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Jungle Peace
1918. William Beebe was one of this century's leading pioneers into the oceanic world. The Brooklyn, New York, native possessed an unrelenting curiosity about the natural world around, and beneath, him. Through his dozens of books describing his various expeditions, Beebe brought the average citizen in closer touch with the natural world. Beebe turned his focus away from pheasants to the tropical jungle and became director of the Zoological Park's new Department of Tropical Research. Jungle Peace; Sea-wrack; Islands; The Pomeroon Trail; A Hunt for Hoatzins; Hoatzins at Home; A Wilderness Laboratory; The Convict Trail; With Army Ants Somewhere in the Jungle; A Yard of Jungle; and Jungle Night.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1918
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About the author
William Beebe
174 books10 followersNumerous expeditions of Charles William Beebe, American naturalist, explorer, and author, include a record oceanic descent in a bathysphere, which he helped to design in 1934.
William Beebe worked as a marine biologist and entomologist. For the zoological society of New York, he conducted his deep dives, and people remember his prolific scientific writing for both academic and popular audiences.
He also wrote under the names Charles William and C. William Beebe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
William Beebe worked as a marine biologist and entomologist. For the zoological society of New York, he conducted his deep dives, and people remember his prolific scientific writing for both academic and popular audiences.
He also wrote under the names Charles William and C. William Beebe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 21, 2018
An Ironic Title
William Beebe was a naturalist, and worked with wildlife, doing most of his work in jungles. But, when WWI rolled around he was of sufficient age that he had to enlist the help of former President Roosevelt, a naturalist friend of his, to secure a position as flight photographer in the war. If you've heard the term 'Jungle Warfare,' then you get the backward throw of the title. But the peaceful view was Beebe's own viewpoint when he returned to the jungle after his military service. Apparently the jungle was a much safer place than the trenches, as the opening paragraph in this book which was published after the war begins with...
Do I need say more? Probably not, but I will. I was entranced with Beebe's book from this first paragraph. He was a remarkably descriptive writer, and an astute observer. This was my first of his works, but there are several more I want to read. He pioneered the use of the bathysphere while diving, becoming the first to promote study of live specimens underwater. And, he has a large number of books from his decades of research.
I read this book in the Kindle & Audible formats with not-quite-whisper-sync, since the work is a classic and is now free on Kindle, but without the text and audio playing together you just play both at the same time. (This means the text doesn't follow along with you, and you just turn the page yourself.) But, it is still a great way to read because you have the benefit of searchable & highlight-able text along with the excellent narration of Andre Stojka.
This book is set in Guyana (formerly British Guiana) and is my read for my Around the World in 80 Books challenge for 2018. Next stop Venezuela!
William Beebe was a naturalist, and worked with wildlife, doing most of his work in jungles. But, when WWI rolled around he was of sufficient age that he had to enlist the help of former President Roosevelt, a naturalist friend of his, to secure a position as flight photographer in the war. If you've heard the term 'Jungle Warfare,' then you get the backward throw of the title. But the peaceful view was Beebe's own viewpoint when he returned to the jungle after his military service. Apparently the jungle was a much safer place than the trenches, as the opening paragraph in this book which was published after the war begins with...
After creeping through slime-filled holes beneath the shrieking of swift metal; after splashing one's plane through companionable clouds three miles above the little jagged, hero-filled ditches, and dodging other sudden-born clouds of nauseous fumes and blasting heart of steel; after these, one craves thoughts of comfortable hens, sweet apple orchards, or the ineffable themes of opera. And when nerves have cried for a time "enough" and an unsteady hand threatens to turn a joy stick into a sign post to Charon, the mind seeks amelioration—some symbol of worthy content and peace—and for my part, I turn with all desire to the jungles of the tropics.
Do I need say more? Probably not, but I will. I was entranced with Beebe's book from this first paragraph. He was a remarkably descriptive writer, and an astute observer. This was my first of his works, but there are several more I want to read. He pioneered the use of the bathysphere while diving, becoming the first to promote study of live specimens underwater. And, he has a large number of books from his decades of research.
I read this book in the Kindle & Audible formats with not-quite-whisper-sync, since the work is a classic and is now free on Kindle, but without the text and audio playing together you just play both at the same time. (This means the text doesn't follow along with you, and you just turn the page yourself.) But, it is still a great way to read because you have the benefit of searchable & highlight-able text along with the excellent narration of Andre Stojka.
This book is set in Guyana (formerly British Guiana) and is my read for my Around the World in 80 Books challenge for 2018. Next stop Venezuela!
July 18, 2016
Beebe was a celebrated American naturalist from the first half of the 20th century. This colection of essays describes his time in British Guiana (now Guyana) establishing a research station in the heart of the vast jungle.
He was clearly fascinated with animals, declaring early his intention of 'observing them as actors and companions rather than as species and varieties.' I don't know if Attenborough saw it the same way,but it sounds like a good philosophy for a naturalist to me.
He doesn't even waste any time on the oceon voyage over there, catching and examing sea-wrack on the way across the Sargasso, with its 'microcosmos of great intimacy'.
Beebe specialised as an ornithologist so it's unsurprising that his descriptions of birds were are real strong point:
'Great black muscovy ducks spattered up from amber pools, and tri-colored herons stood like detached shadows of birds, mere cardboard figures, so attenuated that they appeared to exist in only two planes of space.'
He is rightly fascinated by the hoatzin bird, a colourful, pheasant-like species which lives in swamps; their young have retained claws on their wings throughout evolution and swim like their reptilian ancestors.
He also observes the avian activity around a cashew tree, which becomes 'the Mecca of all hummingbirds in the jungle'; and a pit dug to capture unwary wildlife becomes an 'amphitheatre' of slaughter for a colony of army ants.
Worthy of note is the value he places on both the knowledge and friendship of native guides. Most importantly though, he writes excellently, with both clarity and wonder.
He was clearly fascinated with animals, declaring early his intention of 'observing them as actors and companions rather than as species and varieties.' I don't know if Attenborough saw it the same way,but it sounds like a good philosophy for a naturalist to me.
He doesn't even waste any time on the oceon voyage over there, catching and examing sea-wrack on the way across the Sargasso, with its 'microcosmos of great intimacy'.
Beebe specialised as an ornithologist so it's unsurprising that his descriptions of birds were are real strong point:
'Great black muscovy ducks spattered up from amber pools, and tri-colored herons stood like detached shadows of birds, mere cardboard figures, so attenuated that they appeared to exist in only two planes of space.'
He is rightly fascinated by the hoatzin bird, a colourful, pheasant-like species which lives in swamps; their young have retained claws on their wings throughout evolution and swim like their reptilian ancestors.
He also observes the avian activity around a cashew tree, which becomes 'the Mecca of all hummingbirds in the jungle'; and a pit dug to capture unwary wildlife becomes an 'amphitheatre' of slaughter for a colony of army ants.
Worthy of note is the value he places on both the knowledge and friendship of native guides. Most importantly though, he writes excellently, with both clarity and wonder.
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September 2, 2025Written just post WW1 about an expedition to study the flora and fauna of Guiana. Beebe has a wonderful way with the language and descriptions. I have found that most modern nature writing to be very somber and while I understand the focus on the fragility of the natural world, the omnipresence of doomsaying discourages me from reading more of the genre. This was written in contrast to the authors recent experience of the hellishness of war and is an expression of the relief and joy he finds in his immersion in nature. Some of the context and mindset are alien to modern readers but the exuberant pleasure in the study and exploration of nature is refreshing and inspiring.
July 14, 2016
This is a collection of articles for the Atlantic written by a naturalist. Although I found the content of the articles fascinating, what really grabbed me was Beebe's use of language. He writes with such eloquence and imagery that it is astounding. The joy of reading his words makes the book worthwhile.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews