Noticing - by Richard Louv (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The internationally bestselling author of Last Child in the Woods seeks a deeper personal connection to nature during this time of ecoanxiety and upheaval by exploring his own backyard.

Long beloved for his insightful, inspiring nature writing, Richard Louv returns with his most personal book yet. Noticing is about discovering who you are by exploring the natural world. Louv shows how, by tapping into the thirty or more human senses we have, readers can develop skills--sensory, scientific, artistic, and spiritual--to see and experience the otherworlds of nature.

Through personal essays, rich with descriptions of the California wilderness around his home in the most biodiverse county in the nation, Louv draws on wisdom from influences as far-reaching as neuroscience, nature photography, Indigenous traditions, and mindfulness to foster what he calls "bioenchantment." He offers a new, deeper understanding of what it means to see a tree, know a fox, and to become fully human.

Review Quotes

"Nature writer extraordinaire...Louv does not restate the obvious about nature's wonders; instead, he asserts how significant contact with nature can be as we embrace computer screens, AI, and ever-increasing reality distortion...Not self-help and yet enormously helpful, Noticing...encourages readers to reflect on nature beyond what can be seen with the naked eye...Thoughtful, timely, and achingly beautiful, this is a book to savor."--Colleen Mondor, Booklist

"There is no better example of the importance of 'taking time to smell the roses' and to appreciate the animal beings with whom we share space--often in our backyards--than Louv's new outstanding book Noticing." --Psychology Today

"Richard Louv's book is like a gentle prescription for our times--an invitation not just to go outside, but to truly step into nature with intention and attention. Through reflective storytelling and practical guidance, he encourages readers to engage all their senses, notice more deeply, and cultivate a richer connection with the natural world, themselves, and one another. In doing so, he offers a simple yet profound path to nurturing ourselves and hope for the future."--Pooja Tandon M.D., MPH, Professor of General Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital

"[Louv] moves back and forth from lyrical descriptions of connection to nature to impassioned concern about the future of the planet to a certain mild skepticism toward those who believe they are empowered to speak for nature...His thoughtful, encouraging approach makes it easy for readers to follow in his footsteps. A gentle guide to connecting with the non-human world."--Kirkus Reviews

"Blending rich storytelling with research and ancestral ways of knowing, Louv shows how deep noticing can reawaken our senses and renew our bond with nature. This inspiring book reminds us that when we slow down and observe with care, the world becomes more alive--and so do we."
--Sally Jewell, Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior

"Richard Louv would like you to live a beautiful life. He wants you to see how easy, how free and freeing this can be. This book is a how-to manual for getting back your soul."
--Carl Safina, author of Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe

"Richard Louv has created a 'multi-being' in the form of a book illustrating, all the senses needed to fully attend to this wonderful, divergent world. No single species can do this, but Noticing, filled with Richard's observations and the sensory insights of many others, human and nonhuman, is as close as you are ever going to get."
--Glenn Albrecht, author of Earth Emotions

"Richard Louv is one of today's most discerning observers of the natural world and our place in it, and Noticing is his most personal and intimate book yet. It is full of grace and full of wonder. A beautiful guide to being present, reconnecting, caring, healing, and thriving."
--Howard Frumkin, Former Director of CDC National Center for Environmental Health

"Richard Louv's Noticing isn't nature writing as usual, it's an invitation to meet the more-than-human world through all the senses. Drawing on research, mindfulness practices, Indigenous wisdom, and intimate encounters in the biodiverse California wilderness, Louv shows us that there's far more to the outdoors than what meets the eye. The result is a beautiful ode to wonder--and a reminder that our capacity for enchantment is a skill we can relearn."
--Linda Åkeson McGurk, author of The Open-Air Life and There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather

"What a gift! And so needed. Rich Louv's Noticing is simultaneously informative and inspiring, uplifting and grounded. Reading his words, I found myself laughing out loud at times. Moments later, I was on the verge of tears. With humor and heart, scholarship and practicality, Rich provides a path forward for healing human relationships with the rest of nature."
--Cheryl Charles, Ph.D., International Co-Chair of IUCN's NatureForAll and Co-Founder of Children & Nature Network

About the Author

Richard Louv is a journalist and the author of ten books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, The Nature Principle, and Vitamin N. Translated into twenty languages, his books have helped launch an international movement to connect children, families, and communities to nature. He is cofounder and chair emeritus of the nonprofit Children & Nature Network, which supports a new nature movement. Louv has written for the New York Times, Outside magazine, Orion Magazine, Parents, and many other publications. He appears regularly on national radio and TV, and lectures throughout the world. In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal. Prior recipients have included Rachel Carson, E. O. Wilson, President Jimmy Carter, and Sir David Attenborough.