Edward O. Wilson—winner of two Pulitzer prizes, champion of biodiversity, and Faculty Emeritus at Harvard University—is arguably one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. Yet his celebrated career began not with an elite education but from an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and drive to explore its mysteries. Called “one of the finest scientific memoirs ever written” by the Los Angeles Times, Naturalist is a wise and personal account of Wilson’s growth as a scientist and the evolution of the fields he helped define.
This 25th Anniversary Edition celebrates Naturalist as a modern classic. Wilson traces the trajectory of his life—from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to life as a tenured professor at Harvard—detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. With humor and insight, Wilson recounts his days as a student at the University of Alabama and decades at Harvard University, where he has achieved renown as both teacher and researcher.
As the narrative of Wilson's life unfolds, the reader is treated to an inside look at the origin and development of ideas that guide today's biological research. Theories that are now widely accepted in the scientific world were once untested hypotheses emerging from one man’s wide-ranging studies. At once practical and lyric, Naturalist provides fascinating insights into the making of a scientist, and a valuable look at some of the most thought-provoking ideas of our time. As relevant today as when it was first published, Naturalist is a poignant reminder of the deeply human side of science and an inspiring call to celebrate the little things of the world
Review Quotes
"Naturalist reads like a classic hero's tale." Bloomsbury Review
"[Naturalist] is one of the finest scientific memoirs ever written, by one of the finest scientists writing today." Los Angeles Times
"What distinguishes Wilson's story is its handsome prose, honed by years of practice into a concise and sly discourse. Among literary scientists, no one since Rachel Carson has more effectively joined humble detail to a grand vision of life processes and structures." The Washington Post Book World
"The book to read, to get the full story on Mr. Wilson’s eventful life, is his memoir Naturalist, published in 1994." The New York Times
"A wise personal memoir…. A mixture of loneliness, amusement, curiosity and intellectual rigor makes the voice of this thoughtful man unforgettable." The New York Times Book Review
"Wilson is the grand master of lyrically analytic nature writing." Science
"This memoir, a fitting capstone to an extraordinary career, should inspire yet another generation of scientists to explore the natural world." Library Journal
"Vividly, often beautifully written. Wilson emerges not only as a gifted scientist, but also as a likable, passionate, eloquent person." Jared Diamond, The New York Review of Books
"In this exquisitely written memoir, the famed Harvard scientist looks back at his childhood in the South as well as his career as a groundbreaking thinker in the field of evolutionary biology. Truly, here is the irrefutable proof that scientists have souls." The USA Today
"In his excellent and ironic prose, E.O. Wilson captures the infectious fever of the boy naturalist and the evolution of an exemplary career in entomology." Peter Matthiessen, author of "Killing Mister Watson"
"Wilson's self-exploration is elegantly written, but also charming, funny, and full of insight. It's fascinating to discover the events, people, struggles, and eccentricities that somehow lead from a childhood buoyed up by wonder to the evolution of a world-class mind." Diane Ackerman, author of "A Natural History of Love"
"Edward Wilson – hardworking, generous in his praise of others, insatiably curious, widely praised as a writer and scientist – embodies the American ideal. In Naturalist, a smooth and unpretentious narrative, he tells us how a boy from Alabama became such a man, a person possessed of an amiable, fierce intelligence addressing himself to the crucial biological issues of our time. His style is gracious and lucid, the example of his life greatly inspiring." Barry Lopez
"One of the greatest scientific autobiographies ever written. An extraordinary self-analysis of a scientist and what makes up his emotional and intellectual psyche, it is at once passionate, honest, and beautifully written." Alan Lightman, author of "Einstein's Dreams"
Contents
Prelude
PART I. Daybreak in Alabama Chapter 1. Paradise Beach Chapter 2. Send Us the Boy Chapter 3. A Light in the Corner Chapter 4. A Magic Kingdom Chapter 5. To Do My Duty Chapter 6. Alabama Dreaming Chapter 7. The Hunters Chapter 8. Good-Bye to the South Chapter 9. Orizaba
PART II. Storyteller Chapter 10. The South Pacific Chapter 11. The Forms of Things Unknown Chapter 12. The Molecular Wars Chapter 13. Islands Are the Key Chapter 14. The Florida Keys Experiment Chapter 15. Ants Chapter 16. Attaining Sociobiology Chapter 17. The Sociobiology Controversy Chapter 18. Biodiversity, Biophilia
Afterword Acknowledgments Index
Educator Resources
Review quotes from the original publication:
"Naturalist reads like a classic hero's tale." Bloomsbury Review
"[Naturalist] is one of the finest scientific memoirs ever written, by one of the finest scientists writing today." Los Angeles Times
"The book to read, to get the full story on Mr. Wilson’s eventful life, is his memoir Naturalist, published in 1994." New York Times
"A wise personal memoir…. A mixture of loneliness, amusement, curiosity and intellectual rigor makes the voice of this thoughtful man unforgettable." New York Times Book Review
"Wilson is the grand master of lyrically analytic nature writing." Science
"This memoir, a fitting capstone to an extraordinary career, should inspire yet another generation of scientists to explore the natural world." Library Journal
"Vividly, often beautifully written. Wilson emerges not only as a gifted scientist, but also as a likable, passionate, eloquent person." New York Review of Books
"In this exquisitely written memoir, the famed Harvard scientist looks back at his childhood in the South as well as his career as a groundbreaking thinker in the field of evolutionary biology. Truly, here is the irrefutable proof that scientists have souls." The USA Today
Over his long career, Edward O. Wilson has transformed our understanding of the natural world and human nature and provided an eloquent voice for the need to preserve and protect the biodiversity of our planet. Yet his celebrated career began not with an elite education but from an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and drive to explore its mysteries. Naturalist is a wise and personal account of Wilson’s growth as a scientist and the evolution of the fields he helped define.
This 25th Anniversary Edition celebrates Naturalist as a modern classic. Wilson traces the trajectory of his life—from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to life as a tenured professor at Harvard—detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. With humor and insight, Wilson recounts his days as a student at the University of Alabama and decades at Harvard University, where he has achieved renown as both teacher and researcher.
As relevant today as when it was first published, Naturalist is a poignant reminder of the deeply human side of science and an inspiring call to celebrate the little things of the world.
Rebecca Bright, Associate Editor and Rights Manager at Island Press, shares a look into her work with international publishers.
Island Press works with publishers around the world to help our authors’ ideas reach a larger, global audience. Sales of international rights fulfill a worldwide need for resources about solutions to environmental issues like climate change, wildlife extinction, and pollution. Through this work, our books have been published in at least 25 languages, including Arabic, French, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
Just as we do, international publishers consider many factors when deciding whether to translate and publish a book, including the topic’s uniqueness and relevance to their readers, the author’s prominence in the country, the cost of translation and publication, and the potential for sales. Some countries are more likely to publish books about certain topics. For example, many of our urban design titles have made it into Chinese bookshelves given urbanization trends and a growing interest in sustainability.
One unique element of international rights is the opportunity to speak with publishers about the book markets in their countries, what has been working for them, and what hasn’t. Each publisher has a unique perspective on our books and on the issues—and it’s fascinating to see how we all look at things differently, and similarly.
I feel honored to work with many committed international publishers to share these ideas in many languages. Below is a sampling of recent or notable Island Press books in translation.
Earlier this month, conservation leaders across disciplines joined together at UC Berkeley for Half-Earth Day, an annual event organized by the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Inspired by renowned biologist and author Edward O. Wilson, Half-Earth is a call to conserve half of the planet to safeguard biodiversity. The conference explores how conservationists of all stripes can make progress toward this goal.
David Miller, President of Island Press, joined the conference this year, introducing Wilson during one of the sessions. Miller presented on the 25th anniversary re-release of Wilson’s autobiography Naturalist, and offered a sneak peek of its upcoming graphic adaptation. The audience got to see some of the panels created by Jim Ottaviani and illustrator CM Butzer.
“EO Wilson’s story inspires curiosity and excitement about nature and science. We hope that this graphic adaptation will bring his legacy to a new audience and inspire the next generation of naturalists. It is more urgent than ever to engage young people in protecting nature,“ said Miller.
Our thoughts are with the family of Edward O. Wilson, the biologist and author, who died yesterday at the age of 92. His visionary work on biodiversity, ants, and human nature brought new understanding of and appreciation for evolutionary biology, biological diversity, and the importance of preserving the natural world. As gifted a writer as he was a scientist, he twice won the Pulitzer Prize. We at Island Press were honored to publish his autobiography, Naturalist, to great acclaim, most recently in graphic form.
Dr. Wilson was a pioneer in science and an eloquent, passionate voice for the natural world. He will be sorely missed by all.
Page 220 from Edward O. Wilson's Naturalist: A Graphic Adaptation
Earlier this month, conservation leaders across disciplines joined together at UC Berkeley for Half-Earth Day, an annual event organized by the EO Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Inspired by renowned biologist and author Edward O. Wilson, Half-Earth is a call to conserve half of the planet to safeguard biodiversity. The conference explores how conservationists of all stripes can make progress toward this goal.
