Following the trails of Hawai‘i’s snails to explore the simultaneously biological and cultural significance of extinction.
In this time of extinctions, the humble snail rarely gets a mention. And yet snails are disappearing faster than any other species. In A World in a Shell, Thom van Dooren offers a collection of snail stories from Hawai‘i—once home to more than 750 species of land snails, almost two-thirds of which are now gone. Following snail trails through forests, laboratories, museums, and even a military training facility, and meeting with scientists and Native Hawaiians, van Dooren explores ongoing processes of ecological and cultural loss as they are woven through with possibilities for hope, care, mourning, and resilience.
Van Dooren recounts the fascinating history of snail decline in the Hawaiian Islands: from deforestation for agriculture, timber, and more, through the nineteenth century shell collecting mania of missionary settlers, and on to the contemporary impacts of introduced predators. Along the way he asks how both snail loss and conservation efforts have been tangled up with larger processes of colonization, militarization, and globalization. These snail stories provide a potent window into ongoing global process of environmental and cultural change, including the largely unnoticed disappearance of countless snails, insects, and other less charismatic species. Ultimately, van Dooren seeks to cultivate a sense of wonder and appreciation for our damaged planet, revealing the world of possibilities and relationships that lies coiled within a snail’s shell.
A World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions is a layman accessible examination of the impact of invasive species, loss of habitat, and climate change told through the lens of the snails of Hawaii, written and presented by Dr. Thom van Dooren. Released 13th Sept 2022 by MIT Press, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
Although written in language that an average reader can easily access and understand, this is a meticulously researched and annotated book. The chapter notes and bibliography alone are quite honestly worth the price of admission. Additionally, the book itself is very well written and interesting (and quite sobering). The ecosystem is changing and is poised on a knife edge. Habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species have all contributed to a bleak present-day. Much of the book describes academic discussions not about *what* is happening, so much as *why* species are failing to thrive or disappearing altogether. Scientists universally acknowledge what is going on but research is still out as to what can potentially be done to counteract or mitigate some of the effects.
It's a sobering, but ultimately very interesting book. Highly recommended for fans of nature writing. There are so few new books on terrestrial gastropods that any new addition to the malacological literature is an event.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
