“[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
“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
Honey and Venom: Confessions of an Urban Beekeeper by Andrew Coté is a witty, educational memoir chronicling a year in the life of New York City’s premier beekeeper. It explores the complex, often humorous, world of urban beekeeping, covering swarm removals from iconic locations alongside tales of global, philanthropic apiculture through Bees Without Borders.
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). 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. $20 for a signed hardback first edition.
“[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
“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
Honey and Venom: Confessions of an Urban Beekeeper by Andrew Coté is a witty, educational memoir chronicling a year in the life of New York City’s premier beekeeper. It explores the complex, often humorous, world of urban beekeeping, covering swarm removals from iconic locations alongside tales of global, philanthropic apiculture through Bees Without Borders.
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). 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. $20 for a signed hardback first edition.
