Curious by Nature: One Woman's Exploration of the Natural World

by Candace Savage

"Curious by One Woman’s Exploration of the Natural World" showcases Candace Savage’s exploration of the varied ways we relate to wildlife from our retelling of fairytales about the big, bad wolf to our struggles to find a balance between harvesting trees and allowing grizzly bears the space to roam. Along the way, she asks intriguing questions to which she sets out to find answers, such as what brings out the mothering instinct in mammals, what are the forces behind the spectacular displays of the northern lights, and just how do crows calculate the optimum height from which to drop their whelks?

Savage has spent the last 25 years exploring our complex relationships with the natural our prejudices, our growing body of scientific knowledge, our awe. She is particularly interested in bridging the gap between mythology and science, between longing and fact. Creating a livable future for ourselves and for other species, she believes, calls for both knowledge and love, and a deep sense of the value of wildness. This book is a record of Savage’s ongoing quest to engage readers in a conversation that enriches our lives and the lives of the animals whose stories she tells.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2005

Reviews

[Danielle Palmer]

DNF. The author collected articles she wrote up until 2005 and put them all in a book. I read the section on parasites and the one on motherhood and none of the information was new to me so I stopped

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice selection of essays by Savage, some of them quite short. They were all well-written; I just didn't find her writing style to my taste as much as some of the other nature writers I've read. Hence the three-star rating.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very dry read. Nevertheless I found I learned a few things or had a few ideas reinforced in my mind. It was factual but lacked flow.
I'll take it to the cottage for reference.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable to read compilation of short essays on various nature topics from crows to grassland ecosystems.