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ollie_lee's review against another edition
3.0
Craig Childs is poetic and writes about the animals he encounters in the most beautiful way. I really enjoyed the chapters about ravens and the porcupine. You can really tell that he must have written these different stories at very diverse times in his life. Some are written very straight forward with basic facts (These tended to bore me), and some are written with emotion and lots of humor. A great read to have around for picking up and reading a random chapter.
rumpfie's review against another edition
3.0
Good, I liked the stories but the writing was fluffy... poetic ish? I rolled my eyes a lot.
princessofbeasts's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly he sounded pretentious and his writing annoyed me, it felt like he tried too hard to be poetic and ethereal.
meiklejohn's review against another edition
2.0
Childs thinks he's Annie Dillard and Edward Abbey all in one, which is... not endearing. Also his writing is so melodramatic and forcedly-poetical that it overwhelms the actual, interesting stories he has about nature and animals. All I came away with from this book is that he would be an incredibly irritating dude to go hiking with, since with every sight of bear scat you're suddenly on the road to Damascus. "Aw jeez, Craig's having a religious experience again."
jomarch436's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. I loved hearing the history and evolution of these animals. I enjoyed hearing the authors experiences with them. However, his descriptions of landscape could be a bit much. And he would mention specific rocks and plants, and I had no idea what he was talking about most of the time, because he gave no description of these things (even though I just said he was too descriptive). Also, I was both annoyed and comforted on how he admitted to kind of pushing the boundaries of getting close to an animal that really wants to be left alone. I like that he admitted it, because I think we've all done it. But whenever I have done it, I've always felt guilty. I might have missed something, but for the most part, it seemed like he felt no iota of guilt for intruding on these animals' lives. Overall though, this book was very interesting, especially if you're an animal lover.
lmurray74's review against another edition
5.0
I truly felt transported when reading these tales. I can no longer hike and this can be a source of frustration for me but reading these stories put me in the middle of the action, or inaction, whichever it is at the time. There are many vivid images from the book seared in my mind. Each story is unique and Childs does not use a formula when writing. He uses the elements that best suit the story being told. I look forward to rereading these tales in the future.
trsr's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a recounting of the author's encounters with animals, from wasps and mosquitoes to blue sharks and bears. The writing is evocative and reflective, peppered with nuggets of information on the astonishing quirks and capacities of the various creatures he writes about. Still, there are a couple of things that reduced the charm of what would have otherwise been intimate and memorable portraits. One, the author and his sweaty-backpacking-through-the-wilderness-all-geared-up narrative intrudes into the portrayal a bit more than one would have wished for. Second, when he writes about bear and shark and other predators, there is bit too much about fear and danger, of predatory power and pursuit, and the risk of attack and death. All the adrenalin reads concocted and imaginary in encounters that may have been little more than the jaguar or mountain lion or shark trying to get on with its life and out of the way of the annoying human who seemed to like turning up in places that were perfectly wild and perfectly safe until he showed. Child's curiosity and perceptiveness translates into compelling words, yet his penchant of trying to get up-close and personal--reaching out to touch a pronghorn fawn in hiding, chasing elk, touching wasps--reveals an intrusive streak. Yet, this is a book worth reading, the two short pieces 'Broad-tailed Hummingbird' and 'Deer' are stellar.
jeanetterenee's review against another edition
5.0
I would give this book six stars if I could! This is one of the best nature books I have EVER read. Childs covers encounters with everything from mosquitoes to mountain lions. He has spent large blocks of time in true wilderness, sometimes under great hardship. He's a risk-taking crazy man at times, but he has respect for the creatures he meets along the way. He also writes beautifully about the majesty of the great outdoors.
I read this book slowly and savored every paragraph. The author manages to teach the reader much about the history, science and evolution surrounding each creature without being boring. He has distilled the most interesting bits of information so you don't have to read all those boring science books yourself.
Besides all this, the book is just fun and exciting to read. Childs has had some close calls with scary creatures.
I read this book slowly and savored every paragraph. The author manages to teach the reader much about the history, science and evolution surrounding each creature without being boring. He has distilled the most interesting bits of information so you don't have to read all those boring science books yourself.
Besides all this, the book is just fun and exciting to read. Childs has had some close calls with scary creatures.
woodlandbooklover's review against another edition
3.0
This book is in small nuggets so it is easy to put down and pick up later. I found it hard to sit and read several sections back to back. Each section works as a meditation on the human and the non-human, and has wonderful information about the animals, the environment, and history. There is no real evolution or development in the narrator throughout; he seems the same in the last section as in the first, and that made it hard for me to emotionally invest in him or his journey. But in isolation, the sections are stunning. I will use sections of this to teach creative nonfiction writing to my students.