http://pro-libertate.net/20121228/194-read-anthill ( )

I liked this book for the parts on the ants, especially, but also all the other fauna of the Nokobee Preserve in southern Alabama. Edward Wilson is an important naturalist, but I wonder at his character's ability to love nature, but still eat, for example, crayfish that had been boiled alive. Cognitive dissonance. ( )

I've been hearing about E.O.Wilson as a great entomologist & naturalist for over 5 yrs - probably 1st from my friend Irene Moon, the entomologist/performer, & then perhaps from my friend Germaine. Both REVERE Wilson. B/c of this, from time-to-time, I'd see one of his nature bks & consider reading it. But it wasn't until I found this 1st novel of his in Grinnell, IA, recently released & already in the budget bin, that I finally got something by him.

SO, I read it. The cover reeks of 'feel-good' homey country life story. The novel is so conventionally written that it more or less has no style or writer's personality at all. That's probably why it's been widely read by GoodReads folks but only has an average rating slightly above 3. In other words, don't read this for the writing - it's completely mediocre in a functional way that teachers worldwide probably consider to be acceptable but that bores me.

BUT, of course, I wasn't reading something by Wilson for its literary value, I was reading it for its nature studies value. As far as that goes, it was fine. The central meat of the bk is "The Anthill Chronicles" - framed as it is by the seemingly alternate universe semi-autobiography of a boy turned man who champions a particular natural area. "The Anthill Chronicles" tells the story of some ant colonies in the area championed by the bk's protagonist. I found it interesting & educational, albeit somewhat 'shallowed-down' for the novel's presumed targeted readership.

One thing that particularly caught my attn was Wilson's attempt to describe the 'ant's-eye view' by having humans described as "walking trees" & gods. While this approach to description appeals to me in some ways, it also rubbed me the wrong way somehow. Do ants even have a concept for 'trees' that cd morph into 'walking trees'?

In the end, I shd just read Wilson's least populist entomological work(s) & get material that isn't dumbed down. Forget all the marketing hype - the main character is NOT a "modern-day Huck Finn" (as the bk's blurb says) - nor is this "War and Peace-among the ants" as a review on the back cover states. Wd that it were both! No, the writing is shallow & the bk's presumed intention is to strike a resonant chord among young readers w/ an inclination toward protecting the rest of the world from humanity's inter-species brutality & destructiveness - & that's fine w/ me.

On the other hand, Wilson argues the bk from a 'conservative' eco-protection standpoint. The protagonist becomes a lawyer, etc.. Presumably the bk's mass-marketing is partially based on the way he tries to subtly discredit more radical approaches to ecology. ( )

E. O. Wilson's foray into fiction is a good one, however I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. It's an enjoyable read and worth recommending, but if this were not penned by a famed biologist I don't think it would have attracted much attention or accolades.

The book is written in three parts (although the author divides the chapter up into more explicit parts). The first is essentially a long exposition developing the protagonist and his surroundings. The second is a narrative about the Nokobee ant colonies. And the third is the final story about how the protagonist lays his plans to defend his boyhood haunts.

The middle narrative about the ant colonies is surprisingly interesting, and quite possibly my favorite part of the book. I pinned bugs as a kid, however, so that may not be a universal assessment. Wilson's appreciation of myrmecology is plain and easily picked up by the reader. The "supercolony" serves as a nice metaphor for the bipedal civilization built around it.

What caught my eye in the third section was Wilson's dissection of the cultural battle lines in conservation. He reminds the reader - if for some reason you've forgotten - that there are people in our society (and that part must be emphasized) for whom reason holds no sway.

This book will be enjoyed by anyone with an inkling of an interest in entomology or the myriad ways in which we so often resemble those tiny six-legged beings. ( )

Uneven writing sandwiches a wonderful piece of naturalist narrative. ( )