Praise for How to Read Water : "With the help of this book, and with careful attention and observation, anyone can learn how to interpret the messages water offers to aid in everything from navigation to weather forecasting. A riveting and highly accessible book that will appeal to water enthusiasts and nature lovers of all kinds."-- Library Journal "Avid and budding outdoorspeople will appreciate Gooley''s breadth of knowledge and accessible approach."-- Publishers Weekly Praise for The Lost Art of Reading Nature''s Signs : Winner of the Outdoor Book of the Year, The Great Outdoors Awards 2015 "Gooley interprets clues like a private investigator of the wilds, leaving no stone unturned . For those inclined to solve mysteries written into the landscape, this author''s lead is one they''ll want to follow."-- The Wall Street Journal "[Gooley] has become the global expert on natural navigation, finding his way around the world using nothing but natural clues and pointers. His discovery (made on a sailing expedition to Iceland)--that if, when at sea, you see more than 10 birds in any given five minute window this means you are within 40 miles of land--has become part of the British military''s survival guidance."-- The Daily Beast "How rare to find a book that is truly brilliant.
The Lost Art of Reading Nature''s Signs , by Tristan Gooley, is brilliant in the English slang sense (as in being terrific); it is brilliant in its comprehensive conveyance of all the ways to interpret natural and man-made landscapes; and brilliance glitters from Gooley''s sparkling wit."-- Foreword "Gooley''s comprehensive volume should pique the curiosity of budding nature-lovers and is ideal for anyone keen on forging a deeper connection with the land."-- Publishers Weekly "While Gooley''s tips encompass useful, practical ways to predict a change in weather, determine when a predator may be prowling and find true North at night, his true gift is in igniting curiosity and wonder about the world around us."-- Shelf Awareness "In terms of sheer did-you-knows per page it is one of the richest, densest, most rewarding books on nature I have read in a long time . its joy in deduction is infectiously delightful." -- James McConnachie, The Sunday Times "I for one will never look at the . countryside in quite the same way again." -- Stephen Moss, Countryfile Magazine "Gooley can show the most moonstruck how to interpret their surroundings.
Even the intrepid Bear Grylls could learn a trick or two from this book."-- The Times "Anyone interested in walking out of doors at any time would be well advised to read this excellent book."-- The Royal Institute of Navigation "As with his earlier, equally important The Natural Navigator , this text is densely packed with information, engagingly and clearly written . Every outdoor-lover should have at least one Tristan Gooley book in their library. He''s attained national treasure status, as useful and educative as he is endearingly unique."-- The Great Outdoors magazine "Learning so much [.] that I might have to take another long walk"-- Nicholas Crane Praise for The Natural Navigator : "Eagle Scouts don't hold a candle or compass to Gooley, a professional outdoorsman if there ever was one and an engaging proponent of navigation au naturale in this compelling guide. Readers will learn how to evaluate clues in nature'e*from stars in the night sky to evaporating puddles underfoot'e*to discover where they are and how to get where they need to go.
Gooley's particular spin is that this subject is not just about survival skills; it's an art form that can reveal to anyone willing to look hard enough the beauty and utility of nature's patterns. It is, he writes, "about reintroducing a childlike curiosity to the journey." But it is also about applying discipline and scientific rigor to how we move through the world. Chockfull of incredibly useful information ranging from the simple (e.g., how to make a sun dial) to the more complex (e.g., how to outline the sun's arc based on latitude), this book will appeal to veteran trailblazers and cautious nature-lovers alike.
Indeed, for those prone to stick to the Discovery Channel rather than venture afoot, Gooley's personal travel anecdotes alone are enough to make this worth a read. Inexperienced hikers will nevertheless want to keep a compass handy on their next outing, but with Gooley's tome in tow, the journey will be all the more rewarding."-- Publishers Weekly "[A] deeply poetic book . Mr. Gooley provides ample instructions, complete with diagrams of wind patterns and tide heights, for living and traveling like a natural navigator." --The Wall Steet Journal "This in-depth book gives us the tools to reengage with our natural world in a clear and understandable way. I love it!"-- Bear Grylls , author of The Kid Who Climbed Everest and Man vs. Wild "The perfect book for getting you started on your own adventure.
"-- Sir Ranulph Fiennes , adventurer and author of Race to the Pole " The Natural Navigator is a wonderfully stimulating book. Tristan Gooley sidesteps technology to celebrate our own powers of observation, and suggests that the art of natural navigation is something we should never have forgotten."-- Michael Palin "Before GPSes, people navigated by the stars, the wind and shadows on the ground. Tristan Gooley, an English adventurer, shows how it''s done in The Natural Navigator . This fascinating book is filled with surprising facts."-- Washington Post "Gooley, a longtime adventurer who teaches what he calls "natural navigation," has compiled an intriguing trove of tips and tricks from cultures such as the Inuit and Aborigines . Even for readers who never intend to rely on these tips to find their way through the wilderness, The Natural Navigator is a great primer on how the forces of nature affect the landscapes and seascapes that everyone travels through."-- Science News "[P]rovides a delightful refresher course .
His enthusiasm for the basic facts of earth science and astronomy are part of the charm of The Natural Navigator."-- The Providence Journal "Packed with helpful illustrations, Gooley opens your eyes to the clues that the natural world happily shares with all of us, if we just take the time to look. A truly vital book for any outdoor adventurer."-- Cabin Life "As Gooley reminds us, navigation is, first of all, about understanding where you are. His marvelous book is a good starting point."-- Geographical Magazine "This wonderful book takes the skill set back several generations further, to the vanishing (but often surprisingly simple) arts of navigating by sun, moon, stars and natural phenomena. If this sounds arcane and unlikely, it''s not: armchair readers will revel in the beautifully written material on myth, science, folklore and history, and the fascinating details and tips . This is the sort of charming and inspiring book you want to recommend and buy for others.
A must for any lover of the outdoors."-- The Telegraph "The best nature writing changes the way you experience the world. Tristan Gooley''s The Natural Navigator will teach you how to find your way using not just the moon, sun and stars but spider''s webs, tennis courts and even ruts on a track. He throws in entertaining anecdotes from the history of navigation and from his own impressive Atlantic journeys, but really he''s giving you an addictive hobby, and a newly refined sense of time and place."-- The Sunday Times (London) "Gooley''s calm, contemplative authority on matters solar, lunar and celestial establishes his guru credentials'e*but it''s his revelations about the clues that lie scattered about the natural environment that really entrance: how puddles drying on paths, the shapes of sand dunes, the graininess of scree on the lee of a slope can all be enlisted to summon compass points to your horizon."-- Time Out London "Gooley is a fine writer with a philosophical passion for the subject, and he occasionally veers into areas that are perhaps not strictly within the remit of the book, but these are effortlessly pleasant diversions that add to the whole. His timing is strong, with anecdotes dropped in at just the right intervals to keep you turning the pages. His advice is at times glorious in its simplicity and fascinating in its execution.
"-- The Irish Times "In a sat-nav dominated world, where GPS and a host of other acronyms designed to get us from A to B have overtaken paper maps, it is refreshing to meet someone who understands technology, but prefers to find his way by practicing the rare and ancient art of using nature''s signposts, from puddle patterns to shadow lengths . I''m hooked. Back at the beech, I make a mental note of emerging bluebell patches, forming an internal map that I''ll use to find my way around the wood."-- BBC Wildlife Magazine "Gooley artfully covers all a natural navigator would need to know for any situation.