Sweet in Tooth and Claw

nature is more cooperative than we think
Kristin Ohlson

Praise for The Soil Will Save Us:

‘The author has a clear storytelling style, which comes in handy when drawing this head-turning portrait of lowly dirt.’

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Stalking the Divine:

‘Kristin Ohlson’s honesty, intelligence, and charm make this book irresistible. A nonbeliever who longs for a convincing spiritual experience, she writes about a community of cloistered nuns: women as honest, intelligent, and charming as she, who have centred their lives around prayer. Stalking the Divine is a delightful story about curiosity, by a writer who can’t be dispassionate about her subject and also can’t lie to herself.’

Alice Mattison, author of The Book Borrower and Hilda And Pearl

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‘Deftly weaving together science, social thought, and a remarkable cast of characters, Ohlson's book uncovers the marvellous partnerships that make life possible, showing that cooperation, not competition, is the key to survival.’

Elizabeth Carlisle, author of Healing Grounds: climate, justice, and the deep roots of regenerative farming

Ever since Darwin, science has enshrined competition as biology’s brutal architect. But this revelatory new book argues that our narrow view of evolution has caused us to ignore the generosity and cooperation that exist around us, from the soil to the sky.

In Sweet in Tooth and Claw, Kristin Ohlson explores the subtle ways in which nature is in constant collaboration to the betterment of all species. From the bear that discards the remainders of his salmon dinner on the forest ground, to the bright coral reefs of Cuba, she shows readers not only the connectivity lying beneath the surface in natural ecosystems, but why it’s vital for humans to incorporate that understanding into our interactions with nature, and also with each other.

Much of the damage that humans have done to our natural environment stems from our ignorance of these dense webs of connection. As we struggle to cope with the environmental hazards that our behaviour has unleashed, it’s more important than ever to understand nature’s billions of cooperative interactions. This way, we can stop disrupting them and instead rely on them to renew ecosystems.

In reporting from the frontlines of scientific research, regenerative agriculture, and urban conservation, Ohlson shows that a shift from focusing on competition to collaboration can heal not only our relationships with the natural world but also with each other.

Praise for The Soil Will Save Us:

‘The author has a clear storytelling style, which comes in handy when drawing this head-turning portrait of lowly dirt.’

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Stalking the Divine:

Alice Mattison, author of The Book Borrower and Hilda And Pearl

View all reviews

Details

Format:Paperback

Size: 234mm × 153mm

Extent:304pp

ISBN (13):9781925713169

RRP:$32.99

Pub date:2 Aug 2022

Rights Held: UK & Commonwealth

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AUTHOR

Kristin Ohlson

Kristin Ohlson is a freelance writer and author based in Oregon. She is a frequent contributor to Discover magazine, and has published articles and essays in a wide array of print and online venues, including the Smithsonian, The Christian Science Monitor, Salon, Gourmet, New Scientist, Oprah, Ladies Home Journal, and Utne. Ohlson also wrote the memoir Stalking the Divine, which won the American Society of Journalists and Authors’ 2004 Best Nonfiction Book award, and is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling Kabul Beauty School.