I liked the intro by Margaret Atwood and the additional writings by Gibson at the start of each chapter. I also really enjoyed the poetry selections in this collection as well (“Hurt Hawks” by Robert Jeffers made me cry last night and “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy was beautiful).

The selection of artwork featured throughout was often both beautiful and odd, which made for a fascinating experience. However, some of the writings selected were not to my taste and some I just found boring.

Also, I am always shocked by the atrocities that historical figures and naturalists commit against animals (and they’re always so blasé about it too). How these men could see such majestic and wondrous natural beauty and then have their first instinct be to capture and kill it will never not bewilder me.