HILFH #35 Elizabeth Bernays
This month, Mary has the unique treat of listening to and learning from Dr. Elizabeth Bernays. Liz is an entomologist by training having received her Ph.D. from the University of London. But her love of the natural world began as a child in Australia where she was free to roam and to watch and befriend the animals and insects who lived there.
She began her career as a field entomologist for the British government, took an academic post at Berkeley, and followed that with service as head of Entomology at the University of Arizona where she is currently a Regents' Professor Emerita. Along the way, she obtained an MFA in writing and has since been contributing beautiful literary nonfiction with the effect of reawakening any reader's love for the natural world.
Liz describes herself as a biologist turned writer with over 200 scientific papers, books and several popular biology articles. She's also published fifty poems and essays in a variety of literary journals and authored three nonfiction books. Her newest - Across the Divide: The Strangest Love Affair - was published to great acclaim in May of 2023. With her wife, Linda Hitchcock, she's also published three children's books.
You can learn more about Liz’s work and life at her website elizabethbernays.com.
But don’t miss checking her out on Google. There you’ll find jewels of literary nonfiction like Kamquat, Time in the Desert, and Pond.
Give a read to Liz's recent essay, In Praise of Looking.
Along the way, treat yourself to her books,
Six Legs Walking: Notes from an Entemological Life Across the Divide: The Strangest Love Affair.
Let yourself be captivated by Liz’s wonder, awe and kinship with the natural world - a delight that carries the sense of truly coming home.
This episode's music:
Endless Beauty - Music by Zakhar Valaha from Pixabay
Far From the City - Music by Zakhar Valaha from Pixabay
