Another Strook with something I drew, read, and listened to. This time: two travel books about one animal, with the common message of the threat to their species. With matching illustrations by me.
Drawing & reading
In Wally and Us, Irwan Droog follows the walrus Wally. This walrus became world famous for showing up in different European coastal towns. Like at the lighthouse on Valencia Island in Ireland and on the British and French coasts. Irwan tries to answer the question of why Wally was there, what Wally's arrival did to local people, and how this species is coming under increasing pressure from climate change, among other things. Surprisingly interesting.
"The price of walrus skin had risen due to the discovery that it was excellent for polishing bicycle parts."
– Wally and Us
Anne Broeksma is obsessed with a completely different animal that needs protection: the pangolin. In Een verhaal met schubben (A Story with Scales), she follows the trail of various pangolins in both Africa and Asia. But apart from a pangolin sanctuary where she goes to work as a volunteer, she is unable to see the pangolin in the wild. She does see with her own eyes how the pangolin is a walking money bag for humans, who continue to hunt it despite the fact that it is seriously endangered. A delightful and sad book about one of the most extraordinary animal species on earth.
"The pangolin helped me get off the couch, focus on a specific subject, and discover the wild beauty of the world that still exists. Reading a lot of news makes me depressed. I can't fit a hundred catastrophes in my head, but I can fit one strange, scaly tree dragon."
- A story with scales
Listen
I often put a song on repeat until I discover something new. Currently, that song is Afterlife by Alex G. A cheerful jangling guitar with a touch of 80s synth is exactly what I needed. His new album Headlights will be released in two weeks.
I've been working on a new dot drawing for weeks. The accompanying newsletter was already ready, but I'm afraid I still have a few hours of dotting to do. Hopefully, I'll finally be able to share the result next week.
Until then!