Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
Become a budding road ecologist with Ben Goldfarb’s newest book, about how humans have altered the natural world with our roadways.
Welcome to the SciFri Book Club page about Crossings by Ben Goldfarb. There’s lots of ways to participate: Read the book, join our community space, attend an event, sign up for our email newsletter, or send us a message via our contact page.
This December, the SciFri Book Club is reading Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben Goldfarb. While modern roads may be a familiar and ubiquitous sight to humans, they can be an alien force of death and disruption to wildlife. In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb tells of his travels around the US and the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet, informs readers about innovations that can minimize their threat to wildlife, and imagines a world where road ecology is a natural part of our urban planning strategy—for the sake of all living beings.
Crossings brings together a range of topics, including ecology, urban design, animal and human behavior, pollution, habitat restoration and more—and we’ll touch on these ideas throughout this Book Club season. You can get your copy from your local bookstore or on Bookshop.org.
This Book Club season kicks off Sunday, December 1, and you can read along with us! We’ll be (loosely) following this schedule, but all our readers are welcome to join us at their own pace:
- December 1-8: Part I: Killer On The Road
- December 9-15: Part II: More Than A Road
- December 16-22: Part III: The Roads Ahead
- December 23-31: Final thoughts
Plus, we’ll be hosting events throughout the month! Keep an eye out on our website or join our Events newsletter to be the first to know.
There are so many ways to dive in and participate! You can grab a copy of the book (and support the author and SciFri), read an excerpt from the book, join the discussion in our online Book Club community, sign up for our email newsletter, or RSVP for our upcoming Book Club events. Check out all the details below.
Grab Your Own Copy
If you’d like to purchase a physical copy, we encourage you to start local! Check out the SciFri Book Club partner bookstores and libraries—if you’re in the area, consider supporting your local bookseller or public library (plus, mention our Book Club for a percentage off your purchase at participating shops!).
Want more ways to read? This book is available in a few formats via online retailers, your local library, or elsewhere:
Your local library may not currently have Crossings in its catalog, but many branches offer ways for patrons like you to submit book suggestions to librarians. Look for ways to suggest new titles via the Libby or OverDrive app, a form submission on your library’s website, or a suggestion box at your local branch!
Save The Date(s): SciFri Book Club Events
Crossings: Livestream and Q&A with Ben Goldfarb
From altered migration patterns to the spread of invasive species, and from road salt contamination to the sounds that chase songbirds away, the new science of road ecology is shining light on all the ways roads deeply affect wildlife. Hear from environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb on his quest to document road ecologists’ vital work across the world.
Join us online for a livestream all about the science topics featured in the SciFri Book Club pick for December 2024. Come with your queries and wonderings—we’ll be taking your questions in the livestream comments!
SciFri Book Club December community meeting: Crossings
Want to meet other SciFri Book Club members, talk about the book selection, and find more resources for deeper learning—all without leaving your home? Our community meeting is the place for you!
This discussion meeting will focus on themes and topics featured in Crossings. You’re welcome to join us no matter your reading progress—come chat with other science-interested folks about ecology, urban design, animal and human behavior, pollution, habitat restoration and more.
Join Our Community Space
And as you start reading, join us on our online community space: the SciFri Book Club is on Mighty Networks, a platform where we can gather, read and discuss science books together. We’ve built this community space to create a better way for readers to stay connected with other Book Clubbers, and we hope you’ll join us there!
Read An Excerpt
Not sure this is the book for you? Want to read an excerpt before you commit? We’ve got you covered.
W.W. Norton, publisher of Crossings by Ben Goldfarb, has offered SciFri Book Clubbers an excerpt of the book! You can read this sample on our website.
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Subscribe to SciFri Book Club emails to stay updated on our monthly read sand join us for community discussions. We’ll send emails a few times per week.