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Book SynopsisWorld Literature Today Editor's Pick "Enchanting...The Poetic Species is a wonderful read in its entirety, short yet infinitely simulating." --MARIA POPOVA, Brain Pickings In this shimmering conversation (the outgrowth of an event co-sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and Poets House), Edward O. Wilson, renowned scientist and proponent of "consilience" or the unity of knowledge, finds an ardent interlocutor in Robert Hass, whose credo as United States poet laureate was "imagination makes communities." As they explore the many ways that poetry and science enhance each other, they travel from anthills to ancient Egypt and to the heights and depths of human potential. A testament to how science and the arts can join forces to educate and inspire, this book is also a passionate plea for conservation of all the planet's species. Edward O. Wilson, a biologist, naturalist, and bestselling author, has received more than 100 awards from around the world, including the Pulitzer Prize. A professor emeritus at Harvard University, he lives in Lexington, Massachusetts. Robert Hass' poetry is rooted in the landscapes of his native northern California. He has been awarded the MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship, the National Book Critics Circle Award (twice), the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Award. He is a professor of English at University of California-Berkeley.
Trade ReviewWorld Literature Today Editor's Pick "Enchanting... The Poetic Species is a wonderful read in its entirety, short yet infinitely simulating." --Brain Pickings "The principle of consilience, or the unity of knowledge, infuses this conversation between biologist E. O. Wilson and poet Robert Hass... The eminent duo explore echoes and parallels in their respective fields with eloquent concision, from Wilson's advice to poets ("Colonize science") to Hass's musings on the interplay of selfish gene and social imperative in imagination." --Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science "The Poetic Species explores the intersection of science and the arts in relation to the staggering environmental crisis the world is encountering. I am encouraged by this call to action by both scientific and literary communities and curious about the possible responses." --World Literature Today Editor's Pick citation "Every page offers something worth contemplating ... The Poetic Species is a fascinating foray into the ways we're connected to each other and the natural world--highly recommended reading." --Rosemary & Reading Glasses
