I’m black. I’m genderqueer. I’m autistic. Let’s look at some books my non-neurotypical mind really likes. Sit by my cozy chair and let me hyperfixate at you with a random selection from my local library.
Today’s selection is Gathering Moss
This unassuming floppy little book fell into my hands because I have an interest in all things that are categorized as being one thing when they’re not. Snails and slugs aren’t insects! Fungi aren’t plants! And let’s not get started on the mass confusion of the animal kingdom when it comes to anything microscopic. Alive or dead? Plant or not? Creepy or crawly? Anyway, moss has always interested me along with fungi as one of these gray category creatures/critters/creations of nature and its impact on human culture.
I also have a confession to make: I don’t much care for Braiding Sweetgrass, which is by the same author. I have a few quibbles with its overall message and writing style but I find Gathering Moss to be very preferential. For one thing, it feels less like a lectutr about how you’re a bad person or disconnected with achieving your true self by not composting or agreeing with the author about anthropomorphisizing every tree. Its still a story about the author’s personal experiences but its much shorter! It has more focus on its points! It doesnt feel like a finger is being wagged in your face the whole time!
I also adore the simple but nice black and white illustrations of moss in various states. The little anecdotes about the author using simple tools like duct tape and other easy to find supplies to test scientific theories. It’s so neat! Its definitely worth a read, especially the chapter about the author working on what is essentially a plantation and someones incredibly futile attempts to cultivate the uncultivatable (moss).
If you couldn’t get into Sweetgrass, I suggest Moss instead.
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