Our Wild Calling

Book summary

Richard Louv is an author and journalist, whose interests center around connecting families and communities to nature. He is also the cofounder of the nonprofit organization Children & Nature Network. Louv’s work has appeared in The New York Times, as well as other publications, and in 2008 he was awarded the Audubon Medal.

Encounters with wild animals can profoundly shape our lives, as seen in the author’s transformative meeting with a black fox on Kodiak Island, which taught him to cherish and protect wildlife. This theme of connection extends to his observations of ground squirrels, where he discovered beauty in their daily struggles, reinforcing the idea that empathy for other species can reshape our relationship with nature. Norwegian ecophilosopher Arne Naess emphasizes acting beautifully, driven by care rather than obligation, while modern scientists challenge outdated views like Descartes’ *Bête machine*, striving to understand animals without anthropomorphism. Stories like James Garcia’s community efforts and Glenn Albrecht’s solophilia highlight how local action fosters both environmental and personal healing. Perspectives on nature vary, from the Maasai’s unity with the natural world to Western society’s fragmented relationship, which ecopsychologists link to distorted interactions like factory farming. Concepts like co-becoming and indigenous philosophies remind us of our interconnectedness with all life. Yet, as loneliness rises in the Anthropocene, ecologist Michael Vincent McGinnis’ "species loneliness" underscores our estrangement from non-human life. Thomas Berry’s vision of the ecozoic epoch offers hope for harmony, while examples of animal communication, like a wolf guiding a professor or dolphins forming "sentences," reveal the depth of interspecies connection, urging us to rethink our bond with the natural world.

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