Forest Euphoria

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An antidote to the loneliness of our species."--ROBIN WALL KIMMERER "A master class in how to love the world."--MARGARET RENKL This thrilling exploration of the queerness in nature challenges our perceptions of normality, beauty, and possibility. Growing up in the Hudson Valley, Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian found solace in the swamps and culverts, where she felt a sense of belonging among amphibious creatures. As a queer, neurodivergent individual, she saw her evolving identities reflected in snakes, snails, and especially fungi, which guided her journey into science. In this work, Kaishian shares her transformation into a scientist while revealing the queerness inherent in the natural world. Fungi, for instance, often possess more than two biological sexes, with some species boasting up to twenty-three thousand. Intersex slugs engage in courtship by exchanging calcium carbonate "love darts," while glass eels remain sexually undetermined until their final year, a mystery that has puzzled scientists. Kaishian highlights the unusual, overlooked, and marginalized aspects of nature, offering valuable lessons for all. Richly observant and full of surprises, this book invites readers to reexamine their understanding of the world around them.