Backyard Carolina: Two Decades of Public Radio Commentary

by Andy Wood

Woods most memorable commentaries and observations on nature from his own backyard to various communities in North and South Carolina; formerly read on WHQR, the public radio station for the coastal Carolinas

171 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Stanley B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a recent resident of eastern North Carolina and found this book at a local bookstore. The author, Andy Wood, provides commentary on southeast North Carolina wildlife and plant life for public radio WHQR out of Wilmington, NC. This book is a compilation of the best shows from his first broadcasts in 1988 to the present.

Each article is no more than a page and a half and an intriguing and mesmerizing read. In the articles, Mr. Wood reveals his extended and detailed knowledge of animals, insects, plants, and other living things that inhabit the backyard of his home. With most of the articles, he describes what he sees, explains the background and history, and relates it all to broader concerns such as environmental issues and preservation efforts. Some of his articles are humorous such as when he lured an alligator to him and found out that one nearer and not seen by Andy came instead. In other articles, Mr. Wood provides the reader with a different view about how we might view the living things inhabiting the ground and air where we live.

A relaxing book about nature and life along southeast North Carolina. I will certainly catch his baritone voice on his broadcasts.

[Jessi Waugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy has an eye and heart for nature - all of it, from spider babies to tangle-winged pelicans. I heard him speak once, twenty years ago, about pond life. That man knew every species of insect that hatched in the waterways of NC. He knew when they hatched. He knew what they looked like when they hatched. He knew what they looked like at each stage of their life cycle, when that stage occurred, how long it lasted, what they ate at each stage, and what ate them. He knew everything worth knowing.

I remember listening to him talk bugs and thinking I could spend my whole life sitting beside a pond pand never know half of what he did about the creatures that lived within it. Maybe I'll learn to speak bug, after all.

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[sara kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

i purchased this through a blind date with a book, and i'm so glad i did! i learned so much about the native plants, animals, and insects in nc. i enjoyed finding pictures online of each species, so i could visualize each anecdote. many of them were quite funny; andy does a great job at showing each of the animals' personalities. this book is a must for nature lovers in nc!