Wild Nights: Nature Returns to the City

by Anne Matthews

Deer in Manhattan, coyotes in the Bronx, wild turkeys flying down Broadway -- in this first truly urban period in human history, confrontation and competition with the natural world is becoming an everyday occurrence. Anne Matthews explores these encounters, examining the implications of this unexpected and powerful resurgence of nature for the fate of a world of supercities and suburban hypersprawl.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Natural History, Animals

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 21, 2001

Reviews

[Laura Lee Bahr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, moving, with prose as sweet as fiction and facts that left me winded.
This author is my hero.

[Owen Curtsinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing style was incredibly informative but almost dizzying in its presentation; a hurricane of quick, hastily presented facts without any deep investigation or explanation. Matthews spends some significant time with a few researchers (mostly bird-watchers and ornithologists) who are able to give a more focused and in-depth scope to the narrative, but for the most part the information feels like it was gleaned and compiled by headlines without any real meat. Still, it's a fascinating read, probably considerably more fascinating for residents of New York.

[Michael Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars is a bit low for me, a good but not great book, or in the case of this book, disappointment that it wasn't more about the ecology of urban wildlife. This book is really a history of the urban landscape of New York City, some of which is about wildlife, but quite a bit is also about land development and architecture. I don't mean to get hung up on the title, but "...nature returns to New York City" is a better description. Anyway, it was an interesting read after adjusting my expectations. Published in (March) 2001, it's interesting the author raised concerns about urban terrorism, super-viruses, and Lake Pontchartrain overflowing its levees into New Orleans. All events that came to pass. Notably, those events were all during anti-environmental Republican administrations.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some parts are dated by now but there's still plenty to learn about my city. I especially will remember the part about people who walk around in early morning finding injured birds who've crashed into windows, and also the part about people dredging around in the Meadowlands looking for parts of the old Penn Station.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dated.

[Gail Kennon · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite enjoyable but a little dated even a few years later.

[Illyria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly informative book with beautifully described, vivid details on the characteristics and evolution of natural life, both life and domesticated, in the steel and concrete developer's paradise that is New York City.

Do you know that the high rise buildings, with glass walls giving glimpses of ficus trees inside, confuse migrating birds, who fly around the building until they drop from exhaustion. And that there are people who watch out for them, to rescue them and to campaign for their case? Do you know there's a feast of St. Francis of Assisi, where animals are blessed by members of the clergy? Do you know that builders could obtain the privilege to build higher by allocating a stretch of land as public open spaces, but rather than opening it to the public they have these areas guarded and declared private, or else neglect them, leaving them to the mercy of drug dealers and partying kids. And that there's a dedicated man who spend his days walking from one open, public area to another, exercising his right to be in each of them? Do you know that wildlife had somehow adapted to life in the city, taking the subway, looking both ways before crossing the streets and ransacking refrigerators?

The book described in exquisite narration the historical, geographic and ecological ups and downs of New York City. Interesting as it is though, there are passages on the future of megacities, especially with the impact of global warming already making its presence painfully obvious, that are very sobering. After all, in a few decades the cities in Asia will probably following the footsteps of NYC, and Jakarta will most probably be one of them.

[Sara Van Dyck · Rating 4 out of 5]

For most of us urban dwellers, encounters with nature are a mix of wonder: a glimpse of a peregrine falcon swooping down on a pigeon; frustration: deer wrecking suburban gardens; and loathing: rodents carrying plague vectors. Matthews examines the history of wildlife in our cities, and the ways we have encouraged or damaged species. Migrant songbirds often find city towers fatal, but the striped bass is coming back to a cleaned-up Hudson,

Who wins, who loses? We continue to crave contact with the green and the wild. Incentive zoning attempts to maintain small public spaces, hopefully with shaded seating, maybe a water feature. Matthews observes high school boys in baggy pants carefully feeding gray squirrels.

While the problems and successes that Matthews documents apply to much of the United States, I did find portions hard to follow because so much of her research focuses on the New York-northern New Jersey area. The topics also meander and I was often unclear as to her point. The last chapter offers an fearful vision of the consequences of global warming. Readers not that familiar with New York City might particularly enjoy the chapters, “The Shores of Brooklyn,” “The Old Neighborhood,” and “The City of River Lights,” with their more general discussion of ecology and urban planning.

My name is incorrect onmost reviews, so for the record, "van" should be part of the lst name. - Sara van Dyck. thanks.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book about the return of wildlife to urban and adjoining suburban areas previously inhabited by members of their species when it was forested or savannah type habitat through migration and reintroduction efforts. The focus of the book, which is slightly out-of-date since it was published in 2001 prior to 9/11, is on the New York City metropolitan area, although it does briefly touch upon such occurrences in other urban areas. However, the book goes off-track in its final chapters when it ventures into archeological expeditions to find remnants of the old Pennsylvania Station in the Meadowlands of New Jersey for use in building a new one, and ends with a discussion and speculation about the effects of global warming on New York City and other areas.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that there are raccoons that teach their city dwelling pups to look both ways before crossing busy metropolitan streets? That certain wild bears develop a fondness for peanut butter and will do almost anything to get some from their unwilling human hosts? These and other fascinating real-life stories pepper "Wild Nights", a book dedicated to the increasingly common interaction between man and wild life in urban areas.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at the struggle between civilization and nature, particularly as it plays out in the metropolitan area. I learned a great deal about the plant and animal life of this area, as well as the ways in which it struggles to push back and adapt. The ending shows a series of truly frightening visions of the area in 2050. Yikes!

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is misleading. It has an optimistic tone with the idea of "Nature Returns to the City." There is not a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to the future of nature. Certainly not in sprawling cities around the world with population out of control. It is filled with interesting tidbits about the natural world and our effect on it.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the type of book you might expect from the title ;) An interesting series of chapters discussing stories of animals taking back cities and adapting to human beings urbanising almost all of their territory. I enjoyed reading about eagles nesting in highrises and so on.

[thaddeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

cocoa puffs from liliha bakery. frozen.

[Jerry Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skillful, extremely readable literary nonfiction. Highly recommended, and even more relevant now than when it came out.

[Kilkee20 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, especially if you are from (or love) the City.

[Susan E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved all the detailed anecdotes; found the writing style/transitions a bit clunky. And the references to the WTC were haunting... a book I will re-read to remember all the fascinating details.

[Maryanne]

Wild Nights 6/5/2012 Anne Matthews
I really enjoyed this book! It was

[Regine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating.