CLOSURE: Central Library will be closed Tuesday, July 21, through Saturday, July 25, while emergency repairs are made to the building’s cooling system. We expect to reopen Monday, July 27. Click for more details on holds, program schedules, and returns during the closure. 

Notice of Public Meeting: Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Central Library/Van Deusen Room. The packet of information for the meeting can be found on the library’s website. 

eAudiobook hoopla Instant

A Valedictory Bestiary

Year

2025

Language

ENGLISH

Duration

7h 52m

Publication Information

Austin Macauley Publishers

Summary

This anthology of eleven stirring tales, composed in melodic rhyming couplets, sweeps readers into a realm where myth intertwines with romance across diverse landscapes: from the Peruvian Amazon to the plains of Africa, the vastness of the Pacific to the spiritual heights of Tibet. Each narrative celebrates the wild, noble beasts that champion the cause of their land: wolves liberating Athens, pumas safeguarding the Amazon, bears emancipating prisoners in wartime Germany, and more. These creatures not only symbolize the spirit of their homelands but also the myths and history embedded within, now imperilled by relentless modernization. Scotts weaves a poetic tapestry reminiscent of Coleridges Ancient Mariner, Kiplings Just So Stories, and the adventurous spirit of Patrick Leigh Fermor, all while channelling Mary Pope Osbornes fascination with myth. Its a literary mosaic, unparalleled in ambition, which speaks eloquently to the urgency of preserving our worlds cultural and ecological richness. The stories, though they grapple with themes of loss and environmental decay, also ignite hope for spiritual rebirth and the triumph of natures indomitable heart.

Subjects