When the Wild Comes Leaping Up: Personal encounters with nature
By (Author) David Suzuki
Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin
1st November 2002
Australia
General
Non Fiction
Nature and the natural world: general interest
508
Paperback
240
Width 140mm, Height 215mm
296g
In this collection, award-winning writers from the United States, Canada, the UK and Australia describe a personal encounter with the natural world that moved them, enhanced their understanding of nature, changed them, or was in some other way of prime importance to them. These essays describe childhood memories, everyday walks transformed into life-changing events, being in the grip of a great force, startling encounters with wild animals, and even one fantasy. Contributors include: David Suzuki recounting a childhood epiphany experienced during a fishing trip; Robert Drewe recalling his exhilarating search for sharks as a 19-year-old reporter; Richard Flanagan remembering the experience of a terrifying and life-changing storm while kayaking at sea; Margaret Atwood writing on cyrogenics in a wickedly witty glimpse into the future; and Wade Davis recounting an adventure in the Amazon rainforest. There are stories of mystical experiences in a grove of oaks, an encounter with bees ("an experience of 'desperate clarity' during a walk in the woods"), and memories of a 70s experiment with living on the land and its poignant aftermath. Sad, reflective, exciting, optimistic, pessimistic, nostalgic and outlandish, each one presents a singular experience of enlightenment, awe, passion, outrage, sadness or exhilaration. All are powerful testimonies to the transformative power of nature.
David Suzuki is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. He is the host of television's The Nature of Things and the author or co-author of more than 30 books,including The Sacred Balance, Wisdom of the Elders, Metmorphosis and Good News for a Change. He is the founder and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.