Did you know that snails have teeth? I didn’t until I started reading The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elizabeth Tova Bailey. The book recounts the author’s interaction, while bedridden, with a relocated woodland snail. The language is quiet, beautiful and colorful. “While the snail slept I explored the terrarium from my bed … the variety of mosses was so satisfying … Their hues ranged from bright grass greens to deep dark greens and from sharp lemon greens to light blue greens.”
As someone who spends a great deal of time snapping photos of plants, it was very helpful stumbling upon Sarah Simblet’s Botany for the Artist. A beautiful book in and of itself, its contents reminded me to look more closely at the things I photograph and to better understand the different parts that make up a whole. I found this blog post that actually shows the behind-the-scenes creation of the book in the artist’s studio.
And finally …
A gift from a friend, and what a source of inspiration. I’ve been carrying it in my backpack so that whenever I am on the bus or needing a moment’s respite at work, out it comes.
Any other book recommendations you’d like to share?
Words + Images 