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debs4jc's review against another edition
4.0
Most of us have a vague admiration for bees (as long as they don't sting us) and the hard work that they do producing honey and pollinating our food supply. We have heard that the bees are in danger, but we don't really understand how grave the danger is or the implications. Read this book and you will understand so much more about bees and the strange breed of men (and a few women) who keep them.
Hannah Nordhaus embedded herself in the culture of beekeeping by following John Miller--who has one of the largest beekeeping operations in North America. As she relates her experiences, she also includes informatoin on the history of beekeeping, the inner workings of a beehive, and the modern day threats to the bee population. Stories such as that of a beekeeper who was also a drug runner (who would look for drugs in a beehive?) add a great deal of levity and human interest to the scientific information presented. Indeed, Nordhaus has giftedly interwoven the stories of people in with information that could be dull if presented in a more straightforward manner.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to learn about new topics, and if you have any sort of an interest in bees and/or beekeeping you must put it at the top of your reading list.
Hannah Nordhaus embedded herself in the culture of beekeeping by following John Miller--who has one of the largest beekeeping operations in North America. As she relates her experiences, she also includes informatoin on the history of beekeeping, the inner workings of a beehive, and the modern day threats to the bee population. Stories such as that of a beekeeper who was also a drug runner (who would look for drugs in a beehive?) add a great deal of levity and human interest to the scientific information presented. Indeed, Nordhaus has giftedly interwoven the stories of people in with information that could be dull if presented in a more straightforward manner.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to learn about new topics, and if you have any sort of an interest in bees and/or beekeeping you must put it at the top of your reading list.
8qqimc8q's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting mix of a folk tale about bee keeping in America, the changes from family farming to corporate farming, the ever increasing decline of rural America with more than overtures on the impact of chemicals and global commerce.
pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a long time to get through this narrative. When I started, I knew we had problems with our nation's bee population and so I thought it would be good to learn more about beekeepers and how they are coping. I am not sure if it was Nordhaus' writing or when I was reading this, but I just couldn't keep my focus on this book.
I learned a lot. I had no idea how important bees are to almond trees and it never occurred to me that people moved bee hives all around the country. I am alarmed at all the problems with mites and diseases that bees have. It is especially scary because so much food is dependent on pollination by bees. So for all that I learned, I give Nordhaus three stars.
I also liked meeting John Miller, the beekeeper who is the focus of the book. It is good to meet people through their stories that I would never encounter in my own narrow life. There are so many people in the world doing jobs I can't even imagine.
I think Nordhaus' explanation of our national bee dilemma would have been stronger as an essay in The New Yorker or another magazine. It would have been tighter, more concise and her argument may have had more force.
I learned a lot. I had no idea how important bees are to almond trees and it never occurred to me that people moved bee hives all around the country. I am alarmed at all the problems with mites and diseases that bees have. It is especially scary because so much food is dependent on pollination by bees. So for all that I learned, I give Nordhaus three stars.
I also liked meeting John Miller, the beekeeper who is the focus of the book. It is good to meet people through their stories that I would never encounter in my own narrow life. There are so many people in the world doing jobs I can't even imagine.
I think Nordhaus' explanation of our national bee dilemma would have been stronger as an essay in The New Yorker or another magazine. It would have been tighter, more concise and her argument may have had more force.
leafthroughmypages's review against another edition
3.0
Good story-telling. Cool look at the apiarial(new word-you heard it here first!) arts. Really interesting that we have an invasive species that plays such an integral role in our food production process. Kind of a switch from an environmental standpoint.
Disappointed by the blatant racist statements made by one of the keepers that was randomly stuck into a conversation the author had with him, which only furthers the stereotype of the racist hick farmer, but if you're painting a portrait of someone, integrity says to paint an honest one.
Disappointed by the blatant racist statements made by one of the keepers that was randomly stuck into a conversation the author had with him, which only furthers the stereotype of the racist hick farmer, but if you're painting a portrait of someone, integrity says to paint an honest one.
gordcampbell's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent look at the plight of the honeybee and the people who work with them. If you want to know what's going on in the honeybee world and those "crazy" beekeepers do what they do, then read this book.
sleightoffeet's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book. I had only a vague idea of how beekeeping worked (I didn't even know they traveled) and I only knew the conspiracy theories about why the bees are dying (apparently, it's not cell phones but a lot of different reasons).
I love nonfiction books that are told by an interloper, that is either learning about the subject along with the reader, or telling the reader about their adventures in learning about it. In this case it was the latter.
If you want to know the ins and outs of what it's like to be a beekeeper, the tough work and the romance of the open road, then this might be one to pick up.
I love nonfiction books that are told by an interloper, that is either learning about the subject along with the reader, or telling the reader about their adventures in learning about it. In this case it was the latter.
If you want to know the ins and outs of what it's like to be a beekeeper, the tough work and the romance of the open road, then this might be one to pick up.
charlibirb's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading about bees, and found the info on how the bee population is maintained fascinating and worrying.
babs_jellymuck's review against another edition
4.0
This book was extremely informative on the lifestyle of America's pollinators. I learned a lot about bee life, the symbiotic relationship between mono-croppers and pollinators, and the perils that face today's bees--enough to want to continue learning, and possibly try out my own hive someday. I also felt that the writing flow was engaging...
...BUT, I have to mention, there were times in this book where POC were brought up in a seemingly ethnocentric way and it made me raise an eyebrow. For instance, when describing life in the Modesto, she writes:"...there is little rural romance here. The valley smells like a brew of fertilizer, chemicals and manure, and it hosts an eternal ebb and flow of Hispanic migrant workers." I'm probably being sensitive, but to me the lack of "rural romance" is probably due to the wasteland left behind by large-scale agriculture, not migrant workers. There was also a scene where one of Miller's employees, a transplant from South Africa, is getting trashed in a bar and talking about how much he hated "black people." The writer bowed out of the conversation (and went as far as to mention the episode in this book), but there was no mention of any consequences from this behavior on part of Miller. It was only when the police complained to him that the same worker trashed a donated park bench by FFA that he was fired. So either it was the straw that broke the camel's back, or the primary concern here is the bench.
...BUT, I have to mention, there were times in this book where POC were brought up in a seemingly ethnocentric way and it made me raise an eyebrow. For instance, when describing life in the Modesto, she writes:"...there is little rural romance here. The valley smells like a brew of fertilizer, chemicals and manure, and it hosts an eternal ebb and flow of Hispanic migrant workers." I'm probably being sensitive, but to me the lack of "rural romance" is probably due to the wasteland left behind by large-scale agriculture, not migrant workers. There was also a scene where one of Miller's employees, a transplant from South Africa, is getting trashed in a bar and talking about how much he hated "black people." The writer bowed out of the conversation (and went as far as to mention the episode in this book), but there was no mention of any consequences from this behavior on part of Miller. It was only when the police complained to him that the same worker trashed a donated park bench by FFA that he was fired. So either it was the straw that broke the camel's back, or the primary concern here is the bench.