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In celebration of Independent Bookstore Day, shop our limited-time sale on bestselling audiobooks from April 22nd-28th. Don’t miss out—purchases support your local bookstore!
Shop nowHoney and Venom
Confessions of an Urban Beekeeper
Narrator
Andrew Coté
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Length
9 hours 22 minutes
Language
English
Summary
A year in the life of New York City’s premier beekeeper, who chronicles his adventures and the quirky personalities he encounters while spreading his infinite knowledge of and passion for the remarkable honey bee
“Coté’s charming and poignant essay collection delivers the entertainment and smarts required to make real change in how we look at our planet, and ourselves.”—Andrew Zimmern
From the humble drone to the fittingly named worker to the queen herself—who is more a slave than a monarch—the hive world, Andrew Coté reveals, is full of strivers and slackers, givers and takers, and even some insect promiscuity (startlingly similar to the prickly human variety). Written with Coté’s trademark humor, acumen, and a healthy dose of charm, Honey and Venom illuminates the obscure culture of New York City “beeks” and the biology of the bees themselves for both casual readers and bee enthusiasts.
Coté takes readers with him on his daily apiary adventures over the course of a year, in the city and across the globe. In Manhattan, among his many duties, he is called to capture swarms that have clustered on fire hydrants, air-conditioning units, or street-vendor umbrellas. Beyond maneuvering within a metropolitan populace as frenzied as the bees’, Coté is able to escape from the hive mind and the rigors of city dwelling with his philanthropic, international approach to apiculture. Annually, he travels to regions across the world with his organization, Bees Without Borders, where he teaches beekeepers how to increase their honey yield and income via beekeeping endeavors. For Coté, a fourth-generation beekeeper, this is a family tradition, and this personal significance pervades his celebration of the romance and mystery of bees, their honey, and the beekeepers whose lives revolve around these most magical creatures.
Reviews
“[Coté’s] journey to urban beekeeping is brought to life as he recounts often funny or bizarre situations . . . [an] informative and entertaining memoir.”—The New York Times Book Review“A fascinating story of Coté's real-life experiences with bees, full of unexpected plot swerves that take him all over New York City and around the world on bee-related adventures. I enjoyed this book enormously."—Ian Frazier, author of Travels in Siberia
“Entertaining . . . In his often amusing, anecdotal memoir, Honey and Venom, Coté offers the latest buzz on keeping an apiary in the Big Apple. . . . Everything is told with Cote’s light touch and excellent comic timing. . . . This book is fun, a near perfect bee-ch book for the summer.”—Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“A fourth-generation beekeeper, Coté writes with wit, insight, and great empathy for the imperiled honeybee. The seasonal rhythms of Coté’s bees mirror and often juxtapose the frenzied chaos of the human world outside their hives. Full of strivers and slackers, givers and takers, Honey and Venom is a fascinating story of urban beekeeping, social climbing, and the enduring power of family.”—Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook
“A fun and informative read, Honey and Venom showcases Coté’s many talents, as both a masterful beekeeper and a fine storyteller. His passion and dedication to the honeybee is as unwavering as it is inspiring.”—Susan Spungen, author of Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings
“In Honey and Venom, the stories are more than just the amusing misadventures of an urban beekeeper—they are a richly layered intersection of beekeeping, art, history, and culture.”—Hilary Kearney, author of QueenSpotting and The Little Book of Bees
“Andrew Coté has left a valuable and indelible mark on urban beekeeping thanks to his tireless efforts in New York City. And even more impressively, he’s made a global contribution by teaching beekeeping as a sustainable source of income to communities around the world. Delivered with charm, humor, and his compelling insights about honeybees, people, and culture, Honey and Venom helps us understand how the little bee has made such a big impact on Coté’s life."—Howland Blackiston, author of Beekeeping for Dummies
“I wholeheartedly recommend Honey and Venom. . . . One needs not to have any experience with honey bees or their keepers to learn a lot and be enthralled by Coté’s writing and the stories he tells.”—But Why Tho?
“[Coté’s] easygoing narrative . . . will educate and entertain even the most bee-phobic reader. . . . Thanks to this delightful memoir, readers will have a new appreciation for these complex insects and the humans who care for them.”—Shelf Awareness Expand reviews