Natural History Books
The University of Chicago Press The Book of Caterpillars A LifeSize Guide to Six
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£45.60
The University of Chicago Press Jellyfish
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£36.55
The University of Chicago Press Theodore Roosevelt in the Field
Book SynopsisNever has there been a president less content to sit still behind a desk than Theodore Roosevelt. When we picture him, he's on horseback or standing at a cliff's edge or dressed for safari. And Roosevelt was more than just an adventurer-he was also a naturalist and campaigner for conservation. His love of the outdoor world began at an early age and was driven by a need to not simply observe nature but to be actively involved in the outdoors-to be in the field. As Michael R. Canfield reveals in Theodore Roosevelt in the Field, throughout his life Roosevelt consistently took to the field as a naturalist, hunter, writer, soldier, and conservationist, and it is in the field where his passion for science and nature, his belief in the manly, strenuous life, and his drive for empire all came together. Drawing extensively on Roosevelt's field notebooks, diaries, and letters, Canfield takes readers into the field on adventures alongside Roosevelt. From Roosevelt's early childhood observations
£29.45
The University of Chicago Press The Essential Naturalist
Book SynopsisLike nearly various areas of scholarly inquiry, the biological sciences are broken into increasingly narrow fields and subfields, their practitioners divided into ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and more. This title offers a ranging, eclectic collection of writings from more than eight centuries of observations of the natural world.
£134.00
The University of Chicago Press A Natural History of the Chicago Region Center
Book SynopsisInterweaving historical anecdotes and modern-day scientific data, a definitive study of the natural history of Chicago describes the various forces that shaped the region's environment, from Ice Age glaciation to the human settlement of the Midwest, and discusses the various habitats of the region, environmental destruction,.
£30.00
The University of Chicago Press Cat Musculature A Photographic Atlas
Book SynopsisThis series of brilliant photographs shows the dissection of the cat musculature. It is designed for use in conjunction with the third edition of Hyman's Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, edited by Marvalee Wake, although it can be used with other textbooks. Every possible step has been taken to make the photographs easy to interpret and to follow. Reference indications to the Wake texts are included, and also concise data on the origin, insertion, and action of each muscle. The scale is such that in most cases no more than five muscles are shown per photograph, thus simplifying the task of visualizing the individual muscles. An invaluable aid for every student of cat anatomy.
£23.03
The University of Chicago Press The Difficulty of Being a Dog
Book SynopsisFrom Ulysses' Argo to Freud's Lun, these stories explore the mysterious and often intense relationship between human beings and dogs. Illustrating a broad knowledge of literary dog lovers, and elaborating on their insights, Grenier's volume abounds with humour and history.Trade Review"This slim volume is beautifully written, and the prose flows like poetry. The market has been flooded with a plethora of popularly written books attempting to explain canines and why people love them, yet this book... raises the subject to a higher plane. A gem." - Library Journal, starred review "[L]iterate, light and lighthearted....[A] kind of anthology of literary musings about dogs based on Mr. Grenier's extensive readings in everything from Faulkner to the Japanese novelist Junichiro Tanizaki." - Richard Bernstein, New York Times "[A] very superior commonplace book of canine characteristics, the mixture of Grenier's own anecdotes with quotations from other intellectuals making it far from the average gift-shop item - as if Roland Barthes had opted for domestic animals rather than for fashion or photography." - John Stokes, Times Literary Supplement "With whimsical humor and mordant wit, [Grenier] applies a broad and deep knowledge of literary dog lovers from Homer to Flaubert and Faulkner, elaborating not only on their insights into doglove and hate but also on what these writers' revelations tell us about ourselves....[A]n appealing gift item, this slim volume will make lovers both of literature and canines sit up and take notice." - Publishers Weekly
£15.00
The University of Chicago Press The Great Cat and Dog Massacre The Real Story of
Book SynopsisThe tragedies of World War II are well known. But at least one has been forgotten: in September 1939, four hundred thousand cats and dogs were massacred in Britain. The government, vets, and animal charities all advised against this killing. So why would thousands of British citizens line up to voluntarily euthanize household pets? In The Great Cat and Dog Massacre, Hilda Kean unearths the history, piecing together the compelling story of the life and death of Britain's wartime animal companions. She explains that fear of imminent Nazi bombing and the desire to do something to prepare for war led Britons to sew blackout curtains, dig up flower beds for vegetable patches, send their children away to the countryside and kill the family pet, in theory sparing them the suffering of a bombing raid. Kean's narrative is gripping, unfolding through stories of shared experiences of bombing, food restrictions, sheltering, and mutual support. Soon pets became key to the war effort, providing emot
£76.00
University of Chicago Press Seahorses A LifeSize Guide to Every Species
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£25.65
The University of Chicago Press Critical Terms for Animal Studies
Book SynopsisA new critical terms volume addressing the growing, vigorously interdisciplinary field of animal studies.Trade Review"Lori Gruen has created an intellectual cafe in which leading scholars offer their insight and wisdom, in incisive and stimulating entries, on topics central to animal studies, all the while incorporating intersections with feminist, postcolonial, disability, environmental, and anti-racist scholarship. Richly textured, inviting and empowering, this is a dream book for students, academics, and activists alike."--Carol J. Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat and Burger "Lori Gruen, who is herself at the forefront of animal studies, has rounded up the leading scholars in the field, and together they have produced a text that will define the field for the next generation."--Dale Jamieson, New York University "This book's standout feature is its analysis of animal studies terms across a wide array of disciplines and theoretical perspectives, ranging from anthropology and activism to biology and law. Although animal studies has been interdisciplinary from its beginnings, this volume considerably expands and deepens that interdisciplinary vision. Lori Gruen is a highly-recognized and well-respected scholar in the field and has brought together a superb mix of authors who represent the very best of the established discourse and the most exciting members of the new generation."--Matthew Calarco, California State University, Fullerton "This volume provides an overview of the some of the most central--and some of the most contested--concepts in the rapidly emerging inter-disciplinary area of animal studies. Unlike handbooks and readers, Critical Terms for Animal Studies is not focused on a selection of definitive texts but rather on setting the terms of the language used in the field. The subject of animal studies is at a crucial stage, still being mapped out and defining itself, and this volume is very useful, given its conciseness, its all-star cast of contributors, and its breadth in providing a guide to some of the key ideas. Taken along with the editor's introduction, which nicely situates the history of animal studies and lays out some vital strands and debates, I think many animal studies scholars will see this book as an anchor text."--Colin Jerolmack, New York University
£26.60
The University of Chicago Press Pollination Power
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£47.27
The University of Chicago Press Moral Entanglements Conserving Birds in Britain
Book SynopsisAt the center of Stefan Bargheer's account of bird watching, field ornithology, and nature conservation in Britain and Germany stands the question of how values change over time and how individuals develop moral commitments. Using life history data derived from written narratives and oral histories, Moral Entanglements follows the development of conservation from the point in time at which the greatest declines in bird life took place to the current efforts in large-scale biodiversity conservation and environmental policy within the European Union. While often depicted as the outcome of an environmental revolution that has taken place since the 1960s, Bargheer demonstrates to the contrary that the relevant practices and institutions that shape contemporary conservation have evolved gradually since the early nineteenth century. Moral Entanglements further shows that the practices and institutions in which bird conservation is entangled differ between the two countries. In Britain, birds
£111.50
The University of Chicago Press Deep Thinkers Inside the Minds of Whales Dolphins
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£34.20
The University of Chicago Press Canine Confidential
Book SynopsisA guide to dog behaviors of all kindsTrade Review"Marc Bekoff's vast experience, clear thinking, and unique philosophy come together to make this book a must-read for anyone wanting to know what makes dogs tick. A masterly work by the master."--Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman, author of Pets on the Couch "This is a gem of a book, packed with information that answers the questions you have always pondered, and some that you may not have considered (such as 'Do dogs prefer to lift one leg more than the other?'). Canine Confidential deserves to become a primary resource for dog caretakers and those working professionally with dogs. Marc Bekoff, who is widely respected as a leading authority on ethology and animal emotions, shines the light of his immense experience and research on what makes our best friend tick. If you want to know why dogs do the things they do, this book is for you. Written with eloquence, insight and humor, peppered throughout with anecdotes and photographs, this wonderful book is a must-have for everyone who cares for, loves, studies, and wonders about our canine companions."--Lisa Tenzin-Dolma, principal of the International School for Canine Psychology and Behvaiour "Another thought provoking, insightful manifesto from one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. Canine Confidential is a revolutionary perspective into the minds of our best friends, answering the questions everyone asks, as well as the questions no one has thought to ask. Well written, funny, and fascinating--you will never look at dogs the same way again."--Brian Hare, author of The Genius of Dogs "One of the world's leading ethologists, Marc Bekoff has devoted his life to understanding non-human animals of all persuasions as sentient beings and to providing them the opportunity to live their lives to their fullest measure, according to their natures, and without being abused or slaughtered by humans. In Canine Confidential, Bekoff turns his considerable powers as an observer of canids wild and domestic to providing readers with the scientific knowledge and investigatory tools that will help them understand their dog companions. Mixing often humorous anecdotes with clear, concise reports from the cutting edge of canine science, Bekoff details what we know and outlines what we have yet to learn about our closest non-human friends. Canine Confidential is a must read for anyone who has an interest in dogs. Even readers who think they know all there is to know about dogs may find themselves looking at and interacting with their companions in ways that enrich their time together."--Mark Derr, author of How the Dog Became the Dog "Canine Confidential is an incredibly accessible, plain-spoken book about humankind's most loyal, most faithful companion. The many insights here will help you to earn all that loyalty and love that they so freely give. The stories and observations here will make you a much better human for your canine family members." --Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: How Animals Think and Feel
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press Wildness Relations of People and Place Emersion
Book SynopsisWhether referring to a place, a nonhuman animal or plant, or a state of mind, wild indicates autonomy and agency, a will to be, a unique expression of life. Yet two contrasting ideas about wild nature permeate contemporary discussions: either that nature is most wild in the absence of a defiling human presence, or that nature is completely humanized and nothing is truly wild. This book charts a different path. Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed authors from a variety of landscapes, cultures, and backgrounds to share their stories about the interdependence of everyday human lifeways and wildness. As they show, far from being an all or nothing proposition, wildness exists in variations and degrees that range from cultivated soils to multigenerational forests to sunflowers pushing through cracks in a city alley. Spanning diverse ge
£80.00
The University of Chicago Press Nightingales in Berlin
Book SynopsisRothenberg takes us to Berlin’s urban landscape to discover and engage with one of nature’s most beautiful and celebrated sounds, the nightingale’s song.
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press Love of Country A Journey Through the Hebrides
£28.50
University of Chicago Press Where the Buffalo Roam
Book SynopsisPummeled by a century of drought, depopulation, and soil erosion, America's Great Plains are in dire straits. Frank and Deborah Popper have a solution: create a Buffalo common by returning 139,000 acres in ten states to prairie and reintroducing the buffalo that once roamed there.Trade Review"An admirably crafted book, as poignant and entertaining as it is informative." - Seattle Times "Where the Buffalo Roam is very bright, active, effective journalism....An extremely savvy overlook of the dilemmas of the Great Plains." - Wallace Stegner
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press The Ark and Beyond
Book SynopsisA state-of-the art analysis of conservation as practiced by zoos and aquariums worldwide today.Trade Review"The role of zoos and aquariums is constantly evolving, particularly as there is pressure to increase their contribution to conservation. This collection ably shows that zoos and aquariums are not a flotilla of little arks that have to be self-sufficient. Rather, we should be better grounded in the social fabric of our communities, better networked, and better connected to the animals outside our walls."--Jenny Gray, CEO of Zoos Victoria, Australia, and president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums "In an age of extinction, 'wild' places are increasingly being managed like zoos. What role do actual zoos and aquariums have to play? The Ark and Beyond looks at this question from all angles; the result is both informative and thought-provoking."--Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" "The Ark and Beyond is essential reading for anyone interested in our tangled and evolving relationship with zoos and aquariums. At the zoo we find ourselves at the shifting borderland between the wild and the walled. This book's editors and contributors explore that territory, bringing together decades of practical and theoretical expertise in conservation biology, history, and education. Their insights will deeply inform and benefit readers wrestling with the complex questions we find ourselves asking when we lock eyes with our kindred creatures."--Curt Meine, Aldo Leopold Foundation & Center for Humans and Nature
£29.45
The University of Chicago Press Moral Entanglements Conserving Birds in Britain
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£29.45
The University of Chicago Press Sex on the Kitchen Table
Book SynopsisA light-hearted, accessible walk through botany and evolution with sex as an organizing principle: how, why, and with what results plants do it—and what role humans play as matchmakers.Trade Review"In a funny way, Ellstrand's book could be called the 'secret sex life of crop plants, ' because relatively few people know the ins and outs of avocadoes, bananas, beets, corn, or squash. Sex on the Kitchen Table will help readers understand how crop plants reproduce and why that is so significant when it comes to solving problems in agriculture. I haven't read anything quite like this before. Edifying and entertaining."--Raoul W. Adamchak, Market Gardens/CSA Coordinator, Student Farm, University of California, Davis "coauthor of "Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food" " "If the title of this book calls to mind the film encounter between Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in The Postman Always Rings Twice, you should know that the scene had many botanical predecessors. Daily you may grace your kitchen table with the products of plant sex: avocados, tomatoes, and squash betray this origin in the seeds they contain, but a cabbage has a sex life too. Ellstrand shines a spotlight on plant sex, revealing how weird it can be, how promiscuous it often is, and just how mobile plant genes are. All our food plants have wild ancestors, and where wild and crop relatives grow near each other, sex happens. It takes engineering to move genes between unrelated species but, Ellstrand argues, it's sex all the same. His message is wise-up and enjoy plant sex. I love it!"--Jonathan Silvertown, University of Edinburgh "author of "Dinner with Darwin: Food, Drink, and Evolution" "
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press Minor Creatures Persons Animals and the
Book SynopsisIn the nineteenth century, richly-drawn social fiction became one of England's major cultural exports. At the same time, a surprising companion came to stand alongside the novel as a key embodiment of British identity: the domesticated pet. In works by authors from the Brontës to Eliot, from Dickens to Hardy, animals appeared as markers of domestic coziness and familial kindness. Yet for all their supposed significance, the animals in nineteenth-century fiction were never granted the same fullness of character or consciousness as their human masters: they remain secondary figures.Minor Creatures re-examines a slew of literary classics to show how Victorian notions of domesticity, sympathy, and individuality were shaped in response to the burgeoning pet class. The presence of beloved animals in the home led to a number of welfare-minded political movements, inspired in part by the Darwinian thought that began to sprout at the time. Nineteenth-century animals may not have been the heroes
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press Animals Best Friends
Book SynopsisWarmly written and scientifically informed, Animals' Best Friends is the invitation we all need to improve the lives of nonhuman animals among usand thereby improve our own.Trade Review"Our relation with animals is fraught with conflicting emotions. We like to eat some, seek to eradicate others, yet adore and spoil our pets like family members. King describes her own moral dilemmas and the personal solutions she has found, always with love and respect shining through. This book will help its readers articulate their own attitudes."--Frans de Waal, author of Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves "A stunning and deeply beautiful accomplishment. Required reading for anyone who wants to better understand the complexities and contradictions of our interactions with animals. And for anyone who wants to have a deeper and more useful relationship with the natural world. I learned a lot reading it. An instant classic."--Jeff VanderMeer, author of the New York Times-bestselling Southern Reach Trilogy "Even as we struggle to be compassionate, it's difficult to live in the world without hurting animals. What's an animal lover to do? This question is at the heart of this important book by King, whose writing, thinking, and teaching about the minds and feelings of animals, and our responsibilities to them, is justly celebrated. Happily, there are many ways to help, from the kitchen to the ballot box. And helping animals is not all-or-nothing. Crucially, King points out ways we can help with great compassion not only for the animals, but also for the people making sometimes difficult choices. Animals' Best Friends will be a guiding light not only to philosophers and ethicists, but also to caring people everywhere who hope to bring the power of human empathy to the choices we make that affect animals' lives."--Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness "Animals' Best Friends is a wonderful book: beautifully written, deeply moving, and fascinating throughout. The stories and research that King tells about the wonders of animal life enable the reader to share in her own enduring sense of hope: Not just for animals in captivity and in the wild, but through and with them, for our own species as well."--Stuart Shanker, author Reframed: Self-Reg for a Just Society and Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life
£22.80
The University of Chicago Press An Alfred Russel Wallace Companion
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Although, as a biogeographer, I have taken an interest in Wallace for many years, I learned a great many new things about him and his times by reading these chapters, both in terms of details and of broad issues. He was quite a remarkable individual, and certainly deserves far more attention than he has received in recent decades. This book should do much to rectify that lack of attention. It will quickly come to represent a major milestone in what we know about Wallace and his contributions."--Lawrence R. Heaney, Negaunee Curator of Mammals, Field Museum of Natural History "Given the disparate nature of its subject's intellectual pursuits, this collection of scholarship on Wallace is inevitably eclectic. Usefully synthetic, it provides the hugely significant service of bringing together many disparate strands of Wallaceana in a single location. Wallace has a special need for this kind of treatment because of the breadth of his interests. If you're interested in Darwin, you need only check out the history of biology literature; if, however, you're interested in Wallace, you are compelled to hunt up references in far-flung areas--in the history of biology, history of medicine, history of economics, and in political history. An Alfred Russel Wallace Companion brings all this together in one place."--Andrew Berry, Harvard University, editor of "Infinite Tropics: An Alfred Russel Wallace Anthology" "An Alfred Russel Wallace Companion is a truly comprehensive examination of the ruminations and writings of one of the most remarkable men of the Victorian era, the co-discoverer of the theory of natural selection with Charles Darwin. This book is so thorough in its analysis of a protean mind that it is difficult to imagine that it will or can be surpassed. Anyone interested in the history of science, and in particular evolutionary theory and the foundations of biogeography, will find this collection of essays enlightening and thought-provoking. Even at his least convincing, his embrace of Spiritualism and anti-vaccinationism, Wallace the revolutionary is evident. The authors rightly argue that his concerns for social justice, the degradation of the planet, and humans' place in the universe make him relevant today, even if some of his ideas, based on the best data available to him at the time, may be outdated."--Ross A. Slotten, author of "The Heretic in Darwin's Court: The Life of Alfred Russel Wallace"
£46.80
The University of Chicago Press The World of Dinosaurs An Illustrated Tour
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£35.00
The University of Chicago Press The Daily Henry David Thoreau
Book SynopsisTrade Review"The sage of Walden Pond is himself in the mix with The Daily Henry David Thoreau, a quote-a-day compendium from Thoreau biographer Laura Dassow Walls of some of his best observations. In a pandemic year touched by window-gazing among homebound Americans, readers might especially respond to this musing from Christmas Eve, 1841: 'Will it not be employment enough to watch the progress of the seasons?'" * Wall Street Journal *
£12.00
The University of Chicago Press Elk in Winter Phoenix Poets Series PP
Book SynopsisRobert Pack searches for meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. He locates beauty, consolation, and even happiness in those commitments that we will into fulfillment in awareness of loss.
£22.80
The University of Chicago Press The Last Walk
Book SynopsisDrawing on the moving story of the last year of the life of her own treasured dog, Ody, the author presents an in-depth exploration of the practical, medical, and moral issues that trouble pet owners confronted with the decline and death of their companion animals.Trade Review"Decisions about how to treat an animal toward the end of her or his life are among the most difficult we have to make, and it's our responsibility to do the best we can. Our companions trust that we will have their best interests in mind. In The Last Walk, Jessica Pierce considers all of the hard questions about sick and old animals. She seamlessly weaves in personal stories with scientific research to provide readers with an incredibly valuable guide-a must read-about when and how to end an animal's life in the most humane way possible. I learned a lot from reading this book, and I know others will as well." -Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals"
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press Darwins Most Wonderful Plants A Tour of His Botanical Legacy
£25.65
The University of Chicago Press Precarious Partners
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£74.10
The University of Chicago Press Precarious Partners Horses and Their Humans in
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£24.70
The University of Chicago Press All the Fish in the Sea
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£24.70
The University of Chicago Press Whos a Good Dog
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bioethicist and author Jessica Pierce has penned a wonderful guide to living life with dogs and improving your bond through respectful and joyful canine-human relationships. Who’s a Good Dog? examines how we can nurture kindness, attentiveness, and empathy when working, living, and training with our dogs." -- Connie Wilson * Modern Dog *"Pierce implores us to rethink our relationships with dogs, so that they become more a collaboration than a state of dominance. . . . This is far from being one of those ‘how to be a good parent’ books written by a perfect mother of a perfect child. Pierce admits that her own beloved rescue dog Bella is far from perfect when it comes to supposed ‘good’ behaviour. . . . One of the most delightful traits of dogs is . . . their sudden boundless joy, which can manifest itself by their zooming round and round in crazy circles for no reason, so it looks as if they’ve lost their mind. We should keep a list, Pierce advises, of what gives our dog pure, unbridled joy, and we should come back to it often. I’ll do just that. Dogs will be dogs." -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *"Bioethicist Pierce wants us to make the most of our nonhuman relationships. In Who's a Good Dog?, she argues all dogs are good dogs, and shows how to better serve their innate dogginess." * New Scientist, Best Non-fiction and Popular Science Books of 2023 *"Thought-provoking. . . . A fresh and rigorous inquiry into how humans can best serve their canine companions. Dog lovers will want to take note." * Publishers Weekly *"Deeply thought-provoking and frequently uncomfortable, this outstanding book asks readers to carefully consider not just the immediate physical needs of dogs but their emotional needs as canines and individuals. . . . This authoritative work asks how owners can provide their dogs with an environment to which comfortable, fulfilling adaptation is possible. Highly recommended." * Library Journal (starred review) *“How can we help our dogs live their best lives? With enormous insight and empathy, Pierce explains that rather than aiming for obedience from our dogs, we can work collaboratively with them to discover new and joyful ways of being together. She is a staunch advocate for honoring dogs’ true natures. I loved her kind and often humorous stories about living with Bella, who is a very good dog.” -- Barbara J. King, author of "Animals’ Best Friends: Putting Compassion to Work for Animals in Captivity and in the Wild"“Pierce is one of the leading canine bioethicists in the world. In Who’s a Good Dog? she carefully applies her deep and broad knowledge of ethics and dog behavior so that all canines—homed and free-ranging dog beings—can have the best lives possible, and so too can their human companions or the humans with whom they have contact. When dogs and humans form and maintain close, give-and-take relationships, it’s a win-win for all. In this landmark and readable book, Pierce tells us just how to do it.” -- Marc Bekoff, author of "Dogs Demystified" and "Canine Confidential"“Who’s a Good Dog? is sorely needed to fill essentially a void in the public conversation about the human-dog relationship. Pierce bravely asks us to examine our assumptions about our dogs’ emotional landscapes, and to consider our own actions and choices within those relationships. Her book is a comprehensive, accessible manual for people who have never before considered the basic ethical implications of living with a dog.” -- Lisa Moses, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics“An astonishing book. Reading Who’s a Good Dog? is akin to the project Pierce asks of us: to adopt a beginner’s mind in relation to understanding the dogs we live with. There’s a sense with many of the questions posed in the book that there is much more to say—but this is also its beauty, that with incredible restraint, Pierce has created opening after opening for us to do the work of reflection (and theorization) ourselves. Original, well-executed, and engaging.” -- Kathryn Gillespie, author of "The Cow with Ear Tag #1389"“A book that all loving pet owners should read.” * New Scientist, on "The Last Walk" *“There is of course so, so much more to enrichment for pets; I’d recommend starting with Pierce’s book if you want to know more.” * New York Magazine, on "Run, Spot, Run" *"Pierce’s book digs into understanding dogs, urging empathy and connection. She explores canine behavior, urging guardians to walk at the dog’s pace and embrace their nature. Her work transforms research into actionable guidance for fostering fulfilling relationships with our furry friends." * Longmont Leader *Table of ContentsIntroduction: We Dog Chapter 1: The Difficulty of Being a (Pet) Dog Chapter 2: Human-Dog Relations Chapter 3: Care and Constraint Chapter 4: Landscapes of Fear, Landscapes of Pleasure Chapter 5: Technologies of Control Chapter 6: Training Dogs to Be Good Chapter 7: Bad Dogs and Behavioral “Problems” Chapter 8: Dwelling in Possibility Acknowledgments Resources Notes Bibliography Index
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press Dinner with Darwin
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A] fascinating celebration of the green world upon which all human life depends."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "New Scientist, Best Books of the Year, on Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible" "A gem. . . . Read it as a gardener, scientist, food aficionado, historian, botanist, or naturalist, and you'll not be disappointed."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "Times Higher Education, on Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible" "A science-informed tour of the table, showing how our fare comes to us courtesy of natural selection--and, of course, survival of the fittest. . . . Silvertown delves in with gusto. . . . His accessible discussion ranges from shellfish gathering to bread-making to gardening, from issues of food security . . . to the genetic basis for taste and genetic variability among populations of food plants. . . . A tasty nibble for the bookish, science-inclined foodie."-- "Kirkus Reviews" "A series of beautifully plated amuse-bouche, raising tantalizing and rich ideas. . . . The book left me feeling as if I had attended a dinner party, where foodies, historians, and scientists mingled, sharing vignettes on various food-related topics. Each 'bite' . . . left me contemplating the relationships between genetic changes, speciation, and, at times, even the future of our planet."--Mari-Vaughn V. Johnson, US Department of Agriculture "Science" "As pleasurable to read as it is informative."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "Library Journal, on Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible" "Deserves a spot on any natural history lover's bedside bookstand. . . . It is simply a delight to read."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "Natural History, on Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible" "In a nutshell, I will never look at seeds the same way again, whether teeny poppy seeds or mammoth coconuts. . . . [A] delicious little book."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "Australian, on Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible" "Silvertown breaks down the sociology, selective breeding, and nutritional evolution behind each contemporary dietary staple. . . . This tour--from animal to vegetable to beer--will give even the most ambitious foodie something to chew on."-- "Scientific American" "The Darwinian dining served up by evolutionary ecologist Silvertown in this delectably erudite study is all about tracing the impact of natural selection on foods. We learn that mussels helped to fuel the hominin exodus from Africa; rye is a weed domesticated by accident; carnivory and tapeworms are intimately linked; and Penicillium camemberti mold evolved in soft cheeses. We even examine engastration--stuffing one animal into another before cooking--as a status-led manifestation of the need to share food. This intricate scientific banquet is a marvelous read: bon appetit."--Barbara Kiser "Nature" "From the opening course of oysters to the final swill of wine, Silvertown's account of the evolution of our diet is a sumptuous experience. Dinner with Darwin combines natural history, biography, archaeology, and biology into food stories that will enlighten any meal."--Richard Wrangham, author of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human "Washington Independent Review of Books" "Dinner with Darwin ranges far more widely--and offers vastly more substance--than the common horde of food books. This is not a candlelit foodie memoir or a 'breakthrough' weight-loss manual. Dinner with Darwin is a wide-ranging natural history of our diet, crafted at a pitch-perfect level for the science buff and the general reader alike. Silvertown is also a wonderful writer: erudite, informative, and thoroughly entertaining."--Bob Duffy "Washington Independent Review of Books"Table of Contents1. An Invitation to Dinner 2. A Cooking Animal 3. Shellfish—Beachcombing 4. Bread—Domestication 5. Soup—Taste 6. Fish—Flavor 7. Meat—Carnivory 8. Vegetables—Variety 9. Herbs and Spices—Piquancy 10. Desserts—Indulgence 11. Cheese—Dairying 12. Wine and Beer—Intoxication 13. Feasting—Society 14. Future Food Acknowledgments Notes Index
£16.00
The University of Chicago Press Utopias Garden French Natural History from Old
Book SynopsisThis work traces the scientific, administrative, and political strategies that enabled the foundation of the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle. It argues that agriculture and animal breeding rank alongside classification and collections in explaining why natural history was important for French rulers.
£96.00
The University of Chicago Press Wild Cats of the World
Book SynopsisHave you ever wondered whether domestic cats really do land on their feet when they fall, or how Canada lynx can stalk their prey without falling through the snow? This intensively researched volume answers these and many more questions on cats of all species from around the world.
£50.40
The University of Chicago Press Ahabs Rolling Sea
Book SynopsisExploring everything from giant squid to sea birds, sharks to sperm whales, this epic voyage with scholar and seafarer Richard J. King provides a new way of approaching Melville's classic sea-yarn: as a book about nature itself.Trade Review"A unique take on Melville...The book is unquestionably well researched: King blends library research with personal experience and draws on interviews with contemporary 'oceanic' professionals, including maritime-historian colleagues, ocean scientists, and sailors. He also provides scores of photographs and other pertinent illustrations. Anyone interested in Melville will find this rich and insightful study fascinating--but those readers curious enough to see Moby-Dick as an oceanographic encyclopedia will benefit most."--J. W. Miller, Gonzaga University "Choice" "An exquisitely detailed and gorgeously written book that reminds us of the wonder of Melville's novel and of the natural world in which it takes place. Fascinating accounts and descriptions of whales, swordfish, sharks, giant squid, ambergris, etc., and of the sea itself: then and now. And informed by a writer who has spent years at sea, is now a professor of maritime literature and history at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. King gives an original, loving rereading of Melville's novel. He is himself a master storyteller whose handsomely illustrated book is deeply informed and full of delightful surprises."--Jay Neugeboren "Ploughshares" "King's book ballasts one's appreciation for Melville's vision with rich freights of lore, observation, scientific data, and history of ideas. It is an admirable companion to the novel and the mind bold enough to bring it into the world."-- "The Nautilus" "Tired of binge-watching those mind-numbing programs and movies? During this pandemic, we've been warned to exercise regularly and that includes our brain. With extra time for nonessential activities, it's an opportunity to read a few good books--especially venturing into unfamiliar territory. . . . This book is excellent. Even if you haven't read Melville's classic of sea literature, you will be amazed at his command of the environmental world that is its setting. . . . What King says will entertain, inform, amuse and sadden you."--JoAnne Fuerst "The Ellsworth American" "King gives us natural history done Melville-style, looking over a ship's rail, and this ingenious focus neatly weds field science and literary history, yielding a study that is fresh, provocative, and welcome."--William Howarth "American Scholar" "Ultimately, answering these questions involves poetry more than science. Melville has combined the rational, objective, Darwinian perspective with the emotional, poetic, Emersonian perspective, pushing the reader to see nature as both dangerous and damaged. Here is King's main point: that Melville's novel can now be read as an introduction to environmental issues of the twenty-first century."--John P. Loonam "Washington Independent Review of Books" "Richard J King's Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick is both a brilliant reading of the novel and an elegy for the wonders of the sea that we humans are destroying."-- "New Statesman" "Employing Melville's maritime setting as a base camp for this ambitious excursion into our present-day relationship with the ocean and its denizens, Ahab's Rolling Sea is that rarest of scholarly books: one that delights as it informs. . . . Key to the book's success is King's skill as a writer. He weaves impressive research--much of it archival--with his own insightful and enthusiastic prose. Topping it off, the book is filled with a rich assemblage of illustrations, maps, and photographs. King writes, 'Like the industry of whaling itself, Melville reveled in the chance to show how the ugly, dirty deep revealed both man's hypocrisies and nature's treasures.' The same can be said of Ahab's Rolling Sea, a book that, like Melville's novel and like the wonders of the ocean, manages to thrill, to educate, and to inspire."--Matthew Wynn Sivils "Isis" "The chance that someone could write something new and fresh about such a book seems as unlikely as a big haul from our over-fished oceans, yet King achieves this. . . He has produced a powerful ecocritical analysis of Moby-Dick, reinforcing the novel as essential reading for all who sail, paddle, wander or simply ponder on the sea."--Mandy Haggith, Inverness College, University of the Highlands and Islands "Green Letters" "Ahab's Rolling Sea is a wide-ranging, highly personal, richly eclectic, and extremely well-researched book whose style and humor, combined with its rigor, suggest the potential for popularity even beyond the fascinations of this self-confessed whalehead. Who could not warm to a chapter titled 'Gulls, Sea-Ravens, and Albatrosses' or 'Sword-Fish and Lively Grounds, ' or be intrigued by 'Phosphorescence'? There's a Melvillean romance here, and it sits especially well with King's love and empathy for human as well as natural history. A contemporary, witty, almost postmodern field guide."--Philip Hoare, author of RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR, The Sea Inside, The Whale, and Leviathan "Anyone who loves Moby-Dick should read this book."--Nathaniel Philbrick, author of the National Book Award-winning In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex and Why Read 'Moby-Dick'? "Are you? a Moby-Dickhead? If so, are you enough of a Moby-Dickhead to have visited the Phallological Museum in Iceland to inspect a sperm whale's penis? This is one of the many intrepid expeditions undertaken by King in the course of researching Ahab's Rolling Sea. His book, like Moby-Dick itself, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about whales but were too ashamed to ask. The fact that the sperm whale's penis, or 'grandissimus', is four and a half feet long is just one of its juicier details. . . . It turns out that, with due allowance for the state of knowledge in the 1850s, Melville got a surprising amount right about whales: their size, their bone structure, their mass, even their emotional lives. . . . Anyone who isn't completely turned off by sea creatures will enjoy surfing the waves of information that roll genially from this book. Ahab's Rolling Sea also has a big thesis. King argues that Moby-Dick offers a 'proto-Darwinian decentring of the human and the elevation of the whale.' . . . It would be hard to fault either the motives or the facts underlying King's ecological zeal."-- "London Review of Books" "Depending on who you are, reading Moby-Dick, first published in 1851, could be a sleep-inducing slog or a stellar sea yarn of man versus whale. But the book has (sea) legs, and since its release has proved to be one of the most enduring books of American fiction. Its literary merits have been discussed and debated, but King, a professor of maritime literature and history, examines the book as a work of nature writing . . . He does extensive reporting, delving into everything from the rigging of whaleships to the diet of sperm whales."-- "Hakai Magazine" "Herman Melville's sprawling masterpiece Moby-Dick is a fictional feat studded with empirical evidence, reveals maritime historian King in this invigorating study. King traces references to ethology, meteorology, marine microbiota and the oceans to Melville's sailing experience in the Pacific and wranglings with the works of scientists William Scoresby, Louis Agassiz and others. Moby-Dick, King boldly avers, is a 'proto-Darwinian fable'--and its beleaguered narrator, Ishmael, an early environmentalist."-- "Nature" "It took me decades to appreciate that Melville's messy, uncontainable, surging Moby-Dick is perhaps the greatest book ever written about the sea, and about the human relationship with the living world, and perhaps the only book sufficiently un-jaded by mercantilism and modernity to be worthy of the actual ocean itself in all its raw, uncontrollable, surging majesty. But if you don't want to wait decades for Melville's magnificence to be revealed, you can cheat and read King's book. Ahab's Rolling Sea is a marvelous guide to the magic and mystery that was Melville's gift to us, for King reveals the deep, deep backstory of the making of Moby-Dick, the vast pots of experience and information that Melville simmered down, and even the missing ingredients of his age, that made Moby-Dick the richest bouillabaisse in all of literature. Oh, and about Melville's missing ingredients--they're here, in King's terrific book."--Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean: Encounters Along the World's Coasts and Beneath the Seas and Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty, and Achieve Peace "King decisively settles any lingering questions about Moby-Dick, nineteenth-century whales and whaling, and all lore and literature of the sea. More than establishing a factual basis for Ishmael's fiction-making, King writes passionately on climate change, economic pressures on sea creatures, and the future Melville confronts in his marvelous encounter with the 'wonder-world' of whaling. King's deep knowledge grounds lively storytelling, keen observations drawn from years of sailing, and an eye for details that will make Melville's book come alive. But even if you haven't read Moby-Dick, you will revel in this storehouse of fascinating tales and arcana, from Ambergris to Zeuglodon. A treasure for library, classroom, or bedside table."--Wyn Kelley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, author of Melville's City: Literary and Urban Form in Nineteenth-Century New York and Herman Melville: An Introduction "King dissects the language and information available to Melville, including books found within Melville's library, and identifies how edited versions of what was understood at the time were twisted to serve the story. The reader comes to appreciate Melville's thorough natural history research, especially in light of the fact that Moby-Dick was written at a time when it was not yet decided whether whales were fish or mammals, and when scientific knowledge was shoehorned into a religious worldview...I thoroughly enjoyed King's well-researched analysis of the classic tale which 'offers a benchmark for how Americans understood the ocean in the mid-nineteenth century' and in doing so, compares and contrasts this with our perceptions of the ocean today."-- "The Niche" "King reflects on what we have learned and lost from the oceans since Melville's time. He answers questions many readers surely ponder. . . . Naturally, the book is full of spoilers. Read Moby-Dick, read this, then read Moby-Dick again."-- "BBC Wildlife" "King, a visiting associate professor of maritime literature and history (what a fascinating title this is!), runs after the Leviathan of literary semantics in the most imaginative way: testing what Melville and people of his era knew about their natural environment, maritime ecosystems, birds, cetaceans, and whales before he published Moby-Dick in 1851. . . . King does his best not to be another Ahab seeing his 'White Whale' escaping. And he actually makes it: from the detailed research of the marine fauna to the possible influences of Emerson, Thoreau, Darwin, Bowditch on Melville. This is the retelling of Moby-Dick from an imaginative point of view: from the Pequod towards the cosmos surrounding us in the era of new environmentalism."--Dimitris Doulgeridis "TA NEA (Greece)" "Simply breathtaking, in that it takes one's breath away and refills the lungs with a gust of salty sea breeze...Ahab's Rolling Sea collects accounts from literary criticism, theory, climate activism, and natural history for a deep dive into one of the most popular maritime novels around--Herman Melville's Moby-Dick...The relatability and readability of Ahab's Rolling Sea, at a time when the sea has much receded from daily life, is a testament to King's pedagogical, sailorly, and descriptive mastery. King invites us to stand aloft with him and Ishmael, and look out toward the wonderful, ever-rolling sea. Maybe, if we look close enough, we will even get to see a whale."--Alison Maas "H-Environment" "This examination of Moby-Dick as nature writing could be a sneaky way to get the English majors on your shopping list to read about science."-- "American Scientist" (12/11/2019 12:00:00 AM) "This is a superb work of popular scholarship that rivals the best books of maritime nonfiction currently in print. For any teacher, reader, or aficionado of Melville's magnum opus the present work will be a joy to read; for anyone curious about the current state of the marine environment, this book will be eye-opening."--Dan Brayton, Middlebury College, author of "Shakespeare's Ocean: An Ecocritical Exploration" "Ahab's Rolling Sea highlights our destructiveness as it teases fact from fiction in Moby-Dick, the obsessive hunt for a great white whale. . . . Rigorous. . . . Original."--Chris Simms "New Scientist" "A rather schematic structure--Ahab's Rolling Sea could be used as a reference book, a zoological concordance to Moby-Dick--is combined with a genuinely gripping retelling of the tale."--Brian Morton "Times Literary Supplement" (1/17/2020 12:00:00 AM) "A treasure trove. King situates Melville as a person of his time, writing amid a quickening pace of discoveries about the natural world but, pre-On the Origin of Species, inclined to couch them as further disclosures of God's design."--Stephen Phillips "Spectator" "I'm an easy mark for books like Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of 'Moby-Dick, ' which I've read a perhaps unhealthy number of times, in light of Annie Dillard's opinion that Melville's baggy masterpiece is the 'best book ever written about nature.' Focusing on nineteenth century oceanography, natural history, and, of course, the whalers' understanding of his prey's remarkable intelligence, King's book is a fascinating and rare thing: a vital addition to Melville studies."--Stephen Sparks "LitHub, 12 Books You Should Read This October" "King uses modern sources and historical texts to take a fresh look at Melville's book--published in the same decade as Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species--with the well-defined brief of assessing its natural history content. The result is a lighthearted and incredibly enjoyable read that manages somehow, at the right moments, to be both broad and narrow in scope. It should be required reading for anyone attempting Moby-Dick. . . . No captive of the library, King is an experienced seaman and an open-minded and intrepid guide. A visiting associate professor of maritime literature and history at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, he is willing to pull on his old Sou'wester and sail into the watery part of the world. . . . King writes ably and in scholarly detail about albatrosses, ambergris, baleen, barnacles, seals, sharks, sperm whale behavior and language, swordfish, typhoons, and all sorts of marine and cetological marginalia. . . . [A] talented and clear-eyed . . . writer."--Christopher J. Kemp "Science"Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Herman Melville: Whaleman, Author, Natural Philosopher 2. Numerous Fish Documents 3. Cetology and Evolution 4. White Whales and Natural Theology 5. Whale Migration 6. Wind 7. Gulls, Sea-Ravens, and Albatrosses 8. Small Harmless Fish 9. Phosphorescence 10. Sword-Fish and Lively Grounds 11. Brit and Baleen 12. Giant Squid 13. Sharks 14. Fresh Fare 15. Barnacles and Sea Candies 16. Practical Cetology: Spout, Senses, and the Dissection of Heads 17. Whale and Human Intelligence 18. Ambergris 19. Coral Insects 20. Grandissimus 21. Whale Skeletons and Fossils 22. Does the Whale Diminish? 23. Mother Carey’s Chickens 24. Typhoons and Corpusants 25. Navigation 26. Seals 27. The Feminine Air 28. Noiseless Nautilus 29. Sperm Whale Behavior 30. Sky-Hawk 31. Ishmael: Blue Environmentalist and Climate Refugee Acknowledgments Notes Selected Bibliography Figure Credits and Notes Index
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press Dogopolis How Dogs and Humans Made Modern New
Book SynopsisDogopolis suggests a surprising source of urban innovation in the history of three major cities: human-canine relationships.Trade Review"Dogopolis is a beautifully presented book with an evocative historical voice and great confidence and flair. It is also a lot of fun to read. Pearson offers a treasure trove of details about the shared lives of humans and dogs across three rapidly urbanizing cities that epitomized urban modernity, and deals with themes at the heart of urban history in his examination of the public and private spaces; class, gender, and race relationships; and public health and disease."-- "Neil Pemberton, Manchester University"Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Straying 2 Biting 3 Suffering 4 Thinking 5 Defecating Coda Acknowledgments Appendix: Reflections on Animals, History, and Emotions Chronology Notes Index
£78.85
The University of Chicago Press Dogopolis How Dogs and Humans Made Modern New
Book SynopsisDogopolis suggests a surprising source of urban innovation in the history of three major cities: human-canine relationships.Trade Review"Dogopolis is a beautifully presented book with an evocative historical voice and great confidence and flair. It is also a lot of fun to read. Pearson offers a treasure trove of details about the shared lives of humans and dogs across three rapidly urbanizing cities that epitomized urban modernity, and deals with themes at the heart of urban history in his examination of the public and private spaces; class, gender, and race relationships; and public health and disease."-- "Neil Pemberton, Manchester University"Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Straying 2 Biting 3 Suffering 4 Thinking 5 Defecating Coda Acknowledgments Appendix: Reflections on Animals, History, and Emotions Chronology Notes Index
£21.85
The University of Chicago Press Life Sculpted
Book SynopsisThere is much to love between this book's covers. . . . There are many eureka moments in Life Sculptedand some truly beautiful ones.Eugenia Bone, Wall Street Journal Meet the menagerie of lifeforms that dig, crunch, bore, and otherwise reshape our planet. Did you know elephants dig ballroom-sized caves alongside volcanoes? Or that parrotfish chew coral reefs and poop sandy beaches? Or that our planet once hosted a five-ton dinosaur-crunching alligator cousin? In fact, almost since its fascinating start, life was boring. Billions of years ago bacteria, algae, and fungi began breaking down rocks in oceans, a role they still perform today. About a half-billion years ago, animal ancestors began drilling, scraping, gnawing, or breaking rocky seascapes. In turn, their descendants crunched through the materials of life itselfshells, wood, and bones. Today, such bioeroders continue to shape our planetfrom the bacteria that devour our teeth to the mighty moon snail, always hunting for food, as evidenced by tiny snail-made boreholes in clams and other moon snails. There is no better guide to these lifeforms than Anthony J. Martin, a popular science author, paleontologist, and co-discoverer of the first known burrowing dinosaur. Following the crumbs of lichens, sponges, worms, clams, snails, octopi, barnacles, sea urchins, termites, beetles, fishes, dinosaurs, crocodilians, birds, elephants, and (of course) humans, Life Sculpted reveals how bioerosion expanded with the tree of life, becoming an essential part of how ecosystems function while reshaping the face of our planet. With vast knowledge and no small amount of whimsy, Martin uses paleontology, biology, and geology to reveal the awesome power of life's chewing force. He provokes us to think deeply about the past and present of bioerosion, while also considering how knowledge of this history might aid us in mitigating and adapting to climate change in the future. Yes, Martin concedes, sometimes life can be hardbut life also makes everything less hard every day.Trade Review"It is often said that life changes the environment. But after reading Martin’s Life Sculpted, it seems more accurate to say that living changes the environment. It was true of the dinosaur era, and it remains true today. . . . For readers who are fascinated by living fossils such as bryozoans and horseshoe crabs, there is much to love between this book’s covers. . . . There are many eureka moments in Life Sculpted—and some truly beautiful ones. . . . The key takeaway of Life Sculpted, and ichnology more generally, is that geology is indistinguishable from biology. A prevailing theme in popular culture these days is that all life is connected. But what Martin implies is that it is not only biotic organisms that are interdependent, but the geological and chemical systems of the planet, too. And while the gap between the biotic and abiotic worlds may seem huge, it’s the science that’s complicated. So, while Life Sculpted is not everybody’s idea of beach reading, think of it this way: It’s the beach." -- Eugenia Bone * Wall Street Journal *"A sampling of chapter headings in Life Sculpted: 'A Boring History of Life,' 'More Bones to Pick' and—most memorably—'Your Beach is Made of Parrotfish Poop.' Ever the tuned-in observer, Martin once noticed a sound while snorkeling, 'a crunching and popping reminiscent of sugary breakfast cereals meeting milk.' Fish, he discovered, were chowing down on the reef and then ejecting sand. Some sedimentary cycles later, we get a postcard-worthy playground. And don’t get him started on starfish: 'If you ever find a wayward sea star or other echinoderm near a beach, whatever you do, do not put it in freshwater, as this will surely kill it,' he writes. 'The same principle applies to keeping it on a shelf at home, or wearing one as a sheriff badge, which will quickly become a stinking badge, which you do not need.' You groan, but will you forget that image?" -- Candice Dyer * Atlanta Journal-Constitution *"A bewildering array of lifeforms break, scrape, and mold our planet to their own ends, from elephants digging caves by volcanoes to bacteria breaking down rocks in the oceans. Bioerosion is a distinct area of science, covering paleontology, biology, and geology. It's also testament to how life adapts to change, something relevant in the current Anthropocene era." * Bookseller *"Much of Martin's discussion involves ichnology, the study of trace fossils, such as tracks, burrows, bite marks, holes. He describes how snails drill into their prey, pine beetles munch trees, otters use rocks as tools to bust clam shells, and stingrays emit high pressure jets of water to expose quarry hiding in sediment. Martin’s writing is witty, rich in facts (the teeth of beavers are enhanced with iron), and spiced with eclectic references, such as the films Jurassic Park, Alien, and Jaws, authors ranging from Aeschylus to H.P. Lovecraft, and TV shows House Hunters and Breaking Bad. Mingling geology, biology, and paleontology, Martin has fashioned a unique and engaging portrait of the earth's many movers and shakers." * Booklist *“With an equal dose of wit and scholarship, Martin turns what is literally a boring topic—how animals and other species drill and chew through rock, bone, and wood—into an epic tale of evolution. Fun and readable, yet academically rigorous, Martin is one of the finest popularizers of paleontology today, and one of my favorite science writers.” -- Steve Brusatte, professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, New York Times–bestselling author of "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs"“A truly original cracker of a book. Martin is one of the world’s top experts in trace fossils, and his life-long experience in doing primary research in this field shows clearly. The scientific information is first-class and highly informative. But his prose is also beautiful and refreshingly expressive. Martin has a real mastery of words that is rare. Enthralling.” -- John A. Long, author of "The Dawn of the Deed"“Anthony J. Martin is the Mary Roach of paleontology.” -- Mary Roach, @mary_roachTable of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: A Boring History of Life Chapter 2: Small but Diminishing Chapter 3: Rock, Thy Name Is Mud Chapter 4: Your Beach Is Made of Parrotfish Poop Chapter 5: Jewelry-Amenable Holes of Death Chapter 6: Super Colossal Shell-Crushing Fury! Chapter 7: Woodworking at Home Chapter 8: Driftwood and Woodgrounds Chapter 9: Bone Eaters of the Deep Chapter 10: More Bones to Pick Chapter 11: The Biggest and Most Boring of Animals Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£20.90
The University of Chicago Press Power in the Wild
Book SynopsisFrom the shell wars of hermit crabs to little blue penguins spying on potential rivals, power struggles in the animal kingdom are as diverse as they are fascinating, and this book illuminates their surprising range and connections. The quest for power in animals is so much richer, so much more nuanced than who wins what knock-down, drag-out fight. Indeed, power struggles among animals often look more like an opera than a boxing match. Tracing the path to power for over thirty different species on six continents, writer and behavioral ecologist Lee Alan Dugatkin takes us on a journey around the globe, shepherded by leading researchers who have discovered that in everything from hyenas to dolphins, bonobos to field mice, cichlid fish to cuttlefish, copperhead snakes to ravens, and meerkats to mongooses, power revolves around spying, deception, manipulation, forming alliances, breaking up alliances, complex assessments of potential opponents, building social networks, and more. PowerTrade Review"A scrupulously scientific but highly accessible tour of power’s manifestations among caribou, bonobos, deer, dolphins, hyenas, meerkats, mice, mongooses (mongeese?)—and those are just some of the mammals. . . . Readable and intellectually satisfying. . . . Compact but very gratifying. . . . True to its title, Power in the Wild doesn’t address Homo sapiens. But the anthropocentrically inclined will find that the power dynamics of nonhuman animals offer plenty of insight into our own, distorted a bit as in a funhouse mirror. For the open-minded, Dugatkin’s depiction of power in the wild yields a stunningly provocative reflection." -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *“Power in the Wild, by behavioral ecologist Dugatkin, reveals the realpolitik behind the lives of sweet-looking creatures from meerkats to field mice, as he examines the eternal struggle for dominance in nature.” * New Scientist, "Don't Miss" *"While visiting a wolf research park in Austria, animal behaviorist Dugatkin was startled to see one male sitting on top of another, clamping its snout in its jaws. The park’s director assured him there was no harm involved, only a display of power. This theme defines Dugatkin’s engaging book, which is based on the work of many scientists with a huge range of animals from around the world, including baboons, dolphins, mongooses and ravens. 'Power pervades every aspect of the social lives of animals,' he says." -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *"From ants to cuttlefish to wolves, this entertaining book surveys various species’ strategies for maintaining control. . . . Dugatkin’s snappy prose enlivens his evolutionary explanations, as of a discussion of how new technology aids in data collection. He is deliberate about highlighting the work of women researchers. Power in the Wild is a charming tour through the wonderful, sometimes bizarre realities of animal behavior." * Foreword Reviews *"Power struggles in the animal kingdom are still not entirely understood, not least when they take place in many more arenas and forms than the most obvious one of physical conflict. Spying, deception, manipulation, shifting social networks—all these are covered here. The author looks at more than thirty species across six continents." * Bookseller *"This captivating, illuminating, and timely book explores how power is sought, attained, maintained, and transferred in nonhuman animal societies... This colorful journey through the deep evolutionary roots of power structures and the complex paths to higher social status will inspire behavioral scientists across disciplines, including ethologists, psychologists, and anthropologists, as well as adult readers with particular interest in animal behaviors... Highly recommended." * Choice *"Like cooperation, competition in the nonhuman world takes many forms. In Power in the Wild, biologist and science historian Dugatkin shows that strength and ruthlessness are only two of the many possible assets an organism may bring to a contest... Aided by new theories and, in many cases, new technologies and techniques, researchers are untangling the influences of genetics, hormone levels, and habitat on such behaviors, and investigating how changes in these and other factors may shift power dynamics over lifetimes and generations. As they do so, they uncover even more complexity in communities long assumed to be far simpler than ours. While Dugatkin's book is not about power in human communities, he is alert to the entrenched inequalities in science and makes a commendable effort to ensure that a large proportion of the voices in his book belong to women, younger scientists, and others too often denied full credit for their work." * Sierra *“Timely and fascinating. . . . Dugatkin’s book is great food for thought regarding the nature of power, equality, and equity, the origins of justice and the origins of sociality in animals—including our own species.” -- Sheng-Feng Shen, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan * Nature Ecology & Evolution *"It would have been easy for Dugatkin, given the scope of his book, to get bogged down in numbers, names, and details, producing a litany of 'gee whiz' facts without any connecting thread. . . . Yet, on the whole, he manages to balance scientific specificity with linguistic flourishes and descriptive details that kept me immersed. . . . Dugatkin's respect for the researchers behind the science also keeps the story moving. The book is as much a profile of them and their endeavors as the animals they study. . . . One of the real joys of the book, though, is Dugatkin's enthusiasm about the subject.” -- Leah Campbell * Earth Island Journal *"This engaging publication describes the ways animals use overt and subtle behaviors to assess and influence the behaviors of others. . . . Field accounts . . . offer firsthand and thoughtful perspectives into the role of power in the lives of nonhuman animals." -- Jennifer E. Smith * Quarterly Review of Biology *“A brilliant journey into the intricate dramas of animal behavior and evolution. Along the way, we also see the scientific process in vivid light, a wonderful exposition of how to deepen understanding of the living world.” -- David George Haskell, Sewanee: The University of the South, author of Pulitzer finalist "The Forest Unseen" and Burroughs medalist "The Songs of Trees"“Power, and the way it is won and lost, unites angelfish and weaverbirds, ravens and cockroaches. By revealing its stunning variety in nature, Dugatkin shows how power isn’t necessarily abusive, or ugly—it’s simply a fact of life. From confrontation to espionage, with coalitions formed and dissolved, his absorbing stories explore how animals juggle their relationships and play a long game.” -- Marlene Zuk, Regents Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, author of "Paleofantasy" and "Sex on Six Legs"“Entertaining anecdotes and scholarly science effortlessly entwine in this delightfully raucous romp through decades of research on the nature of power in the animal kingdom. A great read whether you’re a student, scientist, or amateur animal behavior enthusiast.” -- Athena Aktipis, Arizona State University, author of "The Cheating Cell"“‘Biology’ means ‘the study of life,’ and it requires the story of life. Admirers of Dugatkin’s acclaimed books such as How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) know that he tells rousing stories about nature and how scientists decipher its mysteries. There could not be a more pervasive aspect of life than power dynamics, nor one that more greatly influences nature’s slow change over time. For fans of both science writing and nature writing, Power in the Wild teems with enough animals and scientists around the world to satisfy David Attenborough—whose urbane narration comes to mind as one enlightening glimpse of nature follows another in this lucid and lively celebration of nature's diversity.” -- Michael Sims, author of "Adam’s Navel" and "The Adventures of Henry Thoreau"Table of ContentsPreface 1 Chart a Path to Power 2 Weigh Costs and Benefits 3 Assess Thy Rivals 4 Watch and Be Watched 5 Build Alliances 6 Cement the Hold 7 Survive the Battles 8 Rise and Fall Afterword Acknowledgments Notes Index
£19.00
The University of Chicago Press National Parks Forever Fifty Years of Fighting
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this self-described 'dual memoir,' Jonathan and Destry take turns making the case—and then synthesize their viewpoints—that the National Park Service needs to be independent from the political 'whipsaw' of Washington politics, making it more like the Smithsonian Institution. . . . By providing both historical and personal context to the NPS’s politicization, the Jarvis brothers make a powerful case." * American Scientist *"There’s an argument that can be made, one backed by evidence, that the past fifty years have seen the most egregious attempts to subvert the mission of the National Park Service to preserve and protect natural resources unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. That argument is clearly laid out in National Parks Forever. . . . A rich collection of institutional knowledge from within the machinations of government and from within the National Park Service." -- Kurt Repanshek * National Parks Traveler *“An earnest plea to move the National Park Service out of the highly politicized Department of the Interior and make it an independent agency.” * Kirkus Reviews *"Painful history plus a roadmap for change equals a compelling book." * Revelator *"Offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the park service." -- Rob Hotakainen * E&E News:Greenwire *"The text offers a readable, well-organized argument for the independence proposal, illustrated by selected black-and-white photos. Readers interested in the US government's interface with conservation will appreciate this book. . . . Recommended." * Choice *"This book is compelling reading for all conservation biologists to emulate positive aspects and avoid pitfalls when developing an effective and self-sustaining park system." * Community Ecology *“In careers spanning half a century, both Jon and Destry Jarvis personally witnessed how the National Park Service became a partisan battleground for competing political ideologies, with policies ricocheting back and forth every time a new administration came to power. Filled with detailed firsthand accounts and insightful analysis, National Parks Forever not only chronicles the sorrowful result, but also points to a way to rescue ‘America’s best idea’—and make it even better.” -- Dayton Duncan, writer/producer, "The National Parks: America’s Best Idea"“The history retold by these two brothers, each outstanding in their lifelong dedication to Parks, is compelling and instructive, as well as a very good read. But their lessons learned and call for independence must be enacted if the parks are to survive. I advised NPS leadership for eight years; I witnessed that a major priority is to ensure that the full history of Americans is preserved in the places where that history unfolded. If NPS remains a political football, we will lose not only magnificent landscapes but the hundreds of parks that tell the true stories of America’s past. At this time when our history has become violently politicized, we must depoliticize the one federal agency that knows how to memorialize the truth for future generations.” -- Margaret J. Wheatley, author of "Leadership and the New Science" and former member of National Parks Advisory BoardTable of ContentsForeword by Chris Johns Preface Introduction and a Brief History of the National Parks: 1872-1972 One. Growing the System and Telling a More Complete Story Two. Alaska: Doing It Right the First Time Three. The Politics of Park Policy Four. Using the Best Available Science Five. Ecosystem Thinking Requires Collaboration Six. Interference in the Mission Seven. Independence: Finding a Sustainable Future for a Perpetuity Agency Notes Bibliography and Further Reading Index of People and Places
£72.20
The University of Chicago Press For the Love of Mars
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Shindell describes his book as ‘the history of human ideas about Mars’, and he thoughtfully follows its winding path through religion, literature and pop culture. . . . [He] persuasively argues that Mars is most instructive when it sheds light on how we see ourselves.” * New York Times *“[Shindell’s] fascinating narrative details how today’s discussions have been conditioned by distant antecedents. The book is a compact yet expansive survey, delving judiciously into the histories of religion and science, mass culture and popular literature, the Cold War and the Space Race—highlighting past mistakes and commending new possibilities.” * Wall Street Journal *"Shindell crafts a human-centered history of an alien world. For the Love of Mars offers a readable history of speculation and exploration about Mars, beginning with the skywatchers of ancient Mayan, Chinese, and Babylonian civilizations and ending with the scientists and engineers who work on current robotic missions." * Science *“Armchair astronomers and history buffs alike will find this to be a fresh and engaging account.” * Booklist *"This insightful history will charm readers of popular science, science fiction, and history." * Library Journal *"Shindell describes efforts to understand a celestial body closer to home, tracing the red planet’s evolution in the popular imagination." * Publishers Weekly *“If you want to be surprised and inspired by humankind’s fascination with the Red Planet, For the Love of Mars is a great read.” * BBC Sky at Night Magazine *“This is the right voice to bring Mars vividly to life. Shindell’s history of what we know about the red planet goes beyond Western ideas, bringing valuable knowledge from many times, places, and cultures both into our view and into rich conversation. Its diverse perspectives and cast of characters make For the Love of Mars an essential read.” * Janet Vertesi, author of Shaping Science: Organizations, Decisions, and Culture on NASA’s Teams *“Through a wonderful combination of scholarly scientific research and thoughtful humanist perspective, Shindell’s For the Love of Mars provides a delightfully educational and entertaining history of our exploration of the red planet.” * Jim Bell, Mars researcher and coauthor of Discovering Mars: A History of Observation and Exploration of the Red Planet *“Shindell has done the impossible: setting out the long history of human engagement with the red planet over thousands of years in a single book. For the Love of Mars is compelling reading for anyone who has ever looked at, or even just wondered about, the fourth world from the sun and whether we'll set foot on it someday.” * Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society *"Humans are unsettled by incomplete data, unanswered questions. Show us objects in the night sky, and we create worlds. So it has been with Mars, conspicuous to us Earthbound gazers as one of the heavenly bodies that wanders from place to place against the backdrop of the stars. . . . a world that could share features with our own, as images of the known and unknown were both refashioned through intertwined changes in observation, understanding, exploration and belief. It’s that long evolution of ideas – not yet concluded – that Matthew Shindell relates in this compact survey." * The Arts Desk *"More than justifies itself as ‘another book about Mars’ in exploring the planet from a distinct and thought-provoking perspective." * E&T *"By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, Shindell shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. Captained by an engaging and erudite expert, For the Love of Mars is a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the red planet." * Sandbox World *"Because of its visibility and striking color, everyone from Mayan priests to modern scientists have sought to center [Mars] in some way in human life. In this book, Shindell explores the ways our curiosity and subsequent exploration of the planet has led us to understanding the rest of our world as well." * Bookriot *"Historians of science are already well-acquainted with Mars’ centrality to science itself, as the Red Planet’s retrograde motion through the night sky led Renaissance and Enlightenment astronomers to toss out the wisdom of the Greeks and map out a series of laws of motion we now call physics. Science, though, is only part of this story: faith, fear, imperialism, and demonstrations of national prowess all figure in Shindell’s stories of Martian exploration, from the construction of telescopes to the landing of rovers on the Martian surface and preparations for future human settlement." * Quest *"By focusing on the diverse human stories behind the telescopes and behind the robots we know and love, the author shows how Mars exploration has evolved in ways that have also expanded knowledge about other facets of the universe. This book is a captivating voyage through time and space for anyone curious about Curiosity and the Red Planet." * LPIB *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Prologue: Mars in the Time of COVID-19 Introduction: Keeping Up with Mars 1 Mars and the Cosmic State 2 Mars in the Medieval Imagination 3 Restructuring the World 4 The Making of Modern Mars 5 Cold War Red Planet 6 Mars and the New Millennium Conclusion: The Human Future of Mars? Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£19.00
University of Chicago Press Trees
Book Synopsis
£42.46
The University of Chicago Press Journeys with Emperors
Book SynopsisWith stunning photographs from the ice edge, a firsthand account of a researcher's time in Antarctica and of the perilous journeys of the world's largest penguin species: the iconic emperor. Nearly all emperor penguin colonies are extremely remote; of the sixty-six known, fewer than thirty have been visited by humans, and even fewer have been the subject of successful research programs. One of the largest known emperor penguin colonies is found on a narrow band of sea ice attached to the Antarctic continent. In Journeys with Emperors, Gerald L. Kooyman and Jim Mastro take us to this far-flung colony in the Ross Sea, showing us how scientists gained access to it, and what they learned while living among the penguins as they raised their chicks. The primary mission was to record the birds' activities at sea, and the data revealed important aspects of emperor penguin behavior and physiology: for instance, that in the course of hunting for food, some of the penguins dive to depths ofTrade Review"Informative sidebars, graphs, and charts explain technical terms in clear language. An annotated bibliography and gorgeous photos round out this treat of a book, which describes what it was like to live among emperor penguins and the challenges and rewards of research in the Antarctic. This book will have armchair travelers, penguin lovers, Antarctic enthusiasts, and science readers rejoicing." * Booklist *"The 2005 Luc Jacquet documentary March of the Penguins won an Oscar for its depiction of emperor penguins' fifty-kilometer trek over sea ice to their breeding grounds. While such a trek may be common for emperors breeding in colonies around the Antarctic perimeter, it is not the case for the largest colonies in the Ross Sea. To understand emperor penguins here, we must follow them on four critical journeys, each with its own challenges and hazards. In this compelling and accessible book, comparative biologist Kooyman and writer and fellow Antarctic explorer Mastro offer a detailed explanation of all four journeys. A book that will take you [into] the field with scientists to discover those charismatic and fascinating birds." * PolarJournal (Switzerland), "Our polar book ideas for Christmas" *“[Kooyman] recounts his tale of one of the most iconic examples of charismatic megafauna in a way that captures both the magnitude of his science and the elegant descriptions and personal anecdotes that transport the reader to the ice (all through the lens of a changing climate). His acts of veritable heroism—raging-river crossings, risky glacial traverses, frequent excursions on figurative and literal thin ice—were simply routine components of his daily scientific procedures.” -- Jessica Ulrika Meir, PhD, comparative physiologist and NASA astronaut, from the foreword“Journeys with Emperors follows a decades-long quest to study the largest, deepest diving, most colorful, and most isolated of the penguins. Readers are literally a part of the research expedition. It is the trials and tribulations, successes and failures of Kooyman and his research team that are at the core of this book. An iconic Antarctic bird makes it all the more engaging, and you walk away with an appreciation of how unique these birds are, as are the people who study them. Everyone will be the better for having read this book, and perhaps, emperor penguins will benefit from such an informed population; I can think of no higher praise.” -- Terrie M. Williams, author of "The Odyssey of KP2: An Orphan Seal and a Marine Biologist’s Fight to Save a Species"“This remarkable book is the most authoritative and readable account of the biology of emperor penguins ever written. Of equal significance is that through example, Kooyman provides insight into the importance of patiently observing and documenting aspects of the natural history of this extraordinary bird, over a period of decades. Collectively, those observations facilitated a stream of original ideas, and the technology needed to test them. As such, Journeys with Emperors models how to successfully conduct long-term research on a wild species in a truly challenging environment.” -- Ian Stirling, FRSC, research scientist emeritus, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and adjunct professor, University of Alberta, CanadaTable of ContentsForeword Preface Chapter 1 A Meeting with Emperor Penguins Chapter 2 The Kings of Saint Andrews Bay Chapter 3 The Seven Colonies of the Ross Sea Chapter 4 The Emperors of Cape Washington Chapter 5 Kings and Emperors in One Year Chapter 6 The Commuter Journey Chapter 7 The Fledging Journey Chapter 8 The Pre-molt Journey Chapter 9 The Post-molt Journey Chapter 10 How Do They Do It? Chapter 11 Predator as Prey Chapter 12 Climate, Conservation, and Consumption Acknowledgments Annotated Bibliography Index
£23.75
The University of Chicago Press Space Time Gravity 2e The Theory of the Big Bang
Book SynopsisWriting for the general reader or student, Wald has completely revised and updated this highly regarded work to include recent developments in black hole physics and cosmology. Nature called the first edition a very readable and accurate account of modern relativity physics for the layman within the unavoidable constraint of almost no mathematics...A well written, entertaining and authoritative book.
£80.00
The University of Chicago Press The Passage to Cosmos
Book SynopsisExplorer, scientist, writer, and humanist, Alexander von Humboldt was the most famous intellectual of the age that began with Napoleon and ended with Darwin. This title traces Humboldt's ideas for Cosmos to his 1799 journey to the Americas, where he first experienced the diversity of nature and of the world's people.Trade Review"Walls reclaims for the present a man whose personality and work had a formative influence on the cultural landscape of antebellum America and whose legacy may to good effect be used in addressing current affairs. I recommend The Passage to Cosmos as a fine piece of Humboldt scholarship, a heartfelt plea for environmental holism, and an enjoyable read." (Science)"
£31.35
The University of Chicago Press The Passage to Cosmos
Book SynopsisExplorer, scientist, writer, and humanist, Alexander von Humboldt was the most famous intellectual of the age that began with Napoleon and ended with Darwin. This title traces Humboldt's ideas for "Cosmos" to his 1799 journey to the Americas, where he first experienced the diversity of nature and of the world's people.Trade Review"Walls reclaims for the present a man whose personality and work had a formative influence on the cultural landscape of antebellum America and whose legacy may to good effect be used in addressing current affairs. I recommend The Passage to Cosmos as a fine piece of Humboldt scholarship, a heartfelt plea for environmental holism, and an enjoyable read." (Science)"
£19.00
