Edward O. Wilson recalls his lifetime with ants, from his first boyhood encounters in the woods of Alabama to perilous journeys into the Brazilian rainforest.
"The world-renowned ant expert cleans out his desk, which—no surprise—contains many gems.... Pulitzer Prize–winning author and naturalist Wilson’s writing on broader scientific subjects have won him awards and no lack of controversy. Now 90, largely retired from fieldwork and scholarship but an indefatigable writer, he has assembled scraps of autobiography and anecdotes on his favorite insect.... the content and quality of the writing is consistently top-notch."
"[Wilson] delivers an illuminating work filled with insights into his specialty subject: ants. . . . Wilson’s passion for his subject, for the scientific method, and for the natural world comes through clearly in this enjoyable survey."
"Readers seeking an accessible natural history on an often-misunderstood insect will appreciate Wilson’s modest, conversational tone in this brief look at his lifetime of appreciating nature’s small wonders."
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Praise for Edward O. Wilson
“Wilson speaks with a humane eloquence which calls to us all.” —Oliver Sacks
“In Mr Wilson ants have found not only their Darwin but also their Homer.” —The Economist
“One of our grand masters of synthesis.” —Richard Rhodes
“Part epic-inspired adventure story, part philosophy-of-life. . . . part ant life up close, part lyrical hymn to the wonders of earth. . . . yes, all of these.” —Margaret Atwood, New York Review of Books, on Anthill
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Edward O. Wilson (1929-2021) was the author of more than thirty books, including Anthill, Letters to a Young Scientist, and The Conquest of Nature. The winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, Wilson was a professor emeritus at Harvard University and lived with his wife in Lexington, Massachusetts.