How to Be a Living Thing is a thought-provoking series of essays that explore how animals (bears, horses, birds, and many others) experience their worlds and what we can learn from them. Author Mari Andrew argues that we are too much in our heads; the animals she profiles follow nature’s rhythms, hibernating when appropriate and foraging for food when hungry. Andrew applies that same idea to humans: can we learn from orcas who were miserable in captivity even though they had ample food and were safe from predators? Are we also stuck in similar environments, secure and comfortable but unhappy?

Engaging, well-written, and accessible. You may not agree with Andrew on every point, but it's well worth a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

There is so much that we can learn from the natural world and Andrew shows that so beautifully in this series of essays. Andrew brings her whole heart to everything she does and this book shows us all how we can learn to do the same. A masterpiece!