This book was a beautiful blend of detailed botanical science and a deeper connection with nature. In Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, Robin Wall Kimmerer takes readers on a journey into a part of our landscape that is so frequently overlooked and ignored due to its small size, and she inspires a new respect and admiration for the small wonders of the world. Personally, I’ve always been rather enamored with mosses: how vibrantly green they shine after a rain; the varied shades and textures intermixed in an area where multiple species coexist; and their amazing soft, cushiony-ness (one of the most comfortable naps I ever took was on a bed of moss). So this book seemed like the perfect topic for me to delve into. But with Kimmerer’s artful storytelling, clear explanations of scientific concepts, and infectious curiosity for the world around us, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has even the slightest interest in nature. 

A couple of my favorite newly acquired moss facts:

• The surface of mosses’ leaves must be wet in order for photosynthesis to occur. Without water, a dry moss is incapable of growth. Without roots, they cannot replenish their water supply from the soil, as is typical of most plants. Despite this, most moss species are immune to death by drying. For them, Kimmerer says, “desiccation is simply a temporary interruption of life.” Dried specimens in natural history collections have been remoistened after decades of storage only to have the moss return to its original vigor. 
• Mosses have two means of dispersal. The first is through fragmentation. Most species of moss can regenerate themselves from just a small piece. A single leaf broken off and left to lie on exposed soil can produce an entirely new plant. The second is through the distribution of reproductive spores, which due to their small size can travel great distances on the right air current. In fact, she refers to “aerial plankton” – the cloud of spores that can “powder every surface with the possibility of mosses.”

Throughout the entire book, interspersed with detailed science about the anatomy, life cycle and ecology of mosses, Kimmerer routinely urges us to slow down and observe the world around us. “Mosses and other small beings issue an invitation to dwell for a time at the limits of ordinary perception. All it requires of us is attentiveness. Look in a certain way and the a whole new world can be revealed.” So, read this book if you happen to come across it. But most importantly, look down from time to time and notice the fascinating world of mosses beneath your feet.