Fresh Picks

From the award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of Cod and Salt, To Catch a Fish is an entertaining and beautifully written illustrated collection of essays that explore a lifetime fascination with fishing.

For as long as there have been humans, there have been humans trying to catch fish. The two species—fish and man—live in constant tension. One chases the other. One tries to get away. Some of us—author Mark Kurlansky included—are hard-wired for that chase. Guiding readers through the waters and into the mind of the fish, Kurlansky considers who fish are and why they behave the way they do, and along the way delves into the many approaches to catching a fish, their ecology, and the ins and outs of cooking and eating your catch.

Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a novice, or simply want to explore the world of fish, the forty short essays in this collection and the dazzling illustrations by Bri Dostie, shed new light on these creatures and our relationship to them.

This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

Botanizing is the new birding! This fascinating book of 101 botany prompts is about the joy of getting to know plants in much the same way we get to know birds, through observation and attention. 

Let’s Botanize! is a guide to learning about and understanding the world of plants, a hobby that can ease stress, bring joy, and deepen your connection with the incredible diversity of life all around you. With easy entry points and lush photography, the 101 prompts inspire readers to engage with plant life meaningfully each day by observing the parts, patterns, and processes that make plants so amazing. Examine a bud at the tip of a branch—does it have hairs or scales? What is the most brightly colored plant part you can find that is not a flower or a fruit? Listen to the plants—what sounds do you hear them making? Follow the prompts on dedicated walks in the woods, on your sidewalk, on your commute to work, or even in your kitchen! Revisit prompts at different times of year, in different countries, climates, and ecosystems. As you learn more, you may even find that revisiting the same prompt and the same tree can provide a completely different perspective as you become more familiar with the wonderful world of plants.

This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

From a clinical  herbalist and teacher, this holistic guide provides relief to anyone looking to maintain bodily harmony and wellness without the use of over the counter solutions.

An antacid or an aspirin may soothe your pain, but it doesn’t cure the cause of your symptoms. Pain and discomfort are signs of imbalance in the body, and learning to read those cues is a key step in maintaining optimal health. Herbalist Maria Noël Groves shows you how to interpret your body’s signals and support your own wellness with herbal remedies and other natural treatments. You’ll learn how each of your major body systems optimally functions, and discover how to use natural remedies to nourish and repair problem areas, restore lost vitality, support your body as a whole, and prevent future problems.

Groves includes in-depth instructions and step-by-step photographs for making your own herbal remedies, as well as expert guidance on buying and effectively using commercial preparations.

Silver Nautilus Book Award Winner for Health & Healing 

Grow a vegetable garden that provides a bounty of food, in harmony with your environment and suited to your bioregion, with this comprehensive guide to every step in the process, from starting seeds to harvest and storage. 

In this essential reference for growing vegetables without harming the environment, the creators of Wild Abundance—a respected gardening school in North Carolina—share their decades of experience with gardening techniques and practices rooted in permaculture. They teach you how to create a garden that suits your growing conditions and empower you to make your own choices by explaining the “why” behind the “how-to.” In addition to providing detailed step-by-step information, they analyze the pros and cons of different approaches, weaving in their personal experiences to show the effects of each method in real gardens, based on their gardening trials in a variety of different regions.

This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

Discover the many healing and culinary uses of the familiar wild plant, the dandelion, with this colorful, accessible guide from a leading medical herbalist.

Dandelion Medicine, 2nd Edition is a colorful dive into the many creative uses of dandelions for food and medicine. From dandelion root “coffee” to dandelion flower cookies, there are dozens of delicious ways to use the plant in food, and all parts of the dandelion are medicinal in a variety of ways. Dandelion is a flower that almost everyone knows from a young age, so there’s little danger of harvesting the wrong plant—making it ideal for the novice forager. Author Brigitte Mars has been an herbalist for more than 50 years, and has developed an extensive knowledge of and love for the plant over that time. In addition to providing ideas for ways to use the plant, she also shares some of the history and lore surrounding the dandelion, creating a book that is both a practical guide and a fascinating read.

This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

Learn to make artful baskets from foraged materials, with this comprehensive guide to identifying, harvesting, and weaving wild plants. 

All kinds of plant parts can be used for basketmaking—including leaves, grasses, stems, vines, and bark. Author and basketmaker Katie Grove offers complete instructions for harvesting and preparing more than 50 plants for basketmaking, along with 14 different projects that teach the nine essential basketry techniques, including cordage, coiling, twining, wickerwork, and more. An illustrated harvest calendar explains when each plant is ready for harvesting, and photos of every step in the process, from harvesting to weaving, demonstrate the techniques.