Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History

£24.95

Usually dispatched within 4-7 days
Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History Author: Illustrator: Peggy Macnamara Format: Paperback / softback First Published: Published By: Northwestern University Press
string(3) "248"
Pages: 248 Illustrations and other contents: 20 colour images Language: English ISBN: 9780810142305 Categories: , , , ,

Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History is an engaging, beautifully illustrated introduction to these remarkable insects. Drawing on her experiences as a natural history instructor, dragonfly monitor, cancer survivor, grandmother, and steward, Crosby tells the stories of dragonflies: their roles in poetry and art, their fascinating sex life – unique within the animal kingdom – and their evolution from dark-water dwellers to denizens of the air. We follow Crosby and other citizen scientists into the prairies, wetlands, and woodlands of the Midwest, where they observe the environment and chronicle dragonfly populations and migration to decipher critical clues about our changing waterways and climate.

Woven throughout are personal stories: reflections on the author’s cancer diagnosis and recovery, change, loss, aging, family, joy, and discovering what it means to be at home in the natural world. Crosby draws an intimate portrait of a landscape teeming with variety and mystery, one that deserves our attention and conservation. As warm as it is informative, this book will interest gardeners, readers of literary nonfiction, and anyone intrigued by transformation, whether in nature or our personal lives.

Weight0.62 kg
Author

Editor
Photographer
Format

Illustrators

Publisher

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Chasing Dragonflies is an engaging introduction to the Lilliputian world of these ancient creatures. Cindy Crosby reverently weaves their natural history into our modern lives, providing the reader with a better sense of self and place. Her writing is as delightful, and as fresh, as a teneral damselfly.” - Marla Garrison, McHenry County College ”Anyone who loves nature should have this delightful and educational book, written by a naturalist who has learned so much and has so much to teach the rest of us. After reading this book, you may just agree that dragonflies are the most interesting creatures on Planet Earth.” - Dennis Paulson, Slater Museum of Natural History ”This delightful book, built with personal, passionate prose, is an inspiration. Crosby's dragonfly wanderings and observations make me want to get up and get out there. A delightful and informative read.” - Kurt Mead, author of Dragonflies of the North Woods

Author Biography

Cindy Crosby is the author of The Tallgrass Prairie: An Introduction (Northwestern University Press, 2017). She is a natural history instructor in the Chicago region who coordinates dragonfly monitoring programs at two sites: the Morton Arboretum and Nachusa Grasslands, a Nature Conservancy site. Peggy MacNamara is the artist in residence at Chicago's Field Museum.