National Book Award finalist for The Soul of an Octopus and New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery turns her journalistic curiosity to the wonder and wisdom of our long-lived cohabitants—turtles—and through their stories of hope and rescue, reveals 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.
Supplemental Enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
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“[Montgomery's] voice is suffused with warmth and awe and compassion that just sweep the listener right along…Montgomery’s pacing and enthusiasm make for a beautiful performance. Be prepared to lose your heart to the turtles just as Montgomery has.”
— AudioFile
“Reveal[s] turtles to be perfect conduits for meditations on aging, disability, and chosen family.”
— Scientific American“An entrancing storyteller who illuminates facts and feelings with sterling precision.”
— Booklist (starred review)“A celebration of a magnificent animal…melding science and memoir.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Expertly demonstrates the advantage that the slowed-down lives of turtles can have on humans.”
— Library Journal“Chronic underestimation is all we seem to bestow on reptiles, especially the slow kind. But as Sy Montgomery makes clear, an animal doesn’t need to be fast to fascinating.”
— Frans de Waal, New York Times bestselling author“Sy Montgomery shows us in magnificent and essential ways how much we are connected, even with the most unlikely of animals.”
— Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders“A book of miracles, both human and chelonian. We are all lucky to share this earth with turtles, and with Sy Montgomery.”
— Sabrina Imbler, author of How Far the Light ReachesBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and author of twenty acclaimed books of nonfiction for adults and children, including the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus and two New York Times bestsellers, How to Be a Good Creature and Of Time and Turtles. She has received numerous honors, including lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society and the New England Booksellers Association.