Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver

by Mary Oliver, Sophia Bush (Narrator)

A celebration of the beloved, award-winning poet Mary Oliver, narrated by actress and activist Sophia Bush featuring selections from the late poet’s work, in her own voice, plus a tapestry of complementary voices reflecting on Oliver’s legacy.

Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver is a first of its kind audio commemoration of one of the greatest poets in modern history. Actress and activist Sophia Bush guides listeners on a journey of contemplation and discovery into the artistry of Mary Oliver as remembered by many who were most greatly impacted by it. For the first time, Oliver’s Bennington College students open up about what it was like to have her for a teacher, friends and neighbors recall her love of place and nature, multi-faith leaders contemplate her spiritual lessons, and high-profile artists and fans like Carmen Maria Machado, Ross Gay, and Rainn Wilson, among others, reflect on the profound influence of her poetry on their own work and lives.

Wild and Precious features over 30 poems (including “The Summer Day,” “When Death Comes,” and “In Blackwater Woods”) alongside abiding admiration for Oliver’s craft and sheds new light on one of the greatest poets and writers in modern history. The result is a tapestry of sound that weaves together recollections of first-hand accounts with the poet, readings of her poetry by contributors and by Oliver herself, and personal testimonials—both heart-wrenching and joyful—of Oliver’s imprint on American culture.

A meditative trek deep into the heart of Mary Oliver’s legacy, Wild and Precious is a perfect entry for poetry newcomers and a must-listen for fans.

Contributors include: actress and activist Sophia Bush, chef Samin Nosrat, poet Ross Gay, writer Carmen Maria Machado, actress Busy Philipps, writer and actor Rainn Wilson, memoirist Claire Bidwell Smith, and bestselling author Susan Cain.

Genres: Poetry, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Nature, Biography, Spirituality, Memoir

5 pages, Audiobook

Published April 11, 2023

About the author

Mary Jane Oliver was an American poet who won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Her work is inspired by nature, rather than the human world, stemming from her lifelong passion for solitary walks in the wild.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Oliver was a chain smoker who hid pencils in the trees around Provincetown so that she would always have a writing utensil on hand. She was private and internal, yet never locked her doors at night. She metaphorically holds mine and thousands of others' hands every day as we wander through our foreign lives. She's a constant reminder to take a breath, take a walk, or take five minutes to acknowledge that we cannot possibly be the most complex creatures to exist. There are literally whales in the sea, and bees in the air, and skunk cabbage being the first to bloom in the spring !! How can anything be more intricate and fascinating than that?

At twenty years old, she was technically my first poetry teacher (thank you for your service, A Poetry Handbook) and is now, by far, my favorite poet. So, I guess that's all to say that she is so important to me, and therefore this is so important to me. I cried like a baby while listening. It was somehow all about Mary Oliver but also the whole world and those sticky, strange connections that make us all intertwined. I just completely loved it.

Pleeeeaaase, pleeeeaaase give it a listen!!! I'm begging!!!

[Samantha Kolber · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re not already a Mary Oliver fan, you will be after listening to this. Although it’s an audiobook it feels more like an extended podcast with all the interviews and contributing authors reading poems and talking about Oliver’s work and life. You may cry. And you may want to invite poetry and awe and wonder and nature walks into your life more.

[MacKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After one listen I already know this will be a new comfort listen for me. It was so good! Mary Oliver’s poetry is already something that means so much to me, and with the addition of commentary from others impacted similarly by her words, I was just blown out of the water.

The audio production is also so lovely. The background nature sounds made me feel so peaceful.

I found a new favorite.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This can reignite the light in your soul that our capitalist society often dulls out.
It can remind you to enjoy the bite of apple you take. Or the sound of a bird outside. Or to even appreciate a cloudy day.

If you are a Mary Oliver fan, or if you appreciate nature and are open to learning about a beloved poet, give this a listen. It even includes recordings of Mary Oliver reading some of her poems.

This formatting was different than other audiobooks I've consumed, since it includes clips from contributors speak in other interviews (I think?). But I absolutely adored it.

[Whitney Mashburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this audiobook, as I adore Mary Oliver’s poetry and essays. However, this book is essentially an extended podcast. The way the multiple speakers discuss Mary Oliver’s work is unfortunately cringe-worthy, and simultaneously overdramatized and quite casual. As for me, I’ll go back to reading Oliver’s work and allowing it to speak for itself. If you like podcast-style discussions, you will probably like this audiobook more than I did.

[meriwether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally crying on the plane while listening to this book. For someone whose writing was not overtly religious, it touches on something so spiritual. And it’s something I have been missing lately and feels so good to have encountered again.

One of the speakers in this book mused about something Mary had said or written along the lines of “each of us are carrying a great hurt around with us. And we’re all comically pretending to each other that we’re not hurt and no one around us is either.” And I think this might be something that changes the course of how I see and interact with the world.

So glad to get the chance to reconnect with poetry, and so thankful to Mary Oliver and how she lived her one wild and precious life.

[Ebony (EKG) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i seriously have not cried this much to a book in years. this was real and complicated and so beautiful. i will reread this again and again.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have words to describe how beautiful this audio collection is, but instead feel the need to share an excerpt from one of Mary’s beautiful poems. I love the vision of ambition. She’s a little bit anxious. Uncomfortable to be in this moment of stillness.
———————————————————————————
Listen, says ambition, nervously shifting her weight from
one boot to another — why don’t you get going?

For there I am, in the mossy shadows, under the trees.

And to tell the truth I don’t want to let go of the wrists
of idleness, I don’t want to sell my life for money,

I don’t even want to come in out of the rain.

Black Oaks by Mary Oliver.

[Emily Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lil guy was a delight that I’ll surely come back to, like Devotions. It’s just that I am a lil freak and had already read/heard most of this information, as it also features readers/interviewees who are some of my favorite writers.

[Colleen Chi-Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mary Oliver and thought the narrators did an interesting, fun, and atypical style. The poems are lovely, as always, about nature and life. Mary Oliver is so simple yet elegant and deep.

I thank the free Libby app and our library system who stock such amazing audiobooks.

I like reading Mary Oliver, alone, outside, inside, doesn’t matter.

Her poetry fills me with hope and joy, helps me to remember to take a break and appreciate my garden, the beauty of the outdoors, the respite of nature, along with walking and hiking, especially during this bleak time in our country’s history.

Highly recommend her on or off audio.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to listen to this, because one of my colleagues recommended it. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of poetry, nor did I really know much about Mary Oliver before listening to this. This was an incredibly done audiobook. I enjoyed hearing Mary read some of her poetry, but I especially loved, hearing from people whose lives she had touched. The impact someone can have on a life can be tremendous, and it is beautiful. When people are able to speak about it. After finishing this audiobook, I went to the local bookstore and bought devotions so I could dive into some of her work.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

My soul sister, a bride married to amazement. I can’t imagine going through the seasons without her words, which never fail to fill me with an immense love, joy and nostalgia. This one is very well done audiobook, it has everything - Mary Oliver’s calm voice reciting her beautiful poems, personal anecdotes from people who knew her, and of course follow readers sharing their appreciation of her art, the role she played in their lives and their favourite poems (some of which are my favourites, too). Beautiful celebration 💛

[Nico · Rating 4 out of 5]

very lovely very heartwarming

[Devon Puffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done. Will be on my list to relisten to regularly.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a chorus of voices who love, praise, respect, and are also in awe of Mary Oliver. My fav story was from another poet who shared a taxi with her but they all had to wait for her to chain smoke 6 cigs before getting going. Love her even more now.

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a mind, what a spirit. This was so tender and honest and loving. The various contributors added so much in fleshing out the woman behind the words. Beautiful! Beautiful.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

first half made me feel religious and close to tears on my insanely euphoric bus ride home, second half was also good but one lady lowkey why did she monologue so long. thanks rainn wilson?

[Sharese Suriel-Kabigting · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so impactful and beautifully done. I read Dog Songs prior to listening to this. So, I had an idea of Mary Oliver's writing but I quickly realized that I needed more of her work in my life. I bought a collection of her poems right after I finished. This brought me to tears, made me laugh, and mostly it made me think about how I'm living my life and if I'm living it fully. If you're a fan of nature, poetry and vulnerability, give this a listen.

TW: This audiobook discusses suicide/suicidal thoughts and death.

[Rachel Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed this but the format wasn’t my favorite. I think I would rather have had chapters organized by person (like one chapter by Rainn Wilson, one by Ross Gay) instead of the thematic organization. The best part for me was the biographical information from her friends/neighbors and the snippets of Mary reading her own poetry.

[Hannah Schumacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to sound super corny but it really felt like the perfect read to get me recalibrated with a better perspective for a new year. The audiobook (idk if it’s even in print?) was a small collection of interviews with people who were touched by her poetry or just by knowing her, interspersed with recordings of the poems. I’m not even well-read in Mary Oliver poetry but everyone has seen at least some of her stuff on like a coffee mug you know? I’m a fan now though, what I heard was not trite at all and even deeply moving.

[Jillian Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a combination of a book club and a podcast. Made me wish there were a podcast that featured writers, their work, and the people who love them.

[ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one book that I would recommend to every reader of Mary Oliver, it would be this. I'll probably recommend this to people who have never read any of her work, too. All of the contributors in this book were so earnest and genuine with their stories. I laughed and I cried. Listening to Mary Oliver read her own work gave the selected poems such a dynamic light and I came away with a significantly deeper relationship to her work.

Listening to "Humpbacks" narrated by Rainn Wilson was an unexpected highlight of this book. I love that poem so much and hearing his personal story about encountering a whale for the first time was such a delightful addition.

Two words: Read this.

[katcxfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first experience with Mary Oliver is in 'My Friends' by Fredrik Backman with the quote "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” I immediately wanted to read more of her poetry and her works. I've been on an audiobook kick, and when I found this audiobook, I had to start it immediately.

I did not know what to expect, and this was a lot different from what I thought it would be. This audiobook had interviews with people who either knew Mary Oliver or were impacted by her work. This was was wonderful surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. There were also parts where Mary Oliver or someone else would read her poetry. I love listening to how her work impacted people, and that was the best part of this book. I love listening to the impact someone else's words had on their life. I am such a big reader, and when words/quotes/ books stay with you, is the best feeling ever.

[Lindsey Bluher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading more Mary Oliver, I wanted to get a better understanding of her writing and life, and this was a wonderful way to experience learning about her legacy and approach to poetry. The production of this audiobook was such a delightful experience—inserting the sounds of nature and poems read by Mary herself was just… perfect. Highly recco for someone who loves Mary as well as the beginners like myself.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Mary Oliver's work, are curious about Mary Oliver's work, or want to know a bit more about the reclusive human behind that wondrous architecture of words and curiosity, go to Audible now and download this audiobook.

Those featured are earnest admirers of her work and share insights both great and small that illuminate what Mary means to so many, how to enter into her work with holy wonder, and what it means to live a life of deep attention.

I loved this listening experience.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neljä tuntia pohdintaa ja tunnelmointia Mary Oliverista, en voinut olla kuuntelematta. Oliver ei todellakaan kertonut itsestään julkisuuteen hirveästi - siksi tällainen muistelu kai tehtiin, mut siks se myös on erityisen kiinnostava. Tässä puhuu Oliverin tuttuja ja oppilaita, mut myös paljon vaan randomeja semitunnettuja amerikkalaisia jota Oliverin runot on koskettaneet.
Välillä meni periamerikkalaiseksi tunnepuheeksi ja latteuksiksi jostain surun olemuksesta, mut ne runot on vaan niin hyviä että tämä kantoi ihan hyvin.
Tää sijoittuu kirjan ja kuunnelman väliin, ja lähemmäs kuunnelmaa - tuntuu vähän oudolta kirjata tätä ees Goodreadsiin. Pushkinilta hienosti ja viimeisen päälle tuotettu juttu, kuuntelisin tällaisia lisääkin.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balm and tonic in the higher stress weeks before a presidential election. Humanity. Beauty. Slowing down. Noticing. I’m grateful I got to listen to this audio celebration of Mary Oliver at the exact season of my life that I did.

[Maricarmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love getting to hear Mary Oliver poems as much as the next person and it made me happy to hear people be so passionate and earnest in their love for her work but it felt more like a podcast than a book.

[Abbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a lovely little gem 🍃

[Katie Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

all the coolest people love mary oliver. also cried a lot during the dog stories