You’ve likely heard different animals referenced in regard to economic phenomena (bull market, bear market, black swan, etc.), but have you ever wondered how and why the jargon of business and finance has come to associate certain animals with different occurrences, trends, and entities?
While I’ve read a number of works about fungi in the past, I’m very impressed indeed with how Dr. Sheldrake presents his subject in this book (as of this writing I’m approximately half-way through it). Many times it has already caused me to interrupt Mrs. Naturalist from whatever I found her doing at the moment in order to share with her something I had just read in the books pages that I found too important or interesting about which not to immediately tell someone.
For bibliophiles, “miscellany” is a word rich in potential delights. Akin to “compendium” and “anthology,” it holds up to the reader the possibility of discovery, not only of particular bits of new knowledge, but perhaps the uncovering of vast areas of study heretofore wholly unbeknownst to them.
Mud, mud, glorious mud
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood
So follow me, follow
Down to the hollow
And there let us wallow in glorious mud*
Those of you well versed in high culture will no doubt recognize these immortal lines as the chorus of the The Hippopotamus Song by the musical duo of Flanders & Swann.