I love this. I have recently gotten more into nonfiction, specifically nature books, and I breezed right through this one, I didn't want to put it down! Seriously lovely and hopeful, and I learned a lot! Definitely going to be recommending this one.

[4.5] what a lovely, timely book! I could easily see this book being one that I return to frequently. In these very scary times right now, it's nice to be reminded that queerness is all around us! it has always been there and will always be there - no matter how hard they try to trample on it.

this book blends memoir with unique essays about queerness in nature and connects the anecdotes beautifully. I was equally interested in the author's stories as I was the hard science portions. It never felt too complicated or out of reach - and I am not a science-minded person. It was perfectly readable!

I highly recommend this book as a balm for the current times - I know this will be one I gift to my loved ones regularly.

I did DNF about a quarter of the way in. Couldn't handle the psychedelics mentions, but what I read so far what interesting and well written. I like the writing style!

A coming of age story mixed with anecdotes about the queerness of earth’s smallest, but perhaps most important organisms. Mycologist Kaishain uses this book to teach about fungus and tell of her own queer journey.

I’m split on how to review this book. I did really like some of it and other parts seemed to drag. I also got a bit dizzy from the constant back and forth from Kaishain’s scientific explanations then swerving to a personal story from her life. I was also hoping for more biology throughout the book.

Still, Kaishain is an able writer with more than one story to tell. This book wasn’t for me, but I would recommend to anyone searching for a unique blend of autobiography and science.

Thank you to Netgalley and Spiegel & Grau for the gifted eARC.

Forest Euphoria was not a book on my radar, but the name and synopsis had me curious enough to give it a try. I am so glad I did. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
is a queet Mycologist and a descendant of survivors of the Armenia genocide. While the book focuses heavily on the connection between nature and queerness, much of the book reads like a memoir. Robin Wall Kimmerer immediately came to mind as I was reading, so it was unsurprising to see the profound impact her work had on the author.

The book is loosely structured so that each chapter tells the story of a specific part of nature, whether fungi, eels, or entire ecosystems. I say loosely because so much of this book argues against the use of arbitrary binaries and putting things into meaningless boxes, and the books structure is included in that. And yet, each chapter drew me in, told me a story, and left me thinking for days. I had to read this books slowly to fully digest all the wisdom and euphoria it had to offer. While many parts of the book speak directly into the literal queerness of nature (intersex eels and slugs, fungi existing well outside of any gender binary, etc), the word queer is used in a more inclusive sense: "queerness invites us all, regardless of our identities, to be more undefined, unclear, transitional, merging, interdependent, cooperative, and nonhierarchical— a very fungal way of being."

The authors experience as being a descendant of Armenian genocide survivors provides a unique lens that I have often found missing in queer ecology discourse. There is an undeniable impact between colonialism, genocide, and the state of nature today (and of course, humans are included under the umbrella term nature). The commentary around this was profound and heartbreaking. It is also impossible to apply Kaishian's lessons to the multiple genocides being enacted today. "During genocide and colonization, victims feel their lost connection to the landscape and this deep-time relationship to place in their bodies. Not only do they grieve the loss of human life, but survivors will commonly reference the loss of companion species in the same breath, inflected with the same pain." While Kaishian speaks of the destruction of Armenian Mulbery trees and the slaughtering of buffalo on Turtle Island, I think olive trees bulldozed and strawberry fields leveled under bombs.

I was quite amazed by the level of emotion this book provoked in me. At times, I felt extremely sad, found myself laughing and delighted, but overall very hopeful. This book was a balm in my soul and will be for many in such a dark year. Highly recommend.

This was a truly rich and fascinating look at the nature all around us. I absolutely love the focus on the fact that nature doesn't follow human standards, and that includes reproductive methods! Fungi are some of the coolest organisms I've encountered, and I loved reading this perspective of it.

This was definitely an amazing tale of childhood and connection to nature.

This is just a delight of curiosities and love of the earth. I thoroughly enjoyed this and some of the tidbits that I learned.

A Lush, Thought-Provoking Celebration of Nature and Fungi

Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian is a mesmerizing and deeply insightful exploration of the natural world, blending science, philosophy, and poetry in a way that is both accessible and profoundly moving. Kaishian’s ability to weave ecological knowledge with a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living things is enthralling.

Her writing is rich and evocative, transporting readers into the hidden wonders of fungi and forests, revealing how these often-overlooked organisms shape our world in ways both grand and microscopic.

This book is perfect for nature lovers, science enthusiasts, and anyone who finds solace in the beauty of the natural world. Kaishian’s passion is infectious, making Forest Euphoria a joy to read and a reminder of the magic that exists all around us. Highly recommended for those who love books that expand the mind and nourish the soul.

This book is... WOW. It's a euphoric experience to read and is literally on the short list of books that have affected me so profoundly along with the work of Banu Subramaniam and Robin Wall Kimmerer. Books like this will completely challenge and change how you see the world -- or at the very least, how you experience nature. I've highlighted the heck out of it and cannot wait for its publication so I can add a hard copy to my personal library.

Although this is a fantastic read for the layperson and I'm aware she's written some academic texts, this is also a wonderful text for students, especially those being introduced to queer theory and feminist science studies. Interspersed with personal anecdotes and stories from the author's past are observations that are just... mindboggling in their simplicity and truth, despite the fact that many would consider this "radical" thinking if they ever consider it at all. It's not.

I'll be recommending this book to as many people as I possibly can. IT IS A MUST-READ.

Netgalley, I can't thank you enough for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review, and for introducing me to one of my new favorite authors and thinkers. I'm thoroughly in awe. I'm changed.

The best part? I'm not even done yet.

Memoir of a queer mycologist combined with science and facts about nature. Beautifully written and the section about seeking purple/other species also looking for pleasure and beauty made me emotional on NJ Transit. I think I was expecting more science writing and feel like I still need to find an overview of queer ecology, but I really enjoyed this.

There's been many comparisons to Braiding Sweetgrass but I would recommend this for fans of How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

thrilling and awesome book about nature and your connection with the natural world! discusses the wild and varying communities of nature. 5 stars. tysm for the arc/

“There is value in the in-between and I categorized even in a culture that rewards certainty.”

Part memoir, part fun fact vomitorium, part love letter to the world. It covered so many different elements of history, culture, animals, bacteria…but never felt bogged down by details or overwhelming in scope. And Kaishian’s writing is both elegant and accessible. What a wonderful treat in every way.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was such a lovely read. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian is a mycologist with a way of connecting with the natural world reminiscent of Robin Wall Kimmerer. I am a MAJOR fan of fungus and of queerness, and this book had a lot of both. I loved the reflections on the multiple ways sex and gender exist in nature, with some flowers moving through different genders throughout their lifetimes. It is so important that queerness is one of the most natural ways of being and that the idea that there are only two binary sexes is a very limiting way of viewing the world which doesn't align with the biological reality of many species. I especially resonated with the concept of sit spots in this book - I have been a passionate user of iNaturalist and love noticing how the life in my neighborhood changes over the seasons, but hadn't considered choosing just one spot to return to again and again. I will definitely be incorporating that into my practice. Nature teaches us that change is the only constant and that nothing - loss or bounty - lasts forever. May we all be more open to seeing what comes next and to being more present in what is.

4.5 stars.

Thanks so much to Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian and Spiegel & Grau for this ARC through NetGalley. Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queernesss of Nature will be out May 27th, 2025. Preorder it now!

I enjoyed every page of this! Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in nature & all things queer.

This book was absolutely incredible! A wonderful blend of memoir and science, “Forest Euphoria” urges us to look past our human binaries when studying or thinking about other creatures. I learned so much from this book, and I think everyone interested in gender, science, animals, or humanity should read it.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for approving me to read this as an ARC via netgalley!

i often find myself struggling with memoirs unless i can relate to something, and with only the queer experience to tie me in to this book, i was a little worried it would be tough to get through, but i was sooo wrong. this book is part memoir and part poetry, while weaving in the most gorgeous descriptions of nature i've ever read, and keeping me so interested that i read it all almost in one sitting. truly a feast for the soul and the mind. i'll be buying this one in print for sure.

This is a wonderful example of genre blending, where you can't see the boundaries of where one stops and the other begins, a sort of intentional mix-up. In the beginning, I was expecting a different type of narrative where examples of queerness in nature would be up front and center in the story, but I ended up enjoying the way the author presented this part with little moments sprinkled here and there. As someone who graduated with a STEM degree, I appreciate the author's willingness to push past the typical binaries seen in academia in an attempt to reframe how we think about and study the other beings we dwell on earth with.

If you've ever been the type of person to say, "Well, male shrimp can get pregnant" to shut up homophobic bastards, this is the book for you. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian does an excellent job exploring the queer ecology of the universe alongside her own queer ecology– the understanding of herself as a fluid, queer natural being which adapts to her environments and natural surroundings. It was, in a strange way, a profoundly spiritual read for me. I felt as though, like the author, through understanding queer ecology, I could understand myself.

Equal parts a moving memoir of a queer individual and a profound exploration of queer mycology, Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian provides insight into how humans can learn acknowledge their place in nature and learn about themselves from the world around them.

Thank you to Spiegel & Grau and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I will be purchasing this book and gifting it to all my friends because Forest Euphoria is a little bit of everything — part memoir, part poetry, part American history, part science lesson. And honestly? I loved every single part of it. The way it blends personal reflection with nature’s deep rhythms is stunning, and I’m already craving more. It’s the kind of book you want to revisit, to really sit with, and to share with others. I would give it 6 stars if I could.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

This is basically a memoir of a queer mycologist's journey. If you read it as a memoir, it is a really lovely example of the thing, lots of beautiful details of the natural world and personal growth, some interesting facts learned along the way. If you go in thinking that it is going to be a more technical or even pop-sci book that is largely about reproduction and sexuality in the non-human natural world, you will probably be disappointed, because that's not the focus.

And I think Kaishian is making the case fairly clearly, for those who need to hear it, that queerness is not just about who has what bits for the sex. If you're not someone who needed to hear it, there's still enough heart and personal detail to keep things interesting; if you are, maybe a great point of view to pick up and contemplate. But the fact that it's not a technical book of that sort is not an accident, it was not the goal, a broader sense of possibility is the goal.

Who doesn't want that, these days?