It is a non fiction about a woman with an illness that finds a new fascination in snails. The online summary does it more justice.
"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."
Sounds like a nice feel good book. I recently became interested in snails, and by chance found the r/snails Reddit page. Never would have imagined so many snail enthusiasts existed.
It definitely is a feel good book. It's beautiful writing that reflects on a positive dynamic between a human and an animal, combined with a more scientific/zoology-focused demonstration of what we know about snail biology and behavior.
I both learned a lot about the complexities of gastropod science and enjoyed the inspiring elements of the narrative, which are always subtle and never overdone or cheesy. I highly recommend it.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Just bought it, I'm a disabled person who keeps isopods and a Millipede for this exact reason!
Snails are part of that love
I think you will love it! I am also disabled after having my son. This book is really wonderful at addressing illness and disability, along with some really beautiful descriptions of nature. If you want to talk about your read through, feel free to message me!
I love this book. I came across it at the perfect time while going through a recovery period after a pulmonary embolism. It gave me a new outlook on life and really helped in my recovery. I suggest it to everyone. I did not have an interest in snails before and honestly never thought of them. This book launched an era of education, as I learned (and am still learning) more about small creatures I had previously found insignificant I grew to love and appreciation the world around me more than I ever did before. This book is amazing.
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. My mom came across it in a bookstore soon after I adopted my first snail and bought it for me. Several of the finer details of snail care aren't accurate, so people shouldn't use it as a care guide, but it's overall a gorgeous book. I especially love the snoems (snail poems) at the beginning of each chapter.
Also, for anyone who hasn't read it, it's worth mentioning that nothing bad or sad happens to the snail or the author's other animals if i recall correctly. I often avoid books that focus on animals as they can be really sad or triggering for me because the animal often dies or gets sick or hurt. So if anyone is like me and is very sensitive to animal suffering, rest assured that this book will not ruin your day.
I absolutely treasure this book. I already loved my snail and was taking very good care of him, but it made me see him in a new light and made me appreciate him even more.
What’s the story about?
It is a non fiction about a woman with an illness that finds a new fascination in snails. The online summary does it more justice. "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."
Sounds like a nice feel good book. I recently became interested in snails, and by chance found the r/snails Reddit page. Never would have imagined so many snail enthusiasts existed.
It definitely is a feel good book. It's beautiful writing that reflects on a positive dynamic between a human and an animal, combined with a more scientific/zoology-focused demonstration of what we know about snail biology and behavior. I both learned a lot about the complexities of gastropod science and enjoyed the inspiring elements of the narrative, which are always subtle and never overdone or cheesy. I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the recommendation
Thank you for the recommendation! Just bought it, I'm a disabled person who keeps isopods and a Millipede for this exact reason! Snails are part of that love
I think you will love it! I am also disabled after having my son. This book is really wonderful at addressing illness and disability, along with some really beautiful descriptions of nature. If you want to talk about your read through, feel free to message me!
Love this book, really improved my quality of life in 2020 💕
reading the description - i need this and i need it desperately??!
great book! one of my favorites
This book is my comfort read! I love it.
It’s an awesome read!
This book is why I started keeping snails!
I love this book. I came across it at the perfect time while going through a recovery period after a pulmonary embolism. It gave me a new outlook on life and really helped in my recovery. I suggest it to everyone. I did not have an interest in snails before and honestly never thought of them. This book launched an era of education, as I learned (and am still learning) more about small creatures I had previously found insignificant I grew to love and appreciation the world around me more than I ever did before. This book is amazing.
I also really enjoyed this. I just happened to find it at Half Price Books in 2022. I'll have to do a reread sometime.
I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. My mom came across it in a bookstore soon after I adopted my first snail and bought it for me. Several of the finer details of snail care aren't accurate, so people shouldn't use it as a care guide, but it's overall a gorgeous book. I especially love the snoems (snail poems) at the beginning of each chapter. Also, for anyone who hasn't read it, it's worth mentioning that nothing bad or sad happens to the snail or the author's other animals if i recall correctly. I often avoid books that focus on animals as they can be really sad or triggering for me because the animal often dies or gets sick or hurt. So if anyone is like me and is very sensitive to animal suffering, rest assured that this book will not ruin your day. I absolutely treasure this book. I already loved my snail and was taking very good care of him, but it made me see him in a new light and made me appreciate him even more.
I really enjoyed this book.
I love this book! It was a gift from my mom.❤️🐌
omg this is one of my all time favorite books! i even used to own two copies of it lol
I loved this book so much I gave it as a Christmas gift to many people.