Despicable Species (Hc) [Hardcover]

Janet Lembke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999

In fourteen revealing essays, Lembke ponders some of the most loathsome creatures with which we share the planet. But for every creature's nasty reputation, there is a silver lining, which Lembke, with dazzlingly researched bits of history, science, and culture, deftly brings to our attention. There is the European starling, that invader of nests and devourer of fruit crops-the great mimic and inspirer of Mozart and Shakespeare. The grey squirrel, famed pillager of yards and bird feeders and vastly entertaining acrobat and problem solver. The horse fly, blood-sucking insect with a walloping sting, whose maggots exude chemicals that aid in healing human tissue. Mold-the astonishing facts of fungi-sex revealed. That famous infant abandoner, the cowbird. The centipede. The hornworm. The opossum. The fruit fly. The microbe Pfiestreria piscicida, deadly to fish and man, of which there is little good to say, except that it necessitates our own clean-up of rivers-or else! . Kudzu. Sandspur. And, finally, our very own species.

These beautifully written pieces are graced with allusions to Greek and Roman mythology, Shakespeare, and classical music-as well as personal anecdotes-which dignify these despised and oft-misunderstood species with erudition. Despicable Species is proof of the symbiosis of all living things, and of the undeniable truth that we are all stuck with one another on this small and fragile planet.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The questions that begin this likable book are straightforward enough: "How do we deal with the bad stuff? With all those disgusting, sickening, despicable, repellently alien lives that impinge on ours?" As Lembke (Shake Them 'Simmons Down, etc.) shows in her portraits of species that many people find abhorrent, the answers are much more complex. Writing with wit and insight, and drawing on her background as a linguist specializing in Greek and Latin, Lembke discusses the roles that kudzu, centipedes, horseflies, opossums, hornworms and fruit flies play in both natural ecosystems and human affairs. Not surprisingly, many of our most despised species have redeeming qualities. Centipedes eat cockroaches, starch made from kudzu is a culinary delight and the moths into which hornworms transform themselves "are not just beautiful but in some measure astonishing." While ably demonstrating the ecological interconnectedness of living things, Lembke also makes it clear that it is unlikely that whole ecosystems will collapse if any one of these species were to be lost. In her final chapter, she makes the case that, given the destruction humans have wrought throughout the world, they ought to be on her list. Lembke's classificatory scheme is idiosyncratic and may surprise many. She declares that starlings, squirrels, cowbirds and fungi are despicable, but she ignores chiggers, leeches, mosquitoes and the retrovirus responsible for AIDS. Nonetheless, when taken as the piece of natural history writing it is intended to be rather than a definitive catalogue of repulsive creatures, her book is both enjoyable and edifying, itself quite the opposite of despicable. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Lembkes (Shake Them 'Simmons Down, 1996) rogues gallery of hateful creaturesfrom fruit flies to sandbursconsidered in their biological, mythological, literary, and aesthetic aspects to bevel our fear and loathing. Despicable may be a bit harsh for a few of the dozen-odd species that Lembke scrutinizes here. Can one really despise a mushroom, even if its called the Death Angel? Or the pathetic opossum? That merry prankster the gray squirrel, though he may raid our feeders, or the small, swart, pushy European starling, a bird with an eye for glitter and theft? Yes, they do have their faults, artfully catalogued by Lembke, though perhaps her other hate-objects are more understandable, things that rouse our ancestral timorousness like dark shadows and sudden unexpected movements. Some we abhor for the pain they inflict (the deerfly and the horsefly certainly qualify); others for behavior we find ethically repugnant, like the brown-headed cowbirds dump-and-run tactic with their own offspring (which raises the question of how a cowbird knows its identity if the first face it sees isnt its parent). The evil flutter of a centipede is enough to send a shudder up any spine, and some living things display an aggressiveness, a tenaciousness that feels like a threat: ask a Southerner about creeping kudzu (see the vine insinuate itself into the lines of a James Dickey poem and possess it) or a Northerner about the zebra mussel, or anyone about the admittedly colorful loosestrife. And for truly ghastly survival strategies, Lembke urges readers to consider the pesky fruit fly, which takes decapitation in stride: How do they stay alive without heads? Their nervous system kicks in and directs them to follow normal routines in such matters as standing upright and grooming. Headless, they can live for days if theyre kept moist and dont fly away. A polished, subjective gathering of detestables; every reader should be able to find one evil customer to abominate. (line drawings) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; First Edition edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558216359
• ISBN-13: 978-1558216358
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,824,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Affectionately considered, August 4, 2000

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Despicable Species (Hc) (Hardcover)

It's a pleasure to read somebody who writes as well as Lembke. She is a good old Southern gal, part poet, part naturalist, who chooses every word with loving care. She displays a rationalist's affection for the creatures she writes about rather than that of a bleeding heart.

In addition to those in the title, the "despicable species" include sandburs, squirrels, starlings, dinoflagellates, deerflies, horseflies, fruit flies, and even homo sapiens. Lemkbe devotes a chapter to each following an introduction entitled, "Living Together, Like It or Not," which sets the tone of the book. This is a personal experience that she relates, tempered with a classicist's love of allusion and a precision about nomenclature that would please the most exacting. She has a no nonsense attitude about her fellow creatures, especially the two-legged kind, whom she guides with little lectures. Rodney Barker, for example, author of When the Waters Turned to Blood (1997) gets taken to the wood shed not only for getting the species wrong, but for pronouncing "dinoflagellate" with a short "i" (p. 68).

The text may be a little too precious in parts for some, and the poetic style is not intended to be merely informative; on the other hand, there is a dimension of beauty and a vividness achieved here that rewards the reader's effort. There's no index, but there is an eclectic reader's guide, "For the Bookworm," that includes some fine old names like Homer, Audubon, Jonathan Swift, Eric Hoffer, John Updike, and some new, like Sue Hubbell and Scott Weidensaul

On page 38 is a recipe for squirrel stew.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Review- Despicable Species, January 1, 2002

By 

Julie Linnen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Despicable Species: On Cowbirds, Kudzu, Hornworms, and Other Scourges (Paperback)

Despicable Species by Janet Lembke is a book definitely worth reading. Lembke combines literary allusions, personal stories, and ecological facts throughout the 203 page book to create an enlightening reading experience. Despicable Species, published and copyrighted in 1999 by The Lyons Press, is made up of 14 essays in which Lembke discusses some of the plants, animals and viruses that people consider particularly vile. This book, while mostly intended toward naturalists, or people who want to learn about the environment and creatures in it, can be read and appreciated by anybody. I believe Lemke's purpose in writing this book was to make us, Homo sapiens, realize that although some other creatures and things may look different, or even harm us, does not mean that they don't have a purpose in life and can't provide a benefit. "How do we deal with the bad stuff? With all those disgusting, sickening, despicable, repellently alien lives that impinge on ours?" are the straightforward questions that begin the book. But as you continue reading the answers to these questions become all the more complicated and it seems as though the answers are aimed at answering the more complex question, "Are there lives that the world could do without?"
During the book, Lembke looks at the world from an ecological standpoint. The introduction to the book, titled "Living together, like it or not", talks about the complex subject of symbiosis. Lembke leads the reader to make the conclusion that we are all put on Earth together and there is nothing that can be done to rid the world of creatures we find despicable. Even the most revolting creature has a very important relationship with other creatures that may not seem as revolting to them.
Beginning with sandburs, Janet Lembke creatively informs the reader of species we find very contemptible. In "Prospect and Refuge: Sandburs", sandburs which can be any of several grasses of the genus Cenchrus, which have a spiny bur-like envelope that surrounds several one-grained spikelets, are explored. Although not too dreadful, sandburs can be annoying. The next essay, "The Barkings of a Joyful Squirrel: Gray Squirrel" is far more humorous but also provides an excellent example of symbiosis. This essay also includes a recipe for Jannette East's Brunswick Stew. "Murmurations: European Starling" is the next essay. Lembke's literary allusions and her vast knowledge of Greek and Latin classics are especially prominent in this essay. "The Natural History of Proteus: Pfiesteria piscida", and "Blood: The Tabanids-Deerflies and Horseflies" come after that. "A Foot in the Door: The Fungi" is the next essay. In this, Lembke reminisces about her childhood and the finding of mold in old books. "The Creature with Nineteen Lives: Common Opossum" comes next. After that, she wrote intriguing essays about hornworms and centipedes. Then comes an essay called "Heritage: Kudzu", about a plant that is despised be many people in the U.S., but used extensively in the Far East. "The Wisdom of Nature: Brown-Headed Cowbird" and "The Dew Lovers: Drosophila Fruit Flies" are the next essays. "Unfinished Business: Homo sapiens" is the last and most interesting essay by far. Lembke discusses humans' purpose on earth and concludes the book with the fact that as humans, it's not the world that needs us but, "Rather, it's we who need the world."
From reading the book Despicable Species I have gained the understanding that although some creatures may not be very pleasant, they are still important. I also learned just how important symbiosis is-that everything is related in some way. In the past, I had known a little about symbiosis and only the negative aspects of species in the book. Janet Lembke has taught me a lot about different creatures and ways I am related to them and how they help me. I also learned what we, as Homo sapiens, believe-- that we are the superior beings on earth and some species do not deserve to live-- is completely untrue; all species are indispensable.
In conclusion, Lembke's book revealed more clearly the interdependence between species. I fear that in the past, humans were too quick to make judgements on the roles played by other "lesser" species and therefore were quick to discard their importance. Lembke was effective in calling to attention the need to be thorough in our analysis of these roles in order for us to continue to improve our environment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating observations in a lively format., March 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Despicable Species (Hc) (Hardcover)

Janet Lembke's Despicable Species surveys the habits of cowbirds, kudzu and other ugly or vile species and investigates some of the most annoying creatures on the planet, providing a different take on the ways in which they benefit humans. How can blood sucking horse flies benefit? By hatching maggots that secrete chemicals which aid in healing human tissue. Fascinating observations are presented in a lively format.