An international roster of writers reveals the natural world of the nocturnal.

The dark, secret sister of bright, expansive day, night is at once feared and revered. Night explores the many faces of the night: its myths, its flora and fauna-and its human side, too. In this new book from the Literary Companion series: Galileo ruminates on the moon he observes over Florence, Italy, following its path through one of the world's first telescopesAnnie Dillard follows the trail of a total eclipse of the sun in the desert of New MexicoGretel Ehrlich writes from Greenland, contemplating the monthslong Arctic night Tim O'Brien makes his way through the deadly nightlife of Vietnam Christopher Dewdney theorizes about the very first nightWayne Grady explains the evolution of human night blindness, which makes us fearful after darkTimothy Ferris laments the artificial brightening of the night

Bats and fireflies, skunks and whippoorwills, a writhing confluence of alligators, the shape of a garden in the dark: this anthology is a veritable universe of both the terrors and the inimitable beauties of the night.

Published in partnership with the David Suzuki Foundation.

Merilyn Simonds is the author of twelve books ranging from internationally acclaimed literary fiction to bestselling practical nonfiction. Her work of creative nonfiction, The Convict Lover, was a finalist for the Governor General's Award; her most recent novel, The Holding, was a New York Times Editors' Choice selection. She lives in the country near Kingston, Ontario, well away from Nighttime city light.

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"If you like reading a collection of stories by different authors then Night...Containing 25 stories by such authors as Henry Beston, Loren Eisley and Grey Owl, the entertaining essays pertain to that time of day after the sun sets and includes such topics as alligators, bats and experiences in the dark of night!"

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