Edward O. Wilson—winner of two Pulitzer prizes, champion of biodiversity, and Faculty Emeritus at Harvard—is arguably one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. A modern classic of science memoir, Naturalist is a wise and personal account of Wilson’s growth as a researcher and the evolution of the fields he helped define. Wilson traces the trajectory of his life—from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to a career as a tenured professor at Harvard—detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. As the narrative of Wilson's life unfolds, the reader is treated to an inside look at the origin and development of ideas that guide today's biological research.

At once practical and lyric, Naturalist provides fascinating insights into the making of a scientist, and a valuable look at some of the most thought-provoking ideas of our time. As relevant today as when it was first published twenty-five years ago, Naturalist is a poignant reminder of the human side of science and an inspiring call to celebrate the little things of the world.

"A compelling agricultural story skillfully told; environmentalists will eat it up." - Kirkus Reviews

When Bob Quinn was a kid, a stranger at a county fair gave him a few kernels of an unusual grain. Years later, it would become the centerpiece of his multimillion dollar heirloom grain company, Kamut International. How Bob went from being a true believer in better farming through chemistry to a leading proponent of organics is the unlikely story of Grain by Grain. Along the way, readers will learn how ancient wheat can lower inflammation, how regenerative agriculture can bring back rural jobs, and how combining time-tested farming practices with modern science can point the way for the future of food.

How do you create inviting and authentic urban spaces where people feel at home? In Urbanism Without Effort, Chuck Wolfe argues that “unplanned” places can often teach us more about great placemaking than planned ones. He highlights “first principles” of what makes humans feel happy and safe, drawing lessons from an impromptu movie nights in a Seattle alley to the adapted reuse of Diocletian’s Palace in Split, Croatia.

A whirlwind global tour, Urbanism Without Effort offers readers inspiration, historical context, and a better understanding of how an inviting urban environment is created.
 

The farm bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation the American president signs. Negotiated every five to seven years, it has tremendous implications for food production, nutrition assistance, habitat conservation, international trade, and much more. Yet at nearly 1,000 pages, it is difficult to understand for policymakers, let alone citizens. In this primer, Dan Imhoff and Christina Badaracco translate all the “legalese" and political jargon into an accessible, graphics-rich 200 pages. Readers will learn the basic elements of the bill, its origins and history, and perhaps most importantly, the battles that will determine the direction of food policy in the coming years.

In Life After Carbon urban sustainability consultants Pete Plastrik and John Cleveland present a global pattern of reinvention from the stories of 25 "innovation lab" cities—from Copenhagen to Melbourne. Plastrik and Cleveland show that four transformational ideas are driving urban climate innovation around the world: carbon-free advantage, efficient abundance, nature's benefits, and adaptive futures.

Life After Carbon presents the new ideas that are replacing the pillars of the modern-city model, converting climate disaster into urban opportunity, and shaping the next transformation of cities worldwide. It will inspire anyone who cares about the future of our cities, and help them to map a sustainable path forward.
 

As cities build more flood-management infrastructure to adapt to the effects of a changing climate, they must go beyond short-term flood protection and consider the long-term effects on the community, its environment, economy, and relationship with the water.
 
Adapting Cities to Sea Level Rise, by infrastructure expert Stefan Al, introduces design responses to sea-level rise, drawing from examples around the globe. Going against standard engineering solutions, Al argues for approaches that are integrated with the public realm, nature-based, and sensitive to local conditions and the community. He features design responses to building resilience that creates new civic assets for cities.

With the right solution, Al shows, sea-level rise can become an opportunity to improve our urban areas and landscapes, rather than a threat to our communities. 

In The Food Sharing Revolution, Michael Carolan tells the stories of entrepreneurs who are bucking the corporate food system. They are farmers like Josh, a co-op dairyman who doesn’t own his cows, but has a good income and a sense of autonomy. They are business owners like Dorothy, who opened her bakery with the help of a no-interest crowd-sourced loan. They are chefs like Camilla, who introduces diners to her native Colombian cuisine through peer-to-peer meal sharing. Each is making the most of the sharing economy, while avoiding the pitfalls of Uber and Airbnb. Their success is not only good for aspiring producers, but for everyone who wants a healthier, more sustainable, and more ethical way to eat.  
 

North American landscapes have been shaped by humans for millennia through fire, agriculture, and hunting. But the arrival of Europeans several centuries ago ushered in an era of rapid conversion of eastern forests to cities, farms, transportation networks, and second‑growth woodlands. Recently, numerous remnants of old growth have been discovered, and scientists are developing strategies for their restoration that will foster biological diversity and reduce impacts of climate change. Forest ecologists William Keeton and Andrew Barton bring together an edited volume that breaks new ground in our understanding of eastern old‑growth forest ecosystems and their importance for resilience in an age of rapid environmental change. Leading experts examine topics of contemporary forest ecology across a broad geographic canvas in the eastern United States.
 

For over a century the Great Lakes have been the target of controversial diversion schemes to sell, send, or ship water to thirsty communities, sometimes far from the source. In 2008, eight US states signed the historic Great Lakes Compact designed to protect the region’s precious freshwater resources. Now water diversion controversies of a different kind are pitting communities and states against one another. Will the water wars ever be settled?

With three new chapters and significant revisions that bring the story up to date over the past decade, this is the definitive behind-the-scenes account of the people and stories behind hard-fought battles to protect this precious resource that makes the region so special for the millions who call it home.