Reviewer Lois C. Henderson: Lois is a freelance academic editor and back-of-book indexer, who spends most of her free time compiling word search puzzles for tourism and educative purposes. Her puzzles are available HERE and HERE Her Twitter account (@LoisCHenderson) mainly focusses on the toponymy of British place names. Please feel welcome to contact her with any feedback at LoisCourtenayHenderson@gmail.com.
Author:Bruce M. Beehler; with illustrations by John C. Anderton
A delightful month-on-month journey through the year, led by a highly experienced naturalist of decades of hands-on contact with the wild, Natural Encounters: Biking, Hiking, and Birding Through the Seasons by Bruce M. Beehler, shares the wonders of nature on the East Coast and in the central parts of the United States, as well as up and down the Potomac River. No matter whether you are a professional or an amateur observer of nature, you should find a great deal of merit in the work. Beehler’s understanding of, and appreciation for, the diverse aspects of life in the wild (as well as in the ‘wilder’ parts of Washington, D.C.) is overwhelming and mesmerizing. He clearly takes such great delight in the outdoors that no matter what he is doing, whether cycling along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal) with family in tow or scaling rocks (and occasionally falling off them) in the White Mountains, he is a master of description.
The cheerful illustrations by John C. Anderton that fill the work add greatly to the meaningfulness and cogency of the text, which progresses from tales of the “sunny, lazy days” of late June and July through to “chasing the last days of spring” in June. Each chapter is devoted to a different month, with the contents being as enticing and appealing as are their headings. Beehler’s warm portrayal of the diverse aspects of nature, embracing plant life, animals and birds (as well as encounters with sundry humans along the way), is ebullient and uplifting.
Natural Encounters: Biking, Hiking, and Birding Through the Seasons should appeal to any nature lover and appreciator of the outdoors, no matter the age. Beehler’s sometimes offbeat and self-deprecatory approach should appeal to the young, whereas the more mature reader will most probably be encouraged to bring to mind their own memories of the trails and creatures mentioned. Beehler is a master of this medium, and it shows. The book comes thoroughly recommended, without reservation.