Kiri Pepene is the library information research and local history team lead.
OPINION
I am a creature of habit in many things that I do, which is fine, but sometimes you need to change it up a bit or challenge yourself. My reading is predictable; I read what I am interested in and what is familiar: gardening, cooking, history and biographies. So last week, I set myself a challenge and decided to explore a section of the library that I had no interest in, to see what I could find to read. The chosen section was Science and Technology. The thought of all that intelligent reading material in there scared me, but I was brave and then found myself surprised that there were books in there that caught my eye.
Ants! They are everywhere, and I will admit I have been quietly fascinated by them. But now, after reading Empire of Ants by Susanne Foitzik, I am in total awe of this little creature. Looking at the hidden world of the ant reveals that they have developed such a complex society and adapted to different habitats, using nature to their advantage. Even though the book is scientific, it is written in a way that it reads like a thrilling fiction. Discover the mysteries of the ant’s nest and what goes on in there, far from the human eye. Did you know they raise livestock and even farm honeydew? The book highlights the destruction that different species of ants can do in a new environment. Settlements of ants on Christmas Island are causing mass destruction and having devastating effects on the Christmas Island crab. In America the fire ant is causing mayhem on golf courses; thousands of people are admitted to hospital every year as they come across them while playing a game of golf. I could go on and on about this wonderful book, and I encourage you to have a read.
I love a good storm and was drawn towards The Man Who Caught the Storm by Brantley Hargrove. Tim Samaras was a true storm chaser. I personally don’t know whether to be in awe of people like Tim or think that they are just really stupid. However, reading about his career and the knowledge he and his team gathered to understand tornadoes was groundbreaking research. Tim tracked over 125 tornadoes, and it was the last one that ultimately ended his life. That tornado was one of the widest ever recorded and left a trail of immense destruction.
