Great read and for one who knows everything, I actually learned a lot. ( )

Have read to page 130

I didn't finish this one. It crossed my desk at work and I picked it up at the library to see if it would be a good read for a friend. Which it may be, but it isn't a good read for me at the moment. I got what I needed from it though!

I liked the idea of this book but it covered interesting topics in such a long winded way I gave up. ( )

Following on from his previous books, The natural Navigator & The Natural Explorer, Gooley in this one is hoping to expand your knowledge of the natural world. It is a reference work, written to be used to build your knowledge of the outside environment, with lots of examples and is packed with data for you to use and learn.

Using clues from the sky and the flora and fauna around you, he will teach you how to tell the time using the stars, how listening to the sounds that birds make will tell you if there is anyone else out there with you, how to read the lie of the land, use the plants and trees to gauge where the compass points are, the prevailing winds to get decent shelter and how to read and use the phases of the moon for night walks. He has included a couple of chapters on the urban environment too, and shows how to use your observation skills on items like TV aerials to ascertain direction and how the use of modern technology like smartphones has led to changes in how and where people shop. He has also included an account of a trip to Borneo, and of his time spent with the nomadic natives there, understanding how they moved and navigated through dense jungles.

A fascinating book, packed full of details and tip for enhancing any journey or trip that you take. One of the most important things that you can take away from this is the power of observation of your environment can reveal so much detail about where you are. Well worth reading. 3.5 stars overall
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