Recommended Reading for Nature connection

Below is a list of books in several categories related to nature connection that Cultured Forest recommends reading in partnership with Amazon.com. Our recommendations include non-fiction to educate yourself on how to better connect to nature and fiction writing to help you find an outdoor escape. Categories include books about forest bathing, nature connection, nature science, mindfulness, hiking, nature-based fiction and trauma recovery. If there is anything you would recommend please add it to the comments.

We recommend the following books an an introduction to Shinrin-Yoku or “Forest Bathing”:

• “Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health And Happiness” by Qing Li

• “Shinrin Yoku: The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing” by Yoshifumi Miyazaki

• “Forest Bathing: A Start Here Guide for Beginners” by Dr. Cyndi Gilbert

• “The Joy of Forest Bathing: Reconnect With Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life” by Melanie Choukas-Bradley

• “The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing: Finding Calm, Creativity, and Connection in the Natural World” by Julia Plevin

The following non-fiction books discuss theories and science behind connecting with trees and nature:

• “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative” by Florence Williams

• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

• “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder” by Richard Louv

• The Eight Master Lessons of Nature: What Nature Teaches Us About Living Well in the World by Gary Ferguson

The following books discuss the practices of Mindfulness and Meditation in nature for healing:

• Conscious Nature: The Art and Science of Meditating in Nature by Josh Lane

• Mindfulness in Nature by David Harp and Nina Smiley

• Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature by Micah Mortali

These books address body awareness and mindfulness as tools for recovering from trauma:

• Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

• Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine

Books both fiction and non-fiction in which you will become intimately more acquainted with trees:

• The Songs of Trees: Stories from Nature’s Great Connectors by David George Haskell

• “The Overstory” by Richard Powers

• “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from A Secret World” by Peter Wohlleben

Try some adolescent adventure fiction to inspire your outdoor spirit:

• “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen

• “Julie of the Woods” by Jean Craighead George

• “My Side of the Mountain” by Jean Craighead George

• “Island of the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell

These hiking memoirs will make you feel like you are on the trail:

• “A Walk in The Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail” by Bill Bryson

• “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed