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Adult Books - Nonfiction - Science
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Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook.
Carroll, David M. (author).
Aug. 2009. 208p. illus. Houghton, hardcover, $24 (9780547069647). 577.68.
REVIEW.
First published July, 2009 (Booklist).
Every spring thaw, Carroll follows a stream to see what’s stirring in the New England “wetland mosaic” he has been exploring for 25 years. A naturalist, writer, artist, and MacArthur fellow, Carroll has a particular passion for turtles, and as he begins his chronicle of a year in the life of this arena for lush biological diversity, his fears about its future are slowly confirmed. While watching for the first turtles to emerge after their long winter sleep, he is devastated to find one maimed old friend after another. What has caused this surge in the predation of otters? As Carroll seeks consolation in thoughts of nature’s impartiality, his lucid prose flows like water patterned with spangles and shadows, while his exquisite drawings capture the fine textures of this intricate ecosystem. Here are “living mats” of mayfly larvae, the perfect camouflage of a ribbon snake, and all the beautiful wetland plants. A master of stillness and attention enthralled by the quiet drama of this “natural theater,” Carroll calls for the preservation of delicately balanced, pristine places, before they’re trampled and lost.— Donna Seaman
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