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The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age Paperback – April 17, 2012
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This New Nature Movement taps into the restorative powers of the natural world to boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Louv offers renewed optimism while challenging us to rethink the way we live.
Richard Louv's new book, Our Wild Calling, is available now.
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAlgonquin Books
- Publication dateApril 17, 2012
- Dimensions5.45 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-10161620141X
- ISBN-13978-1616201418
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Louv describes the many ways in which reconnecting to the natural world is fundamental to human well-being…I believe [Louv’s] onto something important, and not just for children…So consider this a bit of health care advice: Get outside and dive in - nose first.” – Charlotte Observer
“Louv’s vital, inclusive, and inspiriting call to better our lives by celebrating and protecting the living world marks the way to profound personal and cultural transformation.”―Booklist, starred review
―Booklist
"Louv takes nature-deficit disorder, introduce in his seminal Last Child in the Woods, a step further, to argue that adults need nature, too . . . [This] book may be just what our high-tech, urban culture needs to bring us down to earth." --Publishers Weekly
―Austin Chronicle
“[Louv’s] onto something important here, something lasting, and by the time you turn the final page, you’ll not only understand why you should make or deepen your own connections to nature, you’ll know how… His book is a stirring argument for not waiting a moment longer.” ―San Diego Union Tribune
―Chicago Tribune
“Louv's writing style is clear and raises many valid points…Louv's latest isn't much more than age-old wisdom, but it bears repeating in an asphalt-coated world.” – Austin American Statesman
―Westword
“What would life be like if we were as immersed in nature as we are in electronics? In Richard Louv’s world, we’d be happier and healthier. We’d experience fewer cases of depression, anxiety and attention deficit disorder. And we’d build smarter, more sustainable communities.” – Chicago Tribune
―Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“[A] forward-looking book for NDD sufferers of all ages. In The Nature Principle, Louv takes stock of exactly what we’ve lost in leaving the natural world behind and how we might get it back.” –Westword
―Minneapolis Star Tribune
“Parents, Richard Louv doesn't hesitate to tell you that your kids should spend more time outdoors, in nature. And that you should, too.” – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
―Kirkus Reviews
“The Nature Principle is, in essence, a book for grown-ups who crave -- and need -- nature just as much as kids” – Minneapolis Star Tribune
―Robert Michael Pyle
“Louv takes his ideas about the healing power of the outside world and adds layers of how-to action to help make his vision a reality…One thing you’ll likely come away with after reading The Nature Principle is that, while time is of the essence where protecting and preserving nature is concerned, it’s not too late to make a difference.” – Cascadia Weekly
―Carl Pope, Chairman of The Sierra Club
“A sound argument for the importance of the natural world… Age-old wisdom, but it bears
repeating in an asphalt-coated world.”―KirkusReviews
―Richard J. Jackson
“In The Nature Principle, Rich Louv has given us once again exactly the book we most need, for now and for all time. Our expanding species hasn't a chance to continue living well and happily in a finite world unless we adapt our hungry lives to the rest of nature better than we have. This elegant, original, good-humored, and stunningly thorough work shows us our way home in the world: it is no less than a new Law of Nature, and we had better pay attention.”―Robert Michael Pyle, author of The Thunder Tree: Lessons from an Urban Wildland and Mariposa Road
―ForeWord reviews
"Deprive an individual of everything that nurtured them -- and you're going to have a mess. Deprive a species of everything that nurtured us -- you have 21st century Americans. We grew up in the wild, and when we moved from the African veldt to the European and North American forests, the wild went with us. Now we have set up an elaborate society designed to strip us of the environment that made us -- and Richard Louv is speaking out, inspirationally, on why it doesn't have to be this way." -- Carl Pope, Chairman, The Sierra Club
“We have created environments that make us sad, fat and unhealthy. Richard Louv has made an insightful diagnosis and offers powerful treatment with the medicine we all need, Vitamin N.” -- Richard J. Jackson, MD, Chair, Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA School of PublicHealth
“Louv's proposal is for a "renaturing of everyday life," and his lively discussion of how to accomplish this is likely to inspire many readers. His is not a doomsday prognosis but rather an inspired prescription for health, happiness, and a world in which humans and nature are in alignment… His last book spurred a movement to get kids outside because to do otherwise "threatens our health, our spirit, our economy and our future stewardship of the environment." Based on the timeliness and breadth of Luov’s research, it seems likely that The Nature Principal will build on that momentum and change more than a few lives for the better.”—ForeWord Reviews
“There is a great urgency to this work . . . This book makes utter sense and Louv is gentle with his simple agenda: more green in schools, more access to nature in communities, the importance of giving people the tools and the health they need to create a better world.”
—Los Angeles Times
“The Nature Principle tackles the ambitious task of mapping our way to a more connected future . . . Page after page we learn that in working to heal the world through restoration, we end up healing ourselves.”
—Orion magazine
“The Nature Principle manages to both teach and delight. Think of it as a refreshing hike for the mind and soul.” —Oprah.com
“Louv’s vital, inclusive, and inspiriting call to better our lives by celebrating and protecting the living world marks the way to profound personal and cultural transformation.” —Booklist, starred review
“This book provides a way back to where we belong, a world full of reverence, joy, and discovery.”
—David Suzuki, author of The Sacred Balance
“Louv’s vision is not a rejection of technology or a back-to-the-land trend like the one that came out of the environmental movement 40 years ago. Instead, he wants to tap nature to boost our mental acuity, creativity and health. At its heart, the movement seeks to replace the apocalyptic vision that modern society has created….[ Louv] outlines this new nature movement, and its potential to improve the lives of all people no matter where they live, in his latest book, “The Nature Principle.’” — McClatchy Newspapers
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Algonquin Books
- Publication date : April 17, 2012
- Edition : Reprint
- Language : English
- Print length : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 161620141X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1616201418
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.45 x 0.9 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #136,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #176 in Ecology (Books)
- #1,473 in Parenting (Books)
- #34,115 in Religion & Spirituality (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

VISIT www.RichardLouv.com
FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/1REDgOd
TWITTER @RichLouv
TAKE ACTION AT www.childrenandnature.org
Richard Louv is a journalist and author of ten books, including Our Wild Calling: How Connecting With Animals Can Transform Our Lives - And Save Theirs, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age, and Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life: 500 Ways to Enrich Your Family’s Health & Happiness. His books have been translated and published in 24 countries, and helped launch an international movement to connect children, families and communities to nature. He is co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, an organization helping build the movement.
He appears frequently on national radio and television programs, including the Today Show, CBS Evening News, and NPR’s Fresh Air. He speaks internationally on nature-deficit disorder, a concept he first introduced in Last Child in the Woods; on the importance of children’s and adults’ exposure to nature for their health, and on the need for environmental protection and preservation for greater access to nature and the health of the Earth. Among others, he has presented keynote addresses at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference; the USC Institute for Integrative Health Conference; the first White House Summit on Environmental Education; the Congress of the New Urbanism; the International Healthy Parks Conference in Melbourne, Australia; and the national Friends of Nature Conference in Beijing, China.
In 2008, he was awarded the national Audubon Medal; prior recipients included Rachel Carson, E.O. Wilson and President Jimmy Carter. He is also a recipient of the San Diego Zoological Society Conservation Medal; the George B. Rabb Conservation Medal from the Chicago Zoological Society; the International Making Cities Livable Jane Jacobs Award; and the Cox Award, Clemson University’s highest honor for “sustained achievement in public service.” In 2018, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the NewSchool of Architecture & Design.
As a journalist and commentator, Louv has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Times of London, Orion, Outsideand other newspapers and magazines. He was a columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribuneand Parents magazine. Louv has served as a visiting scholar for Clemson University and Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal, Ecopsychology. With artist Robert Bateman, he serves as honorary co-chair of Canada’s Child in Nature Alliance. He is also on the advisory boards of Biophilic Cities and the International Association of Nature Pedagogy.
Married to Kathy Frederick Louv, he is the father of two young men, Jason and Matthew. He would rather hike than write.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book informative about nature and appreciate its practical approach to connecting with it. Moreover, the writing is well-crafted with heart, and customers consider it reasonably priced. Additionally, one customer notes it's perfect for an audio book format. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with one customer finding it unconvincing.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book informative about nature and relevant for their time, with one customer noting it provides practical guidance on how to connect with nature.
"...I learned a lot, and it was pretty interesting." Read more
"...this is a fine introduction to a wealth of ideas & possibilities for a more natural world, one in which human beings have a chance of approaching..." Read more
"...But he has done an excellent job of pulling together the evidence for his theories regarding our need for time in nature...." Read more
"...what is an extremely persuasive body of evidence – theoretical, anecdotal and empirical – that nature really does have a significant power to restore..." Read more
Customers find the book readable and interesting, with one customer noting it's a wonderful followup to the author's previous popular work.
"This is an amazing book and I really suggest the read! I learned a lot, and it was pretty interesting." Read more
"I am a nature nut and found much in the book interesting...." Read more
"What a wonderful book!!!!!!!! It taught me a lot of things about nature. Nature can really help me with my mental problems when i am playing soccer...." Read more
"The Nature Principle by Richard Louv is a wonderful followup to his popular book The Last Child in the Woods...." Read more
Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as well-written and readable, with one customer noting its easy-to-digest language.
"...The author’s thoughts are well-arranged, and he communicates in an easy and persuasive manner. But it’s no “pie in the sky” approach...." Read more
"The writing is great. The content is resonating. This fellow is a genius in our time. His well written perspectives will change yours!" Read more
"...We have to set the example for our families. He does it in readable/scientific/storytelling way. A fast, easy read?..." Read more
"...It is filled (okay, I couldn't read the whole thing) with generalities, semi-on point anticdotes, name dropping, and opinions...." Read more
Customers find the book reasonably priced.
"...overview of why we need much more nature in our lives; he covers economic, mental-health, family well-being, physical health and spiritual benefits..." Read more
"Great packaging and condition! Fair price for a great book. I will definitely be keeping it after this class! Great addition!" Read more
"The book was a great price, came quickly, was easy to track and came as described. I love the narrative text, photos and artwork." Read more
"Arrived quickly. Exactly what I wanted. Good price" Read more
Customers appreciate the speaker's delivery, with one noting it's perfect for an audio book format.
"...The short, focused chapters were perfect for an audio book format...." Read more
"This is a wonderful book that speaks powerfully about the "modern" world and its impact on human life...." Read more
"The writing is great. The content is resonating. This fellow is a genius in our time. His well written perspectives will change yours!" Read more
"...Its a great book written by an amazing author and pretty good speaker too." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book unconvincing, with one customer noting it is too full of jargon.
"...writing style or what but if I’m being completely honest this book is a bust for me...." Read more
"...This stew is not persuasive and does not help me communicate the message to others. It's just the choir singing to the chior...." Read more
"Approximately every 10 pages is not printed evenly and not bound at all. While reading, when I get to one of these pages it falls out." Read more
"Poorly written and unconvincing..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2025This is an amazing book and I really suggest the read! I learned a lot, and it was pretty interesting.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2019After reading Richard Louv's LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS, I eagerly awaited this next book. And as I read it, I found myself nodding in agreement quite often, as so much of what he has to say coincides with my own experience. I live in an older suburb, one with an extensive park system & 60-year old trees on every street; despite development, there's still a fair amount of greenspace. And I've found that walking through our local parks, especially those that aren't too manicured & still nicely ragged & rough once you get inside them, does change my attitude. The manmade world isn't so present & pressing; many of the problems associated with it dwindle & even seem ridiculous; I begin to feel a sense of kinship with other living things, a sense of all of us being in this together. It's humbling & enriching.
Even in watching my own overgrown backyard, I get that feeling as I observe the animal & plant life there, often just observing for an hour or two, from insects to the occasional deer & even foxes that pass through. To say nothing of the many birds that come to our feeders! It doesn't take too long to begin recognizing individuals by their particular markings & behavior, they all have distinct personalities & traits. This also gives me a visceral feeling of oneness with them, in that the human animal isn't terribly different from any other animal. As I've said, it's humbling … but in a way that expands my awareness & sense of kinship.
I'm not quite as sanguine about the author's belief that the digital world & the natural world can form a greater whole; but I'll admit that my own personal bias is making itself felt in that. But if we're to have a world of both Nature & tech, I much prefer the balance to tilt more towards Nature. But this involves a different worldview than our current one, so enmeshed in technology & its myth of perpetual progress; and that's an entirely different book! (See Theodore Roszak's THE VOICE OF THE EARTH for one.)
That said, this is a fine introduction to a wealth of ideas & possibilities for a more natural world, one in which human beings have a chance of approaching sanity & wholeness regarding daily existence. It's not the last word, but the opening statement for further discussion & thought. That's desperately needed in these times -- most highly recommended!
- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2012It's easy to say that being outside and in touch with the natural world is good for us. It's harder to prove it. Mr. Louv has used research to give evidence that shows just how much we gain from getting back to nature, and how much we lose when we suffer from "nature deficit disorder."
A group of people who give public seminars to our community is using the nature principle, Vitamin N, as a basis for improving the instruction in these classes. It is our goal to encourage more people to participate in outdoor gardening activities and this book has given us the evidence we need to make it a factual based series, instead of just opinions.
The book is not an especially "easy read" and sometimes the author goes off on tangents that are more touchy/feely than scientific (the reasons for the 4 stars rather than 5.) But he has done an excellent job of pulling together the evidence for his theories regarding our need for time in nature. I especially appreciate the references he has included so further research is much easier for anyone needing scientific basis for the information.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2017In The Nature Principle, Richard Louv’s underlying belief is that connecting with the natural world is fundamental to human health, well-being, spirit and survival.
To support this bold claim, he uncovers what is an extremely persuasive body of evidence – theoretical, anecdotal and empirical – that nature really does have a significant power to restore, heal and energize.
If you weren’t already aware of the healing power of nature, you will be even after reading just the first few chapters of this book. The book is based on what Louv has defined in his earlier books as the concept of Nature Deficit Disorder – the gap between people and nature. To restore this gap requires a transformation; a reunion of humans with the rest of nature. Louv seems to be happily devoting his life to helping people identify this gap, and giving them practical ideas how to bridge it.
He asks what our lives would be like if we were as fully immersed in nature as we are in technology. Not that he ever comes across as a 21st century Luddite. On the contrary, Louv is as keen to make optimal use of technological advances as anyone else. But he argues that there has to be more than technology filling our lives, even going as far as saying that “the future will belong to the nature-smart – those individuals, families, businesses and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of nature, and who balance the virtual with the real.”
The Nature Principle is an extremely well-researched book. The author’s thoughts are well-arranged, and he communicates in an easy and persuasive manner. But it’s no “pie in the sky” approach. He is extremely practical about how people can connect with nature, and is particularly passionate about how nature can be introduced into school and college curricula. He would also like to see “time in nature” prescribed by doctors and psychologists, which clearly makes sense.
In my own experience, I fully agree with Louv: “Nature can help us feel fully alive.” Reading this book may be your first step towards agreeing too.
Top reviews from other countries
Melanie CroftReviewed in Canada on December 8, 20125.0 out of 5 stars Everyone needs to read this book
Everyone needs to read this book. It is fabulous. It really makes you think about how to change your life for the better.
Andrew BishopReviewed in Australia on August 15, 20165.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for anyone who wants to bring nature more into their life
I found out about Richard Louv's work via my daughter, who was referencing his previous book, "Last Child in the Woods" as part of a university outdoor education assignment. I found that book fascinating and went looking for it, only to find this new book, "The Nature Principle". I'm almost finished reading it. It is a very comprehensive investigation into the the natural world, it's benefits to mankind (mostly), what we can do to derive those benefits and exemplar examples of individuals, groups and nations that are trying to bring nature into the centre of their lives.
Geoff Dalglish, author of Pilgrim - Taking a really long walk from the head to the heartReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 20135.0 out of 5 stars Reconnecting with the Natural World
This is a very important book that explores the disconnection from nature that we modern humans are suffering and looks at how this has happened and gives pointers to how we can reconnect, which we all urgently need to do. I'll definitely re-read Richard Louv's book again and I am now curious to also explore 'The Last Child in the Woods' which coined the phrase 'Nature Deficit Disorder.'
Kindle CustomerReviewed in Australia on September 21, 20195.0 out of 5 stars Great read
This book was full of practical ideas both at the individual and community/systemic level to increase our connection with nature. I found it a really enjoyable and inspiring read, first for ages that puts hope and optimism in the driver's seat.
C. ThomsonReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 14, 20145.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Everyone- parent, teacher, anybody- needs to read this book and wake up.












