Worm
Kevin ButtAn insight into the mysterious world of the remarkable, but often underrated worm.
Worms are remarkable but often underrated creatures. Exploring their roles from gardener’s friend to toothache culprit, this book offers an insight into the mysterious world of worms. The reader is introduced to all manner of ‘worms’, even though many only superficially resemble the limbless, sinuous archetype. There is discussion of worms as internal parasites, soil dwellers and aquatic forms, and an examination of worms in literature and mythology, showing how humans and worms have an intimate and closely entwined history – throughout the ages, worms have been portrayed as benign, even beautiful, yet at other times spitefully ostracized as deadly creatures. This richly illustrated book looks at the microscopic and the very large indeed, asking what the future holds for both human- and worm-kind.
An insight into the mysterious world of the remarkable, but often underrated worm.
Worms are remarkable but often underrated creatures. Exploring their roles from gardener’s friend to toothache culprit, this book offers an insight into the mysterious world of worms. The reader is introduced to all manner of ‘worms’, even though many only superficially resemble the limbless, sinuous archetype. There is discussion of worms as internal parasites, soil dwellers and aquatic forms, and an examination of worms in literature and mythology, showing how humans and worms have an intimate and closely entwined history – throughout the ages, worms have been portrayed as benign, even beautiful, yet at other times spitefully ostracized as deadly creatures. This richly illustrated book looks at the microscopic and the very large indeed, asking what the future holds for both human- and worm-kind.
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This book has the basis of more than 35 years of scientific research by the author into earthworm ecology but is much more than that. As the title suggests, it covers all things worm-related . . . The whole book is an insight into the mysterious world of the remarkable but often underrated worm.
'Earth Society of Britain newsletter
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Kevin Butt explains wormy life-cycles and delves deep into the soil of popular culture for all kinds of horrific and cuddly worm imagery. Worm should become a landmark text in popular vermicology.
'Lection
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This wonderful book, a recent addition to Reaktion Books’ Animal series, covers every aspect of the "intimate and closely entwined history between humans and worms that is both physical and cultural."
'OxVeg News
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From Shakespearean metaphor to nematodes in space and the virtues of earthworm pâté, this book is practically wriggling with fascinating information!
'Frank Ashwood, soil ecologist
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Read this book to appreciate the diversity, importance and allure of these earthly creatures.
'Olaf Schmidt, Professor, University College Dublin
1 Introducing the Worm
2 People’s Interactions and Perceptions
3 Darwin’s Plough
4 Aside from Science
5 Lumbricus terrestris – (Not Such) a Common Earthworm
6 The Future of Worms and Humans
Appendix: Phrases and Words Referring to Worms
Timeline
References
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
Kevin Butt is Reader in Ecology at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. He has published widely in the field of environmental science, soil ecology and soil restoration.