The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms

by Amy Stewart

In The Earth Moved, Amy Stewart takes us on a journey through the underground world and introduces us to one of its most amazing denizens. The earthworm may be small, spineless, and blind, but its impact on the ecosystem is profound. It ploughs the soil, fights plant diseases, cleans up pollution, and turns ordinary dirt into fertile land. Who knew?

In her witty, offbeat style, Stewart shows that much depends on the actions of the lowly worm. Charles Darwin devoted his last years to the meticulous study of these creatures, praising their remarkable abilities. With the august scientist as her inspiration, Stewart investigates the worm's subterranean realm, talks to oligochaetologists—the unsung heroes of earthworm science—who have devoted their lives to unearthing the complex life beneath our feet, and observes the thousands of worms in her own garden. From the legendary giant Australian worm that stretches to ten feet in length to the modest nightcrawler that wormed its way into the heart of Darwin's last book to the energetic red wigglers in Stewart's compost bin, The Earth Moved gives worms their due and exposes their hidden and extraordinary universe. This book is for all of us who appreciate Mother Nature's creatures, no matter how humble.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Animals, Audiobook, Gardening, Biology

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Amy Stewart is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including Girl Waits with Gun, Lady Cop Makes Trouble, The Drunken Botanist, and Wicked Plants.

She lives in Portland with her husband Scott Brown, a rare book dealer.

Stay connected with Amy via her newsletter , where she offers cocktail recipes, creative inspiration, book recommendations, and more!

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel strange after having read this. I feel a blossoming obsession with worms, and a terrible dismay that we know so little about the ecosystems of soil. I want worm robots, travelling and discovering in the same way we send remote submersibles into the deep trenches of the ocean. I want to know about the vast and tiny kingdom beneath my feet.

It’s not Stewart’s fault that there is so little to know about worms. It’s currently a process of discovery among the few worm devotees in science. They get little funding, so they are mostly volunteering their time in order to discover everything that worms can, should, and shouldn’t do. Add to that the difficulty of the fact that worms leave little trace of their passing due to the fact they have no skeleton and that even in searching for them we could kill or permanently destroy habitats for those that are at risk for extinction, and suddenly it’s obvious why so many scientists have their hands tied.

So yes, Stewart’s book left me with a lot of questions, but that seems to be the state that worm biology and ecology is in. That in itself is powerful feeling- if you are left with questions, you are left thinking, and that was already more than I was doing. I feel as though I’ve had my eyes opened to worms as never before. Apparently they are capable of decision making in disguising their burrows (they burrow?! They think?! They make camouflage?! – All new to me), they try and test things, they can make ground that has never been farmable, farmable after being transplanted, or they can kill newgrowth in forests that evolved without worms, by clearing inches of detritus off the forest floor in a single season. They are so powerful, and we take them for granted; we toss them callously into the ground at the end of day fishing without a second thought for what their spread could do to the land. There is so much to learn, and maybe this book will encourage you to do that.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted more out of this book. The whole time I felt like the author really did not have enough to fill up a whole book and was just making small talk to get over 100 pages. But I did learn some interesting things about earthworms. The part about earthworms being a destructive force to forests of the Northwest was really interesting *yet one of her shortests chapters*. Beyond that I might was well of read Darwins works on earthworms, because 2/3rds of this book read like a bookreport on Darwin's research.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Betie's Books

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter teases me that I must have been an earthworm in a former life because I love to dig in the dirt so much. I had a Can-O-Worms composter in the corner of my dining room for many years, so much of the composting information about the red wrigglers and kitchen scraps was very familiar to me. I was familiar with much of the information in this book, from previous reading, but I really liked the treatment given to Darwin and his work with earth worms in his later life.

I once made the mistake of telling some friends that I could not go with them on an outing they had planned because I had to turn my compost pile. They never let me live it down. Worm composting will never allow you to make that kind of a social mistake. The worms pretty much take care of themselves. Feed them, and they will be happy.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I will never look at earthworms quite the same way.

I've always enjoyed seeing them in my garden, knowing their presence was a sign of healthy soil. But I had no idea quite how much these seemingly insignificant creatures can accomplish.

Amy Stewart isn't a formally trained scientist. What she is, is a gardener with a passion for the process of growing things and a lively, curious mind. Oh, and a writer with a real talent for engaging her reader. Her prose is articulate, funny, and smooth reading. And the story she tells will blow your mind.

From the wonderful benefits that worms can have on the productivity of an ordinary home garden to the extraordinary economic impact they can make on commercial farms; from the dangers they pose as invasive species in old-growth forest to their potential contributions to better sewage treatment or PCB remediation -- I dare you not to be astounded and impressed by Stewart's portrait of the humble earthworm.

[Rift Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am caretaker of a few hundred (? thousand?) worms in my home, so this book was wonderfully interesting to me! Here are a few of the stand-outs:

* The invasive species in Northeastern US, now destroying the forests there. The last ice age left zero worms and the forests evolved to make use of the "duff" for seed germination. Now, invasive worms have completely eaten the duff and there are no more baby trees.

* Using worms as bio-monitors... As we learned in Silent Spring (one of my favorite books!), worms can take on massive amounts of DDT. Just Eleven DDT toxic worms can kill a robin, and robins eat 10-12 worms per hour. Worms can also handle other toxins and can be used to measure pollutants, or clean them up. (not vegan, and sad for the worms... but apparently humans can't stop making toxins.)

* There used to be a species of giant worm in Oregon, probably extinct now. :( But you can _hear_ the giant worms in Australia. Giant Worms!

[Dov Zeller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read books in which Charles Darwin is discussed, I find that I like him better. Not only was he curious about the biology of worms, but he studied their intelligence (in Darwin's world a critter doesn't have to speak human-ese in order to have their intelligence acknowledged and appreciated). He also predicted their impact in terms of soil production and quality. People thought he was nuts for thinking there were so many worms doing so much casting and tilling of soil, but actually, his predictions (how many worms there are and how much important work they do) were on the low side.

This book isn't focused on Darwin, but there is a section about him in the beginning and he is mentioned here and there throughout the book. I listened to it on audio, so I don't have a spacial sense of it. It's super informative and intriguing. Learning about different species of worms, worm anatomy, worm sex, worm work. There was a chapter that discussed worms and forests (worms can harm forests) and one that explored farming and the long-term benefits and enhanced productivity of organic farms and low-spray farms that use worms and worm compost.

There was even a chapter on worms and sewage treatment facilities, and it was fascinating. Finding new ways to team up with worms to aid the break down of chemicals may seriously shift some of the trends we're setting in terms of poisoning of soils and ocean-water. But we still have to do our part to stop doling the poisons out thoughtlessly and non-stop. In any case, our alliance with worms has always been and continues to be of great importance.

I'm really glad I read this and highly recommend it to just about anyone who has an interest in the ground on which we stand and the critters peopling it.

[Melissa Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more Amy Stewart books I read, the more I believe she could write about the lint on your sweater and make it interesting. This was another fabulous book by her. I have always had a fascination with earthworms but even if you don't, I think you'd still enjoy the story. I was surprised that there was that much information to fill up the pages. There are times when Stewart goes off track and gives out unnecessary (yet enjoyable) information on other topics. Highly recommended for worm enthusiasts, gardeners, environmentalists and anyone who is curious about the quiet, wriggly creature that lives under the earth.

[Christina Ramos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conventional wisdom tells us that earthworms are beneficial to plants. While tunneling through the earth, they aerate the soil and allow for deeper penetration of water to plant roots. With their castings (uh...excreta) they enrich the soil with nutrients. But oligochaetology (yes, the study of worms) is still a new science, and only in recent years have scientists started to dig deeper (pardon the pun) and find out what else these guys are up to underneath our feet. For example, the presence of a particular species of worm can greatly affect the number and variety of bacteria, fungus, protozoa and nematodes in the area, which in turn can affect the quality of the soil and what is suited to grow there. In agricultural areas worms are generally beneficial, but exotic species can actually do damage to some forest ecosystems, not only changing the bacterial composition of the forest floor but also eating the rotting foliage of the understory and denying certain plant species that sprout from the leaf litter a chance to grow and thus, affecting the food chain. But most of the news about earthworms is good news. They have been shown to be able to continually ingest toxins at doses that would kill other animals and are being used as I type this to clean up DDT and other pesticides and poisons contaminating the land. This grand experiment is still in its infancy but is showing great promise. We are starting to look into using worms to sterilize human waste so it can be used as harmless fertilizer.
This is just a little of the interesting information in this book. You also get to read a lot about Charles Darwin, arguably one of the fathers of oligochaetology, who spent some of his final years experimenting on earthworms and trying to convince people of how important they are. For you gardeners there is a lot of helpful insight on how to begin your own worm bin. Although I'm not much of a gardener I am left really wanting a bin of my own, if for no other reason than it would feel better to serve my kitchen scraps to a mass of wriggling creatures who love every bite than to simply throw it outdoors, (which in turn is better than throwing it in a garbage can, to mix with inedible chemicals and create "sludge" which most animals will not touch). The more people who operate a worm bin = the more tons and tons of garbage (literally) that gets recycled and turned back into earth. Pretty simple folks. Get yourself some worms and do this. Oh, and read this book.

[Emily Finke · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, a warning: After you read this book, you will find yourself eyeing coworkers, trying to figure out which ones you can get away with cornering and talking excitedly to about worms. It will also make you want a vermiculture setup, even if you live in the worst possible apartment to house worms.

Now the review: I love nature books, particularly nature books that focus on little details that most people overlook. This is a lovely example of this genre. Amy Stewart does a great job of taking you inside the worlds of both worms and worm researchers. I listened to the audiobook version, which is a beautifully clear and soothing production. If you like books about nature at all, I would recommend this one.

[Lara Messersmith-Glavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an exciting book, a thrilling, weird read. Worms!
Did you know they make choices about how to drag leaves into holes, that they contemplate geometry?! Wow.

The author is a gardener, and brings to her writing a gentle compassion for her subject that is both endearing and infectious. She clearly spends a great deal of time kneeling in her garden patch, communing with the variety of critters that call it home. She is thoughtful and clear, excited and fun - she manages to walk a fine line between memoir and journalism that is very accessible. I raced through this in three bus rides and an evening on the couch.

One of the nicest aspects to this work is the way she builds character relationships for her readers. The worms themselves are real and approachable without being anthropomorphized. My favorite character was something of a surprise: Charles Darwin himself, in his later, homebound years, when he apparently left studies of the origins of species in exchange for the quieter contemplation of his own backyard. He, too, was excited about worms.

I'm sold. I've asked for a vermicomposter for Christmas, and I'm convinced that you should, too.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just in case other readers want to rush out and buy this book about earthworms I will try to keep spoilers out of my review (mostly) in spite of my enthusiasm. Did you know that earthworms nearly became extinct in North America? Do you know why? And that most of our earthworms in North America are European imports? I didn't. Charles Darwin was fascinated by earthworms and wrote his last book about them. Even though earthworms are great in our gardens they are not always welcome and can kill some forests. Personally I'm glad they are back and abundant again.

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

Eternity can be found in the minuscule, in the place where earthworms, along with billions of unseen soil-dwelling micro organisms, engage in a complex and little-understood dance with the tangle of plant roots that make up their gardens, their cities.

This was really fantastic. It is, as one would expect, about earthworms. The author makes no secret about the fact that she is a gardener and a writer, not a scientist, so don't expect an in-depth treatise. What you should expect is an immensely readable book that is All About Earthworms. Hooray! If you are interested in earthworms, read this! If you are a gardener, and/or interested in soil, read this. If you're interested in the environment, read this. If you think you might be interested in earthworms, read this.

I've been fascinated by earthworms since I was a kid. Yes, I was that kid who would pick up the worms and run around the playground with them, while other kids ran screaming from me. I grew up to be that kid who would rescue worms from the road after a rain, and fling them back into the grass so they didn't dry up and die when the rain stopped. As an adult, I became a gardener, and I was always happy to find plenty of worms when I dug. I felt bad when I cut them in half w/ my shovel, but it's unavoidable. It is the life of a worm.

Because I've had a life-long fascination, I already knew a lot of the facts discussed in this book, but I still found it immensely readable and interesting, and I did learn some things. Stuff I learned from this book:
* There are different types of earthworms; some eat the leaf mulch at the surface, some live in the plant roots, and some live deep in the earth.
* There are brightly colored earthworms in some parts of the world.
* There are northern forests that are being negatively affected by earthworms moving in (this was shocking - I knew that many earthworms in the US are non-native, but I had no idea that worms could cause damage!)
* There are facilities in use today that are using worms to digest garbage and even human waste - this seems so obvious, but I had no idea!
* There is promising research on using worms to distribute beneficial microbes and bacteria to fields that have been polluted.
* Darwin was fascinated by earthworms, and his final book was written about worms.

The three types of worms:
endogeic - small yellowish-brown worms that live in the plant roots
anecic - large "nightcrawler" type worms that live deep in the soil
epigeic - worms like red wrigglers that eat rotted leaves on the surface

Ms Stewart is a skilled writer, and reading this was pure pleasure. My only complaint is that there were no illustrations.

Some of my favorite excerpts:

Nematodes, along with the bacteria, fungi,and protozoa that inhabit the soil, are the unseen companions of the earthworm, serving as a food source, a collaborator, or - at times - a passenger in the earthworm's gut, traveling distances and even finding a permanent home in the worm's nutrient-rich intestine. This is the earthworm's powerful secret, one that even Darwin didn't fully grasp: the earthworm, far from being one of the smallest and weakest creatures, is actually one of the largest beings in its world, its underground society. In that place, it is an elephant, a whale - a giant.

and

"Down in the Philippines, they have all these posters, you know, like 'Birds of the Philippines,' 'Butterflies of the Philippines,' that sort of thing. Well, we're making a 'Worms of the Philippines' poster. They've got a lot of remarkable worms over there. People don't realize that."

and

As long as it is an adult, a young worm looks the same as an old worm. Perhaps it makes sense that a creature that doesn't get ill and has few enemies among its neighbors would also live agelessly and die without explanation or cause - would simply vanish without a trace.

and

Functionally, worms really do only one thing: they digest. They live in their food source and their own waste is not repulsive to them; in fact, the bacteria in earthworm castings help to build the kind of soil community where they can thrive. I suppose any kind of digestion is transformative: any food source that is eaten becomes something else. any environment, any single life is in a continuous state of change. This is just more obvious when you pay attention to earthworms. Their work may seem unspectacular at first. They don't chirp or sing, they don't gallop or soar, they don't hunt or make tools or write books. But they do something just as powerful: they consume, they transform, they change the earth.

[Steve Gooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when a book makes me see the world differently. And this one is why I spent 30 minutes exploring my wet yard the other night with a flashlight.

[Bon · Rating 4 out of 5]

While certainly not the most glamorous read on my goodreads goal this year, The Earth Moved was nevertheless a fascinating, quick and pleasing audiobook experience.

I've read other books by botanist Stewart, who you may know from The Drunken Botanist or Wicked Plants, and she has an engaging educational style. I never feel talked down to.

This book covered everything from worm biology to how they're being used in small-scale yard compositing jobs, all the way up to industrial-level pollution fighting. Be prepared for a lot of discussions of compost and various excrements, haha.

The narration by Heather Henderson was a clear, nice style suitable for this kind of book. I really enjoyed it!

[Todd Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have little to say about The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms by Amy Stewart. It's a lackluster effort that combines of a summary of Charles Darwin's book The Formation of Vegetable Mould with a backyard composting experiment.

Worms deserve better.

[Andreia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a non-earthworm expert, this book has been very informative. I can now engross people my with worm knowledge and that makes me feel... Something.

Worth a read, if you're curious. And you'll never see the ground you're walking on the same as before.

[Julia K · Rating 3 out of 5]

amy i’m sorry but I don’t care about your garden I came here for worm facts

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm looking forward to having my own worm farm someday.

[Benjamin Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the things in this actually blew my mind a little bit

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few surprises were in store for me as I read this lovely little book. Most of us know that earthworms play a crucial role in the fertility of our soil, but how many of us know that they can actually be quite destructive, too? Or that there are projects in which earthworms are helping to process our waste? Or that the world of earthworms actually holds more mystery than knowledge, for the simple fact that they can be so hard to study?

Amy Stewart drew me into her book with her obvious love of gardening. She describes her worm bin throughout the book with such endearment that I am convinced I must have one. Luckily, she provides plenty of resources for readers, who can choose either to make their own, or to buy a commercially made bin. The worm castings (aka poop) are wonderful for the garden, and as she says, worms can make the perfect pet. ;)

A little history on how our specific earthworms entered our country's soil is included in the book, along with the disconcerting description of North American redwood forests that are dying due to the worms. Earthworms may have helped to create the fertile fields that our nation boasts, but they are also the cause of ancient forest land losing its important life cycles. This is the first time I'd heard about this crisis--and it's good to know that groups of ecologists are working hard to find ways to minimize the effects of the earthworms in these endangered areas. But it brings up an important lesson for us, in that we are always humbled by nature's forces; so much of what we put into action unwittingly changes those forces tremendously, with no turning back. One of the most important lessons for the average 'worm consumer'? Never dump leftover worms on those wilderness fishing trips: the less help worms have in getting to wild areas that they are not native to, the better.

Even with the somber reminder that we need to minimize our effects on worm migration, there is so much good that comes from earthworms that it's impossible not to get excited about the benefits in areas that now thrive with their help.

One modern project that I find intriguing--yet gross: the use of earthworms (in a large scale vermiculture outfit) to help process raw sewage. Stewart visits a sewage plant in Florida that is working on getting worms to digest waste and turn it into something more pure and 'palatable' for farmers and gardeners to use as fertilizer. I won't lie...the idea makes me squirm, as it does almost everyone. But the fact is, there is no good place for human sewage to go, and many would claim that with the help of the earthworms' digestion, we could be making good use of it. Hmmmm...I may need a lot more convincing on this one. What about, on the other, more pleasant hand, installing large worm bins behind delis, restaurants--anywhere serving food, really--to turn the scraps into fertile worm castings? There would be a lot of work involved to keep it going properly (just sorting the garbage alone would take a full-time employee), but these kinds of innovations might help keep waste that could be turned into something very valuable from filling up the dwindling space in our landfills.

Without even considering the large-scale projects, it is fascinating to look at your own backyard for ideas. The author herself has given thought to having a 'chicken tractor'--a concept I've read about before--to create superior growing soil for her garden. The idea is to move the chickens around each year. During any given year, whatever patch of land is beneath the chickens will become worm heaven. They will burrow up and down and devour the chicken manure, loosening the soil, filling it with nutritious castings. Each spring when the chicken tractor is moved, there is a perfect new garden bed, filled with worms who've tilled the soil from within and filled it with all the microbes plants want and need. Not to mention, the chickens will have their fill of worms!

One of the most endearing parts of Amy Stewart's book is her repeated reference to Darwin, who studied worms in his last days. Darwin really helped shaped a lot of what we now know about earthworms, and Stewart's tales of the old man with his worms--along with his persistent dedication to learning-- are a nice touch.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the soil and gardening, but also for anyone who loves to ponder: 'where exactly do we fit, as humans, into this whole picture?' Oddly enough, the quiet power of the earthworm humbles us, especially when we realize the effect they've had on the planet for millions of years before we even existed.

[Tessa Bolon · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved worms before this and now i love them even more!!!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Earth Moved is a delightful and fascinating book on the lowly earthworm. These hardworking and hard-loving creatures are hard not to admire. Maybe there should be a country western song written in tribute to the herculean task they do everyday.

This book is chocked full of information (factual and otherwise) about how earthworms live, different species of worm, anatomy, function and the role they play in your backyard garden. Ironically, there is still a lot that is not known about earthworms or what they can do. A good part of the book, I think, is also a tribute to the 19th century naturalist Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin was far ahead of his time in the study of earthworms. Earthworm scientists today need a day job to survive. It is still incredibly hard to get research funding for the study of earthworms.

As a gardener myself, I found the information extremely interesting. Ms. Stewart illustrates the focus in gardening and farming needs to shift from feeding plants to nourishing healthy soil. The concept is simple: healthy soil grows healthy plants and those of us who eat those plants in turn get food that is good to eat. The nourishment of soil is where the earthworm has a starring role. Earthworms eat and digest the soil and the castings (worm manure) put into the soil are bacteria (good bacteria) rich. They also breakdown leaves and other organic matter in this digestive process.

There are loads of other facts and tidbits. One that I found interesting is a certain worm (she names specifically by its Latin classification) has the sex organs for both genders. That leads to me think of the obvious question: when the worms get around to mating how do they decide who gets to be the boy and who gets to be the girl? That question is NOT answered in the book directly. What IS noted is that earthworms, in favorable conditions, are quite prolific. So I guess this is something I shouldn't fret about. The worms seem to be able to sort things just fine in the procreation department.

The author goes on to describe about things that are known about earthworms: they are very biologically diverse, it appears they have been around since the Americas were a part of a super-continent, and they are not always beneficial. She discusses how she uses earthworms to compost kitchen scrapes (e.g. vermiculture). Also, how there is a potential to use earthworms to process sewer wastes and regenerate polluted areas. In short, these guys, in appropriate environments, are pretty darned handy to have around.

I listened to the audio book version of this title. Heather Henderson does an outstanding job narrating the book. She has an up-beat presentation style that makes this information-loaded book interesting and entertaining.

If you are a gardener, I highly recommend this book. There are a lot of great tips on organic gardening in the book. If you are someone who is generally interested in ecology, this book also may be interesting to you.

[Heidi Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not super interested in earthworms, but the fact this book exists is one of the reasons why I don't think I will ever experience an ongoing long-term depression. It fascinates me that there is an endless supply of things, like the remarkable earthworm, to learn about and marvel at. I know, we are in a climate crisis and it's difficult to celebrate the Earth's creatures if we think about how much we've damaged things for them--but I still take comfort in the fact that there are earthworms out there doing their wonderful earthworm things. I also think it's rejuvenating to think about how people live such different lives and have such various interests. I don't know if I will ever have a composting bin full of earthworms, but it bring me solace that I could, and that other people do. I listened to this book on Audible. It was NOT boring, but I did find it soothing. I could see myself playing it to help me fall asleep.

[Michael Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worms have fascinated me since childhood and now I know why. Don’t get me wrong, I have read about and have a clear understanding of worm composting or vermiculture and its tremendous benefits but for one reason or another I had yet to fully embrace the practice. Then I received a review copy of Amy Stewart’s The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms and accepted my fate as a newly-minted worm guy.

If you have never read Stewart’s work you are in for a treat. It is no accident that she is the author of several New York Times bestsellers; the woman has a gift with words that is only matched by the passion with which she delves into her subject matter and The Earth Moved is so exception. Even those with little interest in creepy-crawlies can’t help but be taken in by Stewart’s unique edutainment voice. She can make the most boring science feel like the season premiere of your favorite prime time drama.

In short, if you weren’t a fan of earthworms or Amy Stewart before you read this book, you will be after. What

[Fawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Stewart's vigorously researched book contributes richly laden information about earthworms that any gardener, farmer, or environmentalist would take special interest in, however her infectious approach could attract even the most casually interested reader. In addition to being incredibly informative, the book oftentimes is very poetically written so much so that I found myself with tears in my eyes. In addition to citing instances of earthworms contributions to waste management and the rehabilitation of certain polluted areas, Stewart offers a certain philosophy influenced and informed by the wonder that is the earthworm. Stewart's work seems to have been inspired by Darwin's _The Formation of Vegetable Mould_, also about earthworms, which I've already ordered to read. I never thought that I'd read two book about earthworms, but at this point I wouldn't have it any other way. Hats off to Amy Stewart and those remarkable earthworms, too.

[Nomad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, it's official, Amy Stewart is amazing. She made me fall in love with earthworms. EARTHWORMS! I now care about the soil I walk on and the worms inside it that help it grow the food that I eat. And I can say with certainty that I never thought I would care one whit about any of that.

There's something about how she writes. I'm positive that she could write a book on the lint underneath my sofa and I would find it riveting.

She makes the reader feel as though her garden is their garden. We want it to succeede and we want to shut up and dig with her. I can now say that an author has affected the way that I live my life. I bought two plants today. A pot of daisies and and some carrot seeds. I'm gonna do some growing with my wife. And I'm going to try and convince her that we need a red wiggler worm composting bin with 3 trays.

Thank you Amy Stewart, I'm going to try and turn my black thumb... green.

[Yvette Mocete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Written by a professional gardener but an amateur with worms, the book makes for a very easy read yet keeps the reader intrigue with the subject of earthworms. The book covers a healthy variety of subjects including the earthworm's biology, ecology, and role in the natural and human environment. The author does well to stick to the benefits and also the negative effects of an earthworm's presence.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is curious on the subject of earthworms, whether your a biology person (like me), a gardener (like the Author), or just want to read something different.

[Carlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Its easy to read and full of fascinating information about earthworms...among them the revelation that we really don't know much about them at all! So exciting to see how much there is left to discover. I want a worm farm now really badly. The next time we move I'm going to get one started. I hear the author has written other gripping biological stuff and I'm totally salivating thinking about reading more of this kind of material. Stewart gets high marks and is officially one o' my heroes.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some interesting material here: Darwin's experiments with worms, the ways worm segments can be severed and fused together, worms' different roles (in organic farming; as invasive species), and the fact that worms hate wasabi.

But maybe I was expecting too much from a book about worms. Even compensating for the fact that this is a short book, I didn't feel like it had much to say. One is largely left with the impression that scientists just don't know much about worms, and that the author is eager to talk about her garden. Still, the giant earthworm museum might be fun.