"I am trying to understand what it means to own a thing, especially a wild and living being. To have exclusive rights to its fate? To dispose of it at will? To deny others its use? Ownership seems a uniquely human behavior, a social contract validating the desire for purposeless possession and control.

To destroy a wild thing for pride seems a potent act of domination. Wildness cannot be collected and still remain wild. Its nature is lost the moment it is separated from its origins. By the very act of owning, the thing becomes an object, no longer itself." -The Owner

Really great essay collection! Not as lyrical as Braiding Sweetgrass, but there is no doubt that Kimmerer is an outstanding writer. I learned to appreciate the little things (moss) all around me. I've spent a fair amount of time in the woods throughout my life and can't say I've ever given moss the consideration it is due. Robin has converted me to the holy reverence for moss. My favorite essays include Straw into Gold, City Mosses, and The Red Sneaker.