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Quick answer: If you loved Braiding Sweetgrass, read Robin Wall Kimmerer's Gathering Moss, then The Hidden Life of Trees, Finding the Mother Tree, Entangled Life and Lab Girl. All look at plants and nature with wonder, blending science and story.
Robin Wall Kimmerer's 2013 book is a collection of essays by a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, weaving plant science, Indigenous knowledge and reflections on gratitude and reciprocity. It is warm, lyrical and deeply thoughtful. The books below offer similar mixes of science, nature and storytelling.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gathering Moss | Robin Wall Kimmerer | Adult | more Kimmerer |
| The Hidden Life of Trees | Peter Wohlleben | Adult | forest science |
| Finding the Mother Tree | Suzanne Simard | Adult | scientist's memoir |
| Entangled Life | Merlin Sheldrake | Adult | fungi |
| Lab Girl | Hope Jahren | Adult | science memoir |
| The Overstory | Richard Powers | Adult | trees in fiction |
| Silent Spring | Rachel Carson | Adult | environmental classic |
| A Sand County Almanac | Aldo Leopold | Adult | land ethic |
| Wilding | Isabella Tree | Adult | rewilding a farm |
| Underland | Robert Macfarlane | Adult | below the surface |
| H Is for Hawk | Helen Macdonald | Adult | grief and a goshawk |
| The Soul of an Octopus | Sy Montgomery | Adult | octopus friendship |
| An Immense World | Ed Yong | Adult | senses of animals |
| The Botany of Desire | Michael Pollan | Adult | plants and people |
| The Songs of Trees | David George Haskell | Adult | forest portraits |
1. Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A close look at the small world of mosses. Short, lyrical and curious.
Best for: more Kimmerer.
2. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
A forester explains how trees communicate and support each other. Charming and surprising.
Best for: forest science.
3. Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard
Simard tells the story of her research into forest networks. Personal and inspiring.
Best for: scientist's memoir.
4. Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
Sheldrake explores the hidden world of fungi. Beautiful and surprising.
Best for: fungi.
5. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
A geobiologist writes about her work with plants and friendship. Funny and honest.
Best for: science memoir.
6. The Overstory by Richard Powers
Nine people are changed by trees. Large, patient and full of ideas.
Best for: trees in fiction.
7. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Carson shows the harm of pesticides to nature. A landmark.
Best for: environmental classic.
8. A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
Leopold's essays on nature and conservation. Clear and wise.
Best for: land ethic.
9. Wilding by Isabella Tree
A British couple turn an ordinary farm into a wild habitat. Hopeful and practical.
Best for: rewilding a farm.
10. Underland by Robert Macfarlane
Macfarlane explores caves, mines and underground networks. Lyrical and deep.
Best for: below the surface.
11. H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
A woman trains a goshawk after her father's death. Beautiful and raw.
Best for: grief and a goshawk.
12. The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
Montgomery befriends octopuses at an aquarium. Warm and curious.
Best for: octopus friendship.
13. An Immense World by Ed Yong
Yong explores how animals sense the world in ways we cannot. Wide-ranging.
Best for: senses of animals.
14. The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
Pollan looks at four plants and how they shaped humans. Curious and funny.
Best for: plants and people.
15. The Songs of Trees by David George Haskell
Haskell visits twelve trees around the world. Quiet and deep.
Best for: forest portraits.
How to Choose
For more Kimmerer read Gathering Moss. For forests choose The Hidden Life of Trees, Finding the Mother Tree or The Songs of Trees. For fungi read Entangled Life. For personal stories pick Lab Girl or H Is for Hawk. For classics try Silent Spring or A Sand County Almanac. Braiding Sweetgrass is reflective, so these picks suit readers who enjoy slow, thoughtful nature writing. The book has become a perennial bestseller since its release and is often given as a gift, with audiobook narration by Kimmerer herself, which many listeners love. Because it is made of essays, it can be read a chapter at a time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Braiding Sweetgrass about?
A botanist weaves plant science with Indigenous teachings about the natural world.
Who wrote it?
Robin Wall Kimmerer.
When was it published?
2013.
Is it a science book?
It blends science, memoir and cultural reflection.
Does Kimmerer narrate the audiobook?
Yes.
Is it a spiritual book?
It contains reflections on gratitude and reciprocity but is mainly about ecology and relationship with land.
Is it a quick read?
It is about 400 pages, but can be read in short essays.
What should I read next?
Try Gathering Moss or The Hidden Life of Trees.
Which book here is best for fungi?
Try Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake, which suits readers looking for fungi.
Which book here is best for environmental classic?
Try Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which suits readers looking for environmental classic.
Which book here is best for below the surface?
Try Underland by Robert Macfarlane, which suits readers looking for below the surface.
Which book here is best for senses of animals?
Try An Immense World by Ed Yong, which suits readers looking for senses of animals.
Which book here is best for forest science?
Try The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, which suits readers looking for forest science.
Which book here is best for science memoir?
Try Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, which suits readers looking for science memoir.