Skip to main content

The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart



25% finished--very enjoyable, informative, interesting book.

Darwin as main figure in appreciation of earthworms.  Detailed notes and observations in the latter years of his life lead to a book on earthworms that is ridiculed by some at the time but which is now seen to have rightly pinpointed the value of worms.  "The key to Darwin's genius was the ability to stretch his imagination to encompass geological time--thousands of years, thousands of centuries."

"Worms through their actions, substantially change the earth. Tehy alter its composition,increase its capacity to absord and hold water, and bring about an increase in nutrients and microoranisms.  They work alongside humans, extracting a life from the land. They move the earth, a remarkable accomplishment for a creature that weighs only a fraction on an ounce."

"They evaluated, they experimented, they made decisions." Darwin
Earthworms as distinguishing the best side to pull needles by, the best way to bring paper into their nests, etc.  What they do is more than chance--they are smart.

Darwin on himself:  "I think I am superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully."

Australian worms so large that farmers can hear a gurgling sound "coming from deep within the earth when the worm is on the move."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin . . . finished

 Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world.  Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way.  Plot is involved but sensible.  Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment.  The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview.  He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good.   Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child. 

Tess of the D'Urbervilles, continued 2/3rds

"To all humankind, Tess was only a passing thought. Even to friends, she was only a frequently passing thought." Angel Clare is a good character. He's "enlightened," in so many ways, but when Tess's confesses her "crime," he reverts to ancestral form . . . Tess's "confession" comes earlier than I expected, right after Angel reveals that he has had a bad moment with a woman. Tess points out the similarity in their transgressions, though his is the only true transgression, expecting forgiveness. She doesn't get it. She returns to her mother . . . realizes she can't stay with her. Thoughts to suicide. Unhappiness that divorce is not possible. Departs. Tragic in that the two, if Angel could just see clearly, would indeed be a great couple, each adding to the other.  Nature as a definite force involved in the tragedy.  It's not neutral--when things go bad, the very skies mock Tess. Tess as unaware of the power of her bea...