The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating - by Elisabeth Tova Bailey (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published: Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2010.

Book Synopsis

In a work that beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature, Elisabeth Tova Bailey shares an inspiring and intimate story of her encounter with a Neohelix albolabris--a common woodland snail.

While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own place in the world.

Intrigued by the snail's molluscan anatomy, cryptic defenses, clear decision making, hydraulic locomotion, and courtship activities, Bailey becomes an astute and amused observer, offering a candid and engaging look into the curious life of this underappreciated small animal.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is a remarkable journey of survival and resilience, showing us how a small part of the natural world can illuminate our own human existence, while providing an appreciation of what it means to be fully alive.

From the Back Cover

THE EARTHLY ADVENTURES OF A WOMAN AND A GASTROPOD

Winner of the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing
Winner of the John Burroughs Medal
Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award in Natural History Literature

"Brilliant." --The New York Review of Books

"How interesting can a snail be? Entirely captivating, as it turns out. [Bailey] is a marvelous writer, and the marriage of science and poetic mysticism that characterizes this small volume is magical." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"[A] gem." --Susan Stamberg, NPR's Morning Edition

"Survival, resilience, and intellectual curiosity . . . Deeply moving. . . Extraordinary." --Literature and Medicine, the journal of the Institute for the Medical Humanities

"An exquisite meditation on the restorative connection between nature and humans . . . As richly layered as the soil she lays down in the snail's terrarium: loamy, potent, and regenerative." --The Huffington Post

"[A] small, quiet masterpiece, already destined to become a classic." --The Washington Times

Review Quotes

WINNER OF THE WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR NONFICTION (2012)

WINNER OF THE JOHN BURROUGHS MEDAL (2011)

NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD FOR 2010 in Natural History Literature

BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE AWARD, FINALIST for Inspirational Memoir

TOP TEN ADULT SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BOOKS FOR 2010, Booklist

BEST BOOKS OF 2010: MORE OF THE BEST, Library Journal

GREAT TITLES TO ADD TO THE NYT BEST OF 2010, Huffington Post

Praise:

"Beautiful." --Edward O. Wilson

"Universal, deeply felt, and with an enormously generous soul, the gently told story grants readers a heightened appreciation for the ever-shrinking, ever-fascinating, secretive parts of our unkempt world." --Alexandra Fuller for The Daily Beast

"How interesting can a snail be? Entirely captivating, as it turns out. [Bailey] is a marvelous writer, and the marriage of science and poetic mysticism that characterizes this small volume is magical." --Minneapolis Star Tribune

"[Bailey] found comfort in an unlikely companion--a tiny snail, whose micro-doings are the source of a surprising philosophy." --Entertainment Weekly

"An exquisite meditation on the restorative connection between nature and humans. . . Bailey's slim book is as richly layered as the soil she lays down in the snail's terrarium: loamy, potent, and regenerative." --The Huffington Post

"[A] small, quiet masterpiece, already destined to become a classic." --Washington Times

"This little gem of a book is both moving and fascinating, compelling readers to appreciate their health and also find comfort in stillness. Who knew snails could be so inspiring?" --Wall Street Journal

"A spare, beautifully quirky grace note of a book." --Family Circle

"Though illness may rob us of vitality, sometimes it can also help bring us understanding---albeit in improbable disguises . . . Perhaps there's something to be said for moving at a snail's pace." --NPR.org

"This elegant little gem is a triumph."--Maine Sunday Telegram