A review by trsr
The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild by Craig Childs

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.