The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

WINNER OF THE WILLIAM SAROYAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR NONFICTION (2012)
 
WINNER OF THE JOHN BURROUGHS MEDAL (2011)

NATIONAL OUTDOOR BOOK AWARD FOR 2010 in Natural History Literature

BOOKS FOR A BETTER LIFE AWARD, FINALIST for Inspirational Memoir

TOP TEN ADULT SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BOOKS FOR 2010, Booklist

BEST BOOKS OF 2010: MORE OF THE BEST, Library Journal

GREAT TITLES TO ADD TO THE NYT BEST OF 2010, Huffington Post

Praise:

“Beautiful.” —Edward O. Wilson

“Universal, deeply felt, and with an enormously generous soul, the gently told story grants readers a heightened appreciation for the ever-shrinking, ever-fascinating, secretive parts of our unkempt world.” —Alexandra Fuller for The Daily Beast

“How interesting can a snail be? Entirely captivating, as it turns out. [Bailey] is a marvelous writer, and the marriage of science and poetic mysticism that characterizes this small volume is magical.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“[Bailey] found comfort in an unlikely companion--a tiny snail, whose micro-doings are the source of a surprising philosophy.” —Entertainment Weekly

“An exquisite meditation on the restorative connection between nature and humans. . . Bailey's slim book is as richly layered as the soil she lays down in the snail's terrarium: loamy, potent, and regenerative.” —The Huffington Post

“[A] small, quiet masterpiece, already destined to become a classic.” —Washington Times

"This little gem of a book is both moving and fascinating, compelling readers to appreciate their health and also find comfort in stillness. Who knew snails could be so inspiring?" —Wall Street Journal

“A spare, beautifully quirky grace note of a book.” —Family Circle

“Though illness may rob us of vitality, sometimes it can also help bring us understanding---albeit in improbable disguises . . . Perhaps there's something to be said for moving at a snail's pace.” —NPR.org

“This elegant little gem is a triumph.”—Maine Sunday Telegram