"If a place isn't worth a vacation, is it worth protecting?"

To know something is to understand it, and with understanding, can come love and protection. For many Americans, the North American prairie is an oft out-of-sight, out-of-mind backdrop - a checkbox on a middle-grade geography test, a painted backdrop in a history lesson, and a wide, flat, and likely boring stretch of a trip to more exciting and exotic places by and or by air. Though the American prairie often takes on a mythical, aloof, barren, and somewhat despairing backdrop for TV dramas and old-time cowboy shows, it - like the universe - contains multitudes, providing a dazzling and dramatic backdrop for endless cycles of new birth, rebirth and reincarnation for untold numbers of living creatures that call the great grass seas home.

Though strangers from strange lands found this walkable sea to be unforgiving and ungovernable when they arrived over two centuries ago, human innovation in the form of the steel plow, artificial drainage, and nitrogen fertilizers sparked a revolution that would change the land and its people (both its native inhabitants and its foreign colonizers) forever. With great change, unfortunately, comes the opportunity for great calamity, which the farmers, consumers, and inhabitants of this landscape in modern times are experiencing first-hand as the balance of the prairie tips toward insurmountable ecological disaster.

Part epic history, part ecological exploration, and part call to arms, "Sea of Grass" draws readers to the unsung wilderness of a faraway sea - one of a biological diversity that would put a tropical rainforest to shame, and from which great transformation - and both boundless success and unfathomable loss - has been unearthed.

I adored this book, and highly recommend the audiobook while taking a walk through whatever kids of nature you have available to you. I definitely learned a lot about American prairie land that I had no knowledge of before - and that's as someone who likes to regularly read books about nature, ecology, and plant/animal/life science. I also really loved how the historical exploration of the prairie blended seamlessly into a bigger discussion around colonialism, resource exploitation, science in the name of "progress", and current affairs.

I think this book was a great call-to-arms that also explored on a more approachable level the way that these greater players - 200 years of history, a ecological cataclysm, and endless miles of "unused" land - affect individuals, families, communities, and cities on an intimate level. Readers interested in finding something to believe in and love about American in a time where that is increasingly hard, and who wish to learn more about the ways in which people are fighting back against the loss of an irreplaceable ecosystem (and potentially what they can do to help) should pick up this masterpiece!

As a native Iowan, this book really hits home. It's a beautifully written work of natural history and "liternature." Highly recommended for fans of "The Life and Death of a Minke Whale in the Amazon: Dispatches from the Brazilian Rainforest" by Fábio Zuker and "The Last House Before the Sea: One Year on the Ebro Delta" by Gabi Martínez.

This is a beautiful tribute to American prairies and the many species that call them home! Written by journalists, each chapter reads as a long form article about a certain topic, and covers the characteristics of prairie, its history, and its potential future. As a regenerative bison rancher working to restore native prairie and other native ecosystems on our small farm, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about these amazing and vital parts of nature. I can see myself returning to this book again and again!

Sea of Grass offers a comprehensive albeit very wieldy history of the American Prairie through its prehistory, development of agricultural technology, and efforts to conserve it. The authors present a beautiful and descriptive image of the grasslands prior to European contact, but pretty much since the introduction of agriculture and modern farming technology the American prairie has been going downhill fast. With each progressing chapter it’s harder and harder to think that anything substantial can or will be done to save it. There is a lot to be learned about what we need to do in order to protect our grassland ecosystems, and although we are given very clear examples of what works (and what doesn’t), it seems like agribusiness, politicians, and even farmers themselves don’t want to take any risk to their profit or way of life.

In terms of the structure of the book, I feel that several of the chapters would read better if they were consolidated or reorganized, as there are significant overlaps. For example, Chapter Eight: Water ties in a lot of the same arguments and similar case studies to Chapter Three: Swamp and Chapter Four: NH3 (Ammonia), respectively discussing nitrogen pollution and chemical runoff from the implementation of tile drainage. Obviously, these factors play a role in multiple aspects of the devolution of the American prairie due to agriculture. But for each individual chapter to be a particular theme, the number of redundancies and references is overwhelming for a single chapter. Chapter Nine: Plow II should really be called Carbon since that feels like the central theme of the chapter (plowing causes carbon to be released into the atmosphere, producing ethanol releases just as much carbon as producing gasoline, etc.).

Overall, it is certainly a recommended read for anyone vaguely or intensely interested in American grasslands, conservation and restoration efforts, and the development and impact of agriculture on our land. I wish this book was a little more concisely edited, along with a few grammatical errors and repeated words, but for the amount of information it includes, there is justification for the overall length.

Sea of Grass is a beautifully written and deeply researched exploration of one of North America’s most overlooked landscapes—the vast, windswept prairies. Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty take readers on a journey through the history, ecology, and uncertain future of the Great Plains, painting a vivid picture of a land that was once limitless but is now under threat.

The book weaves together science, history, and personal narratives, introducing us to the ranchers, conservationists, and Indigenous communities who have long understood the value of this fragile ecosystem. The authors don’t just present facts—they tell a story, one that feels urgent and deeply human.

What makes Sea of Grass so compelling is its ability to make you see the prairie not just as an empty stretch of land, but as a living, breathing world full of resilience and beauty. The writing is rich and evocative, transporting you to a place where the sky stretches endlessly and the wind carries the whispers of history.

This is a book for anyone who loves the land, who cares about conservation, or who simply wants to understand a part of America that is often forgotten. It’s a powerful reminder that protecting nature isn’t just about preserving landscapes—it’s about honoring the stories, cultures, and lives connected to them.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting a book like 'Sea of Grass' and quickly read the Advanced Reader Copy this winter. It felt very relevant to me: I grew up on a corn and soybean farm in southwestern Minnesota and converted hundreds of acres to native grasses and wetlands through the state’s Conservation Reserve Program. I love that this book offers a compelling history of the prairies and delves into how industrial agriculture and land conservation are inextricably tied to climate action and a sustainable future, while noting the deep responsibility to land, conservation, and community that farmers and ranchers hold. With a short note on sustainable aviation fuel and an overview of a climate project in Crookston — topics familiar to our blog readers — ‘Sea of Grass is’ an essential read for anyone interested in the intersection of agriculture, conservation, and climate change and one I’m recommending to my friends and colleagues.

Seemingly Comprehensive Review Of Its Field Marred By Dearth Of Bibliography. This is one of those books you pick up randomly because "hey, I don't actually know more than the very rough basics about the American Prairie", and it will actually give you a largely well rounded view of the entire topic, from its ancient origins and pre-European development through the Indian Wars/ Manifest Destiny era and through the Dust Bowl years all the way up to mostly current farming tech/ practices in the region. Yes, the commentary is titled perhaps a touch toward the left side of the dial, but honestly it wasn't anywhere near as pervasive or preachy as some other similar texts tend to get, so eh, it was enough to mention here but now I'm moving on.

No, the real problem, at least with the Advance Review Copy edition I read roughly 6 months before publication, is the dearth of a bibliography, clocking in at just 7% of the overall text - a far cry from even the 15% of my newly relaxing standard for bibliography length, much less the 20-30% of my former standard. So that's the star deduction - for all of the facts presented, there simply isn't anywhere near enough bibliography to back them up - much less the more editorial commentary.

Overall a seemingly strong primer on the topic, I know I learned a lot about a lot here, and I suspect many will as well. I simply wish it had been better documented.

Very much recommended.

I learned so much from this book. Not only was the history of the American prairie fantastic to learn, but the author s tackled some pretty intense subjects in an easy way to understand. As a student of natural histories, I definitely found this book one of the best ones on the subject. Can't wait to recommend it to my book group!

My problem with this book is not that’s it’s irrelevant or poorly written. I have just been reading books that are on overlapping topics having to do with natural history and I was aware of many issues covered in this book. For example, I recently read Timothy Egan’s Worst Hard Time and this book also has a chapter on the dust bowl. I belong to the Native Plant Society and worked at university agriculture research department so I am aware of the issues and learning more all the time. It’s not as grim as people think there are conservation ranching projects like the Bamberger Preserve in Texas that all over the country. Agricultural researchers are looking at alternatives for cattle feed (insects) and biofuels (sea algae) that do not require pesticides and water resources.