On Friday, May 9th, we're welcoming Christopher Brown, author of A NATURAL HISTORY OF EMPTY LOTS, to discuss his book's genre-bending blend of naturalism, memoir, and social manifesto for rewilding the city, the self, and society. He'll be joined in conversation by Urban Austin Reads, Austin's book club on urbanism and city planning.

This event is open to all; RSVPs are encouraged! Tickets are available to reserve a seat and a copy of A NATURAL HISTORY OF EMPTY LOTS.

About the book

A Natural History of Empty Lots is a genre-defying work of nature writing, literary nonfiction, and memoir that explores what happens when nature and the city intersect.

During the real estate crash of the late 2000s, Christopher Brown purchased an empty lot in an industrial section of Austin, Texas. The property—abandoned and full of litter and debris—was an unlikely site for a home. Brown had become fascinated with these empty lots around Austin, so-called “ruined” spaces once used for agriculture and industry awaiting their redevelopment. He discovered them to be teeming with natural activity, and embarked on a twenty-year project to live in and document such spaces. There, in our most damaged landscapes, he witnessed the remarkable resilience of wild nature, and how we can heal ourselves by healing the Earth.

Beautifully written and philosophically hard-hitting, A NATURAL HISTORY OF EMPTY LOTS offers a new lens on human disruption and nature, offering a sense of hope among the edgelands.

Christopher Brown is the Philip K. Dick, World Fantasy and John W. Campbell Award-nominated author of the novels Tropic of Kansas, Rule of Capture, and Failed State. Also an accomplished lawyer, he has worked on two Supreme Court confirmation hearings, led the technology corporate practice of a major American law firm, and been the General Counsel of two public companies.

Urban Austin Reads is a book club of, by, and for anyone who loves Austin. They cultivate informed activism by engaging with diverse readings on issues facing our community so that we can build a more inclusive, just, and vibrant city.

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