Butterflies on the Roof of the world: A Memoir

by Peter Smetacek

In this book, Peter Smetacek invites us into the fascinating world of butterflies. We accompany him on expeditions deep into the mountains of the Himalaya, high desert landscapes of Ladakh, leopard and bear-infested forests of Kumaon, scenic meadows of Garhwal, and all manner of other habitats, as he attempts to capture rare and interesting species an all-black butterfly that hasnt been spotted for over a century, drunken moths that behave no differently from their human counterparts when they are tipsy, high-elevation butterflies that sail over mountain peaks, and caterpillars that are worth more than their weight in gold. Along the way, in prose that is lucid, witty and always entertaining, he illuminates for the reader the mysterious world of the elusive insects he has spent a lifetime with, and explain why the well-being of butterflies is of vital importance to us all.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Wildlife

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2014

Reviews

[Soma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a delightful book on one of the most loved subject of "Butterflies". At the time when this book is set, Butterflies and Moths were a heavily understudied subject in India and that makes lot of facts come to the reader as a discovery. Peter is an authority on the subject of Butterflies and Moths but that's not what makes this book a winner. The book scores because of the narration, that's deft, humorous, engaging, insightful and overall smart. You almost ride with the author in the deep jungles, on the hillsides, wake up at nights to attract moths reflected on a white sheet, explore the unexplored streams, form a conjecture and then set about proving the science behind it, proving to the world that the tiny angelic looking butterflies are not just an object of fantasy in children's books but a bio-indicator of ecosystems, of climate change and that's profound.
Reading the memoir one can make out that Peter is a man possessed, in his pursuit of his object of passion, and by publishing a memoir like this, by letting us in, into his possessed world, he has done a great service to us. I am thankful I picked up this book. It's a delightful read and every nature lover, regardless of whether or not they know or care about butterflies, should read it.

[Vinayak Hegde · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book about butterflies and their habitats with a focus on the Western Himalayas (Kumaon/Garhwal) where the author lives. This is a personal memoir, travelogue, nature discovery and a short introduction to Lepidopterology (the study of Butterflies and Moths). He also explains the links between butterflies/moths and the health of the forest ecosystem which was quite interesting.

The book is informative and I enjoyed the way the author narrated his stories with a dry wit. It was a quick breezing read and also quite delightful as I could not put it down. The only thing missing is the photographs of the butterflies that he describes. I googled them and the images and the differences were quite interesting. I wish these had been included in the book. It would have added a nice dimension to the book.

[Shibajee Samaddar · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is THE lepidopterist of India & this book is so more than a memoir! The interest around butterfly & moths are not really a serious one, so if you want have a slightly serious & deeper look of the butterflies around you & of Himalayas, this is the book.
It does not contain any picture of butterfly, so its not a DK publishing book. But its so more than that!
Keep a naturalist guide or internet to look for the different butterflies he talks about from time to time & who knows: his journey may inspire your journey.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

In reading this book I learned and was entertained. I was able to see Peter's museaum in Bhimtal and now I can visualize how much effort goes into Lepidopterology. It is a nice read and reccomend it to anyone interested in the areas around Bhimtal or butterflies and moths.

[Bill Bangham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this delightful book in in the Mumbai airport while on a trip to India. I don't know if I was sensitized by the beautiful, descriptive writing or j ust the season, but in the days that followed I began seeing butterflies everywhere. One afternoon in Bangalore, I stood on a tree-shaded balcony while hundreds swirled about me. Kismet? Whatever ... thanks Peter Smetacek.