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brogan7's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was written in an accessible way, and covers a range of topics both practical and philosophical. I like her thorough questioning of the word "natural," for instance.
However, there were a couple of drawbacks. One, I thought the discussion on invasive species was really lacking in depth and understanding. To summarize the issues by saying that some species of cherry tree imported to Europe is now being eaten by insects really misses the point that many, many species that have been brought to other lands never become a foodstuff of local species, and therefore spread and are damaging to ecosystems and species diversity in all sorts of ways. Clearly she has never had a personal battle with Japanese knotweed or goutweed, herself, or she would understand how overwhelming the problem can be. She also never read The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions by David Quammen, an insightful, well-researched book about ecology, colonization and invasive species. Instead, Marris skirts the surface of the issue and seems to hope we all feel better about it by the end of the book.
Secondly, I was really irritated about three quarters of the way in, when she started trying to have "recommendations" or points to take home about everything she was saying. It was like instead of writing the book, exploring issues, and allowing the reader to make up their mind and develop a questioning attitude for themselves, she felt the burden of decreeing the "right" way to think of a particular topic and imposing that on her readers. It felt really condescending and rushed.
However, the topics raised, her inquisitive nature, the adventure of her researching these topics by going on-site and really experiencing (massive rodent kills, for instance) brought the topic of "wildlife conservation" to life in a great way.
However, there were a couple of drawbacks. One, I thought the discussion on invasive species was really lacking in depth and understanding. To summarize the issues by saying that some species of cherry tree imported to Europe is now being eaten by insects really misses the point that many, many species that have been brought to other lands never become a foodstuff of local species, and therefore spread and are damaging to ecosystems and species diversity in all sorts of ways. Clearly she has never had a personal battle with Japanese knotweed or goutweed, herself, or she would understand how overwhelming the problem can be. She also never read The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions by David Quammen, an insightful, well-researched book about ecology, colonization and invasive species. Instead, Marris skirts the surface of the issue and seems to hope we all feel better about it by the end of the book.
Secondly, I was really irritated about three quarters of the way in, when she started trying to have "recommendations" or points to take home about everything she was saying. It was like instead of writing the book, exploring issues, and allowing the reader to make up their mind and develop a questioning attitude for themselves, she felt the burden of decreeing the "right" way to think of a particular topic and imposing that on her readers. It felt really condescending and rushed.
However, the topics raised, her inquisitive nature, the adventure of her researching these topics by going on-site and really experiencing (massive rodent kills, for instance) brought the topic of "wildlife conservation" to life in a great way.
Content Warnings
TW: ecocide
calvnlawrnc's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
luciferstand's review against another edition
5.0
I've read a few books on similar subjects lately and I thought this was an excellent exploration of the complicated and compelling nature of conservation biology. I appreciated the time Marris took to define concepts of wilderness and naturalness in a world seeped in human influence. I also enjoyed that the case studies presented by this author were considered beyond their sort of fairytale happily ever after moments, and their ripple effects in the great big ecological ponds were highlighted. Overall I thought Marris did an excellent job outlining the factors endangering the earth's flora and fauna, the plans proposed by our best and brightest ecologists, and what these plans would mean to indigenous peoples, wildlife, and even the individuals behind that work. Wild Souls is worth the read and was engaging front to back.
jordieisreading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
4.5
onavros's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This book was very unique in perspective and philosophy. It offered me a completely different view on the issue of conservation of endangered species and the human relationships with wild animals. I have read a lot of nature and animal behavior books in the past, and a lot of them have the same message over and over again (which is a good message). However, Emma Marris's book had something new to offer from all the other nature writing I have encountered. Her message and experiences really made me re-evaluate a lot of common beliefs I've had about conservation and nature. Her description of the genetic advances made in the field of conservation were fascinating and raised a lot of interesting hypothetical questions. Her entire book caused me to pause and think very deeply about many issues dealing with wild animals and ethics. I would strongly recommend to someone who cares deeply about living an ethical life and cares about saving wild animals and endangered species.
melindalse's review against another edition
5.0
This is the kind of book that changes you for the better. I picked it up expecting a comforting bedtime read about the beauty of nature and animals, but when I finished it, I walked away with a completely renewed understanding of what conservation and animal rights should and could mean.
brenna_law's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
lindsayb's review against another edition
5.0
Five stars because I really enjoyed the philosophical discussions around what makes something "wild" and the overall nature of being.