EARTH DAY

Books to recognize the Earth’s seasons, beauty, darkness, living beings, past, and future.

Earth Day collection in white font against digitized green earth and navy blue background.

EARTH DAY

Here are books to recognize the Earth's beauty, splendor, darkness, seasons, living beings, past, and future. From scholarly reckonings to journalistic inquiry and memoir to children's picture books, take in the joys and perilousness of living on and living with our planet.

There's more! The University of Minnesota Press podcast regularly releases episodes that include such topics as plants, fossils, cacti, lichen, and more. Check out our podcast's environmentally focused episodes.

 

The Three-Minute Outdoorsman: Wild Science from Magnetic Deer to Mumbling Carp The Three-Minute Outdoorsman Wild Science from Magnetic Deer to Mumbling Carp Robert M. Zink 2014 Spring
Curious facts and fascinating insights into nature from scientist outdoorsman Bob Zink
Prismatic Ecology: Ecotheory beyond Green Prismatic Ecology Ecotheory beyond Green Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, Editor 2013 Fall
Traces the impress and agency of ecologies that cannot be reduced to the bucolic expanses of green readings
Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World Hyperobjects Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World Timothy Morton 2013 Fall
The world as we know it has already come to an end
Ariel’s Ecology: Plantations, Personhood, and Colonialism in the American Tropics Ariel’s Ecology Plantations, Personhood, and Colonialism in the American Tropics Monique Allewaert 2013 Spring
Rethinking the boundaries between humans and nonhumans in early America
Trash Animals: How We Live with Nature’s Filthy, Feral, Invasive, and Unwanted Species Trash Animals How We Live with Nature’s Filthy, Feral, Invasive, and Unwanted Species Kelsi Nagy and Phillip David Johnson II, Editors 2013 Spring
From pigeons to prairie dogs, reflections on reviled animals and their place in contemporary life
Picturing the Cosmos: Hubble Space Telescope Images and the Astronomical Sublime Picturing the Cosmos Hubble Space Telescope Images and the Astronomical Sublime Elizabeth A. Kessler 2012 Fall
A revealing look at the Romantic impulse behind the Hubble telescope’s awe-inspiring deep space images
Hawk Ridge: Minnesota’s Birds of Prey Hawk Ridge Minnesota’s Birds of Prey Laura Erickson 2012 Fall
A guide to understanding the eagles, hawks, and falcons of Minnesota, by two of the state’s most beloved authors
Vampyroteuthis Infernalis: A Treatise, with a Report by the Institut Scientifique de Recherche Paranaturaliste Vampyroteuthis Infernalis A Treatise, with a Report by the Institut Scientifique de Recherche Paranaturaliste Vilém Flusser and Louis Bec 2012 Fall
Pondering the human condition while examining the vampire squid from hell
Biogea Biogea Michel Serres 2012 Fall
Presents a philosophy that merges the humanities with all creation
Two Lessons on Animal and Man Two Lessons on Animal and Man Gilbert Simondon 2012 Fall
The increasingly influential French philosopher presents the history of philosophical discourse in regard to humans, animals, and the vegetal
Wilderness Days Wilderness Days Sigurd F. Olson 2012 Spring
A selection of Sigurd F. Olson’s finest writing on the splendor of the great outdoors, hand-picked by the master himself
Everyday Environmentalism: Creating an Urban Political Ecology Everyday Environmentalism Creating an Urban Political Ecology Alex Loftus 2012 Spring
A bold rethinking of urban political ecology
Surface Encounters: Thinking with Animals and Art Surface Encounters Thinking with Animals and Art Ron Broglio 2011 Fall
Developing a phenomenology of the animal other through contemporary art
The Neoliberal Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, Late Capitalism, and the Remaking of New Orleans The Neoliberal Deluge Hurricane Katrina, Late Capitalism, and the Remaking of New Orleans Cedric Johnson, Editor 2011 Fall
A critical collection on the politics of disaster and reconstruction in New Orleans
Twelve Owls Twelve Owls Laura Erickson 2011 Fall
A gorgeous guide to the owls native to Minnesota, with descriptions and portraits by two of the state’s most beloved authors
A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans: with A Theory of Meaning A Foray into the Worlds of Animals and Humans with A Theory of Meaning Jakob von Uexküll 2010 Fall
The influential work of speculative biology—and a key document in posthumanist studies—now available in a new, accurate English translation
The Ethics of Earth Art The Ethics of Earth Art Amanda Boetzkes 2010 Spring
Analyzing the ethical stance of the earth art movement from the 1960s to the present
Removing Mountains: Extracting Nature and Identity in the Appalachian Coalfields Removing Mountains Extracting Nature and Identity in the Appalachian Coalfields Rebecca R. Scott 2010 Fall
Coal country lives in southern West Virginia
Memory of Trees: A Daughter’s Story of a Family Farm Memory of Trees A Daughter’s Story of a Family Farm Gayla Marty 2013 Spring
An evocative memoir of life on a dairy farm in Minnesota’s St. Croix Valley
Trouble in the Forest: California’s Redwood Timber Wars Trouble in the Forest California’s Redwood Timber Wars Richard Widick 2009 Fall
The long social history of California’s conflict over ancient forests and its impact today
Animal Capital: Rendering Life in Biopolitical Times Animal Capital Rendering Life in Biopolitical Times Nicole Shukin 2009 Spring
Illuminates the profound contingency of market life on animal figures and flesh
The Great Minnesota Fish Book The Great Minnesota Fish Book Tom Dickson 2008 Fall
From walleye to bowfin to stickleback—vivid and entertaining profiles of Minnesota’s many different fishes
Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota Welby R. Smith 2008 Spring
Practical, comprehensive, and packed with information—the indispensable guide for identifying trees and shrubs in Minnesota
When Species Meet When Species Meet Donna J. Haraway 2007 Fall
Whom do we touch when we touch a dog? How does this touch shape our multispecies world?
Bataille’s Peak: Energy, Religion, and Postsustainability Bataille’s Peak Energy, Religion, and Postsustainability Allan Stoekl 2007 Fall
An audacious exploration of Bataille’s philosophy of energy within current conservation debates
Great Wolf and the Good Woodsman Great Wolf and the Good Woodsman Helen Hoover 2005 Fall
A classic story with a message of peace, tolerance, and kindness—illustrated by Betsy Bowen
Rain Forest Literatures: Amazonian Texts and Latin American Culture Rain Forest Literatures Amazonian Texts and Latin American Culture Lucia Sá 2004 Spring
Recaptures native literatures of the Amazonian rain forest
Spirit of the North: The Quotable Sigurd F. Olson Spirit of the North The Quotable Sigurd F. Olson Sigurd F. Olson David Backes, Editor 2004 Spring
An accessible and inspiring collection of Olson’s most enlightening words
A Plague of Frogs: Unraveling an Environmental Mystery A Plague of Frogs Unraveling an Environmental Mystery William Souder 2002 Fall
An alarming account of the effects of environmental degradation-now in paperback for the first time!
Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience Space and Place The Perspective of Experience Yi-Fu Tuan 2001 Spring
On the 25th anniversary of its publication, a new edition of this foundational work on human geography.
A Wilderness Within: The Life of Sigurd F. Olson A Wilderness Within The Life of Sigurd F. Olson David Backes 1999 Fall
The critically acclaimed biography of this venerable naturalist and writer.