Living on the limits of our ordinary perception, mosses are a common but largely unnoticed element of the organic world. Gathering Moss can be a beautifully written mix of science and personal representation that invites listeners to explore and study from the elegantly simple lives of mosses.

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book isn’t an identification guide, neither is it a scientific treatise. Rather, it is some connected personal essays which will lead general readers and scientists alike for an about Gathering Moss: AN ALL NATURAL and Cultural History of Mosses understanding of how mosses live and how their lives are intertwined using the lives of countless additional beings, from salmon and hummingbirds to redwoods and rednecks. Kimmerer clearly and artfully points out the biology of mosses, while at the same time reflecting on what these exciting organisms need to teach us.

Drawing on her behalf diverse experiences being a scientist, mom, teacher, and author of Native American heritage, Kimmerer clarifies the stories of mosses in scientific conditions as well such as the framework of indigenous ways of understanding. In her publication, the natural background and cultural human relationships of mosses turn into a powerful metaphor for ways of surviving in the world.