Kristin Ohlson is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Her newest book is Sweet in Tooth and Claw: Stories of Generosity and Cooperation in the Natural World. Her last book was The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet, which the Los Angeles Times calls “a hopeful book and a necessary one…. a fast-paced and entertaining shot across the bow of mainstream thinking about land use.” She appears in the award-winning documentary film, Kiss the Ground, speaking about the connection between soil and climate health. Shorter pieces have appeared in The New York Times, Smithsonian, Discover, New Scientist, Orion, Aeon, Ms., Oprah, Gourmet, Salon, American Archaeology, and more. Her work has been anthologized in Best American Science Writing and Best American Food Writing.
 
Ohlson grew up in a small agricultural town in California’s Sacramento Valley, and her parents didn’t worry if she was bored or lonely when she wasn’t at school. Consequently, she spent hours in a nearby vacant lot riddled with anthills watching the ants hustle back and forth and, occasionally, inserting herself in their lives with handfuls of sugar or sticks to block their paths. Pretty sure this is where her interest in both science and nature began.

Contact

Contact me for readings, talks, book clubs (in person or via skype), radio chats, panel discussions, whatever – I love to talk about things I've written. And feel free to invite me on farm tours, alert me to your conference or lecture or research, and tell me about the things you’re sure I’ll want to write about. You have my ear.

Honors and Awards

Best American Science Writing, 2011
Creative Workforce Fellow, 2010 (video profile)
Best American Travel Writing, 2008
New York Times bestseller, 2007
American Society of Journalists and Authors' Best Nonfiction Book Award, 2004
Ohio Arts Council’s major fiction fellowship, 2003