Each time the second day of February comes around, I am reminded of a question that first entered my mind many years ago, “Just what in the name of John James Audubon does whether or not a particular groundhog in Pennsylvania sees its own shadow on this day have to do with the weather?” Then, last month, whilst perusing the most recent catalog from Penn State University Press, I happened upon the listing for William W. Donner’s new book Serious Nonsense; Groundhog Lodges, Versammlinge, and Pennsylvania German Heritage.
More a book of social anthropology than natural history, I thought that, for the benefit of those who – like me – have long been stumped by just what all this groundhog, well… “nonsense” is about would find it interesting. Indeed, I plan to chase down a copy for myself just so I can once and for all put my long-held question to rest.
