The Natural Navigator, Tenth Anniversary Edition: The Rediscovered Art of Letting Nature Be Your Guide (Natural Navigation)

Product Description
From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Secret World of Weather and The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs, rediscover nature by noticing the hidden clues all around you
“A truly vital book for any outdoor adventurer.”—Cabin Life
Before GPS, before the compass, and even before cartography, humankind was navigating. A windswept tree, the depth of a puddle, or a trill of birdsong could point the way home, and they still do—if you know how to look.
With
The Natural Navigator, his first book, Tristan Gooley invited us to notice the directional clues hidden all around: in the sun, moon, stars, clouds, weather patterns, lengthening shadows, changing tides, growing plants, and habits of wildlife. A decade after publication, this modern classic still reminds us that we can find south by joining the horns of the crescent moon—and find adventure in our own backyards.
Review
“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—from stars in the night sky to evaporating puddles underfoot—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 Street Journal “Tristan Gooley blends natural science, myth, folklore and the history of travel to introduce you to the rare and ancient art of finding your way using nature’s own sign-posts, from the feel of a rock to a glance at the moon.”—Canadian Geographic “A Must-Have Gift for Seasoned Explorers and Cautious Nature-Lovers Alike.”—Mountain Life “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 “His know-how won’t only lead you home, but help you find yourself.”—Red Bulletin “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