LANDSCAPE WITH REPTILE: Rattlesnakes in an Urban World

by Thomas Palmer

Palmer introduces a community of timber rattlesnakes nestled in the Blue Hills, just south of Boston (and within view of the statehouse). From this focal point, Palmer proceeds to examine not only Crotalus horridus but ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history, and American culture. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Genres: Nature

340 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 1992

About the author

THOMAS PALMER is an amateur naturalist, photographer, conservation advocate, and the author of The Transfer (1983) and Dream Science (1990). He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and lives in Milton, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Vinnysaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Palmer does an excellent job of connecting really insightful historical records, personal stories, and herpetological observations in this book. All of which are wrapped up in a tight bow of admirable dry humor. It gives me hope for a better future living alongside our cold blooded neighbors. I enjoyed every page of this book!

[Ken-ichi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old review from 2005

The prose is also a little flowery at times, and he occasionally gets a little too caught up in his tangents into local history (a topic he clearly adores), but for the most part that history is quite interesting and usually relevant to his subject. Overall it’s a great history of rattlesnakes in colonial America. If/when I return to New England, I need to go looking for these guys…

[b bb bbbb bbbbbbbb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked: i really like the combination of social and natural history, along with anatomy and story telling.. Disliked: the authors philosophy is sometimes in contradiction with what the author claims to think. weird?

[Bob Peru · Rating 5 out of 5]

freakin' excellent. filled with "lore". i love "lore". and rattlesnakes. i love rattlesnakes.