Book details history of snakes in urban US

In this authoritative and entertaining book, first published in 1992, Thomas Palmer introduces readers to a community of rattlesnakes nestled in the heart of the urban Northeast, one of several such enclaves found near cities across the U.S. Recognizing the unexpected proximity of rattlers in urban environs, Palmer examines not only Crotalus horridus but also the ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history and American culture that surrounds this native species.

Landscape with Reptile celebrates the rattlesnake’s survival with a multifaceted journey through nature, literature and history. It includes a spirited defense of an outlaw species, an investigation of the hazards of snakebite, an account of a multimillion-dollar development project halted by Crotalus, a collection of tall tales and a meditation on the spectacle of life on Earth.

Like the best nature writers, Palmer lives and breathes his landscape, but unlike most nature writers, he finds his landscape is his own backyard.