A year ago, I read E.O. Wilson's Biophilia cover to cover for the first time. I previously read excerpts in both undergrad and graduate school, but not the book in its entirety. It's a very quick read. Perhaps its brevity is a testament to its power because the theories in this slim book were a major influence on science, anthropology, and landscape studies. The theory of Biophilia is that humans are genetically predisposed to have an affinity for living things and that we have a deep evolutionary need to be connected to the natural world. With this premise as my starting point, I dived deeper into researching our experience of the natural world based on specific areas of interest in biophilic phenomenology, plant ecology, and nature memoir. It has been a fulfilling year to go deep into researching these topics and the connection to my work as a landscape architect and public artist. Connecting people to the natural world is ultimately what my work is about. I created this readling list to share with others who may also want to explore these topics in depth. Some of the books I read in this self-guided research over the past year are listed here in no particular order:
- The Biophilia Hypothesis
- The Nature Principle
- Demons in Eden: The Paradox of Plant Diversity
- Chasing Monarchs
- Reflecting on Nature: Readings in Environmental Ethics and Philosophy
- Projective Ecologies
- The Mythology of Plants
- The Island Within
- Brilliant Green: The Surprising History and Science of Plant Intelligence
- Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life
- Plant Dreaming Deep
- Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants
- Perception: Selected Readings in Science and Phenomenology
- The Hidden Life of Trees: What they feel, How they Communicate
- Environ(ne)ment: Approaches for Tomorrow