What does the natural world owe us? Should animals and humans exist as separate entities or be allowed to co-exist? If a bear robs your house, is it a crime? Fuzz by Mary Roach tackles all these questions and more, examining what occurs when nature breaks the laws of human society.
One such case involves suburbanization and its impact on wildlife. As suburbanization continues, food related bear break-ins have become more prevalent, delivering an interesting moral quandary. In later chapters, I found that this book veers somewhat from its original concept of “Nature Breaking the Law,” instead providing insight into the role of wild animals (and a few plants) in our increasingly less wild world. Roach travels throughout the world to investigate issues at the intersections of Human-animal interactions. One chapter I found very interesting was when Roach travelled to India to investigate elephants and the behaviors that stem from the expansion of agriculture.
One thing I really love about Roach’s writing is that she always finds a way to include fun little tidbits and facts. Some of my favorites include:
- Drunk Elephant isn’t just a skincare brand, it’s a phenomenon that occurs relatively often when elephants break into fermenting products.
- Bears, when hibernating, reabsorb their waste. Bear cubs, however, don’t. They just let their mother eat it later.
- Mountain lion, cougar, and puma are all just names for the same species.
This book isn’t only about animals though. There are also a few chapters on plants, including one specifically on, of all things, castor beans. Castor beans contain the poison ricin, which is illegal to possess. However, the plant itself is legal to own. I also learnt about the dangers of old, tall trees, which can cause death or injury from falling limbs.
In general, I found this book highly informative, grappling with serious topics while still maintaining a lighthearted and funny tone. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in nature, or just anyone looking for a nonfiction book that doesn’t read like a textbook.
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 