High Line is one of the most popular parks in New York and it almost didn't happen. Originally it was an elevated railway, built to relieve congestion and accidents on the street below. When it was no longer needed, it fell into disrepair and was slated to be torn down. Two young men (the authors) saw something more and started the long and often exasperating task of making it into the park it is today. High Line: the Inside Story of New York City's Park in the Sky, by Joshua David and Robert Hammond is their story. Probably showing my age here, it's a 'power to the people' sort of read! :-)

Animals are much smarter than many people think. Read all about that in Tamed & Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind by Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. Just a wonderful collection by two authors who know their stuff. Why do some animals all face different directions when they sleep (including with humans)? Learn how to safely feed deer in the winter. Don't miss the chapter on Water Bears, a creature who has been around for 500 million years.

Most folks hate starlings, including serious bird watchers. And yet, Shakespeare had one as a pet, as did Mozart. This inspired author Lyanda Lynn Haupt to rescue and raise her own pet starling, do some serious research on the one that belonged to the composer, and write Mozart's Starling. There's a lot of natural history about starlings, too. I'm one of those who has bad experiences with these birds over the years so was not expecting to find much to like ... I was wrong! These are very interesting birds! They are still a problem in many areas, but it was fun to learn so much about them.

Reading Hermit With Dog