Prevailing Winds by Joseph Stanton is organized into three sorts of considerations of the world-showcasing some of the ways it is represented in art, makes appearances in nature, and tends, in the long run, towards disappearance. The first two sections of the book are continuations of Stanton's career-long fascinations with works of art and works of nature. The propulsion of the final section is the understanding that things can and will fall apart or simply fall from sight. Art is long lasting and nature lingers, but nothing stays in view forever. The last section is darker, but, like the first two parts, it also entertains whimsical turns of thought. The world, Stanton believes, is wonderful even though there are reasons to remember that things can get lost or simply slip from sight.