The Sound of Feathers
Attentive Living in a World Beyond Ourselves
Duke University Press · Print & ebook · February 3, 2026
From the rustle of a crow’s wings to the cool touch of moss on a stone wall, to the quiet determination of a worm crossing a sidewalk, The Sound of Feathers invites readers to notice the small wonders of life all around them.
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- Who it’s for
- Small encounters with other species open questions of care, harm, and attention.
- Genres
- Nature Writing, Conservation
- Published
- Duke University Press, February 3, 2026
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For younger readers: Can You Hear the Plants Speak?, Wake Up!, The Monarchs of Winghaven
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Start with this bookAbout this book
From the rustle of a crow’s wings to the cool touch of moss on a stone wall, to the quiet determination of a worm crossing a sidewalk, The Sound of Feathers invites readers to notice the small wonders of life all around them. These fleeting details hold surprising truths about humanity’s connection to nature, the complex relationships of care and harm in which we are entangled, our responsibilities to other species, and what it means to be fully present in the world.
Continue reading
Through vivid storytelling and deeply personal reflections, Kathryn Gillespie invites us to slow down, pay attention, and think differently about our everyday lives so that we might imagine shared futures of flourishing. She urges us to confront the forces that separate us from the natural world and find more compassionate ways of living in harmony with it. Gillespie reminds us that the quiet, often overlooked moments in life are where the most profound insights and connections begin.
Everyday Nature Details
Small encounters with other species open questions of care, harm, and attention.
Come here for
- A crow’s rustling wings
- A worm crossing a sidewalk
Expect
- Reflections on human connections to nature
- Questions about responsibilities to other species
Where it sits
| Nature Writing | 91% |
|---|---|
| Conservation | 32% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Animals
- Environmental Chemistry
- Geography
- Authors
- Kathryn Gillespie
- Publisher
- Duke University Press
- Published
- February 3, 2026
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Reading lane
- Animals