Sub-title: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell
This was a lovely two-themed story. The primary tale is about rescuing and caring for turtles - turtles of all kinds and all sizes, rescued from roadways and eroding beaches and neglectful owners. Parallel to this is a reflective account of adopting a slower, more deliberate pace—what the author refers to as living "on turtle time"—during the challenging years of the pandemic. It's a gentle, contemplative read that made me recall those two years of the pandemic that I'd blocked from my mind like many of us seem to have done.
From Wikipedia: In the United States, there have been 103,436,829[3] confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 1,215,005[3] confirmed deaths, the most of any country, and the 17th highest per capita worldwide
The book blends science, memoir, and philosophy and includes artwork and photographs that bring the turtles to life. This compassionate portrait of injured turtles and their dedicated rescuers invites readers to slow down and immerse themselves in "turtle time," providing a fresh perspective on time and healing.
Quotes:
"...the paradox of the 2020 pandemic, a year so momentous also seems, in a way, as if nothing happened at all. Facing the uncertainties of a mysterious killer virus, political chaos, environmental catastrophe and racial unrest creates a state of chronic stress so severe, it interferes with the brain's ability to form memories- a brain fog."
"To be able to help a cherished elder incites a different kind of satisfaction. ... to aid an old one, in it's fulfillment, is a benediction."
"Humans.. are notoriously bad at correctly perceiving the passage of time. Most people can accurately keep track of time for only 5 seconds. Signals from the feet take longer to reach the brain than signals from the lips. We are all, therefore, living slightly in the past."
Published: 2023 Read: February 2025 Genre: Science
