48 pages • 1 hour read
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Book Brief
449
Book • Nonfiction
2022
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
An Immense World by Ed Yong explores animals' unique sensory perceptions through Jakob von Uexkull's theory of the umwelt, which refers to species-specific sensory worlds. Yong examines various species' sensory systems to understand how they decode stimuli. He emphasizes the need for humans to appreciate these diverse sensory experiences and addresses the impact of sensory pollution on animal life. The book discusses non-consensual animal captivity and experiments.
Informative
Mysterious
Contemplative
Inspirational
Adventurous
Reviews & Readership
31,270 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Ed Yong's An Immense World dives deep into animal sensory experiences, offering highly engaging and insightful prose. Reviewers praise its accessibility, vivid descriptions, and scientific rigor. Some felt it could be data-heavy, potentially overwhelming casual readers, but overall, it's lauded as an enlightening exploration of the animal kingdom's perception.
Who Should Read An Immense World?
A reader who enjoys An Immense World by Ed Yong is curious about the natural world and the diverse experiences of animals. They likely appreciate engaging science writing akin to works like The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben or The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen. This audience values in-depth exploration of biology and ecology.
31,270 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Jakob von Uexkull
Jakob von Uexkull
An influential biologist, he introduced the concept of the umwelt, which is used to discuss the unique perceptual worlds of different species.
Thomas Nagel
Thomas Nagel
A philosopher best known for his essay "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?", which underlines the limitations of human understanding of other species' experiences.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
A naturalist whose theory of evolution underscores the continuous adaptation of species to their environments, parallel to the concept of umwelten.
449
Book • Nonfiction
2022
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.