The Fabulous Ordinary - by Georgann Eubanks (Paperback)

About the Book

"Georgann Eubanks offers readers a tour of the seasonal joys of ecosystems in the Southeast. The ordinary destinations and events she explores are scattered across seven states and include such wonders as a half-million purple martins roosting on an island in a South Carolina lake, the bloom of thirty acres of dimpled trout lilies in a remote Georgia forest, gnat larvae that glow like stars on the rock walls of an obscure Alabama canyon, and the overnight accumulation of elaborately patterned moths on the side of a North Carolina mountain cabin. These phenomena and others reveal how plants, mammals, amphibians, and insects are managing to persevere despite pressures from human invasion, habitat destruction, and climate change. Their stories also shine a light on the efforts of dedicated scientists, volunteers, and aspiring young naturalists who are working to reverse losses and preserve the fabulous ordinary that's still alive in the fields, forests, rivers, and coastal estuaries of this essential and biodiverse region"--

Book Synopsis

Georgann Eubanks offers readers a tour of the seasonal joys of ecosystems in the Southeast. The ordinary destinations and events she explores are scattered across seven states and include such wonders as a half-million purple martins roosting on an island in a South Carolina lake, the bloom of thirty acres of dimpled trout lilies in a remote Georgia forest, gnat larvae that glow like stars on the rock walls of an obscure Alabama canyon, and the overnight accumulation of elaborately patterned moths on the side of a North Carolina mountain cabin.

These phenomena and others reveal how plants, mammals, amphibians, and insects are managing to persevere despite pressures from human invasion, habitat destruction, and climate change. Their stories also shine a light on the efforts of dedicated scientists, volunteers, and aspiring young naturalists who are working to reverse losses and preserve the fabulous ordinary that's still alive in the fields, forests, rivers, and coastal estuaries of this essential and biodiverse region.

Review Quotes

"One of Eubanks' great skills is writing about things that might seem simple or ordinary but are too important not to explain and celebrate. . . . With the help of her photographer, Donna Campbell, she takes you there by describing important sights along the way as she introduces people who care about [these The Fabulous Ordinary] places."--DG Martin, ChapelBoro

"This fascinating, thoughtful, immersive journey will be savored by readers who enjoy reading natural history essays and learning about the wonders of nature that can still be found in the southeastern US."--Library Journal

About the Author

Georgann Eubanks is a writer, Emmy-winning documentarian, and founder of the Table Rock Writers Workshop, held annually in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is the author of several books, including Saving the Wild South: The Fight for Native Plants on the Brink of Extinction.