Beaverland

Starred review from October 3, 2022
Philip (A Family Place: A Hudson Valley Farm, Three Centuries, Five Wars, One Family), a professor in the English department at the College of the Holy Cross, offers an enthralling history of beavers and their impact on the United States. As she writes, “wherever we lived, whether it was in a city or a town, the suburbs or a rural location, chances were beavers were already at work somewhere—managing, cleansing, and restoring the water and biodiversity of that place.” The animals play a consequential role in the environment, as their dams “create new habitat for hundreds of animal species that rely on those new waterways,” and were also significant in the development of the economy: in the 18th-century, Johann Jacob Astor became America’s first multimillionaire and “ignited the first great engines of American capitalism” after landing the country’s first trade monopoly for his American Fur Company, which dealt in beaver pelts. Philip’s vivid narrative is enriched by Native American legend (she relays the “Algonquian deep time saga of Ktsi Amiskw, the Great Beaver”), entertaining accounts of beaver devotees (including one woman who, in the 1930s, shared her farmhouse with 14 beavers), and sharp prose: “They groom their lustrous fur with catlike fastidiousness.” The result is a triumph of popular nature writing.

October 15, 2022
A close look at furry ecosystem engineers. Describing herself as a "self-trained American naturalist," Philip shares her fascination with beavers, the "wonderfully weird" animal architects that are notably odd-looking: "part bear, part bird, part monkey, part lizard, humanoid hands, an aquatic tail." Among the numerous factoids she shares with readers: "beavers never walked backwards; they ate their food twice; they could not doggy paddle; they had ever-growing orange teeth" with which to gnaw woody plants. Although their dams create homes for fish, beavers are herbivores. In prehistoric times, beavers as large as grizzly bears spread across Asia, Europe, and North America. An estimated 60 million to 400 million inhabited North America "prior to European contact," figuring importantly in the myths, rituals, and even medicine of Native Americans. When Europeans arrived, beaver fur quickly became a coveted article of commerce. John Jacob Astor grew rich from trading in pelts, which supplied the beaver-hat industry. Philip reports in detail on her travels to beaver habitations in northern Connecticut, the White Mountains, and along the Eastern seacoast, talking to environmentalists and researchers along the way. She visited with a professional trapper who works to prevent overpopulation and potential starvation in beaver lodges. She attended a fur auction, where beaver skins were among the pelts of other wild animals, including coyotes and bobcats. In the southern Adirondacks, she searched for the beaver sanctuary created by Dorothy Richards, who lived with 14 beavers in her home. Neighbors thought the "beaver lady" was "nutty." Most interesting is what Philip learned about beavers' contribution to environmental restoration. Dams are only one piece of their intricate and "incredibly dynamic" waterways. Without beavers, wetlands dry up, and "the very shape and function of riverine systems" are affected. Even a relatively small population of beavers can cause major rehabilitation, leading environmentalists to look to the animals as essential contributors to a thriving planet. A spirited, informative historical and environmental investigation.

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December 1, 2022

Award-winning author Philip (A Family Place) explores the multitude of impacts that beavers have on America's history, ecosystem, and culture in this entertaining, thought-provoking book. From their role in western expansion and the fur trade, to the architecture and impact of beaver dams on waterways and biodiversity, Philip reflects on the beaver's significance in American history as she meets with memorable people invested in their futures. Philip successfully distills the many complex worlds that beavers inhabit into both a compelling wildlife portrait and ethnography. She interrogates these different worlds with humor and compassion. The book balances storytelling, history, and science in an accessible way that will appeal widely to fans of history and ecology. It is effectively grounded in Indigenous wisdom and infused with curiosity and a personal narrative that will help readers gain a new respect for these dynamic creatures. Those interested in further reading about beavers may also enjoy Derek Gow's Bringing Back the Beaver: The Story of One Man's Quest To Rewild Britain's Waterways. VERDICT A fascinating and unexpected exploration that gives beavers a deserved spotlight.--Kate Bellody

Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2022
Traversing wooded landscapes near waterways, hikers may encounter clusters of branches blocking, diverting, and ultimately reshaping surrounding areas. Although they may not witness the remarkable engineers at work, it's likely these dams are beaver-built. Instinctual team players, beavers are unique, semiaquatic mammalian marvels and occupy an important place in America's history and culture. Guggenheim fellow and Boston Globe columnist Philip explores the beaver's cultural influences throughout the land's history. Long prized by First Peoples, then nearly trapped to extinction by fur traders, beavers are now protected in many areas by state laws and closely studied by scientists and environmentalists. Philip's coverage of beaver behavior, habits, and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems is instructive. Yet her narrative goes beyond biology as she delves into the ways beavers shape water, land, and community in America. Simultaneously, Philip chronicles her own journeys, alongside experts, searching for and observing beavers in the wild. Beaverland pairs nicely with {pid ID=9531543}}Eager (2018) by Ben Goldfard and Water Always Wins (2022) by Erica Gies.

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