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Our Current Precipice of Environmental Disasters
Coming Full Circle follows a multi-generational family across America and back again in an entertaining story that shines a light on the origins of the current conservation crises. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
As a lifelong wildlife ecologist and conservationist, I’ve always been both offput and discouraged by the still far too prevalent notion that humans have a “biblical right” to exert dominion over all creatures of the natural world. Over the course of 15 years, I wrote “Coming Full Circle (CFC)” to emphasize the exact opposite of this misguided thought. Heavily relying on the knowledge I gained and experiences I had throughout my career, my goal with CFC was to set the record straight and—in the process—bring readers to the understanding that we have always been “part of” and not “apart from” our natural world.
Also, “Coming Full Circle” is a fiction sequel to our 2016 non-fiction book, “Protecting the Planet”, in that it reaches the same positive conclusions about solving our twin ecological dilemmas of climate change and biodiversity loss. The main difference is that CFC uses an informative and entertaining blend of historical fiction and poignant truths to tell the story of how we “progressed” from colonial times to our current precipice of environmental disasters.
Your characters are intriguing and well-developed. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Thank you! Many of the characters in “Coming Full Circle” are derived from my personal learnings and experiences as a field ecologist and freelance natural history writer/photographer. My co-author and daughter, Mariah Tinger, also used her personal experiences as a career environmental scientist to craft some of the book’s characters.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
In “Coming Full Circle”, life is represented as a circle because it is a constant loop. The idea of life as a circle exists across multiple religions and philosophies. This belief was prevalent throughout the early Indigenous Peoples of Earth. Unfortunately—owing to what some may term “progress”—this fervent belief in the circle of life is much less common in today’s world.
On the U.S. history side of the ledger, no group has ever been more disrespected and abused than our Native American tribes. Most valued all species as equals and managed their lands not just in sustainable ways, but in ways that enhanced the flourishing of ecosystems. Yet they lost both their ancestral lands and their cultural societies to colonial settlement.
Throughout CFC, Mariah and I emphasize our lifelong beliefs in the sanctity and equality of all living things—both human and non-human. Our belief system encompasses all races, religions, cultures, and lifestyles—but especially those of the Indigenous—or Native—Peoples of the world.
Since the environmental “regulatory heydays” of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, we have seen numerous and significant improvements in the local quality of our air and water. Now we must realize that this fight is far from over and we have to expand our threat level to preserving the long-tern quality of human life on Earth. It is now time to transform our world from the “Industrial Revolution” to the “Renewables Revolution”.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Right now, I’m concentrating on producing an array of blogs that correlate to my existing books. Produced through WordPress, my blog posts are categorized as:
• https://environmentalheroes.blog
• https://thisbirdinglife.blog
• https://opedpieces.blog
• https://climatechangesolutions.blog
Meanwhile, Mariah is busy teaching sustainability courses at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business and obtaining her Ph.D. in environmental/climate communication from Otago University in New Zealand.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Readers’ Choice—Five Stars: … “recommend “Coming Full Circle” to fans of issues-focused fiction who also enjoy family sagas and tales of growth, learning, and self-discovery.”
Reader Views—Four Stars: … there is a message within this eco-novel that we need to live in harmony with our living environment and respect and care for it … before it’s too late. there is a lot that makes (this book) a worthy read. It is a text for our times.
Book Excellence Awards: “(Titlow & Tinger’s) groundbreaking dive into the intricacies of conservationism … brings their unique perspectives to today’s issues from both modern and historical standpoints. … Despite their dire theme, their message is ultimately one of hope.
Highlight Review, US Review of Books: “Using a blend of historical fiction and poignant truths, the (book’s) narrative delivers a spirited discourse on conservation, our environment, oneness, and, chiefly the concept of coming full circle. Overall, the authors’ expertise in the topic of conservationism and their knack for storytelling is on full display, making for a highly recommended read.”
Online Book Club: … “recommend this book to environmentalists and lovers of nature. History lovers and academics can also learn some things from this book.”
Literary Titan—Four Stars: … “an impassioned and edifying book … a compelling story about conservationism for nature-lovers.“
Coming Full Circle
Coming Full Circle: A Sweeping Saga of Conservation Stewardship Across America, by father-daughter team Budd Titlow and Mariah Tinger, is indeed as broad a saga as the subtitle advertises. The bulk of the novel follows a family line’s evolving relationship with the natural world, beginning with Thaddeus Adams in 1820 down to twins Shiloh and Sunny Childers-Nkosi in 2024. In the early generations that relationship means learning to coexist with the natural world, such as Thaddeus in his hunting and exploring on the frontier or his immediate descendants confronting poachers, while later generations take to government agencies and even the U.S. Senate to confront lobbyists, business interests, and short-sighted government officials.
Titlow and Tinger write in their prologue that their goal is to illustrate the concepts of biodiversity and the circle of life. These themes are what make the wide-ranging story feel coherent. For example, they show us what these concepts look like up-close when Thaddeus reflects on the cycle of birth and death among the wildlife he encounters on the frontier, while later on we get a broader view as Sunny and Shiloh speak about passing environmental protection legislation.
The authors are open about their goal of promoting conservation efforts, and at times the characters’ reflections and speeches can feel deeply personal. Most of the characters, heroes and villains alike, provide a very focused perspective of the singular idea they are meant to convey. This is a compelling story about conservationism with little deviation from that narrative theme. That said, Titlow and Tinger do succeed in drawing the reader in to this family’s story. We see the central characters’ entire lives, often from birth to death, good times and bad, and by the end it’s hard not to feel almost like a part of this family so that even those not committed to the book’s social/political message can’t help but root for these people. This impassioned and edifying book is ultimately worth reading for nature-lovers and those who find such wide-ranging stories compelling.
Pages: 688 | ASIN: B0BG98CCWF
The Way of Courage
Mia the small raccoon loves exploring and hunting alongside her mother and brothers. But when the unexpected occurs, Mia finds herself far from home and everything she knew. Thrust into a brand-new environment, and struggling to use her limited knowledge to survive, Mia finds herself in danger as she fights to adapt. Discovering new allies as well as new enemies, Mia and her friends, Coe the handsome raccoon, Henry the badger, and Gallant the crow work together to defend their forest home. Encountering both good and bad from their human neighbors, Mia and her forest community must find a way to protect their futures against a deadly foe.
Raccoons are one of nature’s most endearing creatures. When I was young, my family and I would safely observe these highly intelligent creatures from our own home. The Way of Courage showcases the raccoons propensity for mischief and their ingenuity in navigating situations. The message of protecting the forest environment as shown through the eyes of Mia feels authentic and grounded, while the characterization of the animals weaves a story that is both suspenseful and engaging. I loved the legend of how the raccoon got her mask, and I look forward to the day when leg-hold traps are effectively illegal nationwide. This is an adventure story that has intense moments, but that ends satisfactorily with no loose ends. This educational children’s chapter book also includes notes on safe observation tactics and how to chronicle your own nature findings.
I recommend The Way of Courage by Janet Hallagin for its ability to weave an important message of ecological protection into an interesting and informative narrative. A story of bravery, teamwork, and going the extra mile to protect the world from harm, The Way of Courage is a highly engaging children’s book about heroism, and how even one small raccoon can make a big difference.
Pages: 156 | ASIN: B0056J6WES
Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone
Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone: The Legend in Lake Isa by Lou Jenkins is a fun and engaging children’s book. The reader follows the tale of Howie and his grandmother as they journey to the land that would become Yellowstone National Park. In the park Howie befriends a bear cub named Seymour and adventures ensue.
Jenkins has crafted a creative children’s book. You can make the puppets of Howie and Seymour by downloading them online. This is a creative addition that adds another dimension to an already fun book. Being able to read this story to a child and then create those same characters makes this an activity book as well and extends the time children spend with this book. This along with the message of taking care of Yellowstone is a nice way to subtly provide a conservation starter for children.
There are plenty of artistic and imaginative bits of art in this book that I greatly appreciated even in ebook format. I really enjoyed the pictures, especially those of the various animals that can be found in Yellowstone.
The language that Jenkin’s uses is perfect for a young child’s capabilities. The names are funny and should keep children’s attention. I would be shocked to hear that a child could read through this story without laughing once. With names like “Ma Fanny” for the grandmother or “Seymour Heinie” for the bear cub, I can only smile at the thought of children who would laugh in good natured fun. Jenkin’s is able to capture a child’s innocent humor in this book.
The book’s plot is set up like a tale told by Francis Tootalot about his ancestor Howie. The story itself showcases a lot of animals and different places that are famous in Yellowstone; like the geysers and forests. To children, this kind of meandering plot may not bother them, because Jenkins’ does a great job filling these instances with pretty pictures. In some ways it reminds me of a children’s show on television, which may be where Jenkins’ pulled inspiration from.
The best takeaway from Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone is not only the ecological message that Lou Jenkins’ provides, but the fact that the Tootalot family are part of an ongoing series. There is a lot to enjoy here and I believe any parent can appreciate the message behind the fun.
Pages: 41 | ASIN: B01JZWS63G
LITERARY TITAN 