Anthill by E.O. Wilson

Summary

This is a kind of coming-of-age novel. It follows the life and adventures of Raff Cody, first as a child, and later as he grows older. It is about the people, events, things, and places that shape who he becomes.

As a child, Raphael Semmes Cody grows up in Clayville, near Mobile, Alabama. His favourite place to go is the Nokobee Tract on the west shore of Lake Nokobee. He explores it until he knows it intimately, all the species of insect and animal; all the trees and plants.

This leads him to study natural history and biology at Florida State University. He writes a thesis paper on the ants of the Nokobee Tract and succeeds very well in his schooling.

But, when he discovers that the Nokobee Tract is up for sale and a big developer is looking at it, he decides that he must do something. So, with the help of his uncle Cyrus, he goes to law school at Harvard and specializes in environmental law.

And then he begins to unfold his scheme to save the Nokobee Tract.

In the middle of the novel, a few chapters chronicle the rise and fall of an ant empire as a sort of proverb about conservation and continuity.

what i liked

This book was extremely well written. The characters are very real and the writing is so well done I really got it. E.O. Wilson takes his time writing, every character gets a good description, even the minor ones. The novel takes you through their whole life story in one or two paragraphs so you really get a feel for who they are. I liked that.

what i didn't like

It's a slow paced novel. It takes a long time for things to happen and the action to develop. Actually, there's very little action. The first chapter is particularly difficult. But now that I've finished reading it, I don't think I'd have it any other way. It's a very enjoyable read.

Conclusion

A very good book. A little long and slow paced, but worth the time it takes to read. It takes you into the world of conservationism and the life of a little boy who grows up to be a man determined to make a difference. The ant empire parenthesis was exceptionally unique and definitely adds to the story. I give this book 4.5/5 anthill empires.