3 Review(s)

Megaloceros and Magic is a series of short stories describing this Earth. Our planet is a vast and complicated place--not simply just from a human perspective, but a natural one as well. Evolutionary biology, astrophysics, mineralogy, ecology, tectonics: these are sciences that explain what we see in the world around us. Each study illustrates the world in a holistic (albeit strictly pragmatic) way. Megaloceros and Magic takes these studies and connects them directly to humans, philosophically describing processes in nature which may, for all intents and purposes, be counted as magical--such phenomena as bioluminescence, the emergence of life itself, color, black holes, and the heat death of the universe. But beyond science and humanity, Megaloceros and Magic also describes a story of pride and coming-of-age. Each life is filled with scores of moments and interactions which, in recollection, can be recognized as pivotal in the development of the person who we became. A partly autobiographical work, Megaloceros and Magic candidly examines several such moments in the life of the author, June Dickson, linking them to the natural world to demonstrate the connections that humans have with nature, one another, and their own self. In the discussion of his own life, Dickson chronicles everything from summer camp as a kid, his overcoming of self-harm and depression, nighttime walks on the beach, expressions of love, and coming out. Through these cross examinations, Megaloceros and Magic remarks on that in the world which may be categorized as magical.