Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses - Paperback

Winner of the John Burroughs Medal for Outstanding Natural History Writing—a luminous exploration of the elegantly simple lives of mosses, weaving botanical science with Indigenous wisdom and poetic observation.

In this beautifully crafted work, Robin Wall Kimmerer invites us to see the world from the perspective of mosses—ancient, resilient beings that carpet the forest floor, cling to rocks, and thrive in the margins. As both a bryologist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer brings together scientific knowledge and Indigenous ways of knowing to reveal how these smallest of plants have profound lessons to teach about survival, adaptation, and living in harmony with the earth.

What you'll discover:

• The elegant biology and ecology of mosses—how they live, reproduce, and thrive
• Indigenous perspectives on the gifts and teachings of the plant world
• Linked personal essays that blend science, story, and contemplation
• How mosses reveal the interconnection of all beings
• Lessons in patience, resilience, and living close to the ground
• The art of paying attention to what is small, humble, and often overlooked
• Illustrations that bring the moss world to life

Kimmerer's prose is both scientifically rigorous and deeply lyrical, inviting readers to slow down and notice the intricate beauty beneath our feet. Gathering Moss is a meditation on how the smallest beings can teach us the largest truths about humility, reciprocity, and our place in the living world.

About the author: Robin Wall Kimmerer is a 2022 MacArthur Fellow, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology, and founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Braiding Sweetgrass and The Serviceberry.

Perfect for: Nature lovers and naturalists, readers of Braiding Sweetgrass, students of botany and ecology, those interested in Indigenous wisdom and environmental ethics, contemplative readers who appreciate lyrical nature writing, and anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with the more-than-human world.

This illustrated paperback edition includes 168 pages of luminous prose—a book that teaches us to see beauty and wisdom in the smallest places.