Michael Jeffords and Susan Post must have a pretty cool marriage. Both of them are biologists based in Illinois, but in their 34 years of marriage they have travelled the globe, observing and photographing the natural world. Their new book, which includes essays and photographs from both of them, "is a lifetime of observations distilled into a single work. . . . The experiences we have chose to showcase range from encounters with unusual natural history phenomena in our own backyard to observations from the remote corners of the earth."
Curious Encounters with the Natural World: From Grumpy Spiders to Hidden Tigers features a wide variety of animals, as well as a sprinkling of landscapes, geological features, and plants. Jeffords's and Post's love for their work and for the natural world oozes from every page. Most of the book is one-page essays accompanied by a photo. Their work is really beautiful, and the essays, which give some biological background as well as the circumstances of the picture, are enlightening.
The subjects are lean heavily to bugs. I normally am not a big fan of spiders or swarming flies, but they make them somehow interesting and even endearing. Post's essay on the mating habits of the crane fly and its connection to its setting will fill you with nostalgia and empathy for this little bug. There are plenty of pictures of and essays about more picturesque and cuddly animals like beautiful birds, cuddly penguins, and majestic giraffes.
I appreciate the patience and commitment Jeffords and Post have exercised throughout their careers to capture these wonderful pictures. The accompanying essays are informative, but the stars of this book are the photos. I will never experience the natural world the way they have, but feel closer to it through reading Curious Encounters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
No comments:
Post a Comment