May We Recommend... Watch, Read & Listen with the Forest Society

Here are a few recommendations from the Forest Society’s staff for you to watch, read, and listen to now that we're all staying closer to home.

• Fiction & Nonfiction Books

Emily Landry, Easement Steward, recommends:

The Nature Fix by Florence Williams

"Very interesting studies that show how nature can give you a boost (which I thoroughly agree with)."

Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols

"This book is similar to 'The Nature Fix.' It explains how being near water can improve your well being.

Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

"Trees are more like humans than you might think. This book describes the life of trees in a way I’ve never heard about."

Anna Berry, Digital Outreach Manager, recommends:

Losing the Garden: The Story of a Marriage, by Laura Waterman*

"I read this after reading, 'Good Morning Midnight: Life and Death in the Wild,' by Chip Brown about renowned conservationist and climber Guy Waterman and highly recommend both. Losing the Garden is a heartbreaking and beautiful look inside the marriage of Guy and Laura Waterman and the extraordinary homestead they built together in Vermont.

* I've been alternted that this book (and "Good Morning Midnight") may be out of print. You can search online for used copies or try the e-book... here's the Kindle verson.)

The Bear by Andrew Krivak

"This is the story of a young girl and her father who are (probably) the last humans on earth. It's not the usual post-apocolyptic fare although the author calls it cautionary; you don't find out much about what happened to humankind. It's primarily a wilderness fable set in the forest, following the rhythm of the natural world next to a 'mountain that stands alone.' According to the author, who has a home in Jaffrey, the inspiration for the setting was Mount Monadnock and the story takes place as 'the veil between humans and nature lifts.' It's a heartbreaking, yet hopeful, work that I recommend if you're in the mood for this type of fare!"

As Simple As That: Collected Essays by Edie Clark

In these essays based on observations of the natural world and rooted in farm life in the Monadnock Region, Edie Clark uses humor and hard-won truths to connect you with the adventures that make up everyday life in New Hampshire.

• Children’s Books

Andrew Crowley, Land Steward Program Coordinator, recommends:

From Tree to Tree House - Chip & Emily’s Magic Flume Ride  ~Coloring Book

"It’s a kids coloring book put out by the Northeastern Young Lumber Execs. I got it free from my local hardware store, but folks can buy them online. Really fun coloring book that has a story about “... a wild journey of discovery about America’s wondrous forest resources” It’s tree propaganda for kids — it keeps them out of their parents' hair, and it’s fun and educational."

AND the full list of children's books we've read during Fireside Friday on Facebook:

The Giving Tree; Miss Rumphius; The Night Tree; The Lorax; Amber’s Sick Day; Owl Moon; Matthew Wheelock’s Wall; Old Home Day; Ox Cart Man; Why Would Anyone Cut Down a Tree?; Roxaboxen; Possum and the Peeper; Strega Nona; Those Darn Squirrels; A Year with Mama Earth; Trees Make Perfect Pets; Squirrel's Family Tree; Cat in the Clouds; The Vegetables Go to Bed; Sing a Song of Popcorn:  Every Child's Book of Poems; Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost; Blueberry Shoe; Sometimes Rain.

• Movies to Watch

Carrie Deegan, Community Engagement and Volunteers Director, recommends:

The Big Year (2011)

"Hilarious comedy based on the book,The Big Year, by Mark Obmascik, which follows three obsessed birdwatchers in their attempt to see the greatest number of species of birds in North America in a single year. The weird and wonderful world of competitive birding- acted out by comedic actors Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson- is really hysterically funny, even for people who know nothing about birds. You don’t have to be a bird nerd to enjoy this comedy, I promise!"

Into the Wild (2007)

"Great movie based on the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (also really good), the story of a young man, Christopher McCandless, who gets rid of all his money and possessions and walks off into the wilds of Alaska to find himself. He makes some poor choices and it doesn’t end well, but you can’t help but relate to his journey of self-discovery if you’ve ever fantasized about walking into the wilderness and not coming back for awhile. Bonuses: the cinematography is beautiful, and the soundtrack by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder is killer."

• Listen & Interact

Anna Berry, Digital Outreach Manager, recommends these podcasts:

Outside/In Podcast from NHPR

A quirky, compelling exploration of issues and stories from the natural world. Check out the four-part series called Powerline on the environmental benefits and human costs of clean energy. 

1619 from The New York Times

An essential reckoning with America's roots in slavery, two episodes called "The Land of Our Fathers" compel a re-thinking on our relationship and history with farming.

Emily Landry, Easement Steward, recommends these apps:

Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell Lab

My favorite app to look at and identify birds. Totally free and had many wonderful features including “Find my Bird.”

Star Chart for Android and Apple

You can use this app to help you identify stars, planets, constellations, and more in the night sky!