Beaverland

How One Weird Rodent Made America

By: Leila Philip

Narrated by: Christine Lakin

Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

An intimate and revelatory dive into the world of the beaver—the wonderfully weird rodent that has surprisingly shaped American history and may save its ecological future.

From award-winning writer Leila Philip, BEAVERLAND is a masterful work of narrative science writing, a book that highlights, though history and contemporary storytelling, how this weird rodent plays an oversized role in American history and its future. She follows fur trappers who lead her through waist high water, fur traders and fur auctioneers, as well as wildlife managers, PETA activists, Native American environmental vigilantes, scientists, engineers, and the colorful group of activists known as beaver believers.

Beginning with the early trans-Atlantic trade in North America, Leila Philip traces the beaver’s profound influence on our nation’s early economy and feverish western expansion, its first corporations and multi-millionaires. In her pursuit of this weird and wonderful animal, she introduces us to people whose lives are devoted to the beaver, including a Harvard scientist from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, who uses drones to create 3-dimensional images of beaver dams; and an environmental restoration consultant in the Chesapeake whose nickname is the “beaver whisperer”.

What emerges is a poignant personal narrative, a startling portrait of the secretive world of the contemporary fur trade, and an engrossing ecological and historical investigation of these heroic animals who, once trapped to the point of extinction, have returned to the landscape as one of the greatest conservation stories of the 20th century. Beautifully written and impeccably researched, BEAVERLAND reveals the profound ways in which one odd creature and the trade surrounding it has shaped history, culture, and our environment.

©2022 Leila Philip (P)2022 Twelve

A thought-provoking and deeply researched book.

A wonderfully researched and presented book that covers so many aspects of beavers. Beautiful

An excellent nature tale told with heart

I so enjoyed listening to this work! The personal journey the author took through the fur trade and the trapping industry was fair and was an exploration of the truth and not just a slam job. Focused on the people and the history. The history of beavers in North America is very interesting and fascinating!

Excellent

This is an excellent, informative, well-researched,and inspiring book about these diligent, intelligent, and important, animals. High recommended!

Worthwhile, eye-opening

Though it could've been edited to maybe 60% of its length, it was still worthwhile -- and full of surprises. For me one of the biggest takeaways was a new appreciation of the "natural" state and shape of rivers, which bear little resemblance to the picturesque single-channel flow of water that first comes to mind. TLDR, everything is interconnected, and beavers play a key role in the shape and health of watersheds, forests, and entire ecosystems.

Amazing story and volumes of information

Excellent narration. The author’s investigative journalism flourishes in an compelling story. I learned a lot about beavers and the role they played and are playing in history and the environment.

Excellent - a lot of information about beavers and the impact they have made in America

Great stories and performance. Talks about nature, hunting, environment, politics and industry with respect of the beaver. I really enjoyed this book.

Look elsewhere for beaver information.

If you want to learn about beavers look elsewhere. The useful information about beavers could have been condensed into 30 minutes if that. The rest is storytelling and environmental gobbledygook.

Disappointed

Read an excellent summary in the WSJ about this book that covered some very interesting parts such as how John Astor made his fortune. This book may be of interest to a layman who knows little of wildlife, but is not really a book for professionals or serious naturalists. I had trouble with the narration in audio, which sounded like it was given by a total novice…

“Even Alaska now has beavers.”

Yikes! Take what you read with a grain of salt. Difficult to persevere through this book…. Was hoping to learn more about science and research, but the book is 99% journalistic rhetoric, largely ignoring the fascinating science around this amazing animal - except for a few mentions in the epilogue (which is just an hour long summary of the previous ten hours). Might have been enjoyable at half the length….