Bitten by the ecology bug
Once again, Edward O Wilson's book has been nominated for the National Book Critic's Award in the US. Naturalist, his autobiography, is his 3rd nomination for the award. Wilson's youthful obsession of collecting ants turned into his sole ambition. And not only did he become an expert on ants, he also became a world famous naturalist. He shares his preoccupation with insects with Darwin, who was obsessed with beetles. He used the same knowledge to revolutionise ecology in the '60s and initiate the campaign to save tropical rainforests in the '90s. Wilson also shares Darwin's genius of writing simply and adroitly. His book, The Diversity of Life (review in Down to Earth, June 30, 1994 has become a bible for those concerned about the destruction of rainforests.