Tuesday, April 27, 2021

World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

 

First Line: A catalpa can give two brown girls in western Kansas a green umbrella from the sun.
 
Seventeen of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's twenty-two students had never seen-- or even heard of-- fireflies. Instead of exploring the world around them, they spend their free time indoors in front of the screens of televisions, computers, and phones. This series of essays tells of Aimee's love of the natural world, how it has sustained her and inspired her throughout the years. 
 
The author has lived in a variety of places in the United States: on the grounds of a mental institution in Kansas, in the mountains of Arizona, and in the colder climes of Ohio and western New York. Daughter of a Filipino mother and an Indian father, Aimee and her sister often lived in areas where there were extremely few people of color, and people could be hurtful. Many is the time that something in the natural world, be it a tree, an insect or any other living thing, sustained Aimee and helped her cope.
 
Having explored the natural world and become acquainted with its balm and solace, I enjoyed this series of essays, in particular one entitled "Questions While Searching for Birds with My Two Half-White Sons, Aged Six and Nine, National Audubon Bird Count Day, Oxford, MS." While simple in form, this essay was so vivid that I could easily picture it and enjoy all it had to say.

If you would like to spend an afternoon in the natural world learning about some of its wonders and becoming acquainted with a very talented writer, pick up a copy of World of Wonders. Afterward, go outside to appreciate the flowers, the sky, and the birdsong.

World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
eISBN: 9781571319593
Milkweed Editions © 2020
eBook, 184 pages
 
Short Stories/Essays
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Amazon.

8 comments:

  1. This one is a little different to the sort of thing I usually read, Cathy, but I can see its appeal. Naturalists and those who are really interested in nature have such great perspectives on the world and our lives in it. Connections with nature help us all, I think.

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    1. Yes, I consider those connections to nature to be all important.

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  2. This definitely appeals to the nature lover in me!

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    1. Good! I hope you'll have a chance to read it, Ali. Thanks for stopping by!

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  3. I have seen and experienced the healing balm that being in the natural world can bring. I always enjoy nature writing and I had not heard of this book. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. A beautiful cover and essays that appeal to me. Thanks for sharing this one, Cathy.

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    1. You're welcome, Jen. The illustrations throughout are very well done.

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!