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books_inthewild's review
5.0
I am over the moon that I was able to read an advanced copy of Zoo World- in short, it is one of the most clever, poetic, and interesting nonfiction books I’ve read.
In each essay, author Mary Quade essentially tells two different “stories” back and forth, juxtaposing some sort of theme or topic or opinion… and it just works. As you hop from one unique topic, to the next, and back again, everything starts to click & you begin to see a creative connection, and think… “ah- that’s why”
For example, bug collecting and her religious experience growing up. That line at the end of that essay, I just thought, wow.
From oil spills and the vulnerability of baby ducklings, to Monarch butterflies & endangered animals, plastic bags & humpback whales, Vietnam, caged birds, and prisons, Ecuador and chicken foot soup. Each and every essay brought an interesting story, a unique piece of history, or some bit of science that really made me think.
My favourite essay was “The Galapagos Shooting Gallery”-
When she writes about the “salvage” expeditions of hunting critically endangered creatures for the sake of research & preserving them.. she really presents it in a way that makes you think critically about the treatment of endangered animals: do the “ends justify the means”? Were their methods wrong, but for the right reasons? Are we learning from mistakes of the past?
This was truly a remarkable book- and I will absolutely be looking for more from this author.
If you enjoy science, history, nature- thinking critically about the world around you- poetic writing- nonfiction essays that tell a story… there’s something in this for every reader.
Available September 2023
In each essay, author Mary Quade essentially tells two different “stories” back and forth, juxtaposing some sort of theme or topic or opinion… and it just works. As you hop from one unique topic, to the next, and back again, everything starts to click & you begin to see a creative connection, and think… “ah- that’s why”
For example, bug collecting and her religious experience growing up. That line at the end of that essay, I just thought, wow.
From oil spills and the vulnerability of baby ducklings, to Monarch butterflies & endangered animals, plastic bags & humpback whales, Vietnam, caged birds, and prisons, Ecuador and chicken foot soup. Each and every essay brought an interesting story, a unique piece of history, or some bit of science that really made me think.
My favourite essay was “The Galapagos Shooting Gallery”-
When she writes about the “salvage” expeditions of hunting critically endangered creatures for the sake of research & preserving them.. she really presents it in a way that makes you think critically about the treatment of endangered animals: do the “ends justify the means”? Were their methods wrong, but for the right reasons? Are we learning from mistakes of the past?
This was truly a remarkable book- and I will absolutely be looking for more from this author.
If you enjoy science, history, nature- thinking critically about the world around you- poetic writing- nonfiction essays that tell a story… there’s something in this for every reader.
Available September 2023
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