The Bird in the Waterfall: Exploring the Wonders of Water (The Wonders of Nature) - Softcover

Dennis, Jerry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1940941520 ISBN 13: 9781940941523

Publisher: DCA, Inc., 2014

Synopsis

There is nothing in the universe like water. It is unique and beautiful and without it there could be no life on earth. Little wonder, then, that people have always expressed such awe, delight, and reverence for it.

The Bird in the Waterfall is a celebration of the wonders of water and the creatures that live in it. While exploring waterfalls and artesian springs, ocean waves and tidal bores, whirligig beetles and torrent ducks, author Jerry Dennis and artist Glenn Wolff address age-old aquatic mysteries: Why do rivers meander? What are the sources of hot springs and geysers? What causes tsunamis and rogue waves? Why is water blue—and sometimes green, black, yellow, or red? Why do we gather to watch falling water and crashing surf? Why do we toss coins into fountains?

At the heart of The Bird in the Waterfall is a profound appreciation for the magic, music, and poetry of water—and a passionate appeal for the protection of this most precious of the earth’s resources.

PRAISE:

“A passionate appreciation for the magic, music, and poetry of water, and an appeal for the protection of this most precious of the earth’s resources.” —Natural Resources and Wildlife Magazine

“Jerry Dennis is one of today’s most readable and informative nature essayists, and his latest book, The Bird in the Waterfall, is a marvelous look at the natural history of oceans, rivers, and lakes. It ought to be required reading for anyone who loves the outdoors, angling, surfing, beachcombing, or birding.” —Buffalo News

“The Bird in the Waterfall is truly science for everyone. When you have finished reading it, you will not only know more, but you may become as charmed with water as Dennis is.” —Earth Magazine

“I can’t think of anyone I know—angler, conservationist, scientific reader, curious kid—who wouldn’t enjoy, and learn from, this unusual book. And from endpaper to endpaper, it’s a visual delight, too.” —Fly Rod and Reel Magazine

“A lovely natural history... written with a grand, entertaining style.” —Detroit News

“Dennis teams once more with artist Glenn Wolff to create a wonderful compendium of fact and folklore, historical drama, and personal anecdote about earth’s most marvelous compound.” —Michigan Out-of-Doors

“Jerry Dennis’s clear-eyed essays surpass mere explanation of facts; he conveys the rare gift of understanding the workings of nature, along with passion for its beauties and terrors. His prose is admirably paced with Glenn Wolff’s artistic microcosms.” —Arts Borealis

“Jerry Dennis knows water. His new book is a tribute to the magic, music, and poetry of water and an appeal for the protection of this most precious of the earth’s resources... a perfect choice for adults and kids alike who want to discover more about how the world is put together.” —Lake Country Gazette

“Nature writer Dennis conveys his deep feelings for all aspects of the aquatic realm... and parlays his fascination with the dynamics of bodies of water into a richly informative description of how lakes and rivers support myriad lifeforms.” —Booklist

“Like all fine nature writing, this book instills a renewed sense of wonder for our natural world. A simple drink of water will never be the same again after reading The Bird in the Waterfall.” —Flint Journal

“A masterful work of natural history [that] exerts a steady and inexorable pull. This read is well worth your while.” —Traverse Magazine

About this title

About the Author:

Jerry Dennis writes frequently about nature for such publications as Smithsonian and Outdoor Life and pens the "Natural Enquirer" column in Wildlife Conservation magazine. His previous books, It's Raining Frogs and Fishes and A Place on the Water, have received wide acclaim and have been translated into four languages. He lives with his wife and two sons in a century-old farmhouse near the shore of Lake Michigan.

From Booklist:

Dennis, a frequent contributor to Smithsonian and Wildlife Conservation, lives near Lake Michigan and has always been curious about bodies of water. He shares his fascination while discussing why water changes color, how dowsing locates subterranean springs, what causes ocean currents, how a lake freezes, and why rivers meander. Contrary to what seems most logical, rivers meander because flowing water seeks consistency and tries to deepen shallows, fill in deep spots, and smooth out rapids and waterfalls. Dennis also describes the organisms that live in water: algae and bacteria that give color to the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park; North American dippers and torrent ducks of the Andes that thrive in rushing white water; pupfishes that can survive in hot water up to 113 degrees; and flamingos whose specialized beaks are adept at filtering algae and diatoms from the saline and soda lakes in which they feed. This delightful book about watery places and the life therein contains 79 line drawings by Glenn Wolff, who has collaborated with Dennis on other projects. Jennifer Henderson

About this edition

• Publisher: DCA, Inc.
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1940941520
• ISBN 13: 9781940941523
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 282
• Illustrator: Wolff Glenn