Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
This is the story of a rural southern boy that is a naturalist-explorer, who in adulthood becomes a scientist-lawyer that frets & does his utmost to push the ideals of conservation. I like that the author developed this character’s love of flora, fauna, insects, and indeed all things found nature – kinesthetically, channeled by instinct – enabling me, a reader to learn, ponder, be surprised at nature along with him. I unwittingly was drawn into the drama of social life AND the rise and fall of a fictitious ant colony right in the middle of the book! Ants are brutish, unrelenting creatures. I found the plot to be flat, but the author (E.O. Wilson, a world renowned biologist & naturalist) puts forth such interesting, accurate details & experiences of ecosystems that I’ve got to rate this book as three stars. Slow reading though!
I could have done without the Hollywood ending, but I thoroughly enjoyed the natural history and the insight into the secret life of ants.
It took me many reading sessions to begin to feel engaged by this book. I wanted to like it quite a bit more than I did. The large middle section about lives and travails of ant colonies in the Nokobee woods was, by far, the most interesting section. Knowing that the author is a nationally-recognized ant expert, this part is particularly worth reading. I did learn quite a bit about ant life and colony structure - Fascinating. When he started writing about ant-gods and ant feelings, my attention began to wander. It just went on too long. The preceding sections about Raff's parents' cliched-doomed southern romance and his own naive-boy meets wild girl at Harvard are not well done. Maybe Wilson felt he needed these to get people to read the environmentally sensitive part. I don't know. I'd have preferred a short story or non-fiction piece solely about ants.
Generally very enjoyable, even though - about halfway through - I thought to myself, "nothing is actually happening." There's a narrative, and lovely characters, but the first part of the book is all about character development (including the character of the Nokobe Tract), but not much else. I loved the bit written from the perspective of the ants. The third part made me uncomfortable, in that the action happening in that part (Raff arranging his life in such a way that he will eventually have the power and position to save the Nokobe Tract) is my absolute nightmare life. Even thinking about functioning on that kind of level in those kinds of circles activates my anxiety. Finally, I'm still struggling to sort out the significance of the ending and how I feel about it.
Overall, this was a beautiful photograph of and love letter to the wilderness areas of the American South, and as such was very enjoyable. I realize the politicking and business side of naturalism and environmental conservation can't be avoided in any realistic recounting, but apparently I don't enjoy reading about those thing so much.
Overall, this was a beautiful photograph of and love letter to the wilderness areas of the American South, and as such was very enjoyable. I realize the politicking and business side of naturalism and environmental conservation can't be avoided in any realistic recounting, but apparently I don't enjoy reading about those thing so much.
E.O. Wilson is one of the most prominent naturalists now writing. He has twice won the Pulitzer Prize for his nonfiction writings about nature and our place in it. He is compulsively readable, opinionated and passionate.
What he is not is a novelist, though it feels churlish to say that here. This book has a wonderful heart and is extremely well-intentioned. It is never anything other than sweetly readable. But great literature it is not.
The plot, in outline, is this: a young man growing up in a small town near a marshy lake area in Florida becomes fascinated with the natural world, and takes an especial interest in the lives of ants. This parallel's Wilson's own biography and interest. Though he writes broadly, Wilson's academic specialty is in fact, the society of ants, and much of his writings are speculations about our similarity to those societies. In the novel, the young man's interest turns to an academic career and then advocacy for his favorite patch of the earth.
There is an odd little subplot that feels tacked on (perhaps by an editor who thought the book needed a little spicing up), involving an alligator, a loner, and a rather autocratic preacher, but while I found this interlude odd, it didn't do anything to spoil the overall quality of this pleasant, if not particularly accomplished read.
What he is not is a novelist, though it feels churlish to say that here. This book has a wonderful heart and is extremely well-intentioned. It is never anything other than sweetly readable. But great literature it is not.
The plot, in outline, is this: a young man growing up in a small town near a marshy lake area in Florida becomes fascinated with the natural world, and takes an especial interest in the lives of ants. This parallel's Wilson's own biography and interest. Though he writes broadly, Wilson's academic specialty is in fact, the society of ants, and much of his writings are speculations about our similarity to those societies. In the novel, the young man's interest turns to an academic career and then advocacy for his favorite patch of the earth.
There is an odd little subplot that feels tacked on (perhaps by an editor who thought the book needed a little spicing up), involving an alligator, a loner, and a rather autocratic preacher, but while I found this interlude odd, it didn't do anything to spoil the overall quality of this pleasant, if not particularly accomplished read.
The book is divided into three sections. The first follows young Raff, a scientifically minded boy. The second is from the POV of an ant colony. The third returns to Raff, now grown and educated.
The Raff sections earn one or two stars. The ants section deserves four. Mr. Wilson is highly regarded in his field. He loves ants, loves the mystery of their lives, and knows more about them than possibly anyone else on the planet. That comes through in the ant section and the read is fascinating. What's more, it's actually suspenseful and heart wrenching, two descriptions that cannot be said about any of the drama involving human characters in the book.
You're really not going to get anything out of the human sections, but if you have access to this book, the ant part stands alone and stands strong.
The Raff sections earn one or two stars. The ants section deserves four. Mr. Wilson is highly regarded in his field. He loves ants, loves the mystery of their lives, and knows more about them than possibly anyone else on the planet. That comes through in the ant section and the read is fascinating. What's more, it's actually suspenseful and heart wrenching, two descriptions that cannot be said about any of the drama involving human characters in the book.
You're really not going to get anything out of the human sections, but if you have access to this book, the ant part stands alone and stands strong.
“Uncle Fred, if pretty colors tell you an insect has a sting and you should stay away, why don’t butterflies have a sting?”
informative
reflective
fast-paced