The Weather Detective

Rediscovering Nature's Secret Signs

By: Peter Wohlleben

Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith

The internationally best-selling author of The Hidden Life of Trees shows how we can decipher nature's secret signs by studying the weather.

In this first-ever English translation of The Weather Detective, Peter Wohlleben uses his long experience and deep love of nature to help decipher the weather and our local environments in a completely new and compelling way. Analyzing the explanations for everyday questions and mysteries surrounding weather and natural phenomena, he delves into a new and intriguing world of scientific investigation.

At what temperature do bees stay home? Why do southerly winds in winter often bring storms? How can birdsong or flower scents help you tell the time? These are among the many questions Wohlleben poses in his newly translated book. Full of the very latest discoveries, combined with ancient now-forgotten lore, The Weather Detective helps you read nature's secret signs and discover a rich new layer of meaning in the world around you.

©2018 Peter Wohlleben (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A guidebook on how everything we need to know about the weather can be learned by paying close attention to our natural surroundings in general and our gardens in particular…You'll never look at your garden the same way again.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Wohlleben’s insightful observations of nature, combined with his signature blend of science and imagination, invite us into deeper relationship with the ecology of our homes.” (David George Haskell, Pulitzer finalist and author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees)

“For a society increasingly distanced from nature, Wohlleben renews our appreciation of the wonderful and varied ties between the living and nonliving worlds, including those that bind our favorite plants and animals with that most familiar of all physical entities, the weather.” (Bill Streever, nationally best-selling author of Cold)

Barely About Weather!!

I love this author’s first book The Secret Life of Trees. This second books is good to be sure, but hardly about weather. I was expecting discussion of different meteorological phenomena, different types of clouds, different types of precipitation, variations across climatic regions, etc. This book does have some of this, but is largely a soil ecology, plant and gardening book. The author goes on and on about garden plants, soil composition, humus, cultivation, fungi, seeds, plant migration, etc. Not a ton about weather there except for the obvious involvement of rainfall in gardening. He’s an expert in trees and plants and this is more of the same. If that’s what you’re curious about, great. If you’re looking to understand weather and climate however, there are better choices available.

A wonderful blend of nature and human society.

Peter Wohlleben, teaches us a way of beautifully blending a way to continue to love our homes and gardens, but to maintain a healthy and sustainable coexistence with nature. Peter discuses topics which, show ways to sharpen our natural born senses, allowing us to be more sharply attuned to the natural world, and to use wise practices at home that consider and sustain the natural environment.
I highly recommend this book. It is easy to listen to not only because of the gentle tones of Nicholas Guy Smith’s voice, but, the writing is very accessible.

For the most part, sound advice

As other reviewers have stated, this is less cloud-identification and more how to put natural observations into practice, which I liked. The only thing I was surprised at was the author’s irresponsible take on wildlife ownership/rehab. You would think that a guy that up until recently refused to set a bird feeder out would understand the huge issue behind untrained individuals trying to domesticate wildlife or rehab creatures without training. Lots of small animals every spring die because people with very little knowledge try to save them or keep them for a pet without actually knowing how to take care of them. The animal can die or if it is surrendered, sometimes cannot be released in the wild.

Absolute an amazing about natures life.

I recommend this book any body who really wants to learn about it's nature an it's simple truth , scientific ,spiritual discipline ,how it education us. So far one of my favorites of his .

Outstanding! Nature’s wisdom

Everything my grandfather taught me on the farm that I had forgotten. An excellent companion to a walk or working in the garden. P pop at attention to the lessons right outside your window.

More a gardening book than a weather book

If you're looking for a book on how to read weather signs to predict weather, this isn't quite that. This is a nature book and is more for gardeners than would-be meteorologists. But it does have a lot of information on how weather, insect, plant, and animal life interact.

For gardeners

I was interested in this book because I am a pilot and I and extremely intrigued by the weather and I thought I might learn some interesting weather signs and phenomenons to look out for but it was mostly about plants and soil so ya still well read but not really about weather.

Similar to Author's other books

After reading this author's other books, I was disappointed simply because they all have similar information. I was hoping for new material and specifically on weather.

Great book

Excellent and informative book. Pretty short read (listen), but excellent and entertaining from start to finish.

Good information

very good information for reconnecting with nature. Well presented and read by the narriator. Highly recommend the whole series.