Buzz: Urban Beekeeping and the Power of the Bee

Noticing a marked uptick in the number of times bees or locally produced honey was mentioned by friends and coworkers, SUNY-Purchase professors Moore and Kosut were determined to see what the fuss was about and enrolled in a six-month class on urban beekeeping. Beginning with a meandering introduction, the duo dig through the subject with an attention to detail only a tenured academic can provide. Ruminations on what it means to be a hipster, dissections of the two types of beekeepers (“initially referred to as the rational/scientific and naturalist/backwards paradigms”), and a clinical assessment of branding and marketing are dry and long-winded. This consistently arid approach may make the book valuable in an academic setting, but those interested in the topic will likely find their eyes glazing over as they wonder “is this going to be on the final?” (Oct.)