Despicable Species by Janet Lembke is a book definitely worth reading. Lembke combines literary allusions, personal stories, and ecological facts throughout the 203 page book to create an enlightening reading experience. Despicable Species, published and copyrighted in 1999 by The Lyons Press, is made up of 14 essays in which Lembke discusses some of the plants, animals and viruses that people consider particularly vile. This book, while mostly intended toward naturalists, or people who want to learn about the environment and creatures in it, can be read and appreciated by anybody. I believe Lemke's purpose in writing this book was to make us, Homo sapiens, realize that although some other creatures and things may look different, or even harm us, does not mean that they don't have a purpose in life and can't provide a benefit. "How do we deal with the bad stuff? With all those disgusting, sickening, despicable, repellently alien lives that impinge on ours?" are the straightforward questions that begin the book. But as you continue reading the answers to these questions become all the more complicated and it seems as though the answers are aimed at answering the more complex question, "Are there lives that the world could do without?"
During the book, Lembke looks at the world from an ecological standpoint. The introduction to the book, titled "Living together, like it or not", talks about the complex subject of symbiosis. Lembke leads the reader to make the conclusion that we are all put on Earth together and there is nothing that can be done to rid the world of creatures we find despicable. Even the most revolting creature has a very important relationship with other creatures that may not seem as revolting to them.
Beginning with sandburs, Janet Lembke creatively informs the reader of species we find very contemptible. In "Prospect and Refuge: Sandburs", sandburs which can be any of several grasses of the genus Cenchrus, which have a spiny bur-like envelope that surrounds several one-grained spikelets, are explored. Although not too dreadful, sandburs can be annoying. The next essay, "The Barkings of a Joyful Squirrel: Gray Squirrel" is far more humorous but also provides an excellent example of symbiosis. This essay also includes a recipe for Jannette East's Brunswick Stew. "Murmurations: European Starling" is the next essay. Lembke's literary allusions and her vast knowledge of Greek and Latin classics are especially prominent in this essay. "The Natural History of Proteus: Pfiesteria piscida", and "Blood: The Tabanids-Deerflies and Horseflies" come after that. "A Foot in the Door: The Fungi" is the next essay. In this, Lembke reminisces about her childhood and the finding of mold in old books. "The Creature with Nineteen Lives: Common Opossum" comes next. After that, she wrote intriguing essays about hornworms and centipedes. Then comes an essay called "Heritage: Kudzu", about a plant that is despised be many people in the U.S., but used extensively in the Far East. "The Wisdom of Nature: Brown-Headed Cowbird" and "The Dew Lovers: Drosophila Fruit Flies" are the next essays. "Unfinished Business: Homo sapiens" is the last and most interesting essay by far. Lembke discusses humans' purpose on earth and concludes the book with the fact that as humans, it's not the world that needs us but, "Rather, it's we who need the world."
From reading the book Despicable Species I have gained the understanding that although some creatures may not be very pleasant, they are still important. I also learned just how important symbiosis is-that everything is related in some way. In the past, I had known a little about symbiosis and only the negative aspects of species in the book. Janet Lembke has taught me a lot about different creatures and ways I am related to them and how they help me. I also learned what we, as Homo sapiens, believe-- that we are the superior beings on earth and some species do not deserve to live-- is completely untrue; all species are indispensable.
In conclusion, Lembke's book revealed more clearly the interdependence between species. I fear that in the past, humans were too quick to make judgements on the roles played by other "lesser" species and therefore were quick to discard their importance. Lembke was effective in calling to attention the need to be thorough in our analysis of these roles in order for us to continue to improve our environment.

It's a pleasure to read somebody who writes as well as Lembke. She is a good old Southern gal, part poet, part naturalist, who chooses every word with loving care. She displays a rationalist's affection for the creatures she writes about rather than that of a bleeding heart.

In addition to those in the title, the "despicable species" include sandburs, squirrels, starlings, dinoflagellates, deerflies, horseflies, fruit flies, and even homo sapiens. Lemkbe devotes a chapter to each following an introduction entitled, "Living Together, Like It or Not," which sets the tone of the book. This is a personal experience that she relates, tempered with a classicist's love of allusion and a precision about nomenclature that would please the most exacting. She has a no nonsense attitude about her fellow creatures, especially the two-legged kind, whom she guides with little lectures. Rodney Barker, for example, author of When the Waters Turned to Blood (1997) gets taken to the wood shed not only for getting the species wrong, but for pronouncing "dinoflagellate" with a short "i" (p. 68).

The text may be a little too precious in parts for some, and the poetic style is not intended to be merely informative; on the other hand, there is a dimension of beauty and a vividness achieved here that rewards the reader's effort. There's no index, but there is an eclectic reader's guide, "For the Bookworm," that includes some fine old names like Homer, Audubon, Jonathan Swift, Eric Hoffer, John Updike, and some new, like Sue Hubbell and Scott Weidensaul

On page 38 is a recipe for squirrel stew.

Despicable Species
Review by Katie Sheahan

Despicable Species was written by Janet Lembke. It was published by The Lyon's Press Company, located in New York, NY 10011. There are 216 pages in Despicable Species. Janet Lembke wrote this book with the purpose of opening up our eyes to the bigger picture of how all creatures are useful and connected. She writes about some rather annoying species, such as the mosquitoes, and identifies how important they truly are to keeping other populations in balance. The ideas of the book can be understood by readers of all ages; however the wording may be a little tricky for younger readers. Despicable Species was composed of essays written about individual species. It was written in 1999 and it draws from locations all over America. She raises the probing question: Why do we want to destroy creatures who benefit us in ways we can't appreciate?
My favorite essay was the one about the Gray Squirrels. It had lots of humor in it about how dim-witted the squirrels were. When a friend of Janet was asked why he disliked squirrels, his answer was, "Because they're stupid, that's why. They pile up nuts and bury them. Then they forget where they put them. Every year those durn animals tear up my yard looking for nuts." (28) After that truthful statement, I didn't think that there was any way I could be convinced that squirrels were good. Janet then surprised me by telling a story about a gray squirrel who worked its way through the mechanics of a special problem- that of taking one of her green apples up a tree. (35) She personified the squirrel by describing its hard work and dedication. The interactions of symbiosis were shown when she explained that squirrels are apart of a win-win symbiosis with trees. Just as trees aid squirrels, providing them with food, shelter, nesting materials, exercise, and safety from earth-bound creatures (or those at least who do not carry guns), so squirrels serve trees by practicing reforestation. (36) The biggest problem with the squirrel chapter was that at the end it gave a recipe for Brunswick "squirrel" stew--not a happy ending to an uplifting story.
A few months ago in class we talked about relationships between different organisms. The first style discussed was mutualism. Mutualism is a victorious win-win relationship. Commensalisms is another relationship that we talked about. It involves one organism benefiting, while the other one is neither helped nor hurt. The last two relationships talked about were the parasitism and predation. These conclude with a plus-minus result. One organism is harmed or killed while the other is helped. Lembke gives examples of all of the types of Symbiosis. The yucca plant and their adapted moths need each other to survive. The plant needs the moth for pollination and the moth needs the plant for larval food. This was a very clear explanation of mutualism. All of her examples painted a clear picture of how the different interactions of symbiosis are so crucial to the cycles of nature. By understanding symbiosis, I could understand why all of the diverse species on earth need to be here so they can interact with one another.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It opened my mind to recognizing the importance of many of these "despicable" creatures on earth. Janet Lembke described the food web and its huge impact on us in perfect detail. Her explanations and examples of symbiosis were great. She showed the benefits of these creatures, and how the environment would change for the worse if we didn't have them. She quotes, "We're stuck here, like it or not. So, it behooves us to think hard and well about how we fit into the scheme of things and how we should behave ourselves so that the scheme continues to cohere." (15) In other words, unless we realize that nature won't survive without our cooperation, we will lose more than just the despicable creatures.