Gathering Moss

A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses

Paperback, 168 pages

English language

Published March 6, 2003 by Oregon State University Press.

ISBN:
9780870714993

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4 stars (2 reviews)

Gathering Moss is a series of personal essays introducing the reader to the life cycle, the ecology, and the natural history of mosses. The geographic range is restricted to the USA.

3 editions

Definitely something

3 stars

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately the way I read and think is completely dissonant from it. Probably one of those books that I should not have picked up as an Audiobook, because I also did not particularly enjoy the narration style.

It's hard to put into words something so subjective, but I think I grew weary of the fairy-tale tone - which I'm sure comes naturally to the author. My skeptic and perhaps unfortunately cynic world view made it hard to go through a whole chapter without discomfort whenever the author speaks of "plants come when they're necessary" and other traditional ways of thinking about the ecosystem. I appreciate very much getting more contact with the thought process of different cultures, but I was incapable of enjoying this particular opportunity. Maybe I was just too eager to learn the science on mosses and subconsciously grew impatient any …

Some of these are still finding her way, but the range is worth it

5 stars

Essays of humor and humility and care, a sense of observation that stretches from the microscope to scientific inquiry to social obligation, and in a dozen different ways asks us to consider perspectives of place, belonging, and generosity from other being's vast or tiny differences. It's been a while since I read Braiding Sweetgrass, but I think this collection is no lesser for nominally having more of a narrow entryway through her world of moss.

Subjects

  • Nature
  • Nature/Ecology
  • Plants - General
  • Mosses
  • Ecology
  • Kimmerer, Robin Wall