Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Dutton (2018), Edition: Translation, 208 pages
Description
"At what temperature do bees stay home? Why do southerly winds in winter often bring storms? How can you plant a garden that tells the time, or know how many tumbles a hailstone has made through a cloud? These are among the many questions that international-bestselling author Peter Wohlleben poses in his newly translated book. Full of the very latest discoveries, combined with ancient, now forgotten lore, The Weather Detective helps you read nature's secret signs and discover a rich new layer of meaning in the natural world around you. Powerful and fascinating, with an eye toward wonder, Wohlleben's new masterpiece will remind you of the magic of Mother Nature, and teach you the hidden significance in everything from rain and wind and your garden soil to the pull of the moon."--Jacket.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member MarthaJeanne
I guess my real problem with this book is that I'm not sure who this book would appeal to. The reader is assumed to be adult. (You remember learning thus and such back when you were in school.) The reader is assumed to have a garden, and if not quite so obviously, that garden is in or near
The descriptions and anecdotes are well written. I think with good editing and many more illustrations this could become a delightful book for 10-14 year olds.
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Rheinland-Pfalz. The author gives some quite specific advice that is tuned to that area. However, he also assumes that the reader knows very little about nature and needs to be encouraged to enjoy it. Yes, I learned some interesting facts from the book, but most of it was very simplified discussions of things I have known for a long time.The descriptions and anecdotes are well written. I think with good editing and many more illustrations this could become a delightful book for 10-14 year olds.
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LibraryThing member PDCRead
These days finding out what the weather is going to be doing is as easy as looking at the app on your phone. I know as I have three on mine. One swipe and you have a fairly accurate prediction (mostly) of the weather for the next 24 hours or so. While these are good for giving a good general guide
Peter Wohlleben wants us to look a little harder next time we step outside, to look at the sky, study the clouds and take notice of the things that animals and insects are doing to really get a feel for what the weather is going to be doing outside your door. There are details on what to look for with plants and trees and the things that they do when faced with changing weather conditions.
From the weather, he moves on to observations and thoughts about the sun moon and planets and the night sky in general and then how the constant cycle of night and day affect the natural world. Moving on from there he talks about seasonal and climate changes that we need to look for. There are chapters on soil, natives and invasive species and how to experience the outdoors with all your senses too.
This is the third book that Wohlleben has written now with a focus on the natural world. Even though it is titled The Weather Detective, only around a third of the book is weather related and the second part was about elements of the natural world which I was a little disappointed with. It is still written in his easy-going style so is very readable though. He seems to be picking up on a theme here as re-connecting with nature is a big thing at the moment, I read Rewild by Nick Baker earlier this year that was about exploring the outside world with more than just your eyes. Not bad overall, but if you are hoping for a book purely on weather then be aware.
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to the weather in your region they can sometimes fail in your own locale because of the particular microclimate.Peter Wohlleben wants us to look a little harder next time we step outside, to look at the sky, study the clouds and take notice of the things that animals and insects are doing to really get a feel for what the weather is going to be doing outside your door. There are details on what to look for with plants and trees and the things that they do when faced with changing weather conditions.
From the weather, he moves on to observations and thoughts about the sun moon and planets and the night sky in general and then how the constant cycle of night and day affect the natural world. Moving on from there he talks about seasonal and climate changes that we need to look for. There are chapters on soil, natives and invasive species and how to experience the outdoors with all your senses too.
This is the third book that Wohlleben has written now with a focus on the natural world. Even though it is titled The Weather Detective, only around a third of the book is weather related and the second part was about elements of the natural world which I was a little disappointed with. It is still written in his easy-going style so is very readable though. He seems to be picking up on a theme here as re-connecting with nature is a big thing at the moment, I read Rewild by Nick Baker earlier this year that was about exploring the outside world with more than just your eyes. Not bad overall, but if you are hoping for a book purely on weather then be aware.
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LibraryThing member jefware
Well written invitation, no it's not an invitation. It is more of a plea, to walk outside, pay attention, learn to care and fall in love with nature.
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
NOT what it says on the tin. Not really. I read this title and its blurb and expected, not unreasonably, that it would be a collection of practically accurate ways to predict the weather by reading the nature of what's around you. There's maybe 30% of the book that falls under that category.
I did
The Weather Detective is an English translation of the original book titled Kranichflug und Blumenuhr, which roughly translates to "Crane Flight and Flower Clock"; probably not a title that's going to infer any immediate meaning to English readers, but probably more accurate in its vagueness than The Weather Detective. This leads me to another issue I had with the book: it's either poorly translated, or it's meant for a much younger audience. Wohlleben is a well-known and well-respected writer, so I'm inclined to believe it's the translation. I don't question its accuracy, but the tone of the original, I have to believe, has been lost, leaving a text that is overly simplistic and sometimes skates near condescending (something I'm positive was not intended by the author himself). I feel like I could give this to my 8 year old niece, and with a few exceptions, she'd be able to read it and understand it without any problems.
It's not an unworthy book; given a stronger, more intuitive translation and a much more accurate title, the book would be perfect for any urbanite more interested in what's going on outside their doors. I like Wohlleben's honest, but pragmatic and sympathetic view on human interaction with nature - his views are moderate, reasonable, and rational. And I truly did gain a few nuggets of information here and there. It's just not all it could be, and what I suspect it might be, in the original German.
Some additional notes for anyone considering reading it:
It's pretty German-centric, of course. He tries to look further afield, but even that's confined to Europe and the UK. All the measurements have been converted to US Customary Units/UK Imperial, so Canadians, Aussies, and any other English speaking readers not inclined to be flexible about USC/UK:Metric conversions are going to be irritated. In the same vein, forget about it if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, unless you really like to flex your brain. Wind direction and sun orientations will all need to be reversed. Most of the wildlife mentioned will also be non-applicable, though the science, at least, is sound no matter what part of the globe you live on.
I did
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learn a few things: a couple of flowers that act as barometers; which ones you can use to tell time. But most of the information was general, basic getting-back-to-nature stuff. Importance of rain. A general overview of the skies; background on the importance of soil. Definitely worthy subjects, and written on a practical level; he doesn't expect the reader to chuck it all and live amongst the forest creatures, but just points out what's in most of our gardens. Sadly, there wasn't much here that I didn't already know, and I didn't learn half of what I'd hoped to.The Weather Detective is an English translation of the original book titled Kranichflug und Blumenuhr, which roughly translates to "Crane Flight and Flower Clock"; probably not a title that's going to infer any immediate meaning to English readers, but probably more accurate in its vagueness than The Weather Detective. This leads me to another issue I had with the book: it's either poorly translated, or it's meant for a much younger audience. Wohlleben is a well-known and well-respected writer, so I'm inclined to believe it's the translation. I don't question its accuracy, but the tone of the original, I have to believe, has been lost, leaving a text that is overly simplistic and sometimes skates near condescending (something I'm positive was not intended by the author himself). I feel like I could give this to my 8 year old niece, and with a few exceptions, she'd be able to read it and understand it without any problems.
It's not an unworthy book; given a stronger, more intuitive translation and a much more accurate title, the book would be perfect for any urbanite more interested in what's going on outside their doors. I like Wohlleben's honest, but pragmatic and sympathetic view on human interaction with nature - his views are moderate, reasonable, and rational. And I truly did gain a few nuggets of information here and there. It's just not all it could be, and what I suspect it might be, in the original German.
Some additional notes for anyone considering reading it:
It's pretty German-centric, of course. He tries to look further afield, but even that's confined to Europe and the UK. All the measurements have been converted to US Customary Units/UK Imperial, so Canadians, Aussies, and any other English speaking readers not inclined to be flexible about USC/UK:Metric conversions are going to be irritated. In the same vein, forget about it if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, unless you really like to flex your brain. Wind direction and sun orientations will all need to be reversed. Most of the wildlife mentioned will also be non-applicable, though the science, at least, is sound no matter what part of the globe you live on.
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Original language
English
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
7.75 inches
ISBN
1524743747 / 9781524743741