“For years, I’ve known Gary Schmelz’s name and his work studying and conserving Southwest Florida’s wild places, but our paths have never crossed. His publicist emailed me a review copy of the book, and I made the mistake of looking at it just before bed. As a result, instead of getting a decent night’s sleep, I spent several hours, while the rest of the house snoozed, captivated by chapter after chapter of Dr Schmelz’s memoir…as so many illustrious careers are, his was founded on love -- love of what he calls ‘the breathtaking mosaic of life:’ nature. Love is woven throughout the book, too – Schmelz’s love for his late father with whom he shared many of his Southwest Florida adventures. …the book details his forays into wild animal rehab, island-hopping and sea turtle monitoring, more often than not with his father by his side. The elder Schmelz was his confidant and research partner through cypress sloughs and clay-slick fossil pits, and Schmelz poignantly describes their last trip to the beach.”

- Amy Williams, The News Press