The Nature Principle

Richard Louv's work ladles out evidence in endless strings of descriptive lists that support his theory that humans suffer from "nature-deficient disorder," but the technique makes listening tedious. The writing style is a challenge for talented baritone narrator Rick Adamson, who sounds like a professor lecturing. Alas, Adamson's voice often descends into a drone. Louv's valuable research details how mind and body are enhanced in nature's habitat, and he offers workable recommendations for achieving a balance between civilization and nature, such as rooftop gardens. Still, his effort makes a better reference than an audiobook. K.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

January 31, 2011
In this sanguine, wide-ranging study of how humans can thrive through the "renaturing of everyday life," Louv takes nature deficit disorder, introduced in his seminal Last Child in the Woods, a step further, to argue that adults need nature, too. "A reconnection to the natural world is fundamental to human health," he writes, asking, "What would our lives be like if our days and nights were as immersed in nature as they are in electronics?" Louv's "Nature Principle" consists of seven precepts, including balancing technology excess with time in nature; a mind/body/nature connection, which Louv calls "vitamin N," that enhances physical and mental health; expanding our sense of community to include all living things; and purposefully developing a spiritual, psychological, physical attachment to a region and its natural history. The book presents examples of these precepts, from studies of how exposure to a common soil bacteria increases production of serotonin in the brain to designing shopping malls inspired by termite mounds. Although lightweight for longtime nature lovers, the book may be just what our high-tech, urban culture needs to bring us down to earth.