From National Book Award finalist for The Soul of an Octopus and
New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery comes an ode to one of the
most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet: turtles.
With elegance, journalistic curiosity, and gorgeous artwork, this
nonfiction investigation speaks to the wonder and wisdom of our
long-lived cohabitants, who reveal to us astonishing new perspectives on
time and healing.
When acclaimed naturalist Sy Montgomery and wildlife artist Matt
Patterson arrive at Turtle Rescue League, they are greeted by hundreds
of turtles recovering from injury and illness. Endangered by cars and
highways, pollution and poachers, these turtles--with wounds so severe
that even veterinarians would have dismissed them as fatal--are given a
second chance at life. The League's founders, Natasha and Alexxia, live
by one motto: Never give up on a turtle.
But why turtles? What is it about them that inspires such devotion?
Ancient and unhurried, long-lived and majestic, their lineage stretches
back to the time of the dinosaurs. Some live to two hundred years, or
longer. Others spend months buried under cold winter water. Montgomery
turns to these little understood yet endlessly surprising creatures to
probe the eternal question: How can we make peace with our time?
In pursuit of the answer, Sy and Matt immerse themselves in the delicate
work of protecting turtle nests, incubating eggs, rescuing sea turtles,
and releasing hatchlings to their homes in the wild. We follow the
snapping turtle Fire Chief on his astonishing journey as he battles
against injuries incurred by a truck.
Hopeful and optimistic, Of Time and Turtles is an antidote to the
instability of our frenzied world. Elegantly blending science, memoir,
philosophy, and drawing on cultures from across the globe, this
compassionate portrait of injured turtles and their determined rescuers
invites us all to slow down and slip into turtle time.
