jessicafee86's review against another edition
5.0
This was a ton of fun and now I want to know EVERYTHING about worms. Seriously, they're awesome and incredibly underrated.
“Why is it that a worm can regrow most of its body, but we can't replace so much as a finger? I am left with the troubling conclusion that the worm's survival may, in the grand scheme of things, be more important than my own.”
“Why is it that a worm can regrow most of its body, but we can't replace so much as a finger? I am left with the troubling conclusion that the worm's survival may, in the grand scheme of things, be more important than my own.”
kbrsuperstar's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Probably weird to say this to other people but: I love worms. I'm a certified Master Composter and some of the best fun I've had was bringing a vermicompost bin out to a public event or a classroom of kindergartners and telling people about worms. And as much as I love the subject matter, I still thought this book was just a bit overly long — at time it felt like it was retreading the same ground in only a slightly different way. It kept going back to Darwin's research and book on earthworms and his later life which was interesting but again, somewhat too long. Overall though, a solidly enjoyable read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Excrement
librarylapin's review against another edition
4.0
As a gardener, I naturally am curious about worms and this book was fun and informative and made me have even more respect for these little creatures.
harishwriter's review against another edition
4.0
"Earthworms can change the course of human civilization and do it all silently, in the dark, unseen." - A quote from the book.
Earthworms have always fascinated me. There is no better book to be introduced to them than this one. The author is not a biologist but a gardener. Therefore, it is actually a layman's guide to earthworms written by a gardener. The section about invasive species is thought provoking.
Earthworms have always fascinated me. There is no better book to be introduced to them than this one. The author is not a biologist but a gardener. Therefore, it is actually a layman's guide to earthworms written by a gardener. The section about invasive species is thought provoking.
meflyntz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Not quite as good as some of the other science books I've read recently, but still pretty solid. Filled with interesting information about the abilities of worms and the interesting ways humans can use them. Stewart's writing is enjoyable and doesn't get bogged down with scientific jargon. And at 240 pages, it isn't too long. I probably wouldn't recommend this for everyone, but if you're a gardener or just have a passing interest in worms, you might enjoy it.
morningtide's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
I learned a lot about earthworms from this book, mostly due to the fact that I have probably never once thought about them for longer than a few seconds. They have a very important role in our environment, which is something I'm not surprised to learn about basically any aspect of the Earth after reading so many nature nonfiction books the last few years. I came out of it with more respect for them and respect for the people who care about them.
However, this was one of those situations where I felt like listening to the book as an audiobook may have been the wrong choice for me. I loved reading Flower Confidential by the same author, but maybe Stewart's writing style didn't work as well with me in listening context. But I learned a lot, I found it interesting enough, and it was short enough that it felt like I'd rather finish it though than give up on it.
Thanks for sharing, Amy Stewart.
However, this was one of those situations where I felt like listening to the book as an audiobook may have been the wrong choice for me. I loved reading Flower Confidential by the same author, but maybe Stewart's writing style didn't work as well with me in listening context. But I learned a lot, I found it interesting enough, and it was short enough that it felt like I'd rather finish it though than give up on it.
Thanks for sharing, Amy Stewart.