Of Things Ignored and Unloved: A Naturalist Walks Northern Michigan

We respect wolves, hawks and bobcats, love songbirds and lilies, and are moved by a sunset observed through pine boughs, but we do not care for poison ivy or winged ants. We ignore lichens even though we see them growing on trees everywhere, and we may not even know the names of other things that occupy our world: ventifacts, grape ferns, and club mosses. This book will awaken the reader to events and things tuned out and forgotten in the noisy, rushing environment of our lives. It is a safari to nearby places.

Richard Fidler lovingly opens our eyes to Michigan’s less-than-lovely creatures, and gives us compelling reasons of why we need to treasure them all. His words fall onto the page as beautifully as the leaves of autumn. I loved this book! —Anne Stanton, Executive Director of the National Writers Series

Wonderfully written and gorgeously illustrated. A wonderful compilation of overlooked things and events that will be enjoyed by those familiar with them as well by those who are introduced to them for the first time. —Julie Medlin, author of Michigan Lichens

I like Richard Fidler’s personal stories that allow me to go exploring with him. Whoever knew the tiny worms that cause swimmer’s itch have such a peripatetic life? And that there are freshwater jellyfish? There is also a deep current in these short vignettes: as Fidler says of the forests destroyed by wind, “It’s wrong to take sides, since some living things require the housecleaning that enables them to thrive.” There are no insignificant beings, as Fidler so beautifully shows us. —Fleda Brown, poet and essayist