Earth Day Essentials: Must-Read Books

Updated April 15, 2025
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A field guide to the stars and planets
Pasachoff, Jay M.
Paper Book
The fourth edition of this best-selling field guide was revised and updated, and each printing brings further updates with the latest information. As of the 16th printing (December 2018), most of the time-sensitive material has been updated for the next decade. Twenty-four color Monthly Sky Maps...
The story of Earth : the first 4.5 billion years, from stardust to living planet
Hazen, Robert M.
Paper Book
Earth evolves. From first atom to molecule, mineral to magma, granite crust to single cell to verdant living landscape, ours is a planet constantly in flux. In this radical new approach to Earth's biography, senior Carnegie Institution researcher and national bestselling author Robert M. Hazen...
The story of the universe in 100 stars
Freistetter, Florian
Paper Book
With roughly 100 billion stars in the Milky Way alone, the cosmos is simply too vast for an unabridged tell-all. But here's the next best thing: 100 stars--bright and faint, near and far, famous and obscure, long dead and as-yet unborn, red, yellow, blue, and white (but, as you'll learn, never green...
In the shadow of the moon : the science, magic, and mystery of solar eclipses
Aveni, Anthony F.
Paper Book
In anticipation of solar eclipses visible in 2017 and 2024, an exploration of the scientific and cultural significance of this mesmerizing cosmic display Since the first humans looked up and saw the sun swallowed by darkness, our species has been captivated by...
Planet Earth as you've never seen it before
Fothergill, Alastair.
Paper Book
A visual odyssey that will change the way we see our planet, this remarkable book, companion to the acclaimed Discovery Channel/ BBC series, is an enduring and awe-inspiring record of one of the most ambitious natural history projects ever undertaken. Using the latest aerial surveillance, state...
The story of more : how we got to climate change and where to go from here : adapted for young adults
Jahren, Hope
Paper Book
This young adult adaptation of acclaimed geochemist and geobiologist Hope Jahren's highly respected nonfiction work is the perfect book for those interested in learning about climate change and how they can contribute to creating a more sustainable future. Hope Jahren, acclaimed...
Earth under fire : how global warming is changing the world
Braasch, Gary.
Paper Book
Six years ago, award-winning photojournalist Gary Braasch began an extraordinary journey around the world to observe and document environmental changes resulting from the warming of our climate. In this stunning, eye-opening book, he brings us along to witness firsthand what he saw as he...
The climate book
Thunberg, Greta
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER We still have time to change the world. From climate activist Greta Thunberg, comes the essential handbook for making it happen. You might think it's an impossible task: secure a safe future for life on Earth, at a scale and speed...
A farewell to ice
Wadhams, P.
Paper Book
"What is really happening in the Arctic regions of the world - some of the most mysterious, beautiful, and essential places on the planet? Peter Wadhams is Professor of Ocean Physics at Cambridge University and the world's leading expert on sea ice, having made forty-five journeys to polar regions...
This changes everything : capitalism vs. the climate
Klein, Naomi
Paper Book
WINNER 2014 - Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Non-Fiction Forget everything you think you know about global warming. The really inconvenient truth is that it's not about carbon--it's about capitalism. The convenient truth is that we can seize this...
Slow burn : the hidden costs of a warming world
Park, R. Jisung
Paper Book
How the subtle but significant consequences of a hotter planet have already begun--from lower test scores to higher crime rates--and how we might tackle them today It's hard not to feel anxious about the problem of climate change, especially if we think of it as an impending...
The encyclopedia of Earth : a complete visual guide
Allaby, Michael.
Paper Book
This sumptuously illustrated, beautifully written encyclopedia, the best book available on the topic, presents the most up-to-date information about planet Earth in a style and format that will appeal to an extremely wide range of readers. With thousands of photographs, illustrations, diagrams,...
Encyclopedia of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones
Longshore, David.
Paper Book
The science, history, and culture of tropical cyclones around the globe have evolved considerably since the award-winning first edition of ""Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones"" was published nearly 10 years ago. Improved forecasting techniques, altered naming systems, and new...
The fragile earth : writing from the New Yorker on climate change
Remnick, David
Paper Book
A New York Times New & Noteworthy Book One of the Daily Beast's 5 Essential Books to Read Before the Election A collection of the New Yorker's groundbreaking reporting from the front lines of climate change--including writing from Bill McKibben, Elizabeth Kolbert, Ian...

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