Mary Dansak, Alabama native and Auburn resident, published her new book, “Box Turtles, Hooligans, and Love, Sweet Love,” in January of this year and will participate in two events at the Auburn Public Library in the fall. Filled with a collection of columns she has written for the Auburn Villager, the book embarks readers on a journey of appreciating the little things in life and nature.
The first idea for the book came to Dansak when she realized she wanted to preserve her newspaper columns rather than putting them in a recycling bin. Writing a book seemed like the best idea to keep them all together and have them available at any time. Now, in the recently published "Box Turtles, Hooligans, and Love, Sweet Love," Dansak's 70 heavily researched and detailed columns are neatly bound between a front and back cover.
Dansak has always considered herself a naturalist or someone who feels connected to the natural world. Although she has taught school for 21 years and worked with the Alabama Department of Education, her life’s passion has always been riding horses and all things nature. Now in retirement, she works at a horse and cattle ranch, where she both indulges in her love of horses and works as a writer.
Some columns in the book feature the wonders of the natural world, including hummingbirds, donkeys and, of course, box turtles. Others include stories of Dansak’s childhood and her connection to the Earth around her. Through her writing, she hopes that readers can learn to look around and recognize the many different parts of the planet that they might normally step on or ignore.
As for the title of the book, one of Dansak’s columns of the same name describes fond memories of her “hooligan brother and his hooligan friends” and their box turtle pen. She found the name fitting, because it included nature, a childhood memory and her overall belief in love – three things that encapsulate all her columns.
One of her readers, Elizabeth Hudson, thoroughly enjoyed the book and provided a review of what readers can expect.
“Mary writes science, often just under our toes, breathtaking in the reveals but also stories, ripe with personal memories and laugh-out-loud observations,” Hudson said. “Her aching love and fascination for all that leaps, creeps, walks and grows create[s] a collection that is not just a great read; it is an invitation to return to our best selves.”
When she is not writing, Dansak spends time attending events in her community. This fall, the Auburn Public Library will host Dansak as the main speaker for two upcoming events. One of them is a writer’s workshop featuring Dansak on Monday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m., where she will discuss the “power of story in memoir and creative nonfiction.” The other event is her author talk and book signing on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. There, she will discuss about her new book, delve into its stories and even sign print copies.
“I can’t wait to see who comes,” Dansak said, regarding the upcoming events. “And hopefully, people will share their stories with me. I love to hear what people have to say.”
“Box Turtles, Hooligans, and Love, Sweet Love” is a book that aims to inspire people to pause before stepping on a spider in their house or to protect a corner of their yard where pollinators live. Through her personal stories and evident love for the environment, Dansak continues to teach her readers about the many wonders of nature that also call planet Earth home.
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Katelyn Smith, sophomore majoring in journalism, is from Birmingham, Alabama. She has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the fall of 2025.
