Skinny Dip with Pamela S. Turner

For this inter­view, we vis­it with Pamela S. Turn­er, chil­dren’s book author with two new books out in 2016, Samu­rai Ris­ing: The Epic Life of Minamo­to Yoshit­sune and Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World’s Bright­est Bird:

Pamela S. TurnerWhich celebrity, living or not, do you wish would invite you to a coffee shop?

Sir Richard Francis Burton, the Victorian anthropologist, translator, linguist, and African explorer. I've had a huge crush on him ever since I read The White Nile.  

Most cherished childhood memory? 

Getting my first library card at age four. Mom said I couldn't get one until I could write my own name, so I learned in a flash.  

Sir Richard Francis Burton
Richard Fran­cis Bur­ton by Rischgitz, 1864

Tea? Coffee? Milk? Soda? What’s your favorite go-to drink?

Why isn't "margarita" one of the options here?

Your favorite candy as a kid …

Abba-Zabba … or maybe Bit O' Honey … or maybe Big Hunk … no, wait! Cotton candy. I still love cotton candy. I have the taste buds of a three-year-old.  

Is Pluto a planet?

No. But Pluto being demoted from planethood is a wonderful lesson in how science works. In science data matter, not tradition.

Cotton CandyBest tip for living a contented life?

I think Buddhists have the best motto of all: "compassion for all sentient creatures."

Your hope for the world?

That we will find a way to live within our ecological means and not muck everything up for ourselves and for all other sentient creatures.

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David LaRochelle
7 years ago

I should print your Bud­dhist mot­to out so I can have it hang­ing over my com­put­er as a con­stant and gen­tle reminder, Pamela. What a great way to live one’s life. Maybe it will also help me have more com­pas­sion for those intel­li­gent, but very loud, crows that seem to be always out­side my stu­dio and bed­room windows!

Pamela Turner
7 years ago

I won­der what the crows think of OUR voic­es?! Thanks so much for your comment!