Books: Diane Ackerman

A poet and naturalist, Ackerman is known for rhapsodic works of philosophy such as "An Alchemy of Mind." Her latest book is "The Zookeeper’s Wife," the true story of a zookeeper who hid 300 Jews from the Nazis. Her list:

My Five Most Important Books
1. "Benedictus" by John O'Donohue, a lark-tongued Celtic poet who understood the power of poetry in a mutilated world.

2. "My First Summer in the Sierra" by John Muir, a wandering mystic who wrote with luscious detail.

3. "The Four Quartets" by T. S. Eliot. Poems about time, impermanence and the glory of everyday life.

4. "The Phantastes" by George MacDonald. A magically strange and sapient book, with a sense of the wondrous present.

5. "Life With Swan" by Paul West. A novel full of all those exotic games couples play and don't want people to know about.