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3.5 

Tales from the Ant World

By Edward O. Wilson
Tales from the Ant World by Edward O. Wilson digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

“In Mr. Wilson ants have found not only their Darwin but also their Homer.” —Economist

In Tales from the Ant World, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson takes us on a thrilling myrmecological tour across continents and through time, inviting us into his decades-long scientific obsession with ants. Animating his observations with personal stories, Wilson hones in on twenty-five ant species to explain how these creatures talk, smell, taste, and crucially, how they fight to determine dominance. Richly illustrated throughout with depictions of ant species and photos from Wilson’s own expeditions, Tales from the Ant World is a fascinating personal account from one of our greatest scientists—and a necessary volume for any lover of the natural world.

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14 Reviews

3.5
“These are essays that range from the mostly autobiographical to the mostly ant-focused. The most interesting parts were the essays on ant behavior. Many phenoms I already knew, but others were new. The famous ants are all here: Leafcutter, Fire, Army, Carpenter. There are even chapters on the fastest and slowest ants, as well as the search for the oldest species. Alas, the author's ego, persistent anthropomorphic view, and creepy takes on feminism and slavery all made this a less than fully enjoyable reading experience. The guy is clearly an ego maniac, reminding us much more than is necessary of how very special he is. When describing the overwhelming presence of working females in ant cultures, he decides to tell us that he is a feminist, so he approves of females working. The reality of these societies is that there is a queen and all the workers are female. The men do no work. That's not "feminism". Another, even more troubling red flag was when Wilson described an expedition he made to the Amazon during which he resided with a "planter". Wilson blithely mentions a "slave, a mulatto" who helped him with some task not even really important to the ant story. This is in the latter half of the 20th century. No commentary about his personal opinions on slavery, as he felt compelled to make on feminism. E.O. Wilson is a giant in the world of ants, biology, and the popularization of conservation. It's really too bad that he was a crappy person in several regards. Glad I read this for free.”
Slightly Smiling Face“Great intro to ant society! Left me with lots of questions, eager to learn more. Overall this book bounces through tons of information, giving readers a jumping off point to dig deeper into what interests them”

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