| The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms Contributor(s): Stewart, Amy (Author) |
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ISBN: 1565124685 ISBN-13: 9781565124684 Publisher: Algonquin Books OUR PRICE: $16.19 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 2005 Annotation: " Engrossing" (The Christian Science Monitor), " fascinating" (TimeOut New York), " delightfully nuanced" (Entertainment Weekly), " terrific" (New York Newsday), " inspiring" (Bust magazine). " You know a book is good when you actually welcome one of those howling days of wind and sleet that makes going out next to impossible" (The New York Times). The Earth Moved has moved reviewers across the country. In witty, offbeat style, Amy Stewart takes us on a subterranean adventure and introduces us to our planet's most important gatekeeper: the humble earthworm. It's true that the earthworm is small, spineless, and blind, but its effect on the ecosystem is profound, moving Charles Darwin to devote his last years to studying its remarkable attributes and achievements. With the august scientist as her inspiration, Stewart investigates the earthworm's astonishing realm, talks to oligochaetologists who have devoted their lives to unearthing the complex web of life beneath our feet, and observes the thousands of worms in her own garden. Stewart's " ease in gliding from worms to plants to humans will remind readers of John McPhee's essays on canoes, oranges, the geology of America" (Providence Journal). " Stewart's book paddles along in [Rachel] Carson's wake. Read her book and you'll start to see how the rhododendron bed in front of your house is a kind of Mars for frontier science" (The Boston Globe). |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Nature | Ecology - Nature | Essays - Science | Life Sciences - Zoology - Invertebrates |
| Dewey: 592.64 |
| LCCN: 2003052379 |
| Physical Information: 0.6" H x 5.4" W x 8.1" (0.40 lbs) 223 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In The Earth Moved, Amy Stewart takes us on a journey through the underground world and introduces us to one of its most amazing denizens. The earthworm may be small, spineless, and blind, but its impact on the ecosystem is profound. It ploughs the soil, fights plant diseases, cleans up pollution, and turns ordinary dirt into fertile land. Who knew? In her witty, offbeat style, Stewart shows that much depends on the actions of the lowly worm. Charles Darwin devoted his last years to the meticulous study of these creatures, praising their remarkable abilities. With the august scientist as her inspiration, Stewart investigates the worm's subterranean realm, talks to oligochaetologists-the unsung heroes of earthworm science-who have devoted their lives to unearthing the complex life beneath our feet, and observes the thousands of worms in her own garden. From the legendary giant Australian worm that stretches to ten feet in length to the modest nightcrawler that wormed its way into the heart of Darwin's last book to the energetic red wigglers in Stewart's compost bin, The Earth Moved gives worms their due and exposes their hidden and extraordinary universe. This book is for all of us who appreciate Mother Nature's creatures, no matter how humble. |
Contributor Bio(s): Stewart, Amy: - Amy Stewart is the award-winning author of six books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world. She is the cofounder of the popular blog Garden Rant and is a contributing editor at Fine Gardening magazine. She and her husband live in Eureka, California, where they own an antiquarian bookstore called Eureka Books. |