Jeremy Mynott

We talk about ‘nature’ all the time, but what exactly is it? Does nature include physical processes such as rocks and rivers, as well as life? Is humankind part of nature or is there now a clear separation between the artificial and the natural? And if the latter, when did that divorce take place? Nature has a deep history, and what we think about it today may be different from how it was viewed in the past (there have been changes in perception even in my own lifetime). Who invented nature anyway?

Kathy Willis. Pegasus, $29.95 (304p) ISBN 978-1-63936-764-1 Exposure to nature, and plants in particular, can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system, among other benefits, according to this eye-opening survey.

Marcus J. Moore. Dey Street, $29.99 (240p) ISBN 978-0-3584-9488-1 Journalist Moore (The Butterfly Effect) examines in this energetic account the legacy of hip-hop group De La Soul. Moore begins in 1980s Long Island, where Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer, David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur, and Vincent “Maseo” Mason met in high school and began rapping together. They signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1988 and released their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, the following year.