by Cara Giaimo
First published 2024
Cara Giaimo takes readers on a global expedition through nature's most remarkable and misunderstood phenomena. The book reveals how dung beetles use stellar navigation and trees share information through underground root networks. Readers encounter the peacock mantis shrimp, one of the animal kingdom's strongest creatures, and visit a 44,000 year old shrub alongside flying rivers and garbage dumps where endangered storks thrive. The narrative includes firsthand accounts from a honey hunter working with bird partners, a scientist decoding prairie dog communication, and an offshore radio DJ connected to local fishing communities. Historical bird song notations on sheet music provide additional depth. With over 500 plants, animals, and natural curiosities documented through illustrations and photographs, the book spans Arctic deserts, dense jungles, ocean depths, and urban centers. Giaimo addresses how digital access and abundant nature documentaries have made the world feel completely knowable, then demonstrates how much mystery and wonder remain in the natural world around us.
Genres: nature, animals, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Arctic, Jungles, Oceans, Urban Centers
Period: 21st-century
464 pages · Kindle Edition · Workman Publishing Company