CLOSE TO HOME Named Washington Book Award Finalist!

The 2026 Washington State Book Award finalists were announced this week, and Close to Home has been honored as a finalist in General Nonfiction!  Read the full press release here.  Winners of the award will be announced on September 15th.

Thor Profiled in Seattle Times

A reporter from The Seattle Times recently joined Thor for a conversation and a field walk in search of newts.  Read the story here in the Times Sunday magazine, Pacific Northwest.

Less, Lawn, More Life

  

Thor recently filmed a short video for the folks at Less Lawn, More Life, a campaign to boost backyard biodiversity in yards across America.  It's a perfect fit for the message at the hear of Thor's latest book, Close to Home.  Click here to join the free Less Lawn, More Life challenge, and watch Thor's video, Observe and TUNE IN!

THE ESCAPE ARTIST on Sale!

THE ESCAPE ARTIST is now on sale!  Follow Inky's real life adventure as he escapes from The National Aquarium of New Zealand, illustrated by the wonderful artwork of Galia Bernstein.  Published by the Greenwillow imprint at Harper Collins, the book has received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus, and is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

Watch Thor at Aspen Ideas

Thor joined paleontologist Mairin Balisi and entomologist Samuel Ramsey to discuss "The Innovation of Animals" at the 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival, and spotted a pair of 'innovative' house wrens nesting in the roof above the audience's heads!  The session was moderated by Science editor-in-chief, Holden Thorp, and can be viewed in full here, or on YouTube.

Thor on C-SPAN

This recent episode of C-SPAN's popular BOOK TV program features Thor reading from his latest work, Close to Home.  Filmed at Town Hall Seattle, the presentation includes pictures and stories from the book, as well as questions from the audience.  Click here to stream the full episode anytime on C-SPAN. 

 

 

 

Thor Featured in NOEMA Magazine

The latest issue of NOEMA Magazine features Thor's essay "The Neglected Abundance of Your Back Yard," adapted from his latest book, Close to Home.  Read the essay online here, and learn more about NOEMA here.

Thor Defends Seeds in The Guardian

 

Recent budget cuts threaten the future of the US National Seed Bank, a vital reservoir for food security and biodiversity.  Read Thor's Guardian op-ed in defense of seeds here.

CLOSE TO HOME on Sale!

Thor's new book CLOSE TO HOME is now on sale and early reviews are flowing in.  The Wall Street Journal calls it "a loving goad for readers to get outside and pay attention," and The Seattle Times applauds its "captivating mix of engaging stories, accessible science and interesting facts!"  Click here for a list of upcoming tour dates, and look for a copy at your local bookstore, library, or online retailer.

Thor Returns to Dan Aykroyd's UnBelievable

Thor returns for season two of The History Channel's popular show, The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd, discussing the biology of everything from drunken monkeys to tardigrades to carnivorous butterflies.  Tune in to the latest episodes on The History Channel or through your favorite streaming service.

 

STAR AND THE MAESTRO On Sale!

 

Thor's latest children's book, STAR AND THE MAESTRO, is now available!  Published by HarperCollins/Greenwillow and illustrated by the wonderful Matt Schu, it tells the true story of the starling Mozart bought from a shop in Vienna after he heard it singing one of his compositions!  On sale now at your local independent bookstore or through any online retailer.

Audio Edition of THE IMPENETRABLE FOREST!

Thor is happy to finally announce the release of an audio edition of his first book, The Impenetrable Forest.  It is read by the wonderful Andy Ingalls, who also narrated Feathers as well as the UK edition of Hurricane Lizards.  Andy gives perfect voice to the story of Thor's years in Uganda, where he worked with local guides and trackers to develop a mountain gorilla tourism program in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  You can download the full recording from Audible.com or iTunes, and it is also available alongside the paperback and e-book versions at Amazon.

Thor Featured in Dan Aykroyd's UnBelievable!

 

As a guest on The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd, Thor helps explain the science of everything from headless chickens to The Oracle of Delphi to the glowworms of Waitomo Cave. Tune in to this fun and informative ten-episode series on The History Channel.  Click here for broadcast schedule and streaming options.

HURRICANE LIZARDS Now in Paperback!

 

 

A NY Times Editor's Pick and finalist for The Pacific Northwest Book Award, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is now available in paperback across North America!  For a review, check out this one in The New York Times, and for an introduction to some of the stories in the book, here a video Thor did for WIRED.

National Book Award Finalists Announced

 

 

More than 600 titles were submitted for consideration in the nonfiction category for the 2022 National Book Awards.  Thor and four other judges have winnowed that list to five finalists:   

Meghan O’Rourke, The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness

Riverhead Books / Penguin Random House

 

Imani Perry, South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation

Ecco / HarperCollins Publishers

 

David Quammen, Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus

Simon & Schuster

 

Ingrid Rojas Contreras, The Man Who Could Move Clouds: A Memoir

Doubleday / Penguin Random House

 

Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa, His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice

Viking Books / Penguin Random House

All of these are spectacular books worthy of attention.  The winner will be announced at the National Book Award Ceremony in New York on November 16th.  Read more about the award and the finalists here.

WarWilding Featured in The Guardian

  

Thor's comments on the idea of "warWilding" in Ukraine and beyond feature prominently in a recent article by journalist and photographer Vincent Mundy.  Click here to read the full story in The Guardian.

Thor Talks Feathers and Fashion on WIRED Currents

Thor returns to the popular WIRED Currents series to discuss feathers in the fashion trade.  Drawing from his book FEATHERS, Thor shows how people have co-opted plumage for adornment, using feathers for the same purposes (and often in the same places on the body) as they evolved in birds.  Watch the full video episode on YouTube or WIRED.

Thor Returns to WIRED Tech Support!

 

The folks at WIRED recently asked Thor to return and answer more biology questions gleaned from Twitter, including such queries as how ticks latch on, how salt kills slugs, and whether or not ostriches actually bury their heads in the sand.  The videos appear as part of the WIRED Tech Support series and have been viewed more than five million times.  Click these links to watch Biology Support 3, Biology Support 2, or the original Biology Support 1.

Warfare Ecology in Ukraine

Thor recently spoke with New York Times reporter Emily Anthes about the complex environmental consequences of the tragic conflict unfolding in Ukraine.  Click here to read Emily's excellent article about how nature is often a 'silent victim' of war.

Thor Helps Judge 2022 National Book Awards

Thor is honored to help celebrate the best in literature by serving as a judge for the 2022 National Book Award in non-fiction, alongside a fantastic panel including Janet Webster Jones, Oscar Villalon, Melissa Febos, and Carol Anderson.  Submissions and reading are already underway, with a longlist and finalists to be announced in the fall, and a winner declared on November 16, 2022.  Read more at The National Book Foundation website.