Nature

As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on "a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise" (Elizabeth Gilbert).

Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings--asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass--offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.

The Happy Camper is back! This time Kevin Callan is equipping campers with all they need to know about how to have fun in the great winter outdoors.

Complete Guide to Winter Camping is the only book on the market that will educate readers on both hot tenting and cold tenting.

Cold tenting -- without a heat source -- has been long considered the only way to winter camp. But Kevin Callan says that "hot tenting", or camping with a small stove in the tent, is a safe and fun way to camp in the winter elements. You're careful -- and you're warm!

Complete Guide to Winter Camping covers nearly every aspect of snow and ice fun and safety. Advice on setting up shelter to choosing a sleep system and warm clothing, gives readers the knowledge to outfit themselves properly to enjoy winter. And with chapters on how to track animals, check ice thickness, operate a snowmobile and catch a fish while ice fishing, the Happy Camper ensures you'll have a good time once you're all bundled up!

Complete with photos and expert advise from other seasoned winter campers and explorers, this book will appeal equally to car-camping families and adventurous individuals looking to extend their outdoors activities into another season.

Sunny days naturally draw people out-of-doors: we love to feel the warm, nourishing effect of direct sunlight on our bodies. But these days, the dangers of overexposure to the sun's rays are well known to everyone, and simply applying sunscreen isn't enough anymore. How do you choose the best sunscreen and sunglasses? What protective clothing should you wear? What role does global warming play? The answers to these and many more questions are found in this new pocket-sized handbook, released just in time for new labeling laws that require sunscreen packaging to include a "no-guarantee" disclaimer. Outdoor expert Buck Tilton shares the latest information and research on protecting yourself from the sun, with tips on determining your risk based on location, altitude, and time of day, as well as what foods help protect skin, and self-monitoring for signs of a problem. Armed with sun smarts, readers will be better prepared and protected when heading outdoors.

This easy introduction to outdoor life will ensure that even a novice won't get lost in the woods while finding an activity he loves to do in the great outdoors--whether it's hiking a 14er or camping on ice. With 400 strategies for engaging in the outdoors, and expert tips and tricks, The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide makes Mother Nature easier to understand than ever before. Brendan Leonard, writer, filmmaker, and outdoor adventurer, shows the reader how rewarding it can be to live life away from the computer and get outside. From mountain climbing, to skiing, sledding, and sailing, Leonard shows that you don't need to be a risk taker to enjoy the outdoors. And if the reader does find himself at the point of man vs. nature, Leonard shares survival skills from how to bandage a wound and read a topographical map, to how to drive on sand and remove a tick from your skin--all organized thematically and written in short takeaway entries with helpful line drawings. Bound in a uniquely rugged (and waterproof!) PVC cover material, The Great Outdoors: A User's Guide is a friendly way into the outdoor lifestyle, whether you're looking to dabble or go all in.