Synopses & Reviews
In
The Earth Moved, Amy Stewart takes us on a journey through the underground world and introduces us to one of its most amazing denizens. The earthworm may be small, spineless, and blind, but its impact on the ecosystem is profound. It ploughs the soil, fights plant diseases, cleans up pollution, and turns ordinary dirt into fertile land. Who knew?
In her witty, offbeat style, Stewart shows that much depends on the actions of the lowly worm. Charles Darwin devoted his last years to the meticulous study of these creatures, praising their remarkable abilities. With the august scientist as her inspiration, Stewart investigates the worm's subterranean realm, talks to oligochaetologists--the unsung heroes of earthworm science--who have devoted their lives to unearthing the complex life beneath our feet, and observes the thousands of worms in her own garden. From the legendary giant Australian worm that stretches to ten feet in length to the modest nightcrawler that wormed its way into the heart of Darwin's last book to the energetic red wigglers in Stewart's compost bin, The Earth Moved gives worms their due and exposes their hidden and extraordinary universe. This book is for all of us who appreciate Mother Nature's creatures, no matter how humble.
Review
"You know a book is good when you actually welcome one of those howling days of wind and sleet that makes going out next to impossible”
—The New York Times
The New York Times
Synopsis
When Amy Stewart (author of From the Ground Up) realized that she knew more about what lived in the ocean than what inhabited her own little garden plot, she set about exploring that underground world and became obsessed with the humble, but industrious and abundant earthworm. Inspired by Darwin, whose last book was devoted to his study of the earthworm, Stewart's curiosity brought her into the labs of biologists, botanists, taxonomists, and oligochaetologists (folks who study worms) to understand the immense significance of these creatures. She expertly melds their research with her own observations on the psychology and behavior of earthworms to tell their amazing story in a compelling and witty book.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [207]-211) and index.
About the Author
Amy Stewart's last book, The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms, won the California Horticultural Society's Writer's Award for 2005, was a featured selection of the Discovery Channel Book Club, and was named a Best Book of the Year by the San Jose Mercury News. Her articles appear regularly in Organic Gardeningand the San Francisco Chronicle. The recipient of a 2006 National Endowment of the Arts for Literature Fellowship, Stewart lives in northern California.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Amy Stewart