Over the last few weeks and months, GreenAnswers members have shared some great book recommendations on a number of topics. As we are fortunate enough in this day and age to have a wealth of environmental literature readily available, it helps to hear about some favorites shared by like-minded people. Some recent posts have been especially helpful in shaping my reading list, reminding me of some great classics to rediscover and tipping me off to some newer gems as well. Here are a few of the recommended reads currently topping my list.

First is a blast from the past, but not in the dusty-old-classic sense: Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. “I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues,” proclaims the Lorax, before educating us on the dangers of environmental degradation, consumerism, and worst of all, silence. A great read when I was a kid, and still touching and relevant now. Thanks to qui for bringing it up! Next are some more-traditional eco-classics, though there was nothing traditional about them at the time. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring deserves another read as a groundbreaking call to arms at a time when environmental issues were unknown, undefined, and all-but-ignored. Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire provides a little more poetry, and never fails to remind me of the beauty and awesomeness of wilderness, and the tragedy of its demise. And of course a little Thoreau is always a good read when a contemplative, philosophical mood strikes. It’s good to see that people are still interested in the work of the pioneers that helped start it all. Follow the whole thread, initiated by Adolphus, with even more picks here.

But perhaps even more helpful are the newer recommendations. With the green movement gaining speed there are more and more books published every day on conservation, ecology, history and politics. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up! Luckily for me (and you), somebody out there is doing the legwork, and bringing the best of their discoveries to light right here on the GreenAnswers message boards.

Several posts have recommended Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart as an insightful historical look at the evolution of production and consumption, as well as a guide to how we can guide their evolution for a greener future. I’m also eager to check out Jared Diamond’s Collapse, the follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel that cross-references tales of civilizations throughout history that perished by abusing their ecological foundations. And The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan sounds like an intriguing exploration of how our food and the way we eat it reflects on our relationship (or lack thereof) with the natural world. These titles and a few more came up here in a thread started by xuxSamara. These are just a few to get me started, but I trust that when I’m done someone in cyberspace will be there to give me another push in the right direction! As I find myself all-too-often stuck bouncing between headlines and academic articles, it’s a lifesaver to have some reliable recommendations on good reads. So thank you all, and keep on reading! I know I will. If you have any questions about these books or anything else, feel free to ask the GreenAnswers community!