The Glass Universe

Finished November 13
The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars by Dava Sobel, read by Cassandra Campbell

This fascinating look at the history of astronomy takes us from the late nineteenth century through to the mid-twentieth century. It is centered around the Harvard University and the women who worked and volunteered there, but also around the men who hired, worked with, promoted, supported, and cared about these women.
The first women at the observatory were family members of the male astronomers, many of whom took on volunteer roles as computers, interpreting the observations of the male astronomers. As photography advanced to allow the capture of the night skies, the role of women included observation of these photographs. The library of glass photography plates is the origin for the title of this book. Anna Palmer Draper, widow of one of the earliest photographers of the stars wanted to continue his life's work, and she donated money to the observatory to continue this work.
One of the earliest female employees was Williamina Fleming, a Scottish woman who had worked as a maid in the home of the director of the observatory, and who took on the role of curator of the glass plates of photographs of the stars. Fleming also observed these photographs and identified over three hundred variable stars (stars whose intensity changes in regular or irregular cycles) and ten novae. She was followed by women who were some of the first graduates of colleges such as Smith and Vassar and, later, by post-graduate students, research fellows, working astronomers, and professors.
Annie Jump Cannon, a college graduate, looked at the previous work and designed a classification system for the stars that is still used today. She and others made important breakthroughs in learning about the chemical make-up of stars and used features of starlight to measure distances in space.
Dr. Cecelia Helena Payne became the first female professor of astronomy at Harvard, and the first female department chair at the university.
Two directors, Edward Pickering who was director from 1877 to 1919, and Howard Shapley, director from 1922 to 1951 were key to valuing the work of these women, promoting them, supporting their work, and giving them credit for their achievements.
I learned so much about astronomy that I didn't know, thanks to Sobel's wonderful explanations of the various key discoveries. I also found the women very interesting. The book is about astronomy and the work these people did, the discoveries they made, and the contributions of their work worldwide. It is not about the personal lives of the various players, other than mentioning facts of children, spouses, and living arrangements. But for me, that was fine. Each of these women would merit a biography of their own as separate books. The reading of the book by Campbell was captivating, and I found even the appendices of the timeline, short biographies, and glossary worth listening to.
This was a story that needed to be told, and Sobel did a fantastic job.

The Secret Life of Squirrels

Finished February 12
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose

This enchanting book came out of the website by the same name, and is such fun. Mr. Peanuts leads and active life,  barbecuing, playing piano, and reading, but sometimes gets lonely. In this book he invites his cousin to come for a visit, sending him a letter.
When he knows his cousin will be coming he prepares by cleaning house, doing laundry and making a cake.
Once his cousin arrives the two enjoy a meal to start, then tour around, play some games, go on a picnic, and enjoy a campfire evening. Mr. Peanuts determines that having a friend is a good thing.
The author also includes a useful section on photographing wildlife, explaining in simple terms photography techniques, safety tips, and thoughts about respecting animals. There is also a short interview with the author about how she came to write this book.
Unique and interesting.

Beautiful Whale

Finished June 2
Beautiful Whale by Bryant Austin, foreword by Sylvia A. Earle

This book contains amazing photographs of whales. Humpback whales in Tonga. Sperm whales in the Caribbean. Dwarf minke whales at the Great Barrier Reef. Following a close encounter with a whale Austin was driven to pursue the goal of taking life-size composite portraits of whales. So very few humans get to have an encounter with a whale that we don't get to see their beauty and intelligence and thus disregard how our actions affect their environment. To take these photographs Austin has to be very close to the whales, remaining as still as possible while they slowly moved past him. As he describes his experiences, you realize the gentleness and curiosity of these large creatures.
Austin sold his vehicles, house, and camera equipment to finance this project when fund-raising didn't provide enough. The exhibitions he was able to mount drew responses better than he had hoped and brought increased attention to these little known animals.

Inspiring Photographs

Finished January 21
A Shadow Falls by Nick Brandt
This book of photographs of the wild animals of East Africa was inspired by photographer Nick Brandt's recognition of the dwindling animal populations and the effect increased human activity has had on the environment and the lives the animals struggle to lead.
The photography is amazing, with a mix of intimate and panoramic views, showing us the emotional lives of the animals as well as their interaction with the landscape.
Commentary is included at the beginning of the book by Brandt as well as philosopher Peter Singer and photography critic Vicki Goldberg. Also included are suggestions of where to give to aid in the preservation of these animal communities.
This book is compelling. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Amazing photographs

Finished September 22
Creature by Andrew Zuckerman
This large-format photography book has wonderful images of many animals, from insects to grizzly bears.
The photographs include some close-ups and all open your eyes to the variety of textures and the detail of each animal. You can stare at some photographs for a long time, just taking in the detail.
From the quills of a porcupine to the toes of an elephant, this will have you taking a new look at each animal included.

Interesting Issues Raised

Finished June 3
Black & White by Dani Shapiro
Clara hasn't seen her mother in fourteen years when she left home at eighteen. Her mother Ruth is a famous photographer, most famous for a series she did of Clara. The series covered Clara from the age of 3 to 14, all of them naked. Clara has stayed in touch with her older sister Robin, who lives in New York City with her husband and three children and who has become a lawyer like their father. When Robin calls Clara to tell her Ruth is ill and Robin can't cope, Clara goes to New York and visits with her mother. Ruth is much more ill than Clara had expected, dying of lung cancer, but the issue of the photographs is still between them, and Clara still hasn't dealt with her feelings of hurt around them. As Clara, along with her husband and daughter deal with Ruth's dying they must also deal with the issue of the photographs.
Very interesting issue around the photographs and the rights of the mother and artist as opposed to those of Clara. We see the history of the photos, the public image and reactions, and the family dynamics around it all. There is a lot going on here emotionally to keep the reader interested.
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