World Of Wonders: In Praise Of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, And Other Astonishments

"From its gorgeous illustrations to its unusual combination of lyrical nature writing and memoir, World of Wonders is hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year. It’s about identity – both cultural and horticultural – and finding one’s place in the world, in part by keeping one’s eyes wide open to natural wonders. A catalpa tree on the Mississippi campus where Aimee Nezhukumatathil teaches creative writing stirs memories of the state mental institution in Kansas where her Filipina mother was a doctor. Peacocks, the national bird of her father’s native India, evoke unpleasant memories of a narrow-minded teacher in Arizona. The man she ends up marrying passed the corpse flower test: He doesn’t disparage her enthusiasm for them or “wince when I said the word inflorescence.”"