The Natural World, Past and Present

Last weekend I participated in about half of the 24 in 48 Readathon. (The second day I just couldn't get interested in reading for some reason so I only got 11 hours done.) The first two books I read were ones sitting on my non-fiction TBR that I wanted to be able to mark as read.

The first is one I just got this past Christmas -- Amazing Rare Things: The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery by David Attenborough, Susan Owens, Martin Clayton, and Rea Alexandratos. It focuses on five natural history artists--Leonardo da Vinci, Cassiano dal Pozzo, Alexander Marshal, Maria Sybilla Merian, and Mark Catesby--and their works that are now held in the Royal Collection. They each represent a period in time, from about 1470-1730.

I am intrigued by natural history artists and actually have five prints hanging over my tv (that are rotated in from a collection I have -- right now they are a squid, a crab, a pineapple, an octopus, and molluscs). It was interesting to read about the diverse backgrounds of each of these artists and about what inspired them to draw. This isn't a super comprehensive natural history art book but more a snapshot of the works of a few prolific pioneers.

Then I read Jane Goodall's 50 Years at Gombe, which has been on my shelves for a few years now (the 50 years was in 2010). If you are a Goodall fan, most of the information and history in the book will be a review but it's a nice collection of some of the National Geographic photographs that brought Jane to the world's attention and some more recent photos of the land and the current chimps. (I happen to own the original August 1963 Nat Geo that first featured the chimpanzees.) This book is great for a basic overview and a call to action. It lists many of the organizations that are supported by the Jane Goodall Institute and the ways for people all around the world to make a difference in the lives of the chimpanzees and the humans around them. I was extremely happy to hear that my best friend donated to the Institute this year instead of sending me Christmas presents. (I donated to the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary instead of shopping for her.)

Have you read any great nature/natural history books lately?

Returning to the roots,

K

Everyone Has the Right to Leap

I thought that today, Leap Day, would be the perfect day to feature a book recently released in English -- Right to Play by Jesse Goossens. Highlighting the international organization Right to Play, this book gives information about a few of the countries that this group works in and what their programs look like. It has some profiles of children and coaches and even gives instruction for some of the games played by kids around the world. Because of some intense content (there is mention of physical and sexual abuse, war, disease and death), this book would be better suited for older children but, I think more effectively, for parents and teachers who can then guide children through a learning experience.


From their website, here is their methodology --

Right To Play’s ultimate programming goal is this: Encouraging behaviour change. This complex process involves more than simple knowledge and awareness building. It involves adopting and maintaining behaviours and attitudes such as self-esteem, resisting peer pressure, problem-solving and building a capacity for communication.
Right To Play improves health, teaches basic life skills and helps children and youth to develop skills to resolve conflict peacefully in some of the most disadvantaged areas in the world. Role models, family, Coaches, teachers, peers and our Athlete Ambassadors all play an important role in helping people adopt new behaviors. Through sport and play, they learn about team work, co-operation and respect – the best values of sport.

Working for over a decade now, Right to Play believes exactly what its name says -- that every child has the right to play. They use play to help teach dignity, compassion and health in countries such as Mali, Palestine and Rwanda. They not only teach sports, board games and more, but also team with other organizations to vaccinate children and educate them about the diseases prevalent in their areas. To see this book full of smiling children, knowing that they are in countries full of child soldiers, eternal warfare and HIV/AIDS, is a testament to the success of this program. Working with boys and girls, both healthy and disabled, the symbol of the organization is a red football (soccer ball) with a strong message printed on it -- Look After Yourself, Look After One Another.

I did a Google search for recent news about the organization and found an article only 5 hours old about athletes at a university in Vermont who are earning money for Right to Play by staging the world's longest dodge ball game (40 to 45 hours long!). The National Lacrosse League is pairing with Right to Play to teach lacrosse and life skills to First Nation children in Canada. And here is a heart-warming story about a disabled girl in Pakistan whose life has been changed by Right to Play. I hadn't heard about Right to Play before now but I will definitely be more aware of them and their programs going forward. They are a force for positive change in the world!

If you're interested in learning more about this organization, want to get involved or to fundraise or donate, head to one of their national sites for more information -- USA, UK, Canada, Switzerland and The Netherlands. And by all means, look for a copy of this book!

Leaping with hope for a better world,
K