The story of how one wild snail (and one of its 118 offspring) came to the aid of Elisabeth Tova Bailey as she recovered from a devastating illness. A friend dug up some violets and found a small snail, thinking Elisabeth would enjoy them both. A strange gift, but it inspired this remarkable meditation on illness and separation from the outside world. Watching the snail, first in its plant pot and then in a terrarium gave the author a focus when she could do little but lie in bed, her observations leading her into exploring the daily life of the snail, its evolution and history.
'Fabulous, a triumph, and it will remain a favourite forever.' CHRIS PACKHAM 'A miniature masterpiece.'THE INDEPENDENT 'Charming and absorbing.' THE TIMES In celebration of its fifteen year anniversary, and including a new foreword by Helen Macdonald, this multi-award winning account of a close encounter with nature will delight readers everywhere.
While an illness keeps her bedridden, Elisabeth Tova Bailey watches a wild snail that has taken up residence in a flowerpot alongside her bed. She enters the rhythm of life of this mysterious creature, and comes to a greater understanding of her own confined place in the world. In a work that beautifully demonstrates the rewards of closely observing nature, she shares the inspiring and intimate story of her connection with Neohelix albolabris - a common woodland snail.
Intrigued by the snail's world - from its strange anatomy to its mysterious courtship activities - she becomes a fascinated and amused observer of the snail's curious life. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating reveals how much of the natural world we overlook in our busy daily lives, while affirming the extraordinary life of even the tiniest of species.
A remarkable journey of survival and resilience, this beautiful book shows how a small part of the natural world can illuminate our own human existence and deepen our appreciation of what it means to be fully alive.
'A charming, delicate meditation on the meaning of life' Kirkus Review.
'Beautiful' Edward O. Wilson, author of The Diversity of Life.
'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, author of A Map of the World
Author
About Elisabeth Tova Bailey
Elisabeth Tova Bailey’s essays and short stories have been published in the Missouri Review, Northwest Review and the Sycamore Review, and she has received several Pushcart Prize nominations. She lives in Maine.
