Of Cockroaches and Crickets: Learning to Love Creatures That Skitter and Jump

"Creepy and captivating... This makes a persuasive case that the 'smaller the world we can see, the bigger our world becomes.' —Publishers Weekly "In playful prose and resplendent detail, Frank Nischk's Of Cockroaches and Crickets pays homage to that much-denigrated class of animals whose existence is essential to the future of our planet. Each chapter takes readers on a journey into the unseen worlds of our six-legged cousins to reveal stories of hope and resilience in the face of unprecedented environmental challenges." —Edward D. Melillo, author of The Butterfly Effect: Insects and the Making of the Modern World "Nischk's writing is compelling to the point that the reader will be checking to see that this is indeed a non-fiction book. A perfect blend of memoir, philosophy, and scientific fact, Of Cockroaches and Crickets is a grand tour of both the jungle and the scientific mind. Honest, enlightening, and hopeful." —Eric R. Eaton, author of Insectpedia: A Brief Compendium of Insect Lore "I loved joining Frank Nischk on his wildlife adventures in this thoroughly readable and hopeful book. His writing is a poignant combination of infectious enthusiasm and deep and justified concern about insects' dwindling presence in the third millennium." —Jonathan Balcombe, author of Super Fly and What a Fish Knows "Frank Nischk takes us on a delightful safari into the fascinating lives of cockroaches and crickets. Through stories and adventures he makes these creatures lovable in their own ways, while revealing the importance of insects in enriching our lives and very survival." —Justin Schmidt, author of The Sting of the Wild "This fine book will indeed cause you to reassess your stance toward roaches and other six-leggeds as you follow the author on his rollicking rainforest path from eager grad student to successful filmmaker while never losing his fascination for all things insect. Along with all the fun, and it is, Nischk documents the loss of diversity in ways we haven't even considered—but instead of simply lamenting the much-vaunted 'insect apocalypse,' he shows us powerful examples of what's being done about it around the world. A smooth and breezy read, Of Cockroaches and Crickets taught me much about my own field!" —Robert Michael Pyle, PhD, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, Fellow of the American Entomological Society, founder of the Xerces Society, author of Chasing Monarchs and Mariposa Road "Nischk, an entertaining storyteller, has written a fascinating and oftentimes funny account of his many insect-related discoveries and adventures." —Booklist