Science journalist Wendy Williams has spent her life outdoors, either on the back of a horse, on skis, or on her own two feet. She has spent a great deal of time in a variety of countries in Africa, walking in the fields and forests of Europe, and exploring North American mountain chains and prairies. She lives on Cape Cod in Massachusetts with her husband and her Border Collie Taff. She is the author of The Horse and The Language of Butterflies.
"[A] glorious and exuberant celebration of these biological flying
machines ... Williams takes us on a humorous and beautifully
crafted journey that explores both the nature of these curious and
highly intelligent insects and the eccentric individuals who
coveted them."
-The Washington Post
"[A] deeply personal and lyrical book that also provides meaningful
scientific insight . . . Nature-loving readers will surely share
the joy Williams takes in her subject in this admiring tribute to
the butterfly."
-Publishers Weekly
"This entertaining look at 'the world's favorite insect' tells
about butterflies' captivating beauty, and the ways these bugs have
fascinated people throughout history...[Williams'] enthusiasm is
convincing and contagious."
-Booklist, starred review
"A merry jaunt through the past, present, and future of butterfly
pop science...To keep the science and history accessible rather
than overwhelming, Williams wisely selects key characters,
transformational moments, and illustrative species...Williams paces
a geological event like an action movie, and her animated
storytelling skills, coupled with her orientation toward universal
themes like the nature of beauty, will appeal to a broad
audience....Expect this book to awaken the dormant butterfly
enthusiast within."
-Kirkus Reviews
"This fascinating book will be of interest to anyone who has ever
admired a butterfly, and to everyone who cares about preserving
these stunning creatures."
-Library Journal
"Informative, thought-provoking...Williams is a consummate
storyteller, and her narrative seamlessly integrates scientific
facts with vivid portraits of characters as colorful as the
butterflies that intrigue and inspire them."
-BookPage, starred review
"Williams digs deeply into the lives of both butterflies and
scientists...[her] treatment of the accumulation of knowledge about
butterflies through history-from Merian's journey to the current
state of biological knowledge-is informative and illuminating."
-Science Magazine
"Nobody hates butterflies. They bring pleasure and fascination to
everyone. Yet we know enormously little about them, even today.
What we do know has been assembled by Wendy Williams in The
Language of Butterflies; an unabashed fan, talking to unabashed
fanatics with credentials....[Williams] is a storyteller...The
Language of Butterflies is a pleasure to read."
-San Francisco Review of Books
"A book as colorful and varied as its titular subjects, from the
bestselling author of The Horse. It's a thoroughly engaging
mix of science, history, culture and personal narrative, as well as
a testament to the need to conserve our fluttering friends."
-Revelator
"Nobody hates butterflies. They bring pleasure and fascination to
everyone. Yet we know enormously little about them, even today.
What we do know has been assembled by Wendy Williams in The
Language of Butterflies; an unabashed fan, talking to unabashed
fanatics with credentials....[Williams] is a storyteller...The
Language of Butterflies is a pleasure to read."
-San Francisco Review of Books
"Combining humor and poetry, Wendy Williams explores both
butterflies and the people who love them...Humorist and poet though
she may be, you don't need to read Williams' author bio to know
she's really a journalist, because she has a clear, logical style
and a reporter's instinct for telling stories through the people.
One of the pleasures of the book is how gracefully Williams shifts
between mini-profiles of pioneering butterfly fans and experts, the
majority of whom are female or children or both...A charming, even
suspenseful tale."
-Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Enchanting...Williams explores how such tiny insects have
enraptured both scientists and novices and exposed a seemingly
endless human desire for beauty."
-Chicago Review of Books
"Fascinating...Groundbreaking...Coupled with years of research and
knowledge gained from experts in the field, this accessible
"butterfly biography" explores the ancient partnership between
these special creatures and humans, and why they continue to
fascinate us today. Touching, eye-opening, and incredibly profound,
The Language of Butterflies reveals the critical role they play in
our world."
-The Birdbooker Report
"In this fascinating book, Wendy Williams not only lovingly relates
the variety and natural history of butterflies around the world,
but also shares with readers the weird and wonderful stories of the
people who have chased, studied, and explained butterflies over the
centuries."
-Christian Science Monitor
"This is science writing as its best; Williams is a first-rate
journalist who spends time in the lab and in the field (including
visits to Nature Conservancy projects)...An entertaining narrative
filled with quirky characters, science history and, of course,
plenty of butterflies."
-Cool Green Science
"Butterflies are even more fascinating than they are beautiful.
Wendy Williams' reporting on these otherworldly insects stuns on
every page. Read this book and you'll metamorphose into an even
greater fan of these amazing animals. I loved this book!"
-Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus
"Enthralling and revelatory. Williams is a masterful storyteller.
The tales she weaves here not only illuminate the intricate beauty
and astonishing intelligence of butterflies, but the consuming
passions of the scientists and collectors who have fallen under
their spell. I loved this book. It changed the way I see these
mesmerizing insects--and the natural world."
-Jennifer Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The
Genius of Birds and The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk,
Work, Play, Parent, and Think
"The butterfly's life cycle has always symbolized transformation.
In this awe-inspiring book, Williams shows us how these animals can
also transform whole ecosystems, scientific disciplines and human
hearts."
-Abigail Tucker, New York Times bestselling author of The
Lion in the Living Room
"William's tale skips and hovers as lightly as the insects that
fascinate her, revealing how very little we knew about them until a
young German woman in the 17th century did what no one else had
done-watch them. It's what we all should learn to do, if we are to
save and protect these fragile beings who as pollinators help feed
us and who give us the simple joy of delight as they flutter by
like colored petals on a breeze. A must read for all."
-Virginia Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of
Animal Wise
"Look closely at a butterfly wing and the colors glow with tiny,
luminous scales. Wendy Williams' book is the same - a focused
examination filled with unexpected marvels. Written with wit and
wonder, The Language of Butterflies is a worthy celebration of one
of nature's most dazzling subjects."
-Dr. Thor Hanson, author of Buzz: The Nature and Necessity
of Bees
"The Language of Butterflies enchanted me from the from the very
first page. Woven through with curious wonderings about butterflies
and Williams' journey of understanding, this is the best book on
natural history I have read in years."
- Pat Shipman, author of The Invaders
"The Language of Butterflies introduces us to an array of
fascinating people who help tease out delightful insights into
lepidopteran biology and evolution. This is a wonderful read."
-Dr. David Suzuki, author of The Sacred Balance and founder
of the David Suzuki
Foundation
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