Litsy

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I gave it an extra star just for the exceptional artwork throughout the book. This gorgeous story is about how branches are in our lives every day, from nature, animals to ourselves. At the end is information how branches affect our world. Just lovely.

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sjc731

The Backyard Bird Chronicles | Amy Tan

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bookishbitch

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses | Robin Wall Kimmerer

I adore moss. If I could have my whole lawn as moss I would. Fortunately, I do have quite a bit on part of our property. Looking forward to reading this one.

17 likes1 stack add

Robotswithpersonality

Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea and Human Life | George Monbiot

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I don't think the book needed a different title, but it might have needed a different editor. There is a significant portion of the book, say from 75 pages in to the last 20 pages, where the chapters focus directly on issues related to rewilding, for the most part in a UK context, though international concerns and stats are introduced as supplementary examples. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? The beginning and end of the book, along with moments in the more focused chapters are a mix of exquisite descriptions of local flora and fauna, the sights and weather, and the personal asides of an individual with a strong appreciation for wildness and a passionate interest in evidence-based speculation about the previous/pre-history animals that inhabited local ecosystems. 1w

Robotswithpersonality 3/? There's about a third of a skeleton that might have been a compelling memoir of Monbiot's travels and musings, his wilder days and encounters with the wild.

The vast majority is similar to what I was looking for when I picked up the book, with one subjective flaw: perhaps understandably Monbiot spends a lengthy amount of time detailing the madness that is current policy (circa 2013) surrounding conservation in the UK, the various ecosystems 1w

Robotswithpersonality 4/? I really prefer the sections where he talks to people about their reasoning, where others are coming from and how changes might be made without undue controversy, with partnership of local residents/industry (small farms NOT tax shelters, wildlife tourism NOT maintaining the overpopulation of select species for hunting 😑). Where he outlines what could be done as first steps.
1w

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? I'm very glad there's a chapter that underlines how not to rewild: the human tragedies that have unexpectedly resulted in ecosystem recovery, the forcible removal of people for green vanity projects and hunting reserves.

I think it's important that Monbiot clearly indicates where local government is befuddled with bad science and lobbying groups with other priorities are calling the shots, that he describes why changes in law and policy 1w

Robotswithpersonality 6/? need to be part of this movement, so grassroots efforts are not bumping heads with the rule makers.

I don't think I can see quite as far ahead as he has, I don't need to consider how much wilder an area can get than just letting things grow back and reintroducing some recently absented species, leaving ecosystems alone to adjust to climate change, without human management/interference.
1w

Robotswithpersonality 7/7 I also think if this book focused clearly on a summary of what hasn't worked/made things worse, and what the best options are going forward, it could be half the length and a resource I'd more readily recommend. 🤷🏼‍♂️

⚠️animal death, mention of WW2 violence, genocides, the Holocaust 1w

9 likes6 comments

monalyisha

Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell | Sy Montgomery

so-so

Sy Montgomery really seems to have taken the idea of “Turtle Time” to heart. I cannot say if this is typical of her writing style…but oh my goodness, this book seemed to last forever. The irony is not lost on me that I wished it would move faster! I found some bits to be repetitive, as well. I could‘ve done with fewer of Fire Chief‘s recovery details, in particular. The message is sweet & sound — turtles DO deserve saving. And cars ARE terrible.

monalyisha 1/2: I‘d be willing to try another of Montgomery‘s books in the future. I‘d read it in print (instead of listening to the audio, as I did this time around) to see if the change in format impacts how I receive her style. I‘m a little worried that her writing might not be for me, though! I think it‘s that the sweet bits are almost *too* earnestly sweet. 2w

monalyisha 2/2: Despite fully acknowledging the realities of climate change and the overwhelming environmental impact that humans have had in such a short period, Montgomery‘s tone teeters on the edge of saccharine. 2w

monalyisha *Note: While TRL‘s mission and overall vibe is *incredibly* impressive and heartwarming, to this Milennial, “TRL” will always stand for (MTV‘s) Total Request Live. I think Alexxia and Natasha might not be much older than I am. I wonder if their abbreviated name conjures up the same association for them! 2w

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shanaqui I thought I remembered liking Sy Montgomery's book about octopodes, but I went and looked and I gave it 2/5 with some of the same caveats. 🤔 So yeah I suspect her work may just... be that way. 2w

muscogulus 👍 @shanaqui for “octopodes” 2d

shanaqui @muscogulus Aside from any correctness grammatically, I find the word octopodes so fun to say. Octopodes! 2d

62 likes6 comments

AnneCecilie

A Year Unfolding: A Printmaker's View | Angela Harding

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I loved Harding‘s nature illustrations showing us the changes in nature through the seasons.

Along with most of the illustrations is also snippets i to her life

44 likes

Robotswithpersonality

Feral: Rewilding the Land, the Sea and Human Life | George Monbiot

🤨😑

7 likes

Mattsbookaday

The Weather Detective: Rediscovering Nature's Secret Signs | Peter Wohlleben

pick

The Weather Detective, by Peter Wohlleben (2012, transl. 2018)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Premise: An exploration of how to get more out of one‘s garden by understanding it as part of the natural environment.

Review: This is a very good book that suffers because of its English translated title, which bears no connection at all to the book‘s content! Cont.

Mattsbookaday I have no idea what they were thinking since it‘s a huge departure from its title in other languages and is very misleading. But taking the book for what it is, it‘s excellent, offering gardeners helpful information about not only climate and weather, but also about soil composition, animal sensation, and ecological balance. I‘m just not sure how it will find its audience with such a misleading title! 2w

3 likes1 comment

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