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Bogland: The Secret World That Defies Death and Protects Life
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26From a stunning new voice in popular science, a beguiling invitation to discover the hidden power of one of Earth’s most mysterious landscapes.
Boglands have long been dismissed as wastelands—too sodden to farm, too perilous to cross, too unruly to be considered beautiful. Yet come closer and a strange truth emerges: These unconventional landscapes are fascinating paradoxes that stretch our minds, hold the history of humanity, and will shape the future of our planet. As acclaimed ecologist Merritt R. Turetsky reveals, here between the borders of land and water, bogs conjure new life forms—acid-flinging mosses, amphibian-eating plants—from an overabundance of death. The past and present commingle with uncanny intimacy as ancient lives linger in remarkable states of preservation. Even as bogs sequester nearly one third of Earth’s soil carbon, accelerating exploitation risks swiftly transforming them from climate allies to climate foes.
Gorgeously written, Bogland is an ode and a call to action: To value these places precisely for their refusal to conform, and to learn from them new ways to adapt, endure, and belong on our changing planet—before it’s too late.
Boglands have long been dismissed as wastelands—too sodden to farm, too perilous to cross, too unruly to be considered beautiful. Yet come closer and a strange truth emerges: These unconventional landscapes are fascinating paradoxes that stretch our minds, hold the history of humanity, and will shape the future of our planet. As acclaimed ecologist Merritt R. Turetsky reveals, here between the borders of land and water, bogs conjure new life forms—acid-flinging mosses, amphibian-eating plants—from an overabundance of death. The past and present commingle with uncanny intimacy as ancient lives linger in remarkable states of preservation. Even as bogs sequester nearly one third of Earth’s soil carbon, accelerating exploitation risks swiftly transforming them from climate allies to climate foes.
Gorgeously written, Bogland is an ode and a call to action: To value these places precisely for their refusal to conform, and to learn from them new ways to adapt, endure, and belong on our changing planet—before it’s too late.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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September 13, 2026I have feared physics since high school, and escaped that science class by substituting environmental studies instead. As a result, I spent a lot of time thinking and talking about wetlands and can confirm that bogs are important and yes, we need them. This book is going to be a trip back in time to some of the better memories of my school days.
Oh, and this cover is spectacular.
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Oh, and this cover is spectacular.
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
August 27, 2026
Do you like bogs? Yes? Read this book!
Do you like bogs? No? Read this book!
Do you like bogs? No? Read this book!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
As a nature lover this book was impossible to tear myself away from. Boglands are so underestimated and to have an entire book about these ecosystems just blew me away. I learned so much but also felt confident as I read that I could actually absorb the information thanks to how well written it is. This book reminds us to do better and appreciate boglands for the magical world that they are. I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for providing a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Bogland is a short introduction to the science of wetland : whether they be bogs, fens, swamps or marshes. I wasn't even aware that these words are not synonyms in the scientific literature, but now I know better. Dr. Turetsky did a wonderful job introducing the complex science. Funny enough, I was hoping she would get into even more details, but she chose not to bog the reader down with too much science. If the book lacked something for me, it was a backbone to its narrative. At times Bogland dives into the type of lyrical storytelling we've encountered in the works of excellent scientific communicators like Dr. Suzanne Simard (author of "Finding the Mother Tree"), but it didn't quite reach the same level of emotional depth or cohesion. Nonetheless this was a very interesting introduction into the science of these essential, and vanishing ecosystems. A recommended read to anyone trying to understand how human action can further accelerate global warming (hint: by destroying these amazing carbon sinks, which we often vilify, despise or fear).
Bogland is a short introduction to the science of wetland : whether they be bogs, fens, swamps or marshes. I wasn't even aware that these words are not synonyms in the scientific literature, but now I know better. Dr. Turetsky did a wonderful job introducing the complex science. Funny enough, I was hoping she would get into even more details, but she chose not to bog the reader down with too much science. If the book lacked something for me, it was a backbone to its narrative. At times Bogland dives into the type of lyrical storytelling we've encountered in the works of excellent scientific communicators like Dr. Suzanne Simard (author of "Finding the Mother Tree"), but it didn't quite reach the same level of emotional depth or cohesion. Nonetheless this was a very interesting introduction into the science of these essential, and vanishing ecosystems. A recommended read to anyone trying to understand how human action can further accelerate global warming (hint: by destroying these amazing carbon sinks, which we often vilify, despise or fear).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
That's it; I'm sold.
I love bogs now :)
Non-fiction books that can hook me despite being about subjects I'm very unfamiliar with are honestly impressive, and Turetsky delivers. Although I found some sections to be a bit repetitive, I thoroughly enjoyed Bogland and I appreciate the opportunity to learn about their history and role in climate change.
I love bogs now :)
Non-fiction books that can hook me despite being about subjects I'm very unfamiliar with are honestly impressive, and Turetsky delivers. Although I found some sections to be a bit repetitive, I thoroughly enjoyed Bogland and I appreciate the opportunity to learn about their history and role in climate change.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for this review copy.
Review:
I already had love for bogs, and this book just enhanced that love. I also loved learning more about them in general, and more of their environmental importance.
This book was also written beautifully, it's written in such a wonderful whimsical way that I did sometimes forget I was reading non-fiction.
Review:
I already had love for bogs, and this book just enhanced that love. I also loved learning more about them in general, and more of their environmental importance.
This book was also written beautifully, it's written in such a wonderful whimsical way that I did sometimes forget I was reading non-fiction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In Bogland, Merritt Turetsky has written a prolonged love letter to a natural habitat that most people don't think of as being at all attractive. She is obviously completely at home among the peat, moss, water, and flying insects that make up bogs in countries around the world, and this book is an attempt to make the rest of us familiar with the attractive side of bogs.
The book is an interesting mixture of personal anecdotes and general descriptions, and life as a researcher of boglands certainly has its challenges (not least the above-mentioned flying insects). The life cycles of bogs are described, along with the problems caused by natural drought, wildfires, and human activity. With their low oxygen levels and lack of microbes to aid decomposition, bogs have preserved all sorts of creatures (including ancient and modern humans) that have fallen in over the centuries. Cores taken from many years' worth of peat accumulation can give all sorts of information about the history of the area going back thousands of years, including information about pollution throughout human history right back to the Iron Age. As well as peat and moss being integral components of bogs, carnivorous plants are also a part of the ecosystem because of the nutrient-poor environment and the abundance of insects. All this makes bogs a very productive area of research.
Later chapters discuss how climate change is becoming a greater and greater component of both the present and future of boglands, causing drought in some areas and making the ground susceptible to fire, which can last for months or even years. Humans are contributing to the problem by draining boglands and harvesting and burning peat to make way for crop planting. Peat is a major source of sequestered carbon, and the burning of peat harvested from bogs is making a significant contribution to climate change. The book ends with a plea for readers to visit some local bogs (there's a handy list at the end of the book) and advocate for them. I hope readers will be inspired to do that.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a prepublication ebook.
The book is an interesting mixture of personal anecdotes and general descriptions, and life as a researcher of boglands certainly has its challenges (not least the above-mentioned flying insects). The life cycles of bogs are described, along with the problems caused by natural drought, wildfires, and human activity. With their low oxygen levels and lack of microbes to aid decomposition, bogs have preserved all sorts of creatures (including ancient and modern humans) that have fallen in over the centuries. Cores taken from many years' worth of peat accumulation can give all sorts of information about the history of the area going back thousands of years, including information about pollution throughout human history right back to the Iron Age. As well as peat and moss being integral components of bogs, carnivorous plants are also a part of the ecosystem because of the nutrient-poor environment and the abundance of insects. All this makes bogs a very productive area of research.
Later chapters discuss how climate change is becoming a greater and greater component of both the present and future of boglands, causing drought in some areas and making the ground susceptible to fire, which can last for months or even years. Humans are contributing to the problem by draining boglands and harvesting and burning peat to make way for crop planting. Peat is a major source of sequestered carbon, and the burning of peat harvested from bogs is making a significant contribution to climate change. The book ends with a plea for readers to visit some local bogs (there's a handy list at the end of the book) and advocate for them. I hope readers will be inspired to do that.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a prepublication ebook.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of Bogland by Merritt Turetsky
Thank you tremendously to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!!
Ratings out of 5
- Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Information: 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠
- Writing Style: ✒️✒️✒️
Favorite Thing Learned
Some of the best things I learned from this book were about carnivorous plants (those sections really excited me) and about the vast history that boglands are connected to. There are some minute details in this book that I knew from prior sources, however I felt that most of the knowledge was new to me which is why I picked this book up in the first place. Chapter 2 was probably my favorite.
Additional Notes
- I was not entirely pleased with the writing itself in this book. There are two main reasons why I say that. The first reason is that in some sections, especially the majority of the first chapter and some of the prologue, I felt super confused with the language that was being used. Not sure if maybe I just was reading it at a bad time for my brain or if it was that the subjects discussed in that section were too dense, but I felt like I needed some background knowledge to really grasp the information. As someone that works in ecology, I feel that for me to be confused it means it's likely even less accessible to readers outside of the life sciences. The other reason is that I felt like the author repeated herself a lot throughout the book.
- Once I got past that section of the book, I started to understand it a lot better and the information that was presented was actually quite phenomenal! I was very pleased with the knowledge I learned from this book. At first I wasn't sure that it would hit the main aspects of boglands that I wanted to learn about (the ecology and life there) especially as we got into more of a history focus, but I feel like it blended history and ecology quite well and even connected boglands to many human activities and traits to make them relatable to readers, which I think was a perfect call to action that is needed right now. I do sorta wish there was a bit more about the fauna of the boglands outside of the insects.
- I also really loved that a lot of the scientists and artists mentioned were women. Love seeing women in STEM, but also the women who used bogs in art that defied gender norms and standards while also seeing vast symbolism in these ecosystems. (Although, in the epilogue the author does slightly spoil Wuthering Heights so beware of that).
Thank you tremendously to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!!
Ratings out of 5
- Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Information: 🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠
- Writing Style: ✒️✒️✒️
Favorite Thing Learned
Some of the best things I learned from this book were about carnivorous plants (those sections really excited me) and about the vast history that boglands are connected to. There are some minute details in this book that I knew from prior sources, however I felt that most of the knowledge was new to me which is why I picked this book up in the first place. Chapter 2 was probably my favorite.
Additional Notes
- I was not entirely pleased with the writing itself in this book. There are two main reasons why I say that. The first reason is that in some sections, especially the majority of the first chapter and some of the prologue, I felt super confused with the language that was being used. Not sure if maybe I just was reading it at a bad time for my brain or if it was that the subjects discussed in that section were too dense, but I felt like I needed some background knowledge to really grasp the information. As someone that works in ecology, I feel that for me to be confused it means it's likely even less accessible to readers outside of the life sciences. The other reason is that I felt like the author repeated herself a lot throughout the book.
- Once I got past that section of the book, I started to understand it a lot better and the information that was presented was actually quite phenomenal! I was very pleased with the knowledge I learned from this book. At first I wasn't sure that it would hit the main aspects of boglands that I wanted to learn about (the ecology and life there) especially as we got into more of a history focus, but I feel like it blended history and ecology quite well and even connected boglands to many human activities and traits to make them relatable to readers, which I think was a perfect call to action that is needed right now. I do sorta wish there was a bit more about the fauna of the boglands outside of the insects.
- I also really loved that a lot of the scientists and artists mentioned were women. Love seeing women in STEM, but also the women who used bogs in art that defied gender norms and standards while also seeing vast symbolism in these ecosystems. (Although, in the epilogue the author does slightly spoil Wuthering Heights so beware of that).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s bog, it’s bog, it’s wet, it’s sphagnum, it’s old.
This is a book about wetlands. Bogs in specific. Bogs are one of those environments that are created out of the survival strategy of one particular plant in making an area tough to live in for anything else, which then goes on to attract other life looking to exploit that self-defined niche in further unusual ways.
This is a book by a bog scientist. Her passion for the topic is clear, and her stories are pretty fun. The prose is breezy and elegant, much more like old school science writing. The book surveys bogs from many different angles, including their role in human history, particularly warfare and religion, but also digressions into fun asides like carnivorous plants. This broad look is the book’s sole weakness; it is much more a collection of essays on a theme. The exception here is that as the book progresses, the more it focuses on how bogs (or their removal) affects climate.
I appreciate when someone looks to communicate their love for a not-as-beloved thing, and this is a book in that category. You will love bogs after this, and the book helpfully includes a list of places you can visit them world-wide. It almost aches a little to read in that sort of wistfulness over how much the author wants to communicate how vital, weird, and cool this type of landform is as opposed to its reputation.
My thanks to the author, Merritt R. Turetsky, for writing the book, and to the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, for making the ARC available to me.
This is a book about wetlands. Bogs in specific. Bogs are one of those environments that are created out of the survival strategy of one particular plant in making an area tough to live in for anything else, which then goes on to attract other life looking to exploit that self-defined niche in further unusual ways.
This is a book by a bog scientist. Her passion for the topic is clear, and her stories are pretty fun. The prose is breezy and elegant, much more like old school science writing. The book surveys bogs from many different angles, including their role in human history, particularly warfare and religion, but also digressions into fun asides like carnivorous plants. This broad look is the book’s sole weakness; it is much more a collection of essays on a theme. The exception here is that as the book progresses, the more it focuses on how bogs (or their removal) affects climate.
I appreciate when someone looks to communicate their love for a not-as-beloved thing, and this is a book in that category. You will love bogs after this, and the book helpfully includes a list of places you can visit them world-wide. It almost aches a little to read in that sort of wistfulness over how much the author wants to communicate how vital, weird, and cool this type of landform is as opposed to its reputation.
My thanks to the author, Merritt R. Turetsky, for writing the book, and to the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, for making the ARC available to me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don't typically read very much nonfiction these days, but when I saw this book's cover and read the title, I just felt like I really wanted to read it. In this book, Turetsky describes these areas as nature's liminal spaces in a way, between the boundaries of life, death, and decay, which may be why I have always enjoyed fictional works set in bogs or swamp like settings (I love a liminal area). I have gained a new understanding and appreciation of these areas in real life and fiction.
Bogland is written in a very accessible way, and Turetsky's passion for bogs is apparent. I really enjoyed reading about the different regions and bogs she studies. I learned about so many new things that I have never really considered before. For example, I didn't realize that bogs played such a large role in global warming with their complex system of storing and balancing carbon and methane, and also how they help protect permafrost. There are so many new rabbit holes for me to explore. We learn about the important role these areas play in culture and history, how they were used for protection and as a defense by enslaved maroons during war, how Mangrove swamps were used during the Vietnam War, the Pando Aspen Grove and how it is considered the largest living organism, zombie fires, and palm oil production. I also enjoyed reading about some of the women she worked with and about Kitty Kielland, who painted bogs and stood for women's rights.
Bogland is written in a very accessible way, and Turetsky's passion for bogs is apparent. I really enjoyed reading about the different regions and bogs she studies. I learned about so many new things that I have never really considered before. For example, I didn't realize that bogs played such a large role in global warming with their complex system of storing and balancing carbon and methane, and also how they help protect permafrost. There are so many new rabbit holes for me to explore. We learn about the important role these areas play in culture and history, how they were used for protection and as a defense by enslaved maroons during war, how Mangrove swamps were used during the Vietnam War, the Pando Aspen Grove and how it is considered the largest living organism, zombie fires, and palm oil production. I also enjoyed reading about some of the women she worked with and about Kitty Kielland, who painted bogs and stood for women's rights.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A delightful and informative read about bogs and peat, which is not something I had ever considered all that interesting -- just part of the landscape. But this was an ode to the Earth, through the history and necessity of this part of the landscape. I thought this was beautifully written -- it was almost like a memoir at times. However, at times it felt overwritten and sometimes repetitive to make up for insufficient information. That's not to say that it wasn't informative -- it was -- but perhaps it is hard to fill an entire popular science book on bogs. Still, thoroughly enjoyable and if you like nature, I strongly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Deeply poetic and profoundly insightful, Bogland presents readers with a topic which many authors have not attempted to cover. Merritt R. Turetsky offers vast portals of information about one of the earth's most beautiful geographic regions and supports these few key poignant chapters with personal accounts from years working in the field. This is possibly one of the most beautifully written books on the topic of earth's biodiverse terrain that I have yet encountered.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An incredibly fascinating exploration of bogs, their relationship to humanity, and what the future holds for us both. This effortlessly weaves education with storytelling full of humor and human experience. The correlations between the ages of peat accumulation and ages of humanity itself are present in each chapter. If you need something to help you slow down, learn something, and feel deeply about how we are all so truly connected this is an excellent choice!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I found this book absolutely fascinating. I love a popular science book where the writer's passion for the subject shines through, and this one is just that. I enjoy anthropology, history, and botany so this book was a really great combination of all three. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC, and I just put in a pre-order so that I can have a paper copy on my bookshelf and give it a re-read sometime.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Bogland left me glad to know so much more about bogs and their tremendous importance to our environment and climate. The science is genuinely eye opening and Turetsky clearly has a deep passion for these misunderstood landscapes. But the text was dry at times and I kept wishing for more personal stories woven throughout to pull me in. The subject matter alone makes it worth picking up, but more storytelling would have made this so much more compelling.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I used to love non-fiction but recently have only been reading fiction. This book blended the dreamy aspects of bogs in a way that was artistic and kept me hooked. Turetsky has a plethora of expertise, and I love how the facts were blended in with the story of the past, present and future of our boglands.
Thank you to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC copy of this book -- all opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC copy of this book -- all opinions are my own.
October 6, 2026
AFK - at bog
August 28, 2026
I was given an advance reader copy of this bookby W. W. Norton & Company in exchange for my honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect in a book about bogs, but I sure was in for a surprise! Bogs are our past, present, and future. So many things hinge upon bogs. They help prevent flooding, forest fires, and global warming. Just to name a few. Things don’t decay in bogs, so they often provide a snapshot of the past long gone. The historical value they provide to us is amazing. Cores are taken and analyzed to give us so much information on the past we otherwise wouldn’t know.
The author has a love for bogs, and it shows in every word in the book. By the end, you’ll love bogs too. Or at least be heavily intrigued by them. This book has inspired me to go visit the nearest bog to me. Which is huge for someone who gets eaten alive by bugs. I’m willing to take the risk in order to see one of these magnificent and mysterious places.
I wasn’t sure what to expect in a book about bogs, but I sure was in for a surprise! Bogs are our past, present, and future. So many things hinge upon bogs. They help prevent flooding, forest fires, and global warming. Just to name a few. Things don’t decay in bogs, so they often provide a snapshot of the past long gone. The historical value they provide to us is amazing. Cores are taken and analyzed to give us so much information on the past we otherwise wouldn’t know.
The author has a love for bogs, and it shows in every word in the book. By the end, you’ll love bogs too. Or at least be heavily intrigued by them. This book has inspired me to go visit the nearest bog to me. Which is huge for someone who gets eaten alive by bugs. I’m willing to take the risk in order to see one of these magnificent and mysterious places.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews