Book Review: Nature Obscura: A City’s Hidden Natural World by Kelly Brenner

This was a perfect read for now. It was light, humorous, informative, and beautifully written. I loved every moment of it. Even the parts which I knew about lichens and what makes them. The funniest bits were Kelly Brenner’s notes about her life and how she engages with nature around her. Her quick, informative humor made me smile. But what got me most was her love for nature. She knows that it is what keeps us going, makes us shine, and is an essential part of our physical and mental health.

Of course, you can criticize the book for being just another pop science book, too light, all over the place, and too personal, but then again, it is not the book for you or anyone looking for a vigorous study of nature. Instead, this book is about building a relationship with your surroundings and learning to look beyond the massive human-made constructions and see the bugs in the back garden. (Or how to transform a bug zapper into something unique and beautiful. Not telling you; you have to read the book.)

Anyway, this was just a perfect read for trying to recuperate from a personal tragedy. Even in the written word, nature can heal, especially when told from the perspective of someone passionate about it.

Thank you for reading, have a beautiful day!

P.S. let’s hope I get back to reading and reviewing; this cloud over my head will soon be lifted.