Something in the Woods Loves You

By: Jarod K. Anderson

Narrated by: Jarod K. Anderson

An inspiring blend of nature writing and memoir that explores nature’s crucial role in our emotional and mental health

Bats can hear shapes, plants can eat light, and bees can dance maps. When his life took him to a painfully dark place, the poet behind The CryptoNaturalist, Jarod K. Anderson, found comfort and redemption in these facts and the shift in perspective that comes from paying a new kind of attention to nature.

Something in the Woods Loves You tells the story of the darkest stretch of a young person’s life, and how deliberate and meditative encounters with plants and animals helped him see the light at every turn. Ranging from optimistic contemplations of mortality to appreciations of a single mushroom, Anderson has written a lyrical love letter to the natural world and given us the tools to see it all anew.

Cover image copyright the Artist (Tuesday Riddell), reproduced with grateful thanks to MESSUMS ORG. Photo: Steve Russell.

©2024 Jarod K. Anderson (P)2024 Timber Press

Critic reviews

"Trees are medicine, Jarod Anderson tells us in this vivid memoir, and so are great blue herons, lightning bugs, racoons, mice, bats, and all of the twenty or so wild creatures he celebrates in these pages. They cannot cure his depression, but they can ease it, for they do not judge him or shame him. As they go about their lives, free of the anxiety, ambition, and guilt that often afflict our own species, they inspire the author to imagine how he might live with less pain and more meaning. Readers may find the book a balm for their own aches."—Scott Russell Sanders, author of The Way of Imagination

"Something in the Woods Loves You is a marvel of a book, blending unexpected wisdom with occasional whimsy, offering vivid observations of herons, hawks, trillium, and our human search for meaning. Jarod Anderson doesn’t shy away from the pain of mental illness and depression, but his utter honesty and love of the natural world offers all of us a rich, earthy experience of hope."—Dinty W. Moore, author of To Hell With It

"Just as the trees make the forest, vulnerability, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom make shimmer Jarod K. Anderson’s Something in the Woods Loves You. At once both delicate and direct, irrepressible and resilient, Anderson’s memoir is a stunning debut in the genre."—Amy Butcher, author of Mothertrucker

Not a nature book, but still…

Though the book connects the author’s healing to the natural world, the main focus is on his depression. So, this is much less a nature book than a reflection on mental health. Maybe a bit rambling at times, but also offering some gems of insight and language. From Chapter 19: "In lieu of having all the answers, I turn to what I do know. In the end, you were a part of the sky on loan to a body, a part of the sea that awoke to thought, a part of the earth that carried a name."

Incredible writing

Inspirational stories and metaphors from nature, encouraging us to think about ourselves and our lives as humans, and how important it is to remember we are part of nature.
Bought the audiobook, listened, then bought the hardcover so I could take my time contemplating lines, and underline many. Highly recommend.

Life changing perspective

This book is so beautiful and meaningful. It will stay with me for years to come. What a talented author!

Great book, great narrator

This is a great book for anyone who has ever experienced depression or other mental illness. It’s not a “how to” book but more of a “me too” where Anderson analyzes his depression, not as a psychologist but as a poet and writer, giving new language to what we’ve experienced.

my favorite book in 25 years

one of the most well explained story's I've had the joy of hearing. the way Anderson weaves a beautiful tapestry of life is astonishing.

Touching, moving and beautiful

Tears of joy and healing well up in my eyes as I write this review just after finishing this book. The connection of nature and ourselves and how we are a part of each other resonated so deeply with me. Thank you for writing this book, I loved it.

Beautifully Written

I absolutely loved this book. The writing was poetic at many points, and the story was compelling and deeply reflective. I bought a hard copy to read again and mark up. This is a new favorite for me!

I love the message that nature soothes the body , mind and spirit.

I do not suffer from depression but still found great comfort in this book. Well worth the read or listen.

Exceptional

Exceptional book about depression, addressing depression and the ongoing process of healing. Inspiring and insightful.

A must read for Forest Therapy Guides

I loved his openness and honesty about his illness and how reconnecting with nature offered perspective and lessons. I am a forest therapy guide and look forward to sharing this book with others in this field and those I guide. I appreciate his gentle, yet humorous style. Anyone who gets turkey vultures gets it!