignites in us." In his latest, longtime nature writer Ferguson (The Carry Home: Lessons From the American Wilderness, 2014, etc.) explores how "the natural world remains a ready source of essential lessons, each one helping us better understand what life really needs in order to thrive." The author focuses his tranquil narrative on eight useful lessons that we learn from nature that teach us how to live in harmony and balance with the world around us. It's important to embrace the boundless mystery and wonder of what we know--and what we don't--and we must also appreciate the vast dynamic webs of connection in nature, collaborative networks that permit the system as a whole to thrive. He then sings the praises of biodiversity. "The more players there are in a natural system, the more vibrant those players will be, he writes. "And also, the more resilient the system will be in the face of change....This beautifully rich and robust planet is in all seasons nothing if not a constantly unfolding testament to the essential power of diversity." Ferguson goes on to plumb the ancient wisdom of the matriarch and the imbalance and unsustainability that come from moving through the world with only masculine energy as a guide. Despite the fact that he is often communing with the mystical, Ferguson cuts with a sharp knife on such topics as the commonality we share with animals, keeping what's most essential from perishing, the wisdom that flows from mature adults to the less experienced, nature's love of efficiency, and the beauty of nature itself, "a gentle nudge to get us happily out of our self-centeredness and into the wonder of being in and of it all." A mellow, meditative book for nature lovers and those who want to reconnect with the world around them.

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October 1, 2019

Ferguson, a prolific writer on the American West (e.g., The Carry Home: Lessons from the American Wilderness), maintains that by reconnecting to nature we can recognize our most troubling personal problems and rediscover our humanity. The natural environment, with its reliability of patterns, allows us to let go of the tiresome obsession with self. Ferguson relates in details the wondrous intricacies found in nature and emphasizes the necessity of healing the planet, not just for the sake of the plants and other animals, but humanity as well. VERDICT This inspirational work will spur readers to start noticing the world around them.

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