Sailing with Noah: Stories from the World of Zoos Book

This was a really, really well-done book that not only tells a number of fun and interesting stories about encounters with animals (what I thought I would be getting), but also lays out in compelling ways the value, worth, and importance of zoos in our communities and our world. Bonner has a wide perspective that allows him to tell both the world-wide story of animals and conservation, and the up close and personal view of individual animals and keepers under his care. It makes for a great mix.

My only (mild) gripe with the book is that for a book written in 2005, I thought that there was a veeeeery subtle undertone of "this guy sure lives in a male-dominated worldview." Clearly he respects women and has capable and competent women in his life, don't get me wrong. But there were just little hints, here and there, that made me cock my head and think, "What?" For example, the 12-man crew that he explained had four women in it and someone who "manned the table" (an editor should have changed that to "staffed the table"). But even more, Bonner described a woman who "thinks herself the equal of any man." The simple use of the word "thinks" instead of "knows" implies that this is all in her head, and not reality. It's small, but it reflects something. And another woman who he described as a "statuesque blond." Not once did he describe the physical attributes or hair color of any men in the book, except once when the physical size of a keeper was relevant to a story because the fact that he was tall and wide, and his size made him both larger than the bear that attacked him and that he blocked the doorway so the second keeper couldn't get by to help. (See how description was relevant there?)

But again, though my description of my gender observations takes quite a few words, let me reiterate that this is a wonderful book. It teaches about zoos, conservation, wildlife, and the role we can all play, through these wonderful community organizations, in maintaining the diversity of our planet. I highly recommend it.