Book Review: The Darkest Pastoral: Selected Poems
In the poetry collection Darkest Pastoral by John Kinsella, we are treated to poems about place, people, animals and even chilies. Naturally, I was drawn to the poems about animals. …
John Yunker
The most popular book reviews and pages from 2025
EcoLit Books continues to see increases in traffic and email subscribers — we’ve nearly doubled the number of visitors from a year before. And we’re thankful to you. It’s inspiring …
New writer’s residency: Conjunctions
The literary journal Conjunctions is now sponsoring a residency for writers in upstate New York: Conjunctions is proud to announce a new three-week writer’s residency under the auspices of the recently …
2026 Aldo & Estella Leopold Residency now accepting applications
There is a $20 fee to apply but it looks like an amazing residency: The Aldo and Estella Leopold Residency provides a space for writers and respected thinkers to reflect …
The best environmental books we’ve read in 2025
We published 28 book reviews this year and promoted many more. Out of all the books we’ve read, here are some of our favorites. We hope you enjoy them — and we thank …
New and forthcoming environmental books (December 2025)
As we approach the end of the year I’m pleased to share another impressive selection of newly published (or soon-to-be-published) environmental books. Enjoy! Cowbells on the Kill Floor: Veganism, Legacy …
New environmental journal: Germinate
There’s a new journal for environmental writers to be aware of: Germinate. Published 4 times a year, the journal is “an open-access, digital publication of the American Society for Environmental …
Imagining a different Thanksgiving tradition
The annual presidential pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey has to be one of the most curious traditions in this country. It officially dates back to George H.W. Bush, though John …
Shining a light on birding’s blind spot
I was pleased to contribute an essay to The Revelator recently. It begins… Birding is having a moment. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are more than 90 …
Lost Animals: Voices of Extinction
What would the last living passenger pigeon (seen in silhouette above) have to say if he or she were alive today? Or the Tasmanian tiger? Or the Carolina parakeet? In …
Confucius’s pet dog: The Chinese Animal Studies Network
If you’re interested in learning more about animal histories in China check out the Chinese Animal Studies Network. They have an excellent newsletter. I recently read this Talking Animals Q&A …