The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild
3 journalers for this copy...
I found this fair-condition softcover at the Book Cellar, and nabbed it for another release copy.
I was attracted to the book in the first place because of the handsome cougar on the cover, but the rest of the book's well worth reading. It's a collection of essays by author Childs about his encounters with different living creatures in different parts of the world, some of them tranquil, some frightening, some sad... It opens with a note from the author suggesting that "if you are one of those people who insist on reading books from left to right, I recommend a sip of clear water before starting each new chapter." Even better, he adds, would be to walk into the woods for a while before starting another chapter, to appreciate the wild things in your area. (There's also this line: "I have hoped, in fact, that you, the reader, might come upon this book by accident, finding it on a desk, left open to a passage on mountain lions, or flipping its pages until you are caught in the stares of fifteen sorcerous ravens." The find-by-accident part sounds like a job for BookCrossing!)
As often happens with books I really enjoy, this one's studded with dozens of page-markers, each one indicating an incident I wanted to mention or some lines I wanted to quote - far too many to include without transcribing half of the book! The author's style includes lyrical descriptions and straightforward narrative, introspection and practical details - and some startling encounters with wildlife, from being watched by a mysterious animal in the Tetons in Wyoming when he was 16 to rescuing an uncooperative raccoon from a canyon sinkhole in Utah, or meeting a bear face to face, or being stalked (or was he?) by a cougar, musing over a great blue heron's hunting tactics - and so much more. His writing makes me feel as if I'm there too, and when he's talking about creatures that I've observed in my own life, from hummingbirds and owls to dogs and cats to pronghorn antelope, I can confirm that he knows what he's writing about. He even gives space to a few insects and fish - and doesn't neglect the human animal either. [There's an interview with the author at the end, answering some questions that might have occurred to the reader in the course of the book.]
I really enjoyed this one; recommended!
I was attracted to the book in the first place because of the handsome cougar on the cover, but the rest of the book's well worth reading. It's a collection of essays by author Childs about his encounters with different living creatures in different parts of the world, some of them tranquil, some frightening, some sad... It opens with a note from the author suggesting that "if you are one of those people who insist on reading books from left to right, I recommend a sip of clear water before starting each new chapter." Even better, he adds, would be to walk into the woods for a while before starting another chapter, to appreciate the wild things in your area. (There's also this line: "I have hoped, in fact, that you, the reader, might come upon this book by accident, finding it on a desk, left open to a passage on mountain lions, or flipping its pages until you are caught in the stares of fifteen sorcerous ravens." The find-by-accident part sounds like a job for BookCrossing!)
As often happens with books I really enjoy, this one's studded with dozens of page-markers, each one indicating an incident I wanted to mention or some lines I wanted to quote - far too many to include without transcribing half of the book! The author's style includes lyrical descriptions and straightforward narrative, introspection and practical details - and some startling encounters with wildlife, from being watched by a mysterious animal in the Tetons in Wyoming when he was 16 to rescuing an uncooperative raccoon from a canyon sinkhole in Utah, or meeting a bear face to face, or being stalked (or was he?) by a cougar, musing over a great blue heron's hunting tactics - and so much more. His writing makes me feel as if I'm there too, and when he's talking about creatures that I've observed in my own life, from hummingbirds and owls to dogs and cats to pronghorn antelope, I can confirm that he knows what he's writing about. He even gives space to a few insects and fish - and doesn't neglect the human animal either. [There's an interview with the author at the end, answering some questions that might have occurred to the reader in the course of the book.]
I really enjoyed this one; recommended!
I'm sending this to BCer glade1 in North Carolina as part of the wishlist-tag game. Enjoy!
*** Released as part of the 2014 D for December release challenge. ***
*** Released as part of the December 2014 Christmas release challenge, for the snowflakes on the cover (and on the cougar, very festive!). ***
*** Released as part of the 2014 What's In A Name release challenge, for the embedded "Al" in the title. ***
*** Released as part of the 2014 D for December release challenge. ***
*** Released as part of the December 2014 Christmas release challenge, for the snowflakes on the cover (and on the cougar, very festive!). ***
*** Released as part of the 2014 What's In A Name release challenge, for the embedded "Al" in the title. ***
Received in the mail yesterday. Thanks for the tag, GoryDetails, as well as the surprise extra book (Right Ho, Jeeves)! Not sure when this one will resurface at the top of Mt. TBR but it's safe with lots of good company until then.
I read this one a while back and failed to journal my thoughts. I liked this book a lot. Childs balances his experiences and opinions with scientific fact, and he's got some interesting experiences! He's one of those people who is very comfortable with wandering off into the wilds with few plans, and doesn't mind experiencing discomfort and danger in exchange for up-close time with the wilderness. This leads to some wonderful, fascinating encounters.
I particularly enjoyed the chapters on various cats, from the housecat to the puma. The author gives a wonderful natural history of the animal and an interesting description of how it has evolved to the creature we know today.
This is going to rubyrebel in the Wish List Tag game, and it was mailed today.
I particularly enjoyed the chapters on various cats, from the housecat to the puma. The author gives a wonderful natural history of the animal and an interesting description of how it has evolved to the creature we know today.
This is going to rubyrebel in the Wish List Tag game, and it was mailed today.
thank you i just received this book yesterday
