An Immense World … explores the unique ways different species perceive reality through their senses. The Earth is full of sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every kind of animal, including humans, perceives but a tiny sliver of our immense world. Thus, a key theme is the sensory worlds of many species. Yong discusses how all animals, including humans, experience a limited slice of reality, and that each animal lives in its own “sensory bubble”. Readers are encouraged to "possess other eyes" to understand these different realms. Yong provides several examples, including how beetles are drawn to fire; crocodiles with highly sensitive faces; turtles that navigate by magnetic fields, how fish use electricity, and the complex vision of scallops, or the sonar-like abilities of some humans. Yong details that the eyes of a giant squid evolved to see sparkling whales, and that plants hum the silent songs of courting bugs. We learn what bees see in flowers, what songbirds hear in their tunes, and what dogs smell on the street. There are many stories of pivotal discoveries in the field, while at the same time, other mysteries remain unsolved. In An Immense World , Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the limits of our own senses, allowing us to perceive differently allthat surround us. The final chapter discusses the effect of human activity on animal ecosystems and promotes empathy for the non-human world. Ed Yong is a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer, and this book was named one of New York Times "10 Best Books of 2022." It also won the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, and it was shortlisted for the2023 Royal Society Science Book Prize. Kirkus Reviews, noted for its comprehensive book evaluations of books across all genres – and serves as a barometer of literary quality – has called An Immense World … one of the “best Nonfiction books of the Century”. Date: January 6th at 4:00pm Location: Women’s Lounge Lead By: There Fiechter BOOK CLUB
JANUARY 6TH, 2025
FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us. A comprehensive description of the different ways that animals perceive the world. There Fiechter will lead the January meeting.
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb. The music of a famous American composer may have been stolen from a Black Jazz Age prodigy. Francesca DiGuglielmo will lead the discussion for the February meeting.
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