A World of Turtles: A Literary Celebration

We have always loved turtles, and we have often suspected them of loving us. A World of Turtles, which gathers literary sightings of turtles over many times and many cultures, celebrates the long-standing place of these creatures in the human imagination. All through our history we have attributed greatly anthropomorphic values to turtles—as this anthology will confirm. Wise, droll, bright, wary, dependable, serious, and shrewd come to mind, but also, somehow, noble, steadfast, loving. Turtles are constant symbols of strength, patience, endurance, and long life. Yet, for us, from childhood through adulthood, they are perpetual sources of delight as well With writings from Aesop to Melville, and folklore from the Abenaki to the Wagarra, A World of Turtles is an anthology of literary, folkloric, and scientific selections about turtles and tortoises, compiled from ancient, modern, and contemporary sources. It looks at these cherished creatures from every possible human perspective, revealing them (and us) in their many guises.