Near the Forest, by the Lake (Cornell University Press, 2025) is a new collection of essays by Cornell biologist Angela Douglas, exploring the wonders of the natural world close to home. Some of  Douglas’s essays focus on the captivating species inhabiting the landscapes around her home near upstate New York's Cayuga Lake, from the salamanders migrating in early spring and the butterflies of summer, to the yellow goldenrods of the fall and the rafts of ducks on the lake in winter. In others, she provides insight into some of nature's mysteries, including why certain birds sing in the fall and how turtles survive the winter in ice-sealed ponds.

Douglas will present highlights from her a book to remind us that there is quiet splendor to be found in nature nearby—and much to learn about its diversity and the imprints we make through our human activity.

Both in-person and virtual attendance at this book talk will be possible. For virtual attendance, registration is required here. 

This book talk is part of Cornell University Library's Chats in the Stacks program and is also being presented in conjunction with the exhibit series  From the Brink: Contributions to a Sustainable Future from across Cornell, hosted by different libraries across Cornell University Library in close partnership with other departments and groups on campus.

From the Brink showcases collections, research support, and collaborative efforts across Cornell and illuminates ways of addressing issues of critical, global importance. This series of exhibits aims to stimulate conversations about the threat of environmental and cultural loss and its implications, while also offering insights about positive developments and constructive steps toward a healthier future for our planet and our communities.