Synopsis
Bedridden with a neurological disorder, the author recounts the effect on her life of a gift of a snail in a potted plant and shares the lessons learned from her new companion about the meaning of her life and the life of the small creature.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
If rapt attention is a kind of prayer, then this is a prayerful book. Bailey pays homage to splendors small and humble enough to fit inside a terrarium." --Scott Russell Sanders
In a work that beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature, Elisabeth Bailey shares an inspiring and intimate story of her encounter with a Neohelix albolabris-- a common woodland snail. While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches the wild snail that has taken up residence on her nightstand. As a result, she discovers the solace and sense of wonder that this mysterious creature brings and comes to a greater understanding of her own confined place in the world.
Intrigued by the snail's molluscan anatomy, cryptic defenses, clear decision making, hydraulic locomotion, and mysterious courtship activities, Bailey becomes an astute and amused observer, offering a candid and engaging look into the curious life of this underappreciated small animal. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is a remarkable journey of survival and resilience, showing us how a small part of the natural world illuminates our own human existence and provides an appreciation of what it means to be fully alive.
From the Back Cover
Backcover excerpt from The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating: "Each evening the snail awoke and, with an astonishing amount of poise, moved gracefully to the rim of the pot and peered over, surveying, once again, the strange country that lay ahead. Pondering its circumstance with a regal air, as if from the turret of a castle, it waved its tentacles first this way and then that, as though responding to a distant melody."
Backcover blurbs:
"As I read Bailey's description of how her snail moved, ate, slept, and reproduced, I felt myself shrinking and shrinking, like Alice in Wonderland, until I was snail-size myself." --Anne Fadiman
"I love [The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating ] with all my heart . . . It's moving and beautiful . . . funny and sweet and wise and profound." --Jane Hamilton
"With warmth and intelligence, Bailey observes this little mollusk at her bedside. Readers will find her mental journey remarkable and her courage irresistible. I am very taken with this small book." --Maxine Kumin
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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating (Center Point Platinum Nonfiction)
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00101231456
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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Unknown. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1611730201I4N10
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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Seller: Bay State Book Company, North Smithfield, RI, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: good. The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing. Seller Inventory # BSM.14V5I
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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Seller: 3Brothers Bookstore, Egg harbor township, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: very_good. Cover may have light wear, pages in very good condition and binding is sturdy; may have other light shelf wear or creases. May have notes or highlighting. Seller Inventory # EVV.1611730201.VG
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The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating
Seller: Ezekial Books, LLC, Manchester, NH, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
library. Condition: Good. Former Library Copy. Seller Inventory # mon0000007257