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The School of Life
How to Connect with Nature
A deep knowledge of our natural environment is no longer a vital part of everyday survival, certainly for those of us living in cities and working in weatherproof offices. Unless we have an inherent love of the great outdoors, do we really need to connect with nature? Tristan Gooley believes that real connection, no matter how small, can enrich us as individuals, allowing us to see every living thing in its own intricate network. Offering a host of techniques, he helps us awaken our senses and deepen our understanding of nature’s cycles, conflicts and relationships. By cultivating the right mindset we can gain a better appreciation of the world, both indoors and outdoors.
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
July 25, 2020
I’ll save you time of reading the book. Go outside and watch what happens. That’s it. I thought the book would be more in-depth than that.
June 16, 2017
My thanks to NetGalley and The Experiment for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This is a very difficult book to review. It seemed to me to be a mishmash of different genres, or a dumbing down of a scientific topic for the masses.
What makes me say this is that at times it feels rather memoir-y and personal to the author, which was fine, no complaints. But other parts were more of what I expected, nature and some science behind it. Only the science didn't really blow me away. No citations, no notes (please note this was an ARC that I read, the finished copy may have these things) and the bibliography was rather scanty. Granted, the book was not that long, but I expected more in the way of expanding my TBR.
Also, the author stated quite a few things very absolutely. But no proof to back him up. The point in question was if plants hear or not. He's pretty emphatic in his "no", but there is not ONE shred of evidence that he uses to back this up. Now, that is a topic that interests me, so I have read articles, papers, etc. about how plants DO react to different types of music, whether it is ail and do poorly or move towards the speakers, to the point of wrapping themselves around said speakers. No, I don't have the paper citation for you, but this is a book review, not a book where a citation is needed. I can get that info for you, if interested. I think a simple Google search will do it.
So the fact that he is all "nope. nope, nopity nope" about it and the lack of ANY citations moved this down a star for me.
The mash-up of genres and the somewhat lowest common denominator feel of this book also lowered it one star. It's not a bad book, but it is just a quick dip into the pond as it were. I was expecting a more thorough lesson in nature and how to understand it. This was for a severe novice, though to be fair, you HAVE to start at the very beginning and master those skills before you can move on to more advanced concepts.
This was not what I was expecting at all. The book itself isn't bad and it is clear that the author knows his stuff, I just don't feel like he shared much of his knowledge in this particular book. I do own his book on how to read water and plan to read it soon. I admit to being rather apprehensive about it now, but like I said, he knows his stuff. The book won't be fluff, but it may not be as in-depth as I would like.
3.5 stars, rounded down because this book was not a four to me. I felt that there could have been more to it. I am frustrated in that regard. Not a bad book, a good book for beginners in observation. Worth a look.
This is a very difficult book to review. It seemed to me to be a mishmash of different genres, or a dumbing down of a scientific topic for the masses.
What makes me say this is that at times it feels rather memoir-y and personal to the author, which was fine, no complaints. But other parts were more of what I expected, nature and some science behind it. Only the science didn't really blow me away. No citations, no notes (please note this was an ARC that I read, the finished copy may have these things) and the bibliography was rather scanty. Granted, the book was not that long, but I expected more in the way of expanding my TBR.
Also, the author stated quite a few things very absolutely. But no proof to back him up. The point in question was if plants hear or not. He's pretty emphatic in his "no", but there is not ONE shred of evidence that he uses to back this up. Now, that is a topic that interests me, so I have read articles, papers, etc. about how plants DO react to different types of music, whether it is ail and do poorly or move towards the speakers, to the point of wrapping themselves around said speakers. No, I don't have the paper citation for you, but this is a book review, not a book where a citation is needed. I can get that info for you, if interested. I think a simple Google search will do it.
So the fact that he is all "nope. nope, nopity nope" about it and the lack of ANY citations moved this down a star for me.
The mash-up of genres and the somewhat lowest common denominator feel of this book also lowered it one star. It's not a bad book, but it is just a quick dip into the pond as it were. I was expecting a more thorough lesson in nature and how to understand it. This was for a severe novice, though to be fair, you HAVE to start at the very beginning and master those skills before you can move on to more advanced concepts.
This was not what I was expecting at all. The book itself isn't bad and it is clear that the author knows his stuff, I just don't feel like he shared much of his knowledge in this particular book. I do own his book on how to read water and plan to read it soon. I admit to being rather apprehensive about it now, but like I said, he knows his stuff. The book won't be fluff, but it may not be as in-depth as I would like.
3.5 stars, rounded down because this book was not a four to me. I felt that there could have been more to it. I am frustrated in that regard. Not a bad book, a good book for beginners in observation. Worth a look.
November 1, 2014
So, this is my first review on Goodreads (hooray!). Perhaps this doesn't qualify so much as a review, but let me give it a try.
As a nature admirer, I was hooked at first since I saw it on the bookstore. I bought it then, and I admit I didn't regret the decision at all. It is really a refreshing book with insights on how to sense nature around you, and the interesting things of doing so. Although sometimes there are things I don't directly agree (like about conflicts, although yet later I admit it). Other than senses, the book also tells you about what to sense, and how to sense the things and the relationships among things in nature, which in turn also tell about something to you (like the place, time, and so on).
I love how it emphasizes on the process of your sensing the nature, towards making you a better connected person, not just to nature, but also possibly to people around you. I also love how it points out the things you should be interested in (not just the apparent beauty, but how things changes and from time to time, and yes, also about how conflicts are in natural life - everyday survival of plants and animals and so on). Yet since this book is originally published in the UK (CMIIW), the author mostly lists natural knowledge in the UK. But that doesn't deter me to rate this book 5 stars (for it is simply informative, elegant, and awesome).
For those who wants to, for whatever reason, reconnect with nature, I think this really is the book you should read.
As a nature admirer, I was hooked at first since I saw it on the bookstore. I bought it then, and I admit I didn't regret the decision at all. It is really a refreshing book with insights on how to sense nature around you, and the interesting things of doing so. Although sometimes there are things I don't directly agree (like about conflicts, although yet later I admit it). Other than senses, the book also tells you about what to sense, and how to sense the things and the relationships among things in nature, which in turn also tell about something to you (like the place, time, and so on).
I love how it emphasizes on the process of your sensing the nature, towards making you a better connected person, not just to nature, but also possibly to people around you. I also love how it points out the things you should be interested in (not just the apparent beauty, but how things changes and from time to time, and yes, also about how conflicts are in natural life - everyday survival of plants and animals and so on). Yet since this book is originally published in the UK (CMIIW), the author mostly lists natural knowledge in the UK. But that doesn't deter me to rate this book 5 stars (for it is simply informative, elegant, and awesome).
For those who wants to, for whatever reason, reconnect with nature, I think this really is the book you should read.
May 28, 2021
This isn't really a how-to book. There are no step-by-step instructions, and while there are some exercises included, they don't form anything like a curriculum. A better title would be "A selection of ways to experience new aspects of nature, and why you should care."
Reading this book is alternately fascinating and frustrating, but more often the latter. Gooley jumps topics nearly every paragraph, none of the (sometimes questionable) science is cited, and the tone often wanders into the evangelical realm of a first-year college philosophy student who thinks he's got everything figured out.
However: mixed in with all the obnoxious writing, there are lots of ideas and exercises to pique your curiosity and remind you of all the mysteries that surround you. Flip this book open to any page, and you'll find something that will make you think, "I never knew that! Is that really so? How does that work? If that's true, what does that mean for the things I thought I knew before? I wonder if this other similar thing is also true?" You won't find any of those answers here - the author's moved on to something else before you even finish thinking the question. But there's value in the questions themselves.
If you want a book to both inspire your scientific curiosity and remind you why a healthy skepticism is so important to rigorous thought, you could do worse than this one.
Reading this book is alternately fascinating and frustrating, but more often the latter. Gooley jumps topics nearly every paragraph, none of the (sometimes questionable) science is cited, and the tone often wanders into the evangelical realm of a first-year college philosophy student who thinks he's got everything figured out.
However: mixed in with all the obnoxious writing, there are lots of ideas and exercises to pique your curiosity and remind you of all the mysteries that surround you. Flip this book open to any page, and you'll find something that will make you think, "I never knew that! Is that really so? How does that work? If that's true, what does that mean for the things I thought I knew before? I wonder if this other similar thing is also true?" You won't find any of those answers here - the author's moved on to something else before you even finish thinking the question. But there's value in the questions themselves.
If you want a book to both inspire your scientific curiosity and remind you why a healthy skepticism is so important to rigorous thought, you could do worse than this one.
November 24, 2017
Pay attention. Be curious. Learn.
More of a reminder than an education, but a pleasant little journey.
More of a reminder than an education, but a pleasant little journey.
February 28, 2021
Avoid at all costs.
Title is completely misleading. This is less of instruction on reading nature and more of the meandering ramblings of a nature fan. But I'd like to reiterate: this had no instruction in what the title claims: taking signs from nature to infer useful information. Gooley rambles about everything but how to read nature, and when he does cover things related to it, the concepts are broad. No specifics are included.
I wanted to check out mentally when he started insulting his readership, but I didn't. I even held through the immature jokes of, ahem, "squirrel molestation." I figured there might be something I'd glean from the work by the end. I was wrong.
Gooley has no business writing about science. He's a navigator, a fact that he makes sure to let everyone know by repeating it over 10 times. I would have been more interested in a book by Gooley written about navigation, but there's no assurance it would have been better.
Please do not waste your time.
Title is completely misleading. This is less of instruction on reading nature and more of the meandering ramblings of a nature fan. But I'd like to reiterate: this had no instruction in what the title claims: taking signs from nature to infer useful information. Gooley rambles about everything but how to read nature, and when he does cover things related to it, the concepts are broad. No specifics are included.
I wanted to check out mentally when he started insulting his readership, but I didn't. I even held through the immature jokes of, ahem, "squirrel molestation." I figured there might be something I'd glean from the work by the end. I was wrong.
Gooley has no business writing about science. He's a navigator, a fact that he makes sure to let everyone know by repeating it over 10 times. I would have been more interested in a book by Gooley written about navigation, but there's no assurance it would have been better.
Please do not waste your time.
March 7, 2018
وقتي زمين آن قدر گل بدهد كه هفت گل مرواريد زير يك پاي تو جا شود، بهار از راه رسيده است.
July 5, 2017
A good introductory text on how to read and become aware of nature. Short, and therefore limited in scope, hopping from topic to topic, which acts well to pique interest and would easily lead off into reading in more detail for those interested. UK-based, so not directly translatable to other countries, but the lessons could still be applied to other landscapes.
August 9, 2015
The text is very meditative and reflective in nature. It was soothing, calming, insightful and easy to read. At the end of some chapters, there is an exercise you can do to help attune yourself better to specific messages/signs/signals nature sends out.
March 8, 2023
Въпреки доста пространната ми любов към природата, „Как да се свържем с природата“, ми обеща много, но в крайна сметка ми даде твърде малко. Твърденията на автора, че ще научи читателите как да станат по-приспособени към естествения свят около тях си остават напразни - книгата вместо това предлага някакви неясни и повърхностни наблюдения.
Стилът на писане е претенциозен и прекалено многословен, може би характерен за много британски автори, наситен с претрупани метафори и ненужно сложен език. Опитите на автора да ни научи на нещо са твърде неясни. В смисъл, неясно е на какво се опитва да ни научи - дори ако вземем предвид заглавието, което в прав текст казва на какво би трябвало да се опитва да ни научи...
Обещаните прозрения за природния свят около нас са малко, като по-голямата част от книгата се състои от криволичещи и безсмислени наблюдения, които предлагат малко като практически съвети или насоки.
Стилът на писане е претенциозен и прекалено многословен, може би характерен за много британски автори, наситен с претрупани метафори и ненужно сложен език. Опитите на автора да ни научи на нещо са твърде неясни. В смисъл, неясно е на какво се опитва да ни научи - дори ако вземем предвид заглавието, което в прав текст казва на какво би трябвало да се опитва да ни научи...
Обещаните прозрения за природния свят около нас са малко, като по-голямата част от книгата се състои от криволичещи и безсмислени наблюдения, които предлагат малко като практически съвети или насоки.
February 2, 2018
I got this book from my library. Great little experience in learning how to focus more on absorbing and observing nature. But connecting to nature is the ultimate goal here. A very practical guide with exercises and thoughtful stimulation. One special aspect is that the author recognizes that “we do not all get the same ride. Each of us experiences different peaks and troughs of wakefulness each day.” So, our individuality with nature is highly significant. You are you own authority here in learning about nature and making your own discoveries. The chapter Beauty of Conflict speaks to the challenges of survival in nature and in ourselves as well. If you want a book to help you transcend the ordinary, this is one road that has plenty of food for thought. Very enjoyable!
July 14, 2018
A short book about learning to pay attention to the nature around you. The examples in the book are mostly from the English countryside, but you can apply the lessons to things around you. I already pay a great deal of attention to the things around me, humans excepted. For example, I noticed that the (unnamed) font in this edition had a profusion of lovely ligatures not usually present. Mr. Gooley teaches that you can tell which direction is south by looking carefully at the shapes of trees, or the direction of satellite antennas. In my neighborhood I noticed a solar panel installed under a shade tree, and facing north, giving a clue to how much of a nature lover must be the worker who installed it.
July 17, 2022
As others have pointed out, if you are looking for a pocket reference book that shows you how to interpret or track things outdoors, you won’t find it here. The “How to” makes the title a bit misleading; “Things to Consider About Nature” would be more accurate.
It makes a decent introduction to a variety of nature-related topics, but you'll need to look elsewhere to satisfy your curiosity on any of these topics. It's a quick read, which is good because Gooley generalizes about people almost as often as he condescends, and often combines these two habits for maximum pompousness.
It makes a decent introduction to a variety of nature-related topics, but you'll need to look elsewhere to satisfy your curiosity on any of these topics. It's a quick read, which is good because Gooley generalizes about people almost as often as he condescends, and often combines these two habits for maximum pompousness.
January 5, 2017
Very easy read and good book, laugh out loud funny at times too. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who does not feel they have a strong connection with nature or looking to rekindle their relationship. I'm a nature lover myself so a lot of the activities/helpful advice inside the book I have already been doing for years without knowing the benefit, so nothing in the book gave me an "aha moment". Still throughly enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone who already appreciates the beauty of nature or trying to find a deeper meaning in it.
December 14, 2017
Logging the last of my 2017 reads today so that they'll count towards this year's Reading Challenge totals. Full review coming in early 2018.
April 2, 2018
What I expected: fun and informative.
What I got: condescending and pretentious.
1 star.
What I got: condescending and pretentious.
1 star.
June 19, 2018
I loved the concept of this book but the execution was horrid. The author was condescending and trite. Didn’t get past p50
July 25, 2023
This was a pleasant read. My expectations were low but I certainly feel more peaceful after reading this. Gooley, I thought, did a wonderful job of including practical tips and exercises but focusing on the philosophical importance of the themes. He is so in tune with nature and is able to communicate that through his writing style and make it accessible. I hope one day I can see the world as beautifully as Gooley does.
January 28, 2020
Nature can tell you a lot about the time date season and location if you learn to read the signs. This book gives you examples of how nature informed our ancestors about the world around them so they didn’t need gadgets. Now the average person has no clue as to these skills. This book will make you think about getting in closer contact with Nature and want to learn to read what she has to say.
September 5, 2018
An inspiring little book which heartily encourages the reader to engage with nature by looking more closely at their surroundings and by allowing themselves to be curious about what they encounter with their senses no matter how humble. The author convincingly proposes that this endeavor to connect with nature, besides being good for us, can result in truly inspired originality in our thinking and creative ideas.
December 26, 2023
Entertaining: 6/10
Transformational: 6/10
His other books are better! Some of the sections are good, but the writing felt a little sanctimonious at the end.
Transformational: 6/10
His other books are better! Some of the sections are good, but the writing felt a little sanctimonious at the end.
August 21, 2024
برای آشنایی و دوستی بیشتر با طبیعت کتاب جالبی هست.
ترجمه ساده و روانی داشت
ترجمه ساده و روانی داشت
October 18, 2024
A fantastic book to rekindle one's appreciation of the outdoors, and a great starting point for the aspiring naturalist.
May 28, 2023
goodbook
March 4, 2023
Not a field guide, but an alternatively humorous and meditative tour of accessible ways to connect with nature - and life itself, really - especially for those who have been mostly unaware of the natural world since childhood.
"If our life is made up of perceptions and reactions, then the way we notice and react to a plant or animal helps define who we are. There is nothing original in making a billion dollars or ruling a nation; both have been done a thousand times before by others. The chances are that nobody has ever taken the time to solve the puzzle of how one particular straggly specimen of wild lettuce connects to them as an individual. This unusual line of enquiry will inevitably lead to changes in thought patterns, which will lead to noticing new things, which will subtly alter the way we think and behave. The result will be originality." pp. 153-4
Excellent list of further reading in the appendix.
"If our life is made up of perceptions and reactions, then the way we notice and react to a plant or animal helps define who we are. There is nothing original in making a billion dollars or ruling a nation; both have been done a thousand times before by others. The chances are that nobody has ever taken the time to solve the puzzle of how one particular straggly specimen of wild lettuce connects to them as an individual. This unusual line of enquiry will inevitably lead to changes in thought patterns, which will lead to noticing new things, which will subtly alter the way we think and behave. The result will be originality." pp. 153-4
Excellent list of further reading in the appendix.
July 9, 2021
I am not a Nature Study sort of mom. (I was also not a nature study sort of kid.) I appreciate the outdoors, and would much rather have trees out my window than anything manmade, but I'm allergic to sunlight and really really hate spiders, so I'm most comfortable and content curled up in a chair by a fire reading a book.
BUT... I would like to be a Nature Study Mom. I would like to give my kids the opportunity to spend their childhood not just playing in the woods, but understanding it. Gooley is an excellent author--passionate about his subject, conversational in tone, and extremely compelling as he urges his readers to engage with nature on a deeper level. To learn it and learn from it.
An excellent addition to any personal library, but especially for the homeschooling parent.
BUT... I would like to be a Nature Study Mom. I would like to give my kids the opportunity to spend their childhood not just playing in the woods, but understanding it. Gooley is an excellent author--passionate about his subject, conversational in tone, and extremely compelling as he urges his readers to engage with nature on a deeper level. To learn it and learn from it.
An excellent addition to any personal library, but especially for the homeschooling parent.
December 8, 2020
An introductory motivation for becoming more interested in nature. Doesn’t go into much specifics, but he does make a strong argument for making a hobby of understanding and enjoying the outdoors, and lays out the necessary materials/knowledge. The book is good if you take it for what it is, a syllabus for a lifelong course of study rather than a detailed class itself. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on “the beauty of conflict” as well as the observation the poets like Wordsworth reached acclaim because they were in areas of non-porous rocks sculpted by glaciers, which in turn created the picturesque lakes that inspired the artists.
April 29, 2019
I liked the premise of this book, encouraging folks to go out and just explore nature in its most basic forms. But it also felt a little shame-y. I felt the author had some vendetta against the modern era and technology. Folks can do both! Love those video games AND love nature. It's not one or the other. I still read the whole book and learned some interesting things.
October 30, 2017
Quick little read about ways in which you can get outside and actually BE outside. It's all about being present in the natural world and the benefits of doing so, and gets that across while being succinct and humorous to boot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews