The Feathered Forest by Marina Richie

 

Feathered Forest: Aloft with Birds in Ancient Trees

Marina Richie

ISBN 9781645022954

Marina Richie, author of Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, examines the birds of Cascadia, where she lives.  The Marbled Murrelet is possibly the most mysterious of all the bird species she covers. 

The Marbled Murrelet is a seabird that nests in trees, a fact that was unknown until the 1970s. Richie blends ornithology, conservation, and refugia with personal memories of growing up in wild spaces. 

The daughter of two scientists, Richie often lived in or near National Parks, a fact that clearly inspired her work in conservation and nature writing.  Throughout the book, Richie develops an extended analogy between birds and forests, linking the forests’ overstory, midstory, and understory to layers of bird plumage. 

Just as a bird regrows feathers after its molt, the forest has its own way of renewing itself. Forest fires, both natural and man-made, attract new life--fire beetles and woodpeckers. Richie writes about the natural world’s complexity in a way that inspires and comforts, offering hope even as she discusses difficult environmental truths, e.g., declining natural habitats.

Review of The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson, who frequently writes about male scientists and business leaders, devotes an entire biography to female scientist and Nobel prize winner, Jennifer Doudna.  Though Isaacson has often written about great men, e.g., Leonardo Da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Steve Jobs, he dramatically changes course in 2021. 

With the publication of Code Breaker, Isaacson focuses, for the first time, on a female innovator and businesswoman, Jennifer Doudna, the co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2020.

Isaacson's portrait of Doudna, who co-created CRISPR is balanced and nuanced. Isaacson describes the career difficulties she faced, her competitive drive, and judiciously considers the claims of her detractors. 

According to Isaacson, there have been three revolutionary discoveries--the discovery of the atom, the bit, and the gene--that were watershed discoveries. 

The discovery of the atom in the beginning of the twentieth century led to many inventions, including the atomic bomb. The digital age ensued from the discovery that a "bit" that could encode information. Lastly, the discovery of the gene led to the knowledge of the genetic code. 

Isaacson captures details about her early life that prefigures her future success. He explains that Doudna became inspired to study science not only because she explored Hawaii's wildlife but also because of a seminal work, The Double Helix by Francis Crick. Doudna's father left the book on his daughter's bed when she was a pre-teen because he knew it would fascinate her. 

Ignoring a school counselor's misgivings, Doudna majored in chemistry at Pomona College. From there, Isaacson takes readers on Doudna's intellectual journey--her early successes and triumphs--while also revealing her competitive spirit. 

Doudna's first husband did not share her drive and that ultimately led to their breakup. Her second husband shared her enthusiasm for RNA--a molecule that would become her primary focus. While other scientists were content to read the genetic code, Doudna wanted to edit it using RNA. 

To be fair, Isaacson has long recognized the accomplishments of women. His book, The Innovators, for instance, warmly commends Ava Lovelace and Grace Hopper. Code Breaker is, however, the first time Isaacson focuses exclusively on a female innovator.