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	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Maren Wiederhold

CLOSE TO HOME

Thor Hanson

The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door

The next book from beloved Basic Books house author, Thor Hanson, a conservation biologist, Guggenheim Fellow, and award-winning natural history writer.

Described by the New York Times as "a storyteller by nature," Hanson is known for beautifully written, engaging books: The Atlantic described Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid as opening "trapdoors onto the vivid lives of other beings in hopes of giving humans a close-grained understanding of our role in habitat change and the varieties of adaptation that may be in store for our species too." The Wall Street Journal called Feathers "a winning book", the New York Times called Triumph of Seeds "gracious, funny, persuasive and wide ranging," and the Economist called Buzz "popular science at its intelligent best." Thor Hanson's books have been translated into 12 languages (the full licensing history for his backlist is copied at the end of this email), and he has written extensively for media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, the Guardian, and more.

Thor Hanson opens the door to the nature that thrives in our yards, gardens, and parks. Full of gorgeous nature writing, he takes readers on an expansive journey of the natural world: from the tops of mighty trees to the insides of birdhouses, from our house plans to several feet underground.

We all live on nature's doorstep, but we often overlook it. From backyards to local parks, the natural places we see the most may well be the ones we know the least. In Close to Home, biologist Thor Hanson shows how retraining our eyes reveals hidden wonders just waiting to be discovered. In urban areas, hundreds of unknown species abound. Within our forests, fierce yellowjackets placidly sip honeydew, unseen in the treetops. And in the soil beneath our feet, remedies for everything from breast cancer to the stench of skunks lie waiting for someone's searching shovel.

Close to Home is a hands-on natural history for any local patch of Earth. It shows that we each can contribute to science and improve the health of our planet. And even more, it proves that the wonders of nature don't lie in some far-off land: they await us, close to home.

Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist, Guggenheim fellow, and author of award-winning books including Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, Buzz, Feathers, and The Triumph of Seeds. He lives with his wife and son on an island in Washington State.

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Book Published 2025-03-01 by Basic Books

Comments

Thor Hanson's Close to Home invites us to step into the ordinary and discover the extraordinary. From natural science experiments to the search for new species, Hanson reminds us that awe and wonder are as close as our own backyard. With Hanson as our guide, a walk around the block becomes an opportunity to explore, to conserve, to ask questions, and to broaden our horizons.

A fascinating look at interesting creatures going about their business in the most mundane habitats, demonstrating that observing nature is available to all. For readers who relish accessible scientific studies and lyrical nature writing.

Far from the first natural history of the backyard, but a good one.

Hanson's writing is engaging and informative. Readers will be inspired to take a closer look at the amazing but often overlooked plants and creatures hiding in plain sight and to take steps to foster biodiversity in their own backyards.

After reading 'Close to Home,' by the conservation biologist Thor Hanson, you may be inspired to step outside and turn over a fresh leaf, look closely under a bit of tree bark or stick your hand in the dirt and see what you come up with. What are you waiting for?

An educational and inspiring book from cover to cover.

Thor Hanson's Close to Home, written with classic Hanson prose and enthusiasm, is as addictive as it is entertaining. Hanson teaches the value of looking high and low, near and far, at the fascinating natural systems we have never noticed right in our yards. And, very much to my liking, he tells us how to enhance those systems with minor tweaks to our landscapes. Thor Hanson has forced me to use the dreaded cliche: I couldn't put it down!

A captivating mix of engaging stories, accessible science and interesting facts!

Packed with inspiration and insight, the wonders of the living world are vividly revealed in this beautifully crafted invitation to curiosity and exploration.

When we love a book we typically say, 'I couldn't put it down.' Close to Home is different. This book inspires such a rush of curiosity, I simply had to put it down over and over again so I could run out the door and investigate: peer beneath leaves for never-known insects, or turn my ear to the subtle language of neighborhood birds, or reach my hands into the soil to touch the under-earth beings beneath my everyday notice. What joy. Thor Hanson's love for his subject is infectious, and reminds us that access to the deep knowledge we need in this complex ecological time does not lie only within institutional walls, but in the everyday conversations between our wild minds, our wild hearts, and the wild earth.

Thor Hanson has done it again! In this surprising, upbeat, and exciting book, we learn that not only everyday wonders, but actual scientific discovery awaits us Close To Home. The perfect mix of science and story, told by a master of both. I loved it!