Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s book is a joy to read. World of Wonders imaginatively tells the stories of the natural world—animals, plants, insects, weather—through anecdotes from the author’s fascinating life. The full title is World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments.
About the author
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is an award-winning poet and English and creative writing professor at the University of Mississippi. Her poetry has been published in New York Times Magazine, ESPN, and Tin House. Throughout the book, she describes her life growing up—an interesting life full of varied experiences, always indelibly linked to nature.
About the book
With only 160 pages and 28 short chapters, each chapter averages less than six pages long, which makes this book perfect for those times when you literally only have a few minutes to spare. Or you could easily read it in one sitting. I chose to spread out the chapters, and I found that gave me more opportunity to reflect and reread. As a poet, Nezhukumatathil writes beautifully.
Each chapter is titled for an animal, plant, or other natural wonder, and adorned with an illustration of the subject. Fumi Mini Nakamura created all of the illustrations, and they truly add to the artfulness of the book in a way that most book covers simply do not. I love nature, especially animals, and this book really satisfied that fascination for me, in both the writing and the illustrations.
Nezhukumatathil does a splendid job of sharing multiple narratives at once. As she recounts experiences from her childhood, she also tells stories of her family enduring racism in everyday life. The book is both a memoir of an Asian American woman growing up in America and an appeal to better care for our natural world.
If a white girl tries to tell you what your brown skin can and cannot wear for makeup, just remember the smile of an axolotl. The best thing to do in that moment is to just smile and smile, even if your smile is thin. The tighter your smile, the tougher you become.
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
At the same time, she enchants the reader with facts and personal anecdotes about nature—the catalpa trees at the psychiatric hospital where her mother worked (and endured endless racist taunts), swimming with whale sharks (and fearing they might gum her to death), being scolded by a teacher for drawing a peacock instead of a more American animal, the cara cara oranges grown by her parents. She eloquently ties her biography, social commentary, and conservationism together into a cohesive collection of short stories.
What if the blues and reds of the cassowary’s neck could jolt us the same way a traffic light warns us to take care—of ourselves and others—and to obey the rules for driving? The simple fact is this giant and strange and beautiful bird is a
keystone species,meaning the Australian rainforests depend on it to maintain biodiversity. And they are dying because of humans.Aimee Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
Her love of nature and conservationist spirit are on every page, yet she does not condescend or scold or lament. She writes in a way that makes you, the reader, a conservationist along with her.
When daily news seems to bring forth another fresh grief—more children killed, the Amazon rainforest ablaze for weeks—I think of this orange, its sweetness and the smiles it brings to so many families.
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
Nezhukumatathil’s writing stirs emotions that some authors only solicit with direct criticism, which certainly has its place. This book is so pleasant and poetic, though, which causes me to reflect more on her subtle messages. I wholeheartedly recommend World of Wonders for its elegant and relatable writing, the subject matter of animals and nature, and its gentle approach to social and environmental ills.