The Common Uncommon: A Forest Journey

by Bernd Heinrich

From the renowned author of A Year in the Maine Woods, the intimate reflections of a lifetime spent observing the natural world.


For forty years, Bernd Heinrich has been ensconced in the woods of the northern, or boreal, forest, living in his log cabin amidst a vast sea of spruce, fir, and larch in the mountains of western Maine. In a land of winter snow, summer heat, and at times fire, drought, and flood, all life confronts vast and occasionally rapid environmental changes, as one day, and one season, may be a completely different environment from the next.


The Common Uncommon captures the rhythms of Heinrich’s seasonal life. From the forest he first encountered as a child of German refugees, Heinrich combines his powers of observation with professional expertise, as he notes the beautiful, but not entirely idiosyncratic characteristics—the “common uncommon”—of spiders, ants, chestnut trees, porcupines, owls, and mice. From the elusive single-cell organism called a euglena, which swims in fresh water and is part animal, part plant, to the resourceful wood frog, which nearly freezes into ice each winter while protecting its cells with glucose, Heinrich’s musings on life in the forest stunningly capture the five states of Being, Becoming, Interbeing, Remembering, and Returning. With sharp, evocative prose, The Common Uncommon is a narrative of small surprises in nature, some delightful and some?brought on by climate change?devastating, all seen through the hawk eyes of a world-renowned naturalist.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Memoir, Animals, Birds

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

Bernd Heinrich was born in Germany and moved to Wilton, Maine as a child. He studied at the University of Maine and UCLA and is Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University of Vermont.

He is the author of many books including Winter World, Ravens in Winter, Mind of the Raven, and Why We Run. Many of his books focus on the natural world just outside the cabin door.

Heinrich has won numerous awards for his writing and is a world class ultra-marathon runner.

He spends much of the year at a rustic cabin that he built himself in the woods near Weld, Maine.

Reviews

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's just charming and fun and slow. It often reads like a diary, which I enjoy. Heinrich tells the reader in the preface that it isn't a traditional novel, it "starts at a place but reaches out from there forward, back, and in between". Which is fun and unique, and it definitely reads that way. It can be a little hard to follow, but I think that's sort of the point. He's not telling a linear story, which aligns with his philosophy that things ebb, flow, adapt, and surprise us if we pay attention. So I'm down for it, but it might throw off readers who need structure.

Heinrich focuses on the world around his cabin throughout the decades and across the seasons. He reflects on his life, his philosophy, his approach to learning and understanding, his connection with nature, his observations about birds, trees, insects etc. and it's just a refreshing read overall.

Two main principles really resonated with me. I'll share the associated quote that captures the idea.
1) "Substance itself has its own beauty if we know it. Otherwise, we don't see it either" page 25
2) Absence of a goal is freedom to notice the new that comes along, rather than continuing on a path one had preconceived" -preface

The reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is that the book at times felt a little incomplete. On the one hand, he'd tell the story of a species, remark on it's behaviour and what he noticed, and then he'd pivot to a memory or something else. As mentioned, that's sort of the point and the fluidity is deliberate, but it did leave me wanting at times. Especially with some subjects or stories, I craved more depth, but now I have a list of topics to research further so it's all good.

4/5 I'm very glad I picked this book off a display at my local library. It's not the kind of book I'd typically gravitate towards, but I'm glad I did and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will force them to slow down a bit. The book has a very cozy, peaceful, and intelligent vibe.

[Kevin Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was provided pre-publication by NetGalley.

This (I hope) will not be the last work by Bernd Heinrich, but in it the 85 year old writer and scientist provides sort of a summing up of his life and career. He revisits some of his past research work as well as discussing new observations and investigations.

I think it works very well as a book and makes great sense from the perspective of an aging writer and scientist (and naturalist). I suspect that at his age he realized that it would be impractical to pick up a new and wide ranging idea to study. But that does not mean he has stopped thinking, learning or teaching. He has just limited his research to the world he lives in: his cabin in the Maine woods. That does not in any way limit the range of ideas or the wealth of knowledge in this book.

His focus is a little wider than some of his past works. Rather than focus on Ravens, or Honey Bees or trees, he looks at all of the elements of his environment and narrows in on specific ideas animals and plants based on what he sees that leads him to wonder why, or how.

I loved the writing and the combination of hard science with a humane viewpoint. I think that is will be a great addition to those who have read and enjoyed his previous books, but could also be a good introduction to new readers who can then jump into his other books that focus on a remarkably wide range of subjects.

Highly recommend.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Common Uncommon, Bernd Heinrich documents forty years of living in a log cabin tucked away in the deep woods of Maine. He records his observations of species like beavers, spiders, and owls, while diving deep into the complex social behaviors of ravens and the ways climate change is currently damaging the ecosystem. From tiny organisms to the wood frog that survives by freezing solid, these observations explore how all life is connected through the cycles of nature.

The ex-zoology student in me had a nice time with this. I learned a few new things about animals and the environment, and some of the scientific deep-dives were interesting. I also really enjoyed reading about his experience with maple sugaring and the process of tapping the trees. However, I would have liked a little more focus on the memoir aspect of his life in the woods. But maybe he has another book dedicated to his personal life.

I think if you're interested in nature and the science of foliage and animals, you will enjoy this. However, if you're looking for a full memoir with lighter nature writing, this might not be for you.

Thank you W.W. Norton for the gifted copy!

[Josh Mlot · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

At times it feels like we're just following Heinrich's mind bouncing from one thing to the next and back in slightly disconnected ways, occasionally seeming to not close the loop on an idea; and there were moments where he seemed to repeat something he'd explained just a handful of pages earlier. But when he focuses in on his close observations it's a joy to feel his enthusiasm for the natural world come through. It's a relatively quick read and I enjoyed the vibes.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading about the seasons of nature is one of my favorite ways to survive the winter and dream of the new year's gardens.

Heinrich is a top-notch observer and writer who checks all the boxes. His understanding of human entanglements with the rest of nature is deeply appreciated.

[Bloss ♡]

Review to come

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely nature writing, as ever, but I wanted it to be a little more tied together, I think.

[Kerry Schuler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads almost like a diary very quick read

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ecological observations about life in the north woods, both flora and fauna.