Kelly Brenner
Nature Obscura: A City’s Hidden Natural World by Kelly Brenner explores the microflora and microfauna of an urban landscape that many of us either don’t see or simply take for granted.
Brenner, a naturalist blogger, organizes her book around the seasons. She visits the same location, even her backyard, at different times of the year to record the changes in plant and animal life brought about by the changes in weather. She is meticulous in her explorations, recording and documenting what she sees and hears in the minutest details. Her reverence for all living organisms, including the microscopic ones, is evident. She gently lifts a piece of bark or a rock or a shell so as not to disturb the habitat of what lies beneath. And what she doesn’t know or can’t identify, she solves by soliciting the help of experts.
Not all her locations are urban since she visits nature reserves, parks, shores, wetlands, forests, and graveyards. Her curiosity, sense of wonder, and enthusiasm at what she discovers is palpable. Who would have thought that mold, fungi, moss, and lichen could generate such excitement or have a multitude of varieties? Brenner shows the same level of enthusiasm for the hummingbird as the hardy but minuscule tardigrade that is so weird-looking, it might be a suitable candidate for a science fiction movie.
In writing that is accessible and conversational, Brenner’s work is full of interesting insights and observations. Above all, it is a meditation on the connectedness of all living things, from the most minuscule creature whose presence and movement can only be detected with a strong microscope to the majestic trees and the flora and fauna who inhabit them. Through her explorations and discoveries, she shares the wonder of nature and introduces us to the scientists who have advanced our knowledge about the natural world. She invites her readers to conduct their own explorations by providing instructions and tools for those harboring urban naturalist aspirations.
Recommended.