In this Book
- Threads from the Web of Life: Stories in Natural History
- Book
- 2006
- Published by: Vanderbilt University Press
summary
A Selection of the Discovery Channel Book Club
In sixteen stories Steve Daubert pulls the reader into the mystery and immediacy of ecological processes spanning a range from microscopic to tectonic, from microscopic to cosmic forces. Each tale brings the reader into the moment to witness an episode of survival in the wild first-hand. The material is presented on a level of intimacy and detail not usually encountered in other styles of natural history writing.
These creative non-fiction stories provide not just a bird's eye view (though that's true for the owls, warblers, condors, and hummingbirds in the book), but a wasp's eye view, a mouse's, a sea turtle's, a squid's. Sometimes the focus is as small as the detritus on the forest floor, or a single beat of the wing of a gull. Other stories range across evolutionary time. From whales and dinosaurs to creatures invisible to the naked eye, author and illustrator bring to life the dynamic interplay of living, evolving creatures and the natural forces that have shaped their worlds.
The book includes chapter notes that document the scientific basis for each story and describe the controversies still surrounding some of them -- a splendid resource for families to read and share.
In sixteen stories Steve Daubert pulls the reader into the mystery and immediacy of ecological processes spanning a range from microscopic to tectonic, from microscopic to cosmic forces. Each tale brings the reader into the moment to witness an episode of survival in the wild first-hand. The material is presented on a level of intimacy and detail not usually encountered in other styles of natural history writing.
These creative non-fiction stories provide not just a bird's eye view (though that's true for the owls, warblers, condors, and hummingbirds in the book), but a wasp's eye view, a mouse's, a sea turtle's, a squid's. Sometimes the focus is as small as the detritus on the forest floor, or a single beat of the wing of a gull. Other stories range across evolutionary time. From whales and dinosaurs to creatures invisible to the naked eye, author and illustrator bring to life the dynamic interplay of living, evolving creatures and the natural forces that have shaped their worlds.
The book includes chapter notes that document the scientific basis for each story and describe the controversies still surrounding some of them -- a splendid resource for families to read and share.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Table of Contents
- pp. v-vi
- Artist's Statement
- pp. ix-x
- Stories in the Sand
- pp. 3-10
- The Neon Flying Squid Vanish
- pp. 11-20
- The Calm Beyond the Surf
- pp. 21-33
- The Living Wood
- pp. 37-42
- Forbidden Fruit
- pp. 43-48
- The Secret of the Cenot
- pp. 49-58
- Housekeeping
- pp. 59-64
- Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
- pp. 65-71
- Set in Motion
- pp. 91-99
- Living on the Edge of Springtime
- pp. 100-110
- Chestnut Warbler
- pp. 111-115
- Sighting in the Desert
- pp. 119-128
- Silversword: Flowers of the Sun
- pp. 129-140
- Mountain Time
- pp. 141-149
- Suggested Readings in Natural History
- pp. 153-156
Additional Information
ISBN
9780826592057
MARC Record
OCLC
558991504
Pages
176
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No
Copyright
2006