Writing about writing and reading
I believe that Helen Macdonald could be for the life sciences what Carl Sagan was for astronomy and cosmology. There is so much wonder, joy, curiosity, and passion packed into these essays, but also sorrow, nostalgia, and pain at the loss of so much life around us. The subject matter varies widely, from many species …
Last night I looked at the waxing crescent moon through 8x zoom binoculars. It was the first time I've ever looked at the moon through any kind of device. The number of things I've never done is startling to me sometimes. I just turned 39, and have always been aware of the moon. That pearly …
I very rarely re-read books. There is so much out there, infinitely much out there to read, that how can I spend the precious little time I have on this earth reading something I already read? I'll tell you how: when it's such an indescribably good read that I haven't stopped thinking about it in …
I've been writing (very slowly) about birds. As I read about various birds, I'm finding that they are strange, intelligent, alien creatures living their own full, social, and interesting existence, right next to us. The more I think about birds and other animals, the more I see our overwhelming waste of the beauty right in …
I've always felt drawn to crows, but lately I've been feeling more and more interested in them. Something about their eyes and their behavior radiates mystery and intelligence to me. I think my next novel will involve crows in some way... But, it also will involve active characters. In editing my novel and my novella, …
Jonas David 