"In human terms, the construction of a large cathedral mound by a termite colony is equivalent to a million, blind-folded people joining forces to build a skyscraper covering eight city blocks and towering over a mile into the sky"
Thursday, March 8, 2012
More February Books
I have 2 more to add to my February reading list -
I bought this in Sydney at the Kinokuniya shop that I mentioned here - I devoured it almost immediately. I didn't realise until I started reading that I have read his "A Pound of Paper" which I loved. This book is about living in Paris, walking around it, experiencing the unseen, being surprised at how others see your city. The author is talked into becoming a walking tour guide, as he knows so many stories about literary figures and what they did where. Really great stuff.
I bought this in Kakadu last week and read it straight away. Since I saw my first termite mound 17 years ago on a long camping trip through the Top End, I have been fascinated by these structures. This book is basic, but there are lots of good pictures and some interesting facts about termites, such as the fact that they are not ants, but a relative of the cockroach, and that they play a very important role in the ecosystem. I was told many years ago (by a dodgy tour guide) that the structure above ground is just a small proportion of what is below ground, but I can't verify that - in fact, this book says that there are above ground builders and below ground builders. Either way, what they achieve is amazing - this quote puts it in perspective -
"In human terms, the construction of a large cathedral mound by a termite colony is equivalent to a million, blind-folded people joining forces to build a skyscraper covering eight city blocks and towering over a mile into the sky"
"In human terms, the construction of a large cathedral mound by a termite colony is equivalent to a million, blind-folded people joining forces to build a skyscraper covering eight city blocks and towering over a mile into the sky"
