false 9824 10 In his third book, Robert Sullivan leaves the wilds of the (<I>Meadowlands</I> and the rough whaling waters of the Pacific Northwest to take up rat-watching in the alleys of New York City. Sullivan learned to appreciate the rodents during nocturnal stakeouts; a night-vision scope helped him observe rats without scaring them. As in his previous books, Sullivan uses pointillist details rather than broad portraiture to paint his subject, and the details in <I>Rats</I> are devilish. There are plenty of facts in the book to make your skin crawl, such as a description of the greasy skids rats leave on the paths they frequent, and a list of garbage items they prefer to eat. But Sullivan's style is often less that of a nature writer than a historian. In personable, essayish chapters, New York's history is revealed to be particularly ratty, with tall tales about the rodents' disgusting accomplishments going back to the city's founding. Although many people have never seen a rat outside a pet store, Sullivan reminds us that they are our constant neighbors, staring out from dim corners and messy crevices with beady eyes and twitching whiskers. <I>--Adam Fisher</I> 2147695 book 2004 Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City's Most Unwanted Inhabitants total:874|5:168|4:354|3:261|2:75|1:16| 874 3205 1299 216 3 14 false false Mon Jun 30 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Oct 12 12:35:15 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 04 07:59:17 -0700 2008 looking at me! See, my front yard is infested with larg...more...]]> 5 4 false false Sun Jan 13 08:48:08 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 13 09:33:54 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 3 false false Tue Jan 22 20:32:49 -0800 2008 Fri Aug 10 10:29:22 -0700 2007 Fri Aug 10 10:30:09 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 3 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 24 15:17:15 -0700 2007 Tue Jul 24 15:31:25 -0700 2007 As someone who is fascinated by the unlooked for causalities that affect human history and development, I liked reading about the parallel histories of humans and rats in NYC. The way the city’s geography, alcohol steeped underbelly and tenement past all had distinct rat relationships and w...more...]]> 2 2 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Sep 06 08:15:53 -0700 2007 Thu Sep 06 08:15:53 -0700 2007
...more...]]> 3 2 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Tue May 01 03:07:12 -0700 2007 Tue May 01 03:25:23 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 2 false false Wed Aug 01 14:23:09 -0700 2007 Wed Aug 08 18:23:04 -0700 2007
From another Goodreads reviewer:

"I've always thought...more...]]> 4 2 false false Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2004 Sun Sep 30 08:39:45 -0700 2007 Sun Sep 30 08:57:35 -0700 2007
But this book is not only about rat history, it's ...more...]]> 4 1 false false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Fri Apr 17 16:52:22 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 17 16:52:59 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 1 false false Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon May 19 12:19:15 -0700 2008 Tue Jul 08 16:42:35 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 1 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 13 09:55:52 -0700 2007 Thu Sep 06 10:27:58 -0700 2007
Unfortunately, the author has a contrived overexcited attitude he goes on his rat-ventures ...more...]]> 1 1 false false Thu Jul 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 29 18:41:24 -0700 2008 Thu Jul 10 19:48:37 -0700 2008 more...]]> 2 1 false false Mon Jun 30 11:30:25 -0700 2008 Tue Oct 21 14:13:43 -0700 2008
He does do a nice job of giving plenty of historic detail to NYC locations/people/events/institutions (inc...more...]]> 2 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 18 07:43:53 -0800 2008 Tue Feb 05 08:10:26 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005 Thu Sep 13 15:46:49 -0700 2007 Thu Sep 13 15:53:55 -0700 2007 Misc note:I read this o...more...]]> 5 1 false false Mon Apr 23 07:50:56 -0700 2007 Mon Apr 23 08:24:27 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 1 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Jul 07 14:26:18 -0700 2007 Sat Jul 21 08:14:24 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Mar 02 08:49:56 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 02 09:00:59 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 1 true false Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 12 08:51:52 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 12 09:17:31 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Aug 11 05:29:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 05:30:38 -0700 2009
Cette année de sinistre mémoire, un New-Yorkais l'a justement passée à épier d'authentiques surmulots dans une ruelle de Lower Manhattan - ces vo...more...]]>