Publishers Weekly
07/22/2024
In this lyrical account, nature writer Henion (Phenomenal) spotlights the nocturnal wildlife she’s observed around her home in western North Carolina. Explaining that spotted salamanders live underground except for a few nights each spring when they emerge to mate, Henion recounts assisting a college biology class transport salamanders across a road that cut the amphibians off from their breeding grounds. Humans benefit when they live in harmony with nature, she contends, discussing how she planted trees and put up “bat houses” (slender bird boxes) to shield bats from light pollution and habitat loss while they, in turn, stemmed the proliferation of mosquitos and the pathogens they carry. Elsewhere, she discusses attending a moth-watching festival, hunting for bioluminescent fungi, and watching jasmine tobacco’s nocturnal blooms. The science intrigues (“Moth scales resonate at frequencies almost perfectly matched” to bats’ echolocating calls, “muffling echoes that might have otherwise revealed” the moth’s location), but Henion’s greatest gift is her ability to evoke the sense of wonder that follows from tuning in to the natural world: “Slowly, entire constellations of fireflies rise from the coal-black earth around me, twinkling with oxygen. I attempt to align with their rhythm: Inhale, light. Exhale, dark. We are breathing, in sync, on this complicated planet.” This will fill readers with awe. Agent: Heather Carr, Friedrich Agency. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"A dazzling reminder of what it means to take stock of our planet's night wisdom, and a prescient reminder to let your vision ripen at night. And if you do—you'll understand why we need more evenings full of foxfire and ‘mothapaloozas.’ In this vivid book, Henion renders our night world with profound care and discovery. Prepare to be enchanted. Prepare to love the darkness.” —Aimee Nezhukumatathil, New York Times bestselling author of World of Wonders
“Night Magic is an illuminating exploration of the dark. Beautifully written, often moving, and full of wonder.” —Richard Louv, international bestselling author of Last Child in the Woods and Our Wild Calling
"Leigh Ann Henion has illuminated the natural treasures that live by night. Moths, fireflies, owls, and much more are brought to attention in these pages with the hope that we can put aside our fear of the dark and experience what happens during a full half of our stay on earth. Night Magic is a beautiful journey."
—Douglas W. Tallamy, New York Times bestselling author of Nature’s Best Hope and Bringing Nature Home
“A thrilling exploration of a world that waits for us behind the lights.” —Tristan Gooley, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs and How to Read a Tree
“Brilliant. Leigh Ann Henion is an inspiring and wise guide not only to the biological marvels of night, but also to the communities of people who celebrate and protect the rich life of the dark. Beyond fear of the dark is wonder, vividly evoked in these pages.”—David George Haskell, author of Sounds Wild and Broken, The Songs of Trees, and The Forest Unseen
Praise for Phenomenal: “What a cool and fascinating ride. Leigh Ann Henion has tackled one of the great questions of contemporary, intelligent, adventurous women: Is it possible to be a wife and mother and still explore the world? Her answer seems to be that this is not only possible, but essential. This story shows how. I think it will open doors for many.” — Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love "A moving and original memoir about the search for transcendence in moments both large and small." — Jenny Offill, author of Dept. of Speculation “Leigh Ann Henion’s exhilarating book (and life!) is everything the title suggests and more. Reading Phenomenal will give you courage—courage to explore the world we live in, and further, courage to explore your self. With moments of breath-stealing beauty, wild intelligence, and unrelenting honesty, Phenomenal is a true gift for everyone who’s ever been curious.” — Ruth Ozeki, author of The Book of Form and Emptiness——
"The science intrigues...but Henion’s greatest gift is her ability to evoke the sense of wonder that follows from tuning in to the natural world. This will fill readers with awe." —Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2024-06-11
A lyrical, fascinating story about exploring the secret world of darkness and the remarkable creatures within it.
In today’s hectic, digitally focused world, writes Henion, we have become too used to an excess of illumination: the unblinking screen, the persistent streetlight, the overbright room. Furthermore, we have lost a sense of the presence of darkness and an understanding of what happens there. The author explored this idea in her 2016 bookPhenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer’s Search for Wonder in the Natural World, but in her latest, she dives deeply into a world that is unknown to most readers. She begins with fireflies, which are plentiful in the mountains of North Carolina, where she lives, as well as glowworms and night-traveling salamanders. She chronicles her travels through her area and further afield, encountering guides and naturalists who are studying nighttime creatures. The animals and birds that come out at night can be difficult to spot, but Henion finds that her eyes and spirit can slowly adapt to the darker, more natural world. She also describes the plants that bloom under the moonlight, often with strange structures and rich perfume to attract moths and insects. In a striking chapter, the author examines the luminous fungi known as foxfire, which has a beauty all its own. She recounts her experience of making fire from natural materials as evening gathered and how she felt connected to the long line of humanity. There is a sense of renewal throughout, and she realizes the importance of occasionally escaping from the world of unrelenting, artificial light: “It is only by the power of light and the grace of darkness that we’re able to rest and rise, then rest and rise again.”
Henion writes with poetic grace, blending her journey of discovery with the natural wonders in our own backyards.
