Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I like how Mary Roach takes a topic and is both informative and humorous. She makes otherwise offputting topics entertaining (see her book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers). I read this book for a book club.
I found certain sections informative and appreciated the topic of human versus wildlife in the modern age, however, I was the only person in my book club to finish. Honestly, a general book club was probably the wrong audience for a science and humor book. The disjointed nature of the anecdotes makes it difficult to find a thread to carry you through the whole book. And while one section might interest you, such as the push and pull of sacred but violent monkeys, you’re bound to find another section that drags a bit.
The unpredictability was also one of the things I liked about the book. The chapters on pest control were wittier than they had any right to be, and I have a better understanding of bait and what is considered humane in extermination. The wide-ranging topics provide an expansive view of the challenges we face as humans and animals attempt to coexist in an increasingly crowded world.
If you’re the right audience for this book, someone already interested in wildlife, I think this is among the best you’ll find. Just don’t expect everyone to love it as much as you do.
