Urban Jungle

Praise

“Illuminating…Wilson leaves readers with hope about the future of efforts to preserve the ecosystems that surround us, as well as a new perspective that looks beyond the concrete and asphalt when walking along a city’s streets.”
—Associated Press

“Wilson…soars like a falcon over global cities on five continents while leading the reader through centuries of history. His chapters…are full of statistics and eye-catching examples.”
—The Washington Post

“In lesser hands, Urban Jungle would be a disaster. Or, at least, far less compelling than it is. That’s because Wilson manages to leap thousands of miles from one sentence to another, connecting disparate cities like London, New York, and Mexico through common traits in the span of just a few pages. And he’s not afraid to travel beyond the boundaries of ecology, quoting literary figures and referring to historical events at unexpected turns. . . Somehow, it all works, and anyone who wants to understand the life of cities will come away learning that—and much more.”
—Planetizen

“Sweeping. . . Given [the explosive growth of cities], one might expect another apocalyptic environment book foretelling the end of nature and naming cities as the culprit. What Wilson offers instead is more nuanced, and even guardedly optimistic.”
—Undark Magazine

“A fascinating history of domestic and wild animals in cities that challenges us to plan the inclusion of nature within cities. . . Speak[s] to how cities filled with hardscape, buildings, pavements, roads and no place for nature leave us unprepared for the upheaval we can expect from global warming and climate fueled disasters.”
—Berkeley Daily Planet

“[A] thorough exploration of urban ecology. . . [Wilson] makes a convincing case that the natural world extends farther than commonly acknowledged, and the trivia is delightful. . . Stimulating and wide-ranging, [Urban Jungle] will change how city dwellers view their relationship with nature.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Wilson is a helpful guide to the intersection of nature and city life. . . A sharp, dispassionate plea to recognize our dependence on nature and mitigate the dire consequences of climate change.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Wilson leads readers on a brisk ramble through urban nature, emphasizing both peril and potential. . . Argued in a quick and assertive style that bounces from Yonkers to the Yangtze, this inquiry achieves a fascinating intertwining of apocalyptic warning and pragmatic optimism.”
—Booklist