Life Everlasting

Life Everlasting by Bernd Heinrich (2012) 236pp

Inspired by a dying friend who asks for advice on end-of-life alternatives, naturalist Heinrich describes the life-to-death cycle of nature in a folksy style and answers his friend's query. Supported by a meticulous life of observation of the natural world and using examples of dung beetles, sphinx moths, trees, ravens, etc. he demonstrates the interconnectedness of, well, everything. And by definition, the death of everything. But in his sprawling exercise he primarily emphasizes that the cyclical nature of nature. In addition to the mindful essays, the work is illustrated with the author's intricate line drawings. The final essay answers his friend's query on making informed choices at the end of our cycle.

The Tree Collectors

 The Tree Collectors: Tales of Arboreal Obsession by Amy Stewart, 336 pages.

This collection follows fifty individuals who are, in some way or another, obsessed with trees. Some of them are obsessed with having a wide and diverse collection, others with a single species of tree. Amy Stewart breaks this collection down into approximate categories of collecting motivations, although as she notes people's reasons for collecting trees are nearly as diverse as the collectors themselves. This book is beautifully illustrated, and presents an engrossing global record of collectors.

When I first picked this up I was expecting more of a historical record of naturalists, but this is instead (mostly) a collection of people the author actually managed to interview, with a few historical naturalists thrown in. I also really wasn't expecting how lovely and plentiful the illustrations are. This is a book of bite-sized little vignettes that nevertheless managed to pull me in entirely and create just a touch of arboreal obsession in me as well. I would definitely recommend this as a casual read and a peak into a world most people are completely unaware of. 

Why fish don't exist

Why fish don't exist / Lulu Miller, read by the author, 225 pgs.

Science reporter Miller writes about her obsession with David Starr Jordan, a naturalist who classified a lot of fish in his day.  She researches him at length, impressed by some of his professional triumphs but not quite as impressed with his personal history that may include murdering his boss.  She also mixes in a little bit of her own memoir.  Jordan tried to make sense out of chaos and was slapped with a lot of trials and tribulations in his life. Miller has had a bit of a hard time too and somehow makes this all work in a book that is a little chaotic itself.  Still enjoyable.  The narration is nicely done.

A Zoo in My Luggage

A Zoo in My Luggage by Gerald Durrell  198 pp.

This is the first book of the trilogy The Zoo Memoirs by the naturalist and author, Gerald Durrell, known for the wonderful memoir My Family and Other Animals which inspired the PBS series "The Durrells in Corfu." In 1957 Durrell and his wife traveled to the British Cameroons (now Cameroon) in West Africa to collect animals for the zoo he planned to build in England. The first part of the book involves their adventures there and the sometimes hilarious relationship with the local head man.  The second part covers Durrell's search for a place to build his zoo (something you would think he would have in place before collecting the animals, but that's not how Durrells do things). After much difficulty he managed to find a place on the Channel Island of Jersey where the zoo still exists run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Some of the best anecdotes involve a diaper and clothing wearing chimpanzee named Cholmondeley St. John - pronounced Chumley Sinjin who became a regular at a local pub.