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Though moles are rarely seen, they live in close proximity to humans around the world. Gardeners and farmers go to great lengths to remove molehills from their fields and gardens; mole-catching has been a profession for the past two millennia. Moles are also close to our imagination, appearing in myths, fairy tales, and comic books as either wealthy, undesirable grooms or seekers of enlightenment. In Mole, Steve Gronert Ellerhoff examines moles in nature as well as their representation throughout history and across cultures. Balancing evolution and ecology with photographs and artworks, Ellerhoff provides a veritable mountain of new insight into this exceedingly private mammal.

240 pages | 5 halftones, 102 color plates | 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 | © 2020

Animal

Biological Sciences: Natural History


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Reviews

"A jaunty yet sensitive account of a much maligned and misunderstood species."

Sara Baume, author of "A Line Made by Walking"

Table of Contents

Preface

1 The Evolution of Moles
2 The Nature of Moles
3 Scientific Study of Moles
4 Moles in Myth and Folklore
5 Allegorical Moles
6 Moles in Literary and Popular Culture
7 The Hunted Mole
Epilogue: Making Mountains of Molehills

References
Timeline
Select Bibliography
Associations and Websites
Acknowledgements

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