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The Bird in the Waterfall: A Natural History of Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes
There is nothing in the universe like water. It is unique, a chemical anomaly, and without it there could be no life on earth. It is little wonder that for thousands of years people the world over have expressed awe, delight, and reverence for this life-giving and mysterious substance.
The Bird in the Waterfall is a celebration of the wonders of water and a lively foray into the natural history of rivers, lakes, and oceans. With engaging text and illustrations, author Jerry Dennis and illustrator Glenn Wolff explore waterfalls and seeping springs, oceans waves and tidal bores, whirligig beetles and torrent ducks, mermaids and manatees. The Bird in the Waterfall blends interesting and unusual scientific research with historical anecdotes, mariner's tales, folklore, and personal observations to address dozens of age-old aquatic mysteries.
At the heart of The Bird in the Waterfall is 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.
The Bird in the Waterfall is a celebration of the wonders of water and a lively foray into the natural history of rivers, lakes, and oceans. With engaging text and illustrations, author Jerry Dennis and illustrator Glenn Wolff explore waterfalls and seeping springs, oceans waves and tidal bores, whirligig beetles and torrent ducks, mermaids and manatees. The Bird in the Waterfall blends interesting and unusual scientific research with historical anecdotes, mariner's tales, folklore, and personal observations to address dozens of age-old aquatic mysteries.
At the heart of The Bird in the Waterfall is 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.
- GenresScienceNonfiction
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1996
3 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Dennis
41 books47 followersJerry Dennis was born in Flint in 1954, and grew up in rural northern Michigan. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Louisville in 1981, after attending Northern Michigan University and Northwestern Michigan College.
As he began his writing career, he worked as a carpenter for five years. To date, he has written for many publications. Journalistic assignments sent him to Iceland, Chile, and extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Dennis married during this time to Gail. They currently live on the shores of Lake Michigan, not far from Traverse City.
Since 2000 he has been on the faculty of the University of Michigan's Bear River Writers Conference, where he teaches creative non-fiction and nature writing.
As of 2014, he is the author of ten books, his best known book is The Living Great Lakes, about his trip around the great lakes in a rickety ship. He was awarded a place on the Michigan Notable Books list for that book.
In 2014, in response to a pricing dispute between his publisher, MacMillan Press, and Amazon, Dennis set up his own publishing house, Big Maple Press, to produce books which will be sold only through independent booksellers.
His awards include: 2004 Michigan Notable Books, 2004 Sigurd Olsen Nature Writing Award, 2004 Great Lakes Culture Best Book Award Non-Fiction, 2004 The Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Award for Literature,
2003 Alumni Fellows Award, University of Louisville, College of Arts and Sciences,
1999 Michigan Author of the Year,
1993, 1996, 1998, and 2003 Best Book of the Year awarded by Outdoor Writers Association of America.
As he began his writing career, he worked as a carpenter for five years. To date, he has written for many publications. Journalistic assignments sent him to Iceland, Chile, and extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Dennis married during this time to Gail. They currently live on the shores of Lake Michigan, not far from Traverse City.
Since 2000 he has been on the faculty of the University of Michigan's Bear River Writers Conference, where he teaches creative non-fiction and nature writing.
As of 2014, he is the author of ten books, his best known book is The Living Great Lakes, about his trip around the great lakes in a rickety ship. He was awarded a place on the Michigan Notable Books list for that book.
In 2014, in response to a pricing dispute between his publisher, MacMillan Press, and Amazon, Dennis set up his own publishing house, Big Maple Press, to produce books which will be sold only through independent booksellers.
His awards include: 2004 Michigan Notable Books, 2004 Sigurd Olsen Nature Writing Award, 2004 Great Lakes Culture Best Book Award Non-Fiction, 2004 The Stuart D. and Vernice M. Gross Award for Literature,
2003 Alumni Fellows Award, University of Louisville, College of Arts and Sciences,
1999 Michigan Author of the Year,
1993, 1996, 1998, and 2003 Best Book of the Year awarded by Outdoor Writers Association of America.
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May 16, 2008
So, for the record - 3 stars means I liked it, found it worth reading, but it wasn't particularly outstanding. I am soon going to grad school to study water, so this book had particular interest for me. I was already familiar with the peculiar and singular properties of water on our planet, but learned much more through this book. It covers a wide array of water based phenomena on this earth in an accessible way. His prose is sometimes annoying because really, he is an enthusiast, not a writer. There were certain chapters which put me in awe of the natural processes, life forms and adaptations that exist in this world. Highlights for me: the chapters on ice, life in the water, water underground and the Sargasso sea. I was reminded of how jaded I can get and how much I really don't know about life on this planet.
Displaying 1 of 1 review