The Beekeeper's Lament

How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America

By: Hannah Nordhaus

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Award-winning journalist Hannah Nordhaus tells the remarkable story of John Miller, one of America's foremost migratory beekeepers, and the myriad and mysterious epidemics threatening American honeybee populations.

In luminous, razor-sharp prose, Nordhaus explores the vital role that honeybees play in American agribusiness, the maintenance of our food chain, and the very future of the nation. With an intimate focus and incisive reporting, in a book perfect for fans of Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire, and John McPhee's Oranges, Nordhaus' stunning exposé illuminates one of the most critical issues facing the world today, offering insight, information, and, ultimately, hope.

©2011 Hannah Nordhaus (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A fascinating read from cover to cover." ( Associated Press)

Interesting listen!

Would you listen to The Beekeeper's Lament again? Why?

I didn't listen to it straight through as the content is dry - you need to love bees to love this book - so I listened in stages but the book is well done and interesting. Performance was great.

Excellent insight

Excellent insight into the minds and lives of some of the big names in US beekeeping. History of bee ailments, remedies and struggles will help you learn more about this amazing hobby or profession.
I highly recommend this book to the beginner and hobbyist alike.

Bubbly writing and narration

The author and narrator make the tedious economic and medical issues with domestic honey bees fascinating.

Good book for beekeepers

It's a little repetitive at times but overall it gives you a real deep background on all it takes to be a beekeeper on a grand scale. I like this book and would recommend it

An excellent, very poetic read.

This has been one of the best books on bees I've read in some time, highly recommended.

Bee amazed by this book!

I often listened twice to some of the amazing facts gathered for this book. The narrator was a little fast for me at times. I could have a listening deficit though, since I was often doing another activity while listening I am very glad I can slow the speed to 90%. Great book, I enjoyed learning while listening.

Great Beekeeping Overview

Hannah Nordhaus's book is a fun, interesting and accurate view of beekeeping in modern America. She lays out all the joys, heartaches and challenges facing this labor of love enterprise.

Beekeeping is not all joy, and Ms. Nordhaus takes us through the season showing the pressures that are faced and overcome. She appropriately reflects the optomistic and eternally hopeful nature of beekeepers. Ms. Nordhaus's story lets us know we are not alone on this journey.

Xe Sands performance is perfect for the book, conveying empathy, excitement and hope throughout. I will certainly look for more books narrated by Ms. Sands.

The act of the disappearing bees

This author did her research and not just in a library but spent the money to travel and talk to beekeepers across the country to get a real flavor of the bee crisis the world faces. It’s a real testament to how commercialization can ruin something natural. #goodbyenaturalhoney #savethebees #honeybeegone #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

If you are a new person read this.

Informative and interesting. After listening to this I do not want to raise bees, (wink wink). I will probably listen to this again. If you like fast readers you will like this reader. It took me several rewinds to keep up with her pace.

Loved the book

Well worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the author is a good storyteller. I also enjoyed the history of beekeeping through the book comma and I feel like I understand the background and importance of bees. I will listen to this again on Audible.