Customer Reviews

Naturalist

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

An engaging and well-written account of the famous biologist's intellectual development from his early to his mature years and most important achievements. Nice discussions of some of his most interesting and important ideas punctuate this history. For example, there's a good section on the origin and development of his ecological ideas and the theory of island biogeography. Wilson is always a cautious but careful writer and thinker, but in a couple of the sections, he gets at least a little bit speculative and is all the more entertaining for it. For example, his discussion of the innateness of our fear of spiders and snakes is entertaining (Wilson himself is very phobic about spiders). Equally entertaining is the section where he discusses people's preference for a particular type of environment or ecology (subalpine or montane foothills parkland or partially wooded savannah with some lakes). Wilson attributes this to it being the environment where we originally evolved. Overall it counts as one of the best scientific biographies I've ever read.

How far have city-bred enterprises removed us from our natural heritage? E.O. Wilson, author of so many wonderful ideas and books, has here revealed himself as a human being of immense strength and courtly self-awareness. Sharing with us so many aspects of his personal life and scientific endeavors, Wilson shows how a bit of dedication can overcome obstacles most of us find daunting. Raised in the rural South, losing the sight of one eye, his struggles to gain a place as a scientist are inspiring. More importantly, he makes clear how much remains to be done by the upcoming generations in determining our true place in the natural order. This work is a clarion call for aspiring young scientists to enter research, following paths similar to his own.

The editorial reviews here focus overmuch on the sociobiology 'controversy'. Sociobiology is a major thesis in examining humanity's place in nature. Rejecting this idea out of hand continues to impair understanding of how important an idea sociobiology is, although he spends little time on it in this book. Much of his work has focussed on animal behaviour from ants through mammals. People remain resistant to the idea that we are somehow associated with 'the beasts', but Wilson demonstrates the continuity of behaviour patterns throughout the animal kingdom. Until we address that issue honestly, which is a major aspect of Wilson's work, we will never understand who we truly are. His studies stress that until we achieve that understanding, we will continue to unwittingly intrude on our own environment. The loss of species threatens our own existence.

The major advantage of this book is its honesty. Wilson pulls few punches and reviews his own prejudices and how he overcame them. He demonstrates how important this self assessment is to scientists and the public alike. The growth of understanding of genetics has impacted all biology. Wilson relates candidly his own grudging acceptance of the new ideas genetic research have given us. He's to be commended for both his candor and flexibility.

To me, it looks as if Wilson turned to be a great scientist against all odds. He did not come from the academic royalty, but from a broken family in Alabama. With strong intuition, lot of hard work and endless enthusiasm, he became one of the great scientists of the 20th century. A well written book, that would probably change the course of my life have I read it at the right age...

I had always thought a scientist of the calibre of Dr. E. O. Wilson was perhaps out of my league; I'd partly read his Diversity of Life and perhaps got the most out of it by jumping around and reading what interested me. His other famous books seemed too specialized for me, basically a lover of fiction or action stories. However, I saw recently that Wilson had endorsed the book jacket of "Nabokov's Butterflies", one of my favorite writers, whose biography "Nabokov's Blues" was a great read last year. "Naturalist" is a word often spurned by modern scientists, I'm told; its sometimes another word for generalist-- whom "real" scientists often don't take seriously. Nabokov had been one (and not often taken seriously); it interested me that Wilson would use that term to describe his own journey into professional science. What Wilson explains so well here, in his own story, is that it is growing up with a FASCINATION with nature, first perhaps as only a hobby, that based on this "fascination for life", great scientists are sometimes born. Wilson makes the point, echoed by another commentator above, that all of us with a fascination for nature are not so different and perhaps science has not done itself a service by make its field seem so rarified and only for that highly educated PhD. FIRST perhaps comes the youthful fascination with things that then leads to the productive scientist. I know when I was a kid I enjoyed reading the biographies of John Audobon and other naturalists. E. O. Wilson was not well known at the time. But, any youth, parent or teacher who wants to get a proper perspective on what seems to make great scientists, that is, the ongoing fascination with life itself and what makes it tick, will find great support in this biography of, yes, a famous Harvard professor, but also a person not so different from you and me. An autobiography worth reading.

This autobiography of one of world's foremost biogeographers and proponents of the conservation of biodiversity should be read by every undergraduate and graduate biology student in the country. It provides insights into how one can gain insight into the natural world, where scientific questions can come from, the importance of looking for detail, and a perspective on how science can be done. The book is well written and informative. It also provides a sense of perspective for all the people out there who, as children (or adults), found themselves drawn to puddles of water, weedy fields, seashores, or other havens of biodiversity. I recommend this book wholeheartedly to practicing and armchair naturalists everywhere.

E.O. Wilson shows us the essence of what it is to be a naturalist and a professional scientist, as well as a complete and happy human. His progression from a child who never quite fit in and communed with insects and animals instead of humans, to a world renowned scientist and professor was inspiring. This book shows the author's love for his work, his family and for life. Here is the story of a man who has attained fulfillment in his work in a way most of us will never achieve. E.O. Wilson is an example of one who had the courage to follow his own dream and achieve happiness in a way few people can

This elgant charmingly written book is the scientific autobiogaphy of Edward O. Wilson, preeminent naturalist and thinker. His early loss of vision in one eye led to a need to "see small" and his life long fascination with ants. Wilson leads the reader through the developing stages of a scientific "calling" with much gentle humor and sharp insight. A pure pleasure (especially recommended as a book on tape for a long family car drive.).

This autobiography is more for the professional biological scientist, who should really enjoy the detailed description of the many field works of the author. Although his reflections on aggression, behaviourism (for him grossly overstated), and sociobiology are a worth-while reading.
He confesses that he became far too late an environmental activist.
I can only subscribe his fundamental truths: first, humanity is the product of biological evolution; second, the diversity of life is the craddle and greatest natural heritage of the human species; and third, philosophy and religion make little sense without taking into account these two first conceptions.
Another silver lining in his professional life: his struggle with colleagues, jealousy, slander, undermining of his position, covert attacks (Harvard is not a monastery).

It grieves me think that many people will remember Dr. Wilson only as the horned mysogynist who wrote "Soci-Biology" and who had the temerity to include in that book a single chapter about the human animal. For years after the publication of "Socio-Biology" Wilson was roundly criticized by his coleuges and by femininists for attributing too many human foibles to genetic inheritance. Much dust has cleared since 1975 when Socio-Biology was published. We now have now the opportunity to re assess that imbroglio. If time has altered our perspective so has Wilson's auto-biography Naturalist . With in its pages we meet a man who is genuinely dedicated to following the scientific path where ever it may lead. We also meet a man who is intelectually honest enough to come face to face with his failings. Most importantly we meet a human who is deeply committed to the prservation of like in all its forms. At its heart "Naturalist" is the story of a long journey from deep in the American South to the hallowed halls of Harvard. It is a preceptive witty book which demonstrates that capacity for language, and clear expalnation that, no doubt, contributed to Wilson's having won two pulitzer prizes. Readers are urged to reaquaint themselves with the good Doctor they will -I believe- be pleasently surprised.

even if you got C's in biology after reading this biography of a warm and gentle man who states somewhere that most of us go through a bug period, but that he never outgrew his. From the quest for rare species, bringing him to remote places of the world, to the excitement of research and philosophical disagreements at Harvard, to the pervasive intent to save the world's diversity. But mostly it's enjoyable because of his writing which is analytical and sensitive and inspires one to marvel at the anthill just outside the doorstep.