Best-selling author Mary Roach is back again with a new book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law. This time, Roach explores human-wildlife conflict and its consequences. Can wildlife be subject to human laws? What is to be done if a tree falls and kills someone? How do you prevent bears from feasting on a fine dining restaurant’s garbage? Can humans and wildlife learn to live harmoniously? With her signature humor (and amazing footnotes), Roach explores all of these questions and more. She meets with wildlife managers in India to discuss killer leopards, hungry elephants, and mugging monkeys. She also learns the ins and outs of animal tracking and how to investigate a non-human caused murder.
This is the first Mary Roach book that I have read. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot. Roach’s writing feels like you’re enjoying a good conversation with a funny friend who can make any subject fascinating. I will definitely add some of Roach’s backlist titles to my to-be-read list. As an animal lover, I did find some of the discussion of euthanasia and pest control upsetting, but I do think that Roach handled the subject with sensitivity. Hopefully, this book will encourage more people to think of ways to creatively and humanely manage conflicts with wildlife. If you are a nature lover or are a popular science enthusiast, this book is for you.
Posted in: Nonfiction