I really enjoyed this. I sometimes wished it were a little more about the animals and the running of the Funny Farm, but the family history/autobiography was really well written and powerful.
And now I want to plan an entire trip around visiting the Funny Farm.
I picked this randomly off the library shelf because I love animals, and I'm so glad I did. I did the same with another book about a bird sanctuary once, and it too was one of my favorite books of the year.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Very well written, very interesting. I loved the weaving of biological facts with
the myths we've developed around these creatures and the history of our
interaction with them.
But…it's also profoundly sad. I hope it helps change some people's minds about what we're doing to this planet and her inhabitants, and I hope that changing of minds leads to action. Half the proceeds go toward charities working to push back on climate change and environmental destruction.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Dear Nate DiMeo,
I'm very upset with you. Your book was just not long enough. I wanted more, more, more. I have listened to approximately three podcast episodes in my entire life. They're not really my thing. But I am totally going to go out and listen to yours.
I loved this book. The subject matter was fantastic—interesting and varied. The writing was creative. At times the style got a little more experimental or grandiose than I like, but that's very subjective, and I still enjoyed it even in those bits. I loved how you made these unknown people and strange moments in history so real.
The length, however, was terrible. I wanted it to be about three times as long. I'll forgive you, however, if you write a sequel.
I don't give a lot of 5-star reviews, because I think 5-star books should be pretty near perfect. But there's not even a question here. FIVE STARS!
Sincerely,
Melinda Brasher
The style was very readable, and I liked knowing more about Harvey’s early life and later life, as well as the lives of some of his contemporary hiker/explorers. I also enjoyed the authors’ attempts to recreate some of the routes/climbs Harvey did.
I enjoyed the pictures. I wish there had been a few more maps (the famous one on the inside cover was too tiny to be terribly useful)
Overall, a slightly long but very interesting read for someone already interested in the topic. It might be a bit much for those who aren’t already a little obsessed.
And Harvey…though this book did keep him a bit at arms’ length, it worked for me, because it kept him larger than life.
4.5 stars
The subject matter was fascinating. The writing was engaging. The extra facts at the end of each chapter added great depth. I've been a little fidgety lately with reading, not finding anything that will keep my attention for too long, but I read about 70 pages of this in a row, and finished the book in three sittings.
Well done.
5 Stars
I really like books like this, with short chapters on different related subjects—in this case interesting events (not broad cultural/historical/geological overviews, but specific EVENTS) that took place at Grand Canyon.
A few chapters didn't hold my interest super well, especially the ones that got a little long on the politics or engineering, but other readers will really like those. MOST of the chapters, however, were fascinating. I already knew some of these stories, but even the ones I knew were told interestingly enough to keep my attention well.
The book was well written, with an easy flow and none of the pretentiousness of some similar books.
My only real complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I wanted more, more, more.
I would certainly read more by Todd R. Berger.
4.5 stars
More accurate rating: 4.5
Some of the details of running specific rapids got a bit long for me, since I'm not familiar with the terms and have a hard time visualizing it, but that's a very minor issue, and river runners will probably love it for that.
The structure of the book was also very good. We learned about Glen and Bessie's early life and courtships. We saw their journey through pieced-together accounts. We went with the author as he and his wife reenacted the journey in the same type of boat. We learned about the boat itself, and how time (and dams) have changed the Colorado. We met other characters, like the Kolb brothers, those who searched for Glen and Bessie, and other survivors or victims of the river. We were stumped by the mystery and led through all the possible theories, some far-fetched and dramatic. We suffered with Glen's dad and as he and others searched and searched. Then we got a measured analysis of what likely happened. And all this was woven together very logically and smoothly.
I wish Brad Dimock would write more books like this!
4.5 stars
This feels very much like All Creatures Great and Small meets Call the Midwife. I enjoyed it a lot, especially the glimpses of a way of life very different than mine.
The chapters don't always transition smoothly, but if you read it like a series of independent personal essays, that shouldn’t bother you. However, if you read it as a series of independent essays, what might bother you are the characters that appear from several chapters back without enough reminder to the reader as to how they fit in—and the questions that get posed but never answered (and not in a thought-provoking or philosophical way). Then the book just ends. There’s no real tie-up, and though the last chapter is dramatic, it doesn’t really feel like a conclusion. The epilogue is full of longing for the life they once had there, with not one word of explanation of why or when they left. I think this is all to keep it open for the sequel, but it bothered me. Of course, it mostly bothered me because I was invested in the people and interested in their lives—so that’s as much compliment as criticism.
Despite any issues, I really enjoyed the book. The writing style is easy. The pacing is pleasantly gentle. The observations are good. The subject matter is really
interesting. The setting is well
drawn.
I’ll probably read the sequel.
4 stars
The subject matter here is fascinating. Before reading this book, I could only have
named you maybe four examples of biomimicry—despite being interested in the
subject. So this book took me by
surprise.I found the writing a touch on the dry side when it was talking about the actual science of it. I think most of that, however, was because of me. When the author got down to the nitty gritty, I often couldn't quite visualize what he was writing about because I don't have enough science background or mechanical inclination/interest. So…Mr. Aryee, it's me, not you. I just wish there had been more photos/illustrations.
I'm in awe of the research involved in this book and in even more in awe of nature and our attempts to understand and copy it.
It's an interesting book, especially if you read it
slowly—no more than a couple of chapters at a time.
Now I want to read some of the other collections edited by Callie Smith Grant.
4.5 stars.
It's full of fascinating facts, cute humor, and great pictures. There's a lot of good information, clearly explained, and clever little quizzes.
Overall, very enjoyable to this adult, and I think it would be very enjoyable to many kids. I would recommend it for reluctant readers, since the topic is so fascinating and the writing style is so breezy and fun.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of all the facts, but if they're true, then I'd give it a definite 5 stars.
There are other Wimp-O-Meter books in the series. I look forward to reading more.
Many of the chapters were originally written as standalone essays, so there's a bit of choppiness regarding the differing styles, the timeline of her life, etc., and a bit of repetitiveness here and there, but it worked for me. A few of the connections between the natural world and the author's life felt like a bit of a stretch, but I enjoyed the book so much I just went with it.
The drawings are beautiful.
Overall, a delightful surprise that I found on the library shelf, knowing nothing about the book or the author. I'm glad I picked it up.
More accurate rating:
4.5
Great subject matter: interesting animals and their even more interesting names.
Short but fascinating descriptions
Brightly colored pages, great illustrations and photos. Overall a very attractive book, physically.
Scientific and common names, along with great scientific vocabulary, usually defined well within the text.
"Your turn" interactive bits.
Cool appendices, including a glossary, further reading, and the best thing ever: a weird name generator, where you can create cool names like the frilly jumping lake slug or the headless howling volcano shark.
Sometimes I wish the captions had a little more about the animals, but the point of the book is more to capture their likenesses and make us care…so we can then research for ourselves. The few tidbits included are fascinating.
I also enjoyed the written sections, like the forewords by Harrison Ford, Douglas H. Chadwick, and the author, the sections about different conservation heroes, and the behind-the-scenes peaks into the process.
This is an extremely beautiful book. Highly recommended.
5 beautiful stars
The writing is clear and engaging, witty in a way that somehow avoids being disrespectful to the dead or the grieving.
The structure is excellent, creating sections that can be
easily consumed in one short sitting…though I usually wanted to read more than
one at a time.
5 Stars
The excellent writing is humorous and easy to
read, yet meaty enough to satisfy curious minds.
The book isn't just about the bizarre and surprising characteristics of animals. It's also about how scientists and explorers discovered--or covered up--the truth about them. It's a terrific mix. It's a tad heavy on animals' sexual habits, when I wanted to know more about the many other fascinating aspects of life, but that's pretty much the only thing I can think of that could possibly improve on the work..
The book is structured perfectly. Each chapter is about a different animal. They're long enough to delve into all the fascinating details, but never so long that they feel padded or drawn out.
It's such a good book that I'll probably read it again. And if I find anything else in a similar vein, written by Lucy Cooke, I'll snap it up in an instant.
True rating: 5+
Find it on Amazon: The Truth About Animals
I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome, partly because so much of this one was focused on battles, but I still enjoyed it a lot. The author did a great job of breaking it up (like a real guidebook) with sections like "people to have dinner with," accommodations reviews, letters from Time Corp, and instructions on how to, say, avoid cannon balls. There are also lots of nice maps, graphs, illustrations, etc.
And so much clever humor. Great job.
Note: I'm not a history buff enough to vouch for its accuracy.
4.5 stars.
