Tristan Gooley’s The Nature Instinct is an approachable scientific guide that uses observations of the sky and the wild to reteach human instincts thought to be lost to technological advancements and modern indoor living.

Gooley, an expedition guide and adventurer, has vast scientific and experiential knowledge to draw from. He presents these techniques in an easily applicable way. The book is divided into topical sections, with focuses on animals and their behaviors, reactions, and habits; plants and their growth, reproduction, and habitats; and clues read in the sun, clouds, and stars of the sky. The directional growth of trees tells stories about wind patterns and weather predictions, just as the paths that deer follow when spooked tell of surrounding dangers, terrain, and animal behavior.