Notes from the Shore

by Jennifer Ackerman

A portrait of the terrain and wildlife of Lewes, Delaware, interweaves personal reflection with descriptions of such local phenomema as ghost crabs, shore birds, sea worms, and whales

Genres: Birds, Nature, Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Memoir, Essays

208 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2019

About the author

Jennifer Ackerman has been writing about science and nature for three decades. She is the author of eight books, including the New York Times bestseller, The Genius of Birds, which has been translated into more than twenty languages. Her articles and essays have appeared in Scientific American, National Geographic, The New York Times, and many other publications. Ackerman is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship in Nonfiction, a Bunting Fellowship, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Her articles and essays have been included in several anthologies, among them Best American Science Writing, The Nature Reader, and Best Nature Writing.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a bit unusual for a book to be called Birds By The Shore, have a beautiful picture of an Oystercatcher on its cover, and then not to be altogether about birds. Yes, the book is about the shore, particularly the Delaware shore where Ackerman lived for three years.

But does it matter that it is only partially about birds? Not to me. Ackerman is an excellent nature and ecology writer and I was extremely impressed throughout. Her own story comes up frequently and she loves more than birds. I’d never have thought sea worms and beach fleas could be portrayed so beautifully and in such an interesting manner. Her three years on the Delaware shore were spent in Lewes, only a short bicycle trip up the beach from Rehobath Beach, Joe Biden’s shore retreat.

Ackerman says, “If there is some design in this world, it is composed equally of accident and order, of error and deep creativity, which is what makes life at once so splendid and so strange.” Indeed.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered in nature the same appeal I found in books. Both were engrossing, filled with the richness of particularities and yet mysteriously universal. Both were the stuff of perspective.

I didn't realise that my brand new ARC of Birds by the Shore (to be released May of 2019) is actually a slightly revised and renamed re-release of Jennifer Ackerman's 1996 book Notes from the Shore; and that's not a problem, as I haven't read the original, but having now finished I have to wonder, “Why the new title?” The original suits the material so much better; this is about so much more than shorebirds. Essentially a collection of ten essays that Ackerman wrote during her three year stay on the Delaware Bay, each contain precise observations of the astounding abundance of nature (birds and beyond), intertextual connections (scientific and literary), abstractions to humanity at large, and brief forays into Ackerman's personal life. Like spending the day at the tide's edge, the writing ebbs and flows and washes over you; this work is calming, knowing, and wise. I loved every bit of it. (Note: Passages quoted from this ARC might not be in their final forms.)

For people like me who measure their land in square yards, not acres, who have lost the rhythm of harvest, the surge and drain of tides threads the day, gives the place a kind of meter, as in poetry. The sea is Conrad's accomplice of human restlessness. Its briny surf and shifting sand correspond to a memory as deep as any we possess. Solid as we seem, we are liquid beings, three-quarters water like the planet, and composed of motion down to the agitated atoms in our cells. Perhaps that is why we like to sleep where the thunder-suck of waves fill the night.

Ackerman does, naturally, remark on the birds she observes on the shore – ospreys, and gulls, and the various LBJs (little brown jobs) – but she's also fascinated by tiny crabs, worms, snails, and mosquitoes. She marks the mass migration of sand on land and in the water (which never seems to go where the engineers try to force it), and she notes the amazing array of life clinging to each grain of sand itself. In addition to the multicelled nematodes, protozoa, and tardigrades that live there, “A single grain of sand can support hundreds of colonies of bacteria, each composed of hundreds of individuals, as well as twenty or thirty diatoms of different varieties – all residing in the craters, scarps, and troughs of the grain, where they are protected from abrasion as the sand knocks about.” Anyone who can make me excited about a grain of sand is writing in a language I love. At its most enchanting, Ackerman's writing reminded me of what I treasured in Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek:

Humans, it has been said, lie midway between the sun and the atom, in terms of both mass and diameter. Narrow is the world with whose dimensions our lives, our limbs, our senses are in tune. So much that matters is invisible by the yardstick of human life. How to shatter scale-bound thinking, see more deeply, widely? Writers have defamiliarized the world in this way, made us see our surroundings in a strange new light. Think of swimming in a sea of tears, rolling with a worm in a giant peach. Think of Blake's world in a grain of sand, eternity in an hour. There is a deep hunch here, more than meets the eye.

There is much on how human intervention has changed the Delaware shoreline over the years – from accidentally transplanting invasive species to purposefully draining the “miasmic” saltmarshes – and also much writing on how species adapt (or fail to adapt) to changes in their environment. Often, Ackerman will write “The latest studies suggest...” or “Scientists have recently discovered...”, and this is the only area that felt a bit weak to me: if you're going to re-release a sciencey book, you ought to update the science. Ackerman writes of acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer as though they are the greatest threats to Delaware locally and the planet at large, and while she was writing at the leading edge of discussions around “climate change” as its own distinct crisis, she didn't have much to work with (“even the latest supercomputers”...in 1995) and could only conclude that this Earth will go on spinning with or without us.

In some way all creatures bear traces of their past; ghost crabs their gills, whales their vestigial limbs, humans our liquid cells, the saltwater running in our veins, our feeling for the sea. “Why upon your first voyage as a passenger,” wrote Melville, “did you yourself feel such a mystical vibration when first told that you and your ship were out of sight of land?”

Reading Ackerman reminds us to slow down, remember the sea we crawled out of, and marvel at the universe residing on a grain of sand. I'd say that's worthy of re-releasing.

[Deborah Mantle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve spent a rainy morning reading about crabs, horseshoe crabs (which are not crabs), finback whales, migrating shorebirds, ospreys, parakeets and mosquitoes - sea and coastal life past, present and future.

When Jennifer Ackerman moves to Lewes, a small town on the southern edge of the Delaware Bay, her aim is to get to know her new home with its unfamiliar landscape through observing its plant and animal life. She walks the tidal zone and the nearby mud flats and marshes at all hours of the day and night, looking carefully and noting life flying, crawling, slithering, scuttling, swimming, breathing, flourishing and dying. Yet, ‘Notes from the Shore’ goes beyond what Ackerman can see; she researches the past human and wildlife of the area, studies life forms too minute for the human eye and ruminates on the changes to the local environment and the nature of change itself.

Ackerman’s writing is rich with science, laced with memoir and thick with description that engages all the senses. By the end of the book, I feel as though I’ve travelled far and learnt much.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

My 2 star review is not to be harsh, but to be a warning to future readers that this book is NOT ABOUT BIRDS. Jennifer Ackerman is a good writer & explains things in very interesting ways. However this book jumps from one subject to another so quickly that I got so confused so many times & found myself not wanting to read at all. If the stream of consciousness style is what you like, then you'll love this book. But the description on the back of the book that says it's about shore birds, sea life and plants is false advertising. It does mention quite a bit about crabs & sea worms, but little to none about birds. I also didn't like all the random history of nearby beaches that I didn't understand at all. There's just too much randomness. My apologies to Ms. Ackerman for this slightly angry review. But when I actually pay for a book I want to like it 😂

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays that mix personal memoir with observations of the natural world at the shore* with tidbits of science and history. That's all the things I like! But I found this book to be rather boring. When I set it down, I had a hard time picking it up again.

The writing is a stream-of consciousness style. On any given page, Ackerman might jump from the chaotic richness of life in the ocean to anaphylactic shock to photosynthesis to hurricanes to the tilt of planets in the solar system. (That was all from page 167 in my edition, which I opened to at random just now.) Those are all interesting topics, but the way she jumps from one to another made my attention wander. She only touches on each topic, and since I already know a little bit about each of those things, I didn't learn anything. I felt like she was throwing spaghetti at a wall.


* The original title was "Notes from the Shore" - it was retitled and reissued as "Birds by the Shore" to capitalize on Ackerman's success with The Genius of Birds.

[Cliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish this was more about birds and less dystopian, environmental-lament, disjointed memoir.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Ackerman’s writing. It’s as immersive and charming as it is informative. The reader is transported to coastal Delaware and allowed to hide in the marshes and watch the birds.

She also draws on her family history, tying her feelings towards her family and the sense of home a place can hold with our desire to take care of our environment.

[Annika Dahlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about exploring the natural world by the shore! It touched on so many topics that I want to dive deeper into after reading.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not really about birds, it's a rebranded version of an old book about nature on the Delaware shore released to capitalize on her bird book success, but I can respect that! Making a living off your books is hard, after all. These felt like appropriate musings to have while wandering around the shore and it was fun to read after having just been there.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most memorable aspects of the books was how Ackerman falls in love with and becomes a attentive observer of, a landscape so different from the one she grew up in. The book wonderfully exemplifies the way careful observation fills a place with life.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The scientific elements of this book were a little technically advanced for me, but I so enjoyed the portrait of the ecosystem of one of my favorite places. It was also an incredibly soothing book to read over the first month of the covid quarantine. Thanks, Agnes!!

[Susanna]

Honestly, I didn’t finish this. It feels disjointed and isn’t engaging enough for me right now.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Went in with high expectations which were sadly not met. But the prose was still quite beautiful and vivid.

[Harry Brake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being in tune with the changes, existence, and elements of your own environment is priceless in this day and age of as fast as you can process tech age. Jennifer Ackerman's Birds By the Shore does more that classify environmental treasures on the Delaware shore, but traces the ebb and flow of the environment we are lucky enough to have still maintaining itself amid so many man-made struggles placed in the way.

Delaware is one of those states where many do not think anything valuable, compared to other states can be found. Unless you live here, and you discover only treasures that residents would unearth. Ackerman's tale of so many treasures unearths phenomenon of the environment few will ever truly know, unless they investigate the magical places unearthed through her discover and ultimately, from her pages. it is easy to fall back into a ebb and flow rhythm and appreciate the quiet and beauty of nature with Ackerman's observations over periods of time- excellent timing during a period our planet needs us most.

[Chrissie]

This is a revised and renamed earlier book by Jennifer Ackerman--Notes from the Shore. It is by no means just about birds, as the new title might lead one to believe!

Or should I read The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think?

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read /Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast/, by Jennifer Ackerman/:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bird...

Ms. Ackerman originally wrote this book long ago, when it was mainly about her forays to the seashore near her home.

After the success of her more recent book, the Genius of Birds, Ms. Ackerman's publisher has remarketed this book as "Birds by the Shore". It does have some good bird content, but this book is more about walks along the coast, the habitat, observations about nature, and life itself.

[Marta Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slightly updated version of her earlier book published in 1995, "Notes From the Shore." The earlier title is more accurate since most of the book is not about birds. For three years, Ackerman lived in the small coastal town of Lewes, Delaware. I was charmed by this book because I am fairly familiar with that area and know the human and natural history of it. Ackerman has a breezy, enjoyable writing style and interesting observations that will bring a smile to your face, especially if you are acquainted with the area.

[Janet Meenehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a lovely book that explores the natural wonders of the eastern coast of Delaware. The writing is astonishingly fluid and easy despite several scientific terms that might weigh down such a piece. Subtly, the author, just as do all of those who live an examined life, learns about herself and her relationships as she absorbs the natural world’s wonders. A must for anyone who visits the beach areas of Delaware.

[Maple · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up this book I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. And then in under 20 pages it had me in tears. It turns out that natural history and personal stories are a weak spot of mine when combined like this. The prose was beautiful and hit my heart in all the most tender of places. I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone with those types of interests.

[Kristen Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty of this book is immense. I learned so much, and yet felt like I was reading a novel. So many thoughts struck me on a level that required pausing and rereading, over and over. For this, and many words I didn’t know, it was a slow read, but worth every single moment. In fact, I fully intend to reread next year!

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

Birds by the Shore - what should one expect to read/learn from a book with that title? Birds are a part of nature for sure, but I thought she wrote way more about other parts of nature than she did about birds.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really about birds but more about the shore in Delaware. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention.

[Trudy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok book, a bit dry. Not a favorite for me.

[Meryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 55%

Dreadfully boring and not really about birds! She changed a title of a previous book to trick bird lovers into reading it!

[Catherine Puma · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great beach read!

Jennifer Ackerman reflects on the wildlife and environment of the Delaware shore, especially that of Lewes, DE where she lives for 3 years while writing this book. Each chapter almost reads like its own stand alone short story, with themes including ospreys, whales, climate change, invasive species, horseshoe crabs, the micro-organisms of the tidal zone, and marshland plants.

As you'll note from the themes listed above, only one chapter focuses on a shorebird, and that's why I give this 4 instead of 5 stars. Though birds (like sandpipers, sanderlings, plovers, etc.) are sometimes mentioned off hand, I sought this book to learn more about Atlantic shorebirds. Like how with "The Genius of Birds", each chapter focused on a particular group of birds. Originally published before Ackerman's renown "The Genius of Birds" as "Notes from the Shore", this book was rebranded and recently republished as "Birds by the Shore". I feel thus specifically targeted by the misleading and indeed, purposefully disingenuous, title and cover art for "Birds by the Shore".

Ackerman is a good writer and this is quite an insightful book right up there with the likes of Mary Oliver and Peter Wohlleben, so I still give this 4 stars, but the blatant marketing scheme prevents me from enjoying it more than that. It's a slim volume that flows well, so it was a perfect summer beach read for me this year. I'll be recommending it to other fans of Sy Montgomery, Mary Oliver, etc.

[Hayley Goodwein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely thought there’d be more about birds seeing as the title has birds in it. I think it shouldn’t have been retitled and the original “Notes from the Shore” should have been kept. From reading more about it, it seems like it was changed to capitalize of her success of her bird-related books, which is a shame if true.
At times I felt my head spinning from all the technical, biological terminology that Ackerman kept throwing at you. The stream of consciousness was a bit hard to read. At times I felt my eyes glazing over at the long descriptions of worms and snails. I had to look up what a few even looked like because she talked about them so much that they must be important or interesting! It did also feel a bit pessimistic about the rate at which the ecosystem of the areas around Lewes are changing and in that, the entire world.
I also didn’t get too much of the biographical aspects. They felt thrown in and random. All that being said, there are points where her writing is beautiful and poetic. Not enough to make a huge different over the course of the book but still beautiful
I had higher hopes for it. Let’s see if her others are better 🤞

[Liam Holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book simply bored me to death.

Lewes, Delaware and Cape Henlopen are places close to my heart. Some of my very earliest memories are set there, and the town provided a week-long refuge in the dull, interminable months of sophomore year virtual schooling.

But this book simply bored me to death. I can recognize that this likely has more to do with me than it does Ackerman. I can recognize that it was probably meant to be read in snippets, here and there, when quiet moments called, and that my attempts to simply sit and barge through it were counterproductive. But this book simply bored me to death.

And though I can’t blame Ackerman for that, I can blame her for the writing’s absurd pretension. She name drops and quotes “great thinkers” left and right in a manner that absolutely reeks of intellectual ostentation. Her metaphors were strained like al dente pasta. And she is fond of grand proclamations about the significance of nature, and life, that, under any scrutiny, appear to actually mean very little at all.

All of which is why this book simply bored me to death.

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was reissued after Ackerman's latest works The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think have received critical acclaim.

The book is exactly what the subtitle promises: The author's observations of the ecosystems around her home in Delaware. I enjoyed the pace of the book which was as slow as a sunset stroll close to shore. However, there was nothing that makes this book stand out from similar books that explore an author's connection to the nature that surrounds them.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 1995 as "Notes from the Shore", the 2019 re-titled edition includes a new preface by the author. Be forewarned: the original title was a better fit, as this is primarily about the shore... and not simply birds. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my days with this.

A few quotes...
page 7: How many landscapes can fit inside the human heart?

p. 8: Gaining this kind of deep familiarity with a landscape other than your native one is like learning to speak a foreign language. You can't hope for quick or easy fluency. [...] Slowly the strange becomes familiar; the familiar becomes precious.

p. 28: What is the draw of the edge?

p. 48: ortstreue = place faithfulness

p. 66: To sway outside yourself and dwell in other lives. [...] That nerve is an ancient, instinctive kinship for wild things

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My feelings are influenced by the fact that this book really isn't about birds. There's an essay on ospreys and various shorebirds have their moment, but mostly it's about...all sorts of shore-related topics. The original title was Notes from the Shore, changed to capitalize on Ackerman's success writing about birds. It's a disservice both to the book and to readers.

That said, Ackerman's writing is strong and the mix of science and musings mostly compelling. There's a little bit of personal memoir in here, but nothing overly revealing (some of her thoughts, though, like on her dad in "Spindrift" are exceptional). It's a nice, pleasing set of essays on subjects I haven't read much on before, which was satisfying but no more for me.