'The Passionate Observer' by Jean Henri Fabre

Book Details

'The Passionate Observer' combines the compelling, poetic observations of French entymologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823-1915) and the whimsical watercolors of Marlene McLoughlin. The text is a reprinting of Fabre's classic work, Souveniers Entomologiques, first published in France in 1879.

The backdrop of 'The Passionate Observer' is the rich landscape of western Provence, just north of where Fabre's contemporaries van Gogh and Cezanne painted.

Content Summary

• The Harmas
• The Green Grasshopper
• Heredity
• My Schooling
• The Pentatomæ and Their Eggs
• The Halicti: The Portress
• The Pond

Review

'The Passionate Observer' lets us peer into the fascinating world of insects through the acute eyes of a world renowned entymologist. McLoughlin's delicate watercolors bring Fabre's words to life, words that convey a great passion for insects and join poetry and scientific observation.

Recommendation

I recommend this book to those interested in insects, wildlife observation, and natural history. It offers readers insight into how to make keen, thoughtful observations of the natural world, even on the smallest of scales.