#  Astonished By Beauty: The Essential Practice of Natural History 

 



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####  calendar\_today Date and Time 

 **June 24, 2026** 

 06:00PM - 07:00PM EDT 

####  pin\_drop Location 

 **Geological Lecture Hall**  

 [24 Oxford Street  
Cambridge, MA 02138  
United States



 ](<https://www.google.com/maps?q=US MA Cambridge 02138 24 Oxford Street>) 



 

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### Free In-Person Book Presentation

**Speaker:** Thomas Lowe Fleischner, Senior Advisor and Founding Director, Natural History Institute, Prescott, Arizona; Faculty Emeritus of Environmental Studies, Prescott College

What happens when we truly pay attention to the natural world? Join us for a talk by naturalist Thomas Fleischner on his new book, [*Astonished by Beauty* (Torrey House Press, 2026)](https://www.torreyhouse.org/astonished-by-beauty), a thoughtful and practical guide to reconnecting with nature through natural history. With a series of brief, intimate stories from the Alaskan Arctic to the Amazon, Fleischner reveals how we may easily deepen our connection with the land and its creatures. Offering simple, grounded steps to nurture this meaningful bond, Fleischner's book is part reflection, part guide, calling for a life lived with care, presence, and respect for the wild beauty that surrounds us.

Copies of *Astonished by Beauty* will be available for purchase after the program.

Advance registration is recommended.

Free event parking will be available at the [52 Oxford Street Garage](http://map.harvard.edu/?ctrx=760081.5&ctry=2963729.5&level=9&layers=Campus%20Base%20and%20Buildings%2CMap%20Text) starting at 5:00 pm.

#### About the Speaker 

Thomas Lowe Fleischner, a naturalist, conservation biologist, and educator, is a leading voice advocating for the importance and rejuvenation of natural history. He was the founding director of the Natural History Institute in Prescott, Arizona, and continues to serve as the Institute’s Senior Advisor &amp; Director Emeritus. He is Faculty Emeritus at Prescott College, where he taught interdisciplinary Environmental Studies for twenty-nine years. He is the author of numerous articles and professional papers, and author or editor of five books, including *The Way of Natural History*; *Nature, Love, Medicine: Essays On Wildness and Wellness;* and the recent *Astonished By Beauty: A Field Guide to the Practice of Paying Attention.* He co-edited a special issue of the academic journal, *Ecopsychology*, on “Reciprocal Healing: Nature, Health, and Wild Vitality.” Past ecological research has focused on marine mammals, coastal birds, and the impact of livestock grazing on arid lands. Recently, he has led and coordinated efforts to recognize the high biodiversity values of the Mogollon Highlands Ecoregion of the American Southwest. A Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, he has served as Chair of the Natural History Section of the Ecological Society of America, on the Board of Governors of the Society for Conservation Biology, and as President of its Colorado Plateau Chapter. He cofounded the North Cascades Institute in Washington State.

*Photo ⓒ Thomas Fleischner*



 

 



 

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