Unseen City (The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails & Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness)

It all started with Nathanael Johnson’s decision to teach his daughter the name of every tree they passed on their walk to day care in San Francisco. This project turned into a quest to discover the secrets of the neighborhood’s flora and fauna, and yielded more than names and trivia: Johnson developed a relationship with his nonhuman neighbors.

Johnson argues that learning to see the world afresh, like a child, shifts the way we think about nature: Instead of something distant and abstract, nature becomes real—all at once comical, annoying, and beautiful. This shift can add tremendous value to our lives, and it might just be the first step in saving the world.

No matter where we live—city, country, oceanside, or mountains—there are wonders that we walk past every day. Unseen City widens the pinhole of our perspective by allowing us to view the world from the high-altitude eyes of a turkey vulture and the distinctly low-altitude eyes of a snail. The narrative allows us to eavesdrop on the comically frenetic life of a squirrel and peer deep into the past with a ginkgo biloba tree. Each of these organisms has something unique to tell us about our neighborhoods and, chapter by chapter, Unseen City takes us on a journey that is part nature lesson and part love letter to the world’s urban jungles. With the right perspective, a walk to the subway can be every bit as entrancing as a walk through a national park.

This book title, Unseen City (The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails & Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness), ISBN: 9781623363857, by Nathanael Johnson, published by Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale (April 5, 2016) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.

Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer Unseen City (The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails & Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness) books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.

Prefer to work with a human being when you order Unseen City (The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails & Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness) books in bulk? Our Book Specialists are standing by Monday-Friday 8-5 PST, ready to help!