Details Based On Books The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild
Title | : | The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild |
Author | : | Lyanda Lynn Haupt |
Book Format | : | Hardcover |
Book Edition | : | First Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 352 pages |
Published | : | September 17th 2013 by Little, Brown Spark (first published January 1st 2013) |
Categories | : | Nonfiction. Environment. Nature. Animals. Science. Natural History. Biology. Ecology |
Lyanda Lynn Haupt
Hardcover | Pages: 352 pages Rating: 3.93 | 455 Users | 103 Reviews
Description As Books The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild
From the bestselling author of Crow Planet, a compelling journey into the secret lives of the wild animals at our back door.In THE URBAN BESTIARY, acclaimed nature writer Lyanda Lynn Haupt journeys into the heart of the everyday wild, where coyotes, raccoons, chickens, hawks, and humans live in closer proximity than ever before. Haupt's observations bring compelling new questions to light: Whose "home" is this? Where does the wild end and the city begin? And what difference does it make to us as humans living our everyday lives? In this wholly original blend of science, story, myth, and memoir, Haupt draws us into the secret world of the wild creatures that dwell among us in our urban neighborhoods, whether we are aware of them or not. With beautiful illustrations and practical sidebars on everything from animal tracking to opossum removal, THE URBAN BESTIARY is a lyrical book that awakens wonder, delight, and respect for the urban wild, and our place within it.
Define Books To The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild
ISBN: | 0316178527 (ISBN13: 9780316178525) |
Edition Language: | English |
Rating Based On Books The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild
Ratings: 3.93 From 455 Users | 103 ReviewsCritique Based On Books The Urban Bestiary: Encountering the Everyday Wild
Thoughtful, accessible, at times dream-like Haupt's book is a pleasure read for urbanites wishing they were in the woods. She proves you needn't go far to find wildlife, birds, mammals and insects close at hand. She offers history of contact between humans and said species, current state and even suggestions for fostering more of the wildness at your doorstep. Haupt weaves personal anecdotes easily into her text which is the dream-like aspect of the title of this review. Her storytelling evokesWell-written and informative and what we need. I have lived in the rural Southwest for over thirty years, first living here as a "back-to-the-lander" with a too-big garden and two home births and too many goats and too much goat cheese in the refrigerator. My husband and I believed ourselves on the cutting edge of social change, believing that a personal relationship with nature was an important part of the cultural conversation, ready to shape the future in the shape of an onion or adobe brick.
While the writing was a little rambling and the level of knowledge expected of the reader a bit uncertain, I still really appreciate the effect of the book. The author is a trained "eco-philosophist" and has made a wonderful practice of observing the natural world all around her home in Oregon. Yes, this obviously invites hippie, Portlandia-esque, earth-mother comparisons, but whatever - she presents just as much science as she does philosophy about human interaction with the "urban wild". And
This just solidifies my resolve to live somewhere that I can connect more easily with wilderness. Despite the fact that many of the urban creatures she catalogs do inhabit Brooklyn, it is still so incredibly difficult to find the space and time and opportunity to interact with nature in this city. I decided to read this now, in the midst of the most cooped-up, horrible winter, hoping to find vicarious solace in reading Haupt's descriptions of her interactions with the natural world around her
This is a delightful book- the science is woven in through storytelling and interesting observations. It is a good reminder of our relationship ship with nature. As with all good relationships, it takes a little bit of effort for great gains.
Fun read. I very much enjoy Haupt's way of writing, mixing in personal stories with interesting facts. As a vegan, I was disappointed that she included chickens. There is a lot of unseen cruelty in the backyard chicken fad. For each and every backyard hen, there is a male chick who was killed mercilessly because he has no economic value. sad, please don't keep chickens!
I bought this for $5 at JP's Papercuts even after telling the staff that I wasn't allowed to buy anything. A little deeper than "Unseen City" (by Nathanael Johnson) but still relatable and lovely. I learned quite a bit about birds and rodentia and have been trying to pay more attention.
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