Natural History Books

Book SynopsisYou probably feel like you know everything about your cat and his needs, but chances are there's a lot you aren't aware of. For example, did you know that the food you feed him every day has nowhere near enough nutritional value, or that he may have chronic tooth decay? Have you ever been told that the essence of the flower holly can help him be less jealous, or that a massage can lessen his arthritis pains?The Veterinarians' Guide to Natural Remedies for Cats is an introduction and a guide to the vast world of natural methods, treatments, and foods that are now available for cats. Veterinarians from around the country offer information and opinions to help you determine what's best for your cat. In addition to showing you how to develop a healthy diet for your pet, these doctors will tell you about alternative treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, and herbal medicine.

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Book SynopsisA collection of 101 jaw-dropping stories, as told by the very people who experienced them ? first-hand accounts of sightings, scrapes and encounters in one of Africa?s greatest National Parks. It details hair-raising experiences from the Kruger Park?s roads, camps, picnic sites and walking trails, such as: An enraged elephant flips a car onto its roof; a lioness prises open a terrified couple?s car door; a fleeing impala leaps through an open car window; a hyaena snatches a baby from a tent; a tourist takes a bath in a croc-infested dam. Bedside book, travel companion, dip-into ? wherever you are, this exciting book will transport you directly into the bush.

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Book SynopsisAn integrated account of all aspects of humid tropical environments. Topics covered include: the controls of weather and climate; climatic characteristics; soils; vegetation; landforms; and hydrology. The book also examines the effect of human activity on the environment.Trade Review"The value of this book is that it treats and compares an extremely wide range of topics. Because of the extensive bibliography the specialist or the person looking for details on any one topic is unlikely to be frustrated. A list of further reading is provided for each chapter and is a good introdution to the up-to-date scientific literature about the humid tropics. This text is likely to be widely used by students of many different disciplines." The Times Higher Education Supplement "Three geographers have come together to produce a well-integrated text on the major features of the environment in the humid tropics, with emphasis on their interrelationships and the importance of the human dimension... This book merits wide readership and provides and excellent text for many university courses." B. A. Whitton, International Journal of Environment StudiesTable of ContentsPreface. List of Tables. List of Plates. List of Figures. 1. Introduction. 2. Atmospheric Circulation Systems and Weather Disturbances. 3. Climatic Characteristics. 4. Humid Tropical Soils. 5. Humid Tropical Vegetation. 6. Landscape. 7. Hydrology. 8. Environmental Resources and Hazards in the Humid Tropics. 9. Environmental Issues Facing the Humid Tropics. References. Appendices. Index.

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Book Synopsis* An exploration of one of the thorniest, and most important, questions of contemporary social and political thought* Written in lively and accessbile style, this will appeal to a wide scholarly and educated audience. .Trade Review"This is an excellent book. It addresses what, in both conceptual and political terms, is arguably the most important source of tension and confusion in current arguments about the environment, namely the concept of nature; and it does so in a way that is both sensitive to, and critical of, the two antithetical ways of understanding this that dominate existing discussions." Russell Keat, University of Edinburgh "Pondering the related issues of environmental crisis and sustainability, readers will benefit greatly from close study of Kate Soper's extended essay on the discourse of nature and 'nature'." W. Lukin, University of LondonTable of ContentsAcknowledgements viii Introduction 1 1 The Discourses of Nature 15 2 Nature, Human, and Inhuman 37 3 Nature, Friend and Foe 71 4 Nature and Sexual Politics 119 5 Nature and ‘Nature’ 149 6 The Space and Time of Nature 180 7 Loving Nature 213 8 Ecology, Nature and Responsibility 249 Index 283

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Book SynopsisThe humid tropics contain some of the worlda s richest, most diverse, most important and most threatened environments. This book draws on recent work by geographers, biologists, ecologists, geologists and climatologists to present a complete and integrated appraisal of the natural environment of all the humid tropical regions of the world.Trade Review"The value of this book is that it treats and compares an extremely wide range of topics. Because of the extensive bibliography the specialist or the person looking for details on any one topic is unlikely to be frustrated. A list of further reading is provided for each chapter and is a good introdution to the up-to-date scientific literature about the humid tropics. This text is likely to be widely used by students of many different disciplines." The Times Higher Education Supplement "Three geographers have come together to produce a well-integrated text on the major features of the environment in the humid tropics, with emphasis on their interrelationships and the importance of the human dimension... This book merits wide readership and provides and excellent text for many university courses." B. A. Whitton, International Journal of Environment StudiesTable of ContentsPreface. List of Tables. List of Plates. List of Figures. 1. Introduction. 2. Atmospheric Circulation Systems and Weather Disturbances. 3. Climatic Characteristics. 4. Humid Tropical Soils. 5. Humid Tropical Vegetation. 6. Landscape. 7. Hydrology. 8. Environmental Resources and Hazards in the Humid Tropics. 9. Environmental Issues Facing the Humid Tropics. References. Appendices. Index.

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Book SynopsisAs many more pets survive into old age, veterinary practitioners are finding that an increasing proportion of their work involves the treatment of ageing animals. This title covers the treatment of the geriatric cat and dog. It discusses the topics and problems specifically related to the elderly animal.Trade Review"This book provides the reader with concise information that generally can only be obtained from several different sources." (Susan L. Pendland, MS, PharmD @Doody's Review Service) Table of ContentsPreface. Chapter 1. An Introduction to Geriatric Veterinary Medicine. Chapter 2. The Cardiovascular System. Chapter 3. The Nervous System. Chapter 4. The Special Senses. Chapter 5. Urinary Tract. Chapter 6. Neoplasia in Old Age. Chapter 7. Nutrition in Older Animals. Chapter 8. Anaesthesia and Surgery in Geriatric Patients. Chapter 9. Radiology in Geriatric Patients. Chapter 10. Geriatric Screening Programmes. Index.

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Book SynopsisEnables students, trainers, riders and horse owners to understand the fundamental principles behind the behavior of horses and how to apply them in different situations in practice. This book looks at the constraints which apply to the modern horse because of its evolutionary history and the nature of the evolutionary process itself.Table of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgements viii Part One: Understanding Behaviour Concepts 1 1 Approaches to the Study of Behaviour 3 What is behavior 3 Ethology versus psychology 6 A brief guide to conducting a behaviour study 9 Conclusion 15 Topics for discussion 16 References and further reading 16 2 Origins of Behaviour 18 An evolutionary approach to understanding behavior 18 Lamarck versus Darwin 19 Genes not individuals 22 Evolutionary throwbacks and genetic jumps 26 Adaptation and apparent stupidity in domestic horses 27 Evolution and the variety of behavior 29 Conclusion 31 Topics for discussion 31 References and further reading 32 3 The Evolutionary History of the Horse 33 Introduction 33 Early evolution of the horse 38 The arrival of Equus 43 The origins of the modern breeds 45 Domestication and its consequences 47 Topics for discussion 52 References and further reading 52 4 The Lifetime Development of Behaviour 53 Instinctive and learned behaviour, what is the difference? 53 Sensitive phases for specia1 times specific associations 56 Using play for better management 58 Using natural biases in development to improve management 60 Conclusion 65 Topics for discussion 65 References and further reading 66 Part Two: Mechanisms of Behaviour 67 5 The Processing, of Information 69 Introduction 69 The nervous system 69 Neural transmission 72 Central processing 80 Behavioural motivation 84 Autonomic and somatic nervous system 88 Topics·for discussion 89 References and further reading 90 6 The Special Senses 91 Sight 91 Hearing 99 Chemoreception 102 Cutaneous sensation 107 Topics for discussion 108 References and further reading 108 7 Communication and Social Organisation 110 Communication 110 Social organisation 125 The composition of the group 129 The social structure of the group 129 The dynamics of the group 133 How horses defend their resources 134 Conclusion 136 Topics for discussion 137 References and further reading 137 8 Sexual and Reproductive Behaviour of Horses 139 Basic genetic foundation of the individual’s sexuality 139 Normal mare specific behavior 140 Normal sexual specific behaviour l49 Modifiers of the genetic blueprint 153 Conclusion 160 Topics for discussion 160 References and further reading l60 Part Three: The flexibility of Behaviour and its Management 163 9 Learning and Training 165 Psychological processes 165 A few basic procedures 167 App1ying reinforcement to train new behaviours 176 Punishment and its problems 180 General guidelines to training new behaviours 182 Learning beyond a change in behaviour 183 Training techniques for problem behaviours 186 Conclusion 193 Topics for discussion 164 References and further reading 194 10 Welfare 196 Understanding welfare 196 What is right is not always the same as what is good 196 Measuring welfare 197 ls the domestic horse a fish out of water? 205 Stereotypies 210 Principles of treatment for stereotypies and other behaviour problems 220 Conclusion 224 Topics for discussion 224 References and further reading 225 Appendix 226 Index 227

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Book SynopsisProvides a guide for busy practitioners trying to keep pace with trends in small animal orthopaedic surgery. This title offers a comprehensive review of orthopaedic and spinal conditions in the dog and cat. It is intended for veterinary practitioners diagnosing and treating orthopaedic and spinal problems.Trade Review"Although there are a fair number of orthopaedic textbooks in the marketplace, I would recommend this one for its practical approach, readability and thoroughness. Being a hardback, its cost is slightly higher than its predecessor's, but it has undergone considerable expansion and, at #55, still represents very good value for money. Even the most experienced surgeon will be able to glean useful practical advice from this book."—The Veterinary RecordTable of ContentsPreface V SECTION 1 GENERAL 1 1 Fracture healing 3 2 Bone grafts 18 3 Healing of soft tissue injuries 24 4 Osteochondrosis 31 5 Intervertebral disc disease and spinal cord injury 35 SECTION 2 JOINT DISEASE 39 6 Classification and investigation of joint disease 41 7 Osteoarthritis 52 8 Immune-mediated polyarthritides 64 9 Infective (septic) arthritis 73 10 Joint-related neoplasia 77 SECTION 3 FRACTURE MANAGEMENT 81 11 Classification of fractures 83 12 Options in fracture management 87 13 Fracture complications 132 14 Open fractures 152 15 Treating fractures in immature patients 155 SECTION 4 THE SKULL AND SPINE 161 16 The skull 163 17 Neurological examination 175 18 Differential diagnosis 184 19 Further investigation of spinal diseases 186 20 Peripheral nerve injury 201 21 Spinal fractures and luxations 206 22 Atlantoaxial subluxation 217 23 Cervical disc disease 223 24 Cervical spondylopathy 231 25 Thoracolumbar disc disease 246 26 Lumbosacral disease 263 27 Discospondylitis 278 28 Neoplasia of the vertebral column 283 29 Miscellaneous conditions of the spine 286 SECTION 5 THE FORELIMB 299 30 Examination and differential diagnosis of forelimb lameness 301 31 The shoulder 303 32 The humerus 341 33 The elbow 363 34 The radius and ulna 389 35 The carpus 409 36 The manus 425 37 Forelimb amputation 433 SECTION 6 THE HINDLIMB 437 38 Examination and differential diagnosis of hindlimb lameness 439 39 The pelvis 441 40 The hip 455 41 The femur 495 42 The stifle 512 43 The tibia and fibula 554 44 The tarsus 575 45 The pes 598 46 Hindlimb amputation 599 SECTION 7 MISCELLANEOUS ORTHOPAEDIC CONDITIONS 601 47 Nutritional bone disease 603 48 Non-nutritional bone disease 607 49 Myopathies 613 50 Peripheral neuropathies 616 51 Bone neoplasia 618 Index 627

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Book SynopsisEmbrace the spirit of exploration, connect with nature, and elevate your birdwatching adventures with the new enhanced edition of Sappi Birds of South Africa.

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Book SynopsisProvides an in-depth guide to horse care under conditions unique to Australia and New Zealand.

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Book SynopsisPresents the most up-to-date information available on the medical management of all taxa of Australian native mammals.

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Book SynopsisThe first publication to describe all reptiles known to occur within Victoria. It contains keys and illustrated descriptions to allow identification of all 123 native, introduced and vagrant reptile species and describes their biology, ecology, distributions and the habitats in which they live.Trade Review"[...] one of the best reptile field guides in recent memory. It has everything a person needs to identify that little brown skink in their garden, or the big snake they saw on their last bushwalk, and will serve as a useful reference to scientist and layperson alike. It is also engagingly well written." -- James Van Dyke * Ecological Management & Restoration Vol 20 (3) *

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Book SynopsisMosquitoes are annoying (and can be deadly) but they can also be beautiful. This book provides a pictorial guide to almost 100 mosquito species and includes notes on their biology, habitats and association with disease. The book also provides information on how to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease through tips on keeping your home free of mosquitoes and reducing their bites.Trade ReviewThis 216-page book, packed full of high quality photographs, explores the biodiversity of this group of insects. It provides a pictorial guide to almost 100 mosquito species and includes notes on their biology, habitats and association with disease. The book also provides information on how to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease."Pest Magazine, February & March 2016

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Book SynopsisThis definitive guide, written by experts in the field, offers a window into a fascinating world. Notorious species such as the Redback and the Sydney Funnel-web sit alongside less well known but equally intriguing spiders such as the ant-mimics and net-casting spiders. Each is illustrated with beautiful photographs of the subjects.Trade ReviewOnce seduced by the charm of spiders, you'll find yourself entranced by their ways and amused by the authors' entertaining style." —Owen Seeman, Wildlife Australia

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Book SynopsisPresents some of the most extraordinary creatures the world has ever seen - all unique to Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand and their surrounding islands. Over 100 painted panoramas by Peter Schouten are accompanied by descriptions of the environments and features of these animals, written by four of Australia's foremost palaeontologists.Trade Review"More than 500 million years of evolution across the continent has come alive through the artwork of Australian palaeo artist Peter Schouten." * Cosmos *

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Book SynopsisThe Official Spider Test.What do you do when you see a spider?a. Lay on a BIG spidey smoocheroo.b. Smile, but back away slowly.c. Grab the closest object, wind up, and let it fly.d. Run away screaming. If you chose b, c, or d, then this book is for you! (If you chose a, you might be crazy.) I’m Trying to Love Spiders will help you see these amazing arachnids in a whole new light, from their awesomely excessive eight eyes, to the seventy-five pounds of bugs a spider can eat in a single year! And you’re sure to feel better knowing you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being fatally bit by a spider. Comforting, right? No? Either way, there’s heaps more information in here to help you forget your fears . . . or at least laugh a lot!

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Book SynopsisFilled with inspiring stories and photographs, this heartfelt tribute to the pit bull celebrates one of America’s most popular yet misunderstood dogs.Perhaps more than any other breed, the pit bull has been dogged by negative stereotypes. In truth, pit bulls are innately wonderful family pets, as capable of love and good deeds as any other type of dog. Setting the record straight, Ken Foster sings the praises of pit bulls in I’m a Good Dog, a gorgeously illustrated, tenderly written tribute to this most misunderstood of canines.Founder of the Sula Foundation, which promotes responsible pit bull ownership in New Orleans, and the author of two acclaimed books about abandoned dogs, Foster has made it his mission to bring overlooked canines into the limelight. I’m a Good Dog traces the fascinating history of this particularly maligned breed. A century ago, the pit bull was considered a family dog, featured in family photos and trusted Trade Review“A beautiful book about some of the most beautiful and big-hearted dogs in the world—dogs who've been misunderstood and discriminated against for far too long. Ken Foster and his rescue work are a gift to animals and people alike. Everyone should read I'm a Good Dog to learn the truth about pit bulls, and celebrate them.”—Rebecca Skloot, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks“Pit bulls have a true champion in Ken Foster, whose devotion to these unjustly maligned dogs has already saved many of them. I admire his knowledgeable campaign on behalf of these dogs, and as someone whose life has been improved by knowing pit bulls, I recommend this insightful, loving and compelling book about the magnificent dogs whose loyalty and forgiving natures are an inspiration.”—Amy Hempel, author of The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel“Ken Foster's I'm a Good Dog is the definitive book on the dog that's been so hard to define, the misunderstood pit bull. Visually stunning images are surrounded by Ken's magical dog stories; this book is a gift, and one I'll be giving many times.”—Julie Klam, author of You Had Me at Woof

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Book SynopsisA leading animal psychiatrist reviews the physical, behavioral and temperamental qualities for 123 breeds and outlines a step-by-tep procedure for selecting a dog that matches the potential owner's personality and lifestyle.

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Book SynopsisThe author of the award-winning Taking the Quantum Leap explains how the new physics predicts the existence of universes that are similar to and perhaps even duplicates of our own universe. Illustrated.

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Book SynopsisA veteran entomologist and accomplished birdwatcher presents this introduction to the intricate interplay of insects and birds, with a beguiling blend of anecdote, ornithology, and entomology. Profusely illustrated with drawings and color photographs, this book offers a cornucopia of facts about the life history and behavior of insects and birds.Trade ReviewTwo of the basic tenets of modern evolutionary biology are that, within an ecosystem, each species fulfills a critical role and that when a species is perturbed or an addition is made to an ecosystem, the ecological ramifications will often be noticed rippling throughout the entire community...Exploring and expanding on these nested relationships are two of the things that Gilbert Waldbauer does so well in his engaging natural history...Waldbauer takes some of the least appreciated species in most ecosystems--insects--and eloquently discusses many of the roles they play...His book is accessible to anyone interested in natural history...What Waldbauer does best is transmit his respect and admiration--perhaps awe is not too strong a word--for the insects he has spent his life studying. -- Michael Zimmerman * Philadelphia Inquirer *Some insects mimic bird droppings to protect themselves from attack. Certain songbirds rub acid-filled ants over their feathers to deter external parasites. Such examples of the bird/bug relationship sprinkle Waldbauer's text as he describes the ways that each group adjusts and evolves through mutual exploitation. The final third of the book addresses the bugs that eat the birders and how humans combat such assaults. * Science News *The Birder's Bug Book provides a lot of information about bugs and about birds...The book has a small section of high-quality color plates, a good bibliography, and many fine black-and-white illustrations...[Waldbauer] presents a lot of information organized in a successful format that should appeal to birders of many persuasions. -- David Benson * Wisconsin Bluebird *This book is an interesting introduction to the many fascinating relationships between birds and insects. As past eons have come and gone, birds and insects have become increasingly enmeshed in a complex web of interrelationships: birds eating insects, bloodsucking insects feeding on birds, parasitic insects infesting birds, ad birds struggling to rid themselves of the parasites. In this book, the author describes these and many other interactions between birds an insects. * Entomological News *[The Birder's Bug Book] aims to establish that birds are best understood in the light of their ecological contact and consequent association with plants, insects and other organisms...The whole book is well written and a fascinating read with charming illustrations. The last chapter especially could well be recommended as compulsory reading in all educational establishments. -- K. G. V. Smith * Entomologist's Monthly *This unique title focuses on the relationships and impact among birds, 'bugs,' and people. Drawing on a rich array of scientific resources, including his own career, and on anecdotes, Waldbauer gives an entertaining summary of these complex interactions, which dynamically affect human and ecological health...Some chapters portray 'Bugs That Birds Eat,' 'Bugs That Eat Birds,' 'Bugs That Eat People,' etc.; others offer lively essays on flying insects, a brief guide to insects, and an excellent discourse, 'Disappearing Diversity' which should be required reading for anyone interested in extinction, rain forests, or biodiversity. Highly recommended. -- Henry T. Arminstead * Library Journal *[Waldbauer] introduces readers to the complex interplay of birds and insects, striving to be scientifically accurate yet using a variety of delightful anecdotes to make his points...The book is a must-read for anyone interested in natural history. -- George Cohen * Booklist *Waldbauer gives a lucid, engaging account of mutual exploitation in a complex ecosystem while evincing a sneaking admiration for bugs. He describes birds whose 'profession' is to eat insects; 'choosy' blood-sucking insects that feed on only certain birds; parasites living on birds; and the birds' efforts to get rid of them. Also detailed are species of ants and spiders that eat nestlings. Birds attack parasitic insects by anting (rubbing ants over their bodies), dust-bathing and preening; some species even bring aromatic leaves to their nest. Others enlist the support of bees and wasps by building their nests near those insects' habitats for protection against predators...This informative work is not just for birders; any student of natural history will find it illuminating. * Publishers Weekly *Birds and insects are involved in a complex web of relationships, and here veteran entomologist Waldbauer describes these relationships and interactions, blending ornithology, entomology and folktales in a lively style which will appeal to scientist and general readers alike. Any interested in natural history will find it appealing and involving. * Bookwatch *One of our 'favorite book-writing naturalists.' * Discover *Anyone interested in insects and birds will enjoy this book and learn a great deal from it. * Bird Watcher's Digest *Highly readable. Waldbauer is the ideal author for this sort of book: An accomplished entomologist, a fine writer, and a fanatical birder. -- Scott K. Robinson * Illinois Natural History Survey *In this well-written book, Waldbauer...melds his vocational interest in insects with his avocational interest in birds...Besides the highly readable prose, there are dozens of detailed three-toned drawings and 16 pages of color plates...This book can be enjoyed by high school students and adult laypersons, as well as professional and amateur naturalists. -- H. N. Cunningham * Choice *It would never have occurred to me to look at a book about bugs, whether they are associated with birds or not, but I've got to tell you, this book is fascinating. -- Pete Dunne, New Jersey Audubon SocietyThis fascinating account of the long interrelationship between insects and birds and the short destructive intervention of man makes compelling reading. * Entomologist's Monthly Magazine *The Birder’s Bug Book is an unusual yet highly engaging thinkpiece devoted to selected topics in natural history… Few readers are likely to come away from [Waldbauer’s] book without acquiring significant new facts and perspectives. Natural history books designed for non-professionals often repeat a familiar nucleus of established lore, while many scientific books are so narrowly focused as to be inaccessible to non-expert readers. The Birder’s Bug Book demonstrates that there is still much to be learned from the traditional naturalist’s approach and that there is still a place for wide-ranging, articulately written, and thoughtful nature writing. -- Rich Cech * Birding *

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Book SynopsisTwenty years ago Pepperberg set out to discover whether large-brained, highly social parrots were capable of mastering complex cognitive concepts and the rudiments of referential speech. This book represents the long-awaited synthesis of the studies constituting one of the landmark experiments in modern comparative psychology.Trade ReviewAlex's spectacular abilities were sensationalized in the news media, as though it were a talking parrot act. That obscured the significance of the studies, which is why The Alex Studies is important...[Irene Pepperberg has] done groundbreaking experiments, and bringing them together in a panoramic view is a great service...She describes simply what she did, and why and how her results compare with equivalent language-use and comprehension studies on chimps, marine mammals and children...She proves that animals have abilities greater than we are led to expect, but these can be revealed only by appropriate research tools. She succeeds where many others failed, and she convinces us that the details of investigative methods are what matter. The purpose is not to reveal Alex as a winged Einstein. Instead, she shows that complex mental operations are revealed only be precise methods that match the capabilities investigated. And she demonstrates remarkable parallels between parrots and humans. The core importance of social interaction in both learning and testing is crucial for her results. In that, her studies have relevance far beyond parrots. -- Bernd Heinrich * New York Times Book Review *Alex's abilities are extraordinary, and Pepperberg's investigation of them makes The Alex Studies essential for anyone interested in the wider issues it raises...As with other pioneering works from Darwin's to E. O. Wilson's, its influence will be felt throughout the field of animal ethology for years to come. -- Caroline Fraser * Los Angeles Times *Pepperberg's work is admirably rigorous. Earlier work with language-trained animals was notorious for poor design and overly charitable interpretations of data. Pepperberg, by contrast, takes careful precautions against inadvertent cueing. She uses conservative estimates of chance when assessing the statistical reliability of Alex's responses, and she shows restraint when interpreting her results...Pepperberg has organized her book in a quasi-historical fashion, framing each phase of her research in terms of the contemporary work that inspired or informed it. Each chapter is devoted to a particular capacity or competence, such as numerical cognition, categorization, or the comprehension of words...From those who wish to read selectively (or for instructors who wish to assign only one or two chapters) it should be quite welcome because each chapter can stand on its own reasonably well...The book should be accessible to a wide range of audiences, from researchers studying animal behavior to advanced undergraduates in a course that covers relevant material such as animal cognition or the capacities of language-trained animals. -- Edward Kako * Science *Pepperberg has elegantly summarized her 20 years of success showing that an African Grey Parrot can match the cognitive and communicative competence of great apes. Her training paradigm involving reference, functionality and social interaction permits the expression of abilities hitherto unexpected in birds and challenges traditional views of the evolution of intelligence. -- Charles T. Snowdon, University of Wisconsin, MadisonIrene Pepperberg's studies of Alex are some of the most remarkable and significant in the whole field of animal cognition. Her evidence stands up to the closest scrutiny, and Alex the parrot turns out to have cognitive abilities that were not even suspected before Pepperberg began her work. -- Marian Dawkins, University of OxfordFor researchers in the field of animal cognition, Pepperberg brings together in a well organized form 20 years of her work with Grey parrots. In detailing the training and remarkable achievements of Alex and the other birds in Pepperberg's lab, The Alex Studies makes it clear that parrots are capable of much more than "parroting" or mechanically mimicking what they hear. But this book makes a much greater contribution. It provides a general integrative framework for the larger field of animal cognition, providing much needed links between important natural behavior selected for by evolutionary processes and theories and data from human cognitive development. -- Thomas R. Zentall, University of KentuckyWhat distinguishes the work of Pepperberg from that of the majority of researchers working with language- trained apes is that she is truly interested in the underlying cognitive processes involved in her subject's behaviour. She thus asks questions…and then designs experiments to test the possibilities…this book represents a scholarly reporting of a scientist's quest to understand the mind of another species in as honest and rigorous a manner as is possible, under the circumstances of being both "parent" and investigator. -- Michael Tomasello and Josep Call * Animal Behaviour *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction: In Search of King Solomon's Ring 2. Can We Really Communicate with a Bird? 3. Can a Parrot Learn Referential Use of English Speech? 4. Does a Parrot Have Categorical Concepts? 5. Can a Parrot Learn the Concept of Same/Different? 6. Can a Parrot Respond to the Absence of Information? 7. To What Extent Can a Parrot Understand and Use Numerical Concepts? 8. How Can We Be Sure That Alex Understands the Labels in His Repertoire? 9. Can a Parrot Understand Relative Concepts? 10. What Is the Extent of a Parrot's Concept of Object Permanence? 11. Can Any Part of a Parrot's Vocal Behavior Be Classified as "Intentional"? 12. Can a Parrot's Sound Play Assist Its Learning? 13. Can a Parrot's Sound Play Be Transformed into Meaningful Vocalizations? 14. What Input Is Needed to Teach a Parrot a Human-based Communication Code? 15. How Similar to Human Speech Is That Produced by a Parrot? 16. How Does a Grey Parrot Produce Human Speech Sounds? 17. Conclusion: What Are the Implications of Alex's Data? Notes References Glossary Credits Index

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Book SynopsisWaldbauer introduces us to the aquatic insects that have colonized ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers, especially those in North America. Along the way we learn about the diverse forms these arthropods take, as well as their remarkable modes of life—and more than a little about the scientists who study them.Trade ReviewWith breathtaking wonders on every page, A Walk around the Pond will change forever how we think of some of our commonest insects--and indeed, how we think about the almost unimaginably strange and thrilling planet we also, too often, take for granted. This book belongs on every naturalist's bookshelf. -- Sy Montgomery, columnist and author of The Curious NaturalistThis book is a good deal more than just 'a walk around the pond.' Even readers who have studied aquatic insects for many years will find much that is new and interesting in these pages. The book is a total immersion in the lives of these amazing insects and the creatures, including ourselves, who interact with them. -- Sidney W. Dunkle, author of Dragonflies through BinocularsAquatic and semiaquatic insects far outnumber the other organisms that share their freshwater habitat, yet most of us are unaware of them. Waldbauer, a retired professor of entomology, hopes to rectify this ignorance as he explores the always interesting lives of aquatic insects. In the same conversational style that he has used in previous works, he presents the fascinating array of adaptations, the diverse forms, and the myriad ways of life of these water dwellers...While telling of the hidden lives of these insects, Waldbauer also reveals evolutionary and ecological details, moving the book beyond the 'gee whiz' level. Readers will be inspired to take a closer look at their favorite pond or stream. -- Nancy Bent * Booklist *An entertaining yet highly accurate and informative account of the lives of aquatic insects. Familiar as they are, their lives take bizarre turns unknown to most laypeople. In 11 engaging chapters, Waldbauer conducts a broad survey of aquatic insects, from giant water bugs that lay their eggs on their mates' backs to minute parasitic wasps that swim with their wings and lay their eggs on other aquatic insects...This book is sure to fascinate not only interested lay readers but also entomologists. -- Annette Aiello * Library Journal *In North America alone, there are more than 10,000 aquatic and semiaquatic insect species that live parts of their lives in fresh water. How did they evolve to survive both on land and in water? Waldbauer, professor emeritus of entomology at the University of lllinois, attempts to explain the feat while providing a who's who of these remarkable insects, including mayflies, dragonflies, true bugs, beetles, and mosquitoes. * Science News *Well balanced and well written...A good read for the committed naturalist anywhere in the world. It also provides excellent source material for life-science students wishing to enrich their entomological knowledge, and contains an extensive bibliography and excellent index...A Walk around the Pond is a masterly treatise from the hand of an enthusiast. -- Gaden S. Robinson * Times Literary Supplement *Almost a story, A Walk Around the Pond: Insects in and over the Water is an easy read with many interesting facts about the interaction of insects with the aquatic environment interspersed with anecdotes from the author's professional and personal experiences. For readers wanting a bit more, the book ends with a bibliography broken up into the chapter headings for easy reference. -- Dr. Garry Levot * General and Applied Entomology *In his latest book, Gilbert Waldbauer deals in his usual easy-to-read, informative style with my favorite group of insects, those that spend at least part of their lives in water...He clearly has a special interest and immense knowledge of this varied group. -- Rex Kenner * Discovery *Table of ContentsA First Look 1. Who's Who in the Water 2. Where They Live 3. The Breath of Life 4. Finding Food and Eating 5. Going Places 6. The Next Generation 7. On Being Eaten 8. How Not to be Eaten 9. Coping with the Climate 10. Our Friends and Enemies Selected Readings Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisAlongside Rosamond Purcell's stunning photographs, Linnea Hall and René Corado offer an engaging history of egg collecting, the provenance of the specimens in the photographs, and the biology, conservation, and ecology of the birds that produced them.Trade ReviewWhat kind of genius is Rosamond Purcell? Is she an artist? A scholar? A documentarian? A living cabinet of wonders? Her originality defies category, as does her newest triumph, Egg & Nest. Crack its shell. -- Jonathan Safran FoerRosamond Purcell is one of the great photographers. She has captured the history of objects by photographing them in romantic decline-- books scourged by worms, petrified food-stuffs, biological specimens gone wrong, the inexorable entropic winding down of everything. Egg & Nest is yet another example of her ability to make the ordinary extraordinary: Collecting people, collecting things, collecting people collecting things and creating something new and wonderful. In this collection of eggs and nests made of random bric-a-brac, cassette tape, and wire, we're invited to meditate on oology as ontology, ontology as oology, and the paradox of museums as a lifeless record of life. Rosamond Purcell has magnificently returned to her most fascinating obsession, the repurposing of life as the purpose of life. -- Errol Morris[Purcell's] work is concerned with the magic in ordinary objects, but also the aesthetics of conservation and collection, as many of her images of objects from natural-history museums demonstrate. Purcell's latest project, a collection of photographs taken at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, in California, is a more serene and stately work, showcasing the variety of the avian world. -- Andrea Walker * New Yorker blog *[A] fascinating book...While this volume is not an art book per se, it is a lively history of egg collecting, or oology...The photographs, both those taken under laboratory conditions and those taken in the wild, are extraordinary, showing the variety of egg sizes, shapes, patterns, and textures: Mottled blue-gray Emu eggs look like fine-grained granite, while the vigorous dark brown markings of the glossy, tawny-colored eggs of the Northern Jacana of Mexico suggest Easter eggs decorated by Jackson Pollock. Equally compelling are Purcell's photographs of birds' nests, beautifully lit and formed of all sorts of materials: A raven's nest of twigs is lined with cotton batting for comfort. A Guatemalan nest of the Banded Wren looks like a crown of thorns--those thorns offering defense from predators. The miniscule vegetable-down nest of an Anna's Hummingbird collected in Santa Monica, California, in 1903 is ingeniously woven around the glass insulator of a telegraph line. All in all, there is considerable beauty and wonderment in this book. * The Magazine Antiques *Photographer Rosamond Purcell has made a career out of creating intriguing images of decaying objects... Her new book, Egg and Nest, focuses on one of the world's premier collections of bird eggs and nests, located at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, near Los Angeles. Nests are held together with whatever materials the birds could find: spider webs, fishing line, mud, and condensed saliva. Eggs, too, are varied: green, blue, speckled, covered by a swirl of markings. -- Jan Gardner * Boston Globe *Purcell uses her camera to transform the everyday ordinary into something extraordinary. She captures the diverse beauty, quirkiness and allure of eggs and the remarkable resourcefulness of birds, focusing on the intricacy of nests and the aesthetic perfection of bird eggs. The rich colors, lighting and textures make her photographs of eggs, nests and birds look three dimensional, as though the eggs could easily fall out of one of the photographs, as if falling from a nest. -- Kurt Shaw * Pittsburgh Tribune Review *If you are wondering why anyone would spend a life in a pursuit as eccentric as collecting eggs and nests, Ms. Purcell's work will tell you. She selected a range of specimens, eggs brightly colored and plain, and nests made conventionally of twigs or of materials as bizarre as nails. Then she photographed them in natural light. Her luminous results explain without words why people have been collecting eggs and nests for centuries. -- Cornelia Dean * New York Times *[Purcell's] work is concerned with the magic in ordinary objects, but also the aesthetics of conservation and collection, as many of her images of objects from natural-history museums demonstrate. Purcell's latest project, a collection of photographs taken at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, in California, is a more serene and stately work, showcasing the variety of the avian world. -- Andrea Walker * New Yorker blog *[A] fascinating book...While this volume is not an art book per se, it is a lively history of egg collecting, or oology...The photographs, both those taken under laboratory conditions and those taken in the wild, are extraordinary, showing the variety of egg sizes, shapes, patterns, and textures: Mottled blue-gray Emu eggs look like fine-grained granite, while the vigorous dark brown markings of the glossy, tawny-colored eggs of the Northern Jacana of Mexico suggest Easter eggs decorated by Jackson Pollock. Equally compelling are Purcell's photographs of birds' nests, beautifully lit and formed of all sorts of materials: A raven's nest of twigs is lined with cotton batting for comfort. A Guatemalan nest of the Banded Wren looks like a crown of thorns--those thorns offering defense from predators. The miniscule vegetable-down nest of an Anna's Hummingbird collected in Santa Monica, California, in 1903 is ingeniously woven around the glass insulator of a telegraph line. All in all, there is considerable beauty and wonderment in this book. * The Magazine Antiques *Photographer Rosamond Purcell has made a career out of creating intriguing images of decaying objects... Her new book, Egg and Nest, focuses on one of the world's premier collections of bird eggs and nests, located at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, near Los Angeles. Nests are held together with whatever materials the birds could find: spider webs, fishing line, mud, and condensed saliva. Eggs, too, are varied: green, blue, speckled, covered by a swirl of markings. -- Jan Gardner * Boston Globe *Purcell uses her camera to transform the everyday ordinary into something extraordinary. She captures the diverse beauty, quirkiness and allure of eggs and the remarkable resourcefulness of birds, focusing on the intricacy of nests and the aesthetic perfection of bird eggs. The rich colors, lighting and textures make her photographs of eggs, nests and birds look three dimensional, as though the eggs could easily fall out of one of the photographs, as if falling from a nest. -- Kurt Shaw * Pittsburgh Tribune Review *If you are wondering why anyone would spend a life in a pursuit as eccentric as collecting eggs and nests, Ms. Purcell's work will tell you. She selected a range of specimens, eggs brightly colored and plain, and nests made conventionally of twigs or of materials as bizarre as nails. Then she photographed them in natural light. Her luminous results explain without words why people have been collecting eggs and nests for centuries. -- Cornelia Dean * New York Times *Beautiful...Egg & Nest reminds the reader of the civilized, tactile, sensual and emotive pleasures of holding a book in hand as opposed to reading from a glowing light box. Printed in Italy, it combines fabulous image reproduction--each page a magic revelation--with informative and insightful text, Purcell being as adept with words as with a lens. -- Mary Thomas * Pittsburgh-Post Gazette *Spend some time with Rosamond Purcell's enthralling photographs in Egg & Nest, and you might be tempted to become an oologist. Oology is not the science of oohs and ahs but the practice, frowned on in the civilized world, of collecting rare eggs and nests. Most of the photographs were taken at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, Calif., which combines the collections of many Victorian bird enthusiasts. There's a woodpecker's nest in the shape of a wooden shoe, a grackle's nest woven of lace and audiotape, and a nest from Wasilla, Alaska, lined with feathers and fur. Unbearably poignant is a photograph of Martha, the last passenger pigeon, who died in the Cincinnati Zoo on Sept. 1, 1914. You'll even find a definitive answer to the age-old conundrum about the chicken or the egg. Hint: Ex ovo omnia. -- Christopher Benfey * Slate *Purcell doesn't just delve into the history of egg obsession. She captures the variety and beauty of eggs and nests in beautiful photographs. Unless you're an ornithologist, you probably don't have a wide frame of reference for the sheer diversity of eggs. From the ultra glossy, Easter eggs of the Tinamou to the brown, blue and purple mottled eggs of the Chuck-Will's-Widow to the pyriform eggs of the Common Murres, pear-shaped to help prevent the eggs from rolling down the cliffs on which their nest perch, the assortment from page to page is stunning. * Curious Expeditions *Anyone who loves birds, nature, or simply exquisite colors and shapes will find this compendium a revelation. Rosamond Purcell's sumptuous photographs are accompanied by a fascinating history of man's obsession with ornithology. * Martha Stewart Living *Transcendent in their beauty, mysterious, softly luminous, fragile yet potent, birds' eggs are highlighted in numerous photos in this thoughtfully assembled volume...This reviewer is grateful for this book and for the generations of work that have gone into building collections like this one. -- S. Hammer * Choice *This magnificently illustrated volume provides readers with a fascinating glimpse into the hidden world of wild bird eggs and nests...The book is alternately enlightening and uplifting, and sobering and alarming, as one reviews the preserved remains of what was and what quite literally might have been. One thing is clear upon turning the final page of Egg & Nest: Only eternal vigilance will protect what little of nature's splendor remains in this world. -- John A. Murray * Bloomsbury *The book consists of 10 groups of photographs, rendered in natural light in simple, striking settings...In [one] image, red-winged blackbird eggs rest on squares of cotton wool, their many shades of sky blue recalling the diversity possible within one species. Egg and Nest subtly suggests that such variety deserves our care: for the artifacts and, crucially, for their present-day relatives. -- Anna Lena Phillips * American Scientist *

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Book SynopsisIn the Middle Ages, enormously popular bestiaries presented people with descriptions of rare and unusual animals, typically paired with a moral or religious lesson. Entomologist May Berenbaum and illustrator Jay Hosler draw on the powerful cultural symbols of these antiquated books to create a beautiful and witty bestiary of the insect world.Trade ReviewThroughout The Earwig's Tail, Berenbaum squashes urban myths about bugs, explaining along the way why you should not wear your dog's flea and tick collar even if you have fleas, as she once did. For 20 years she has taught an entomology course called "Insects and people," and this book provides a wry look at their interactions. It is scientifically accurate, studded with Latin names and journal references, and consistently funny. -- Jonathan Beard * New Scientist *[Berenbaum's] chatty and highly readable new book, The Earwig's Tail: A Modern Bestiary of Multi-legged Legends, unites her scholarship with her interest in the fantasies insects inspire in humans. It's a modern equivalent of the bestiaries that excited medieval readers with accounts of the world's animals, among which the authors frequently included unicorns and mermaids. Berenbaum also includes many an unfounded myth but crisply refutes delusions with scientific truth. -- Robert Fulford * National Post *The Earwig's Tail is a compelling exploration of arthropod-related urban legends. Berenbaum explores the stories' origins--occasionally scientific but more often not--from the etymological issues of how the earwigs got their name through to the plausibility of cockroaches growing inside one's tongue. It is a fascinating collection of short, sharp chapters, each starting with a common myth that Berenbaum investigates through the popular media and more reputable scientific research. She looks for the origin of the legends, and assesses the scientific credibility behind the claims. Written in an entertaining and engaging style, this is a light-hearted and enjoyable critique of some of the public perceptions and misconceptions surrounding our six-legged friends...Do drunk ants really always fall down on their left sides? Is it true that the cockroach would be the only organism to survive a nuclear holocaust? Can a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil really cause a tornado in Texas? If you have ever wondered about any of these issues, or received a warning about an insect and questioned its veracity, Berenbaum has the answers. She leaves the reader with some interesting questions, some entertaining anecdotes, and some possibilities that even an entomologist might not want to consider. A must-read for the entomologist, the entomophobic and anyone who has ever wondered whether mutant insects with six-foot wingspans could take over the Earth. -- Michelle Harvey * Times Higher Education *[It] debunks stories about spiders laying their eggs in people's mouths or the survival of the human race being dependent on the survival of bees...In its way this book is a perfect example of its kind: Berenbaum has an easy, witty style, but writing for fellow scientists keeps her from being annoyingly facetious. -- Owen Richardson * The Age *Myth and misinformation about insects abound, and entomologist May Berenbaum is here to set us straight. In The Earwig's Tail she reveals that a bumblebee's flight doesn't defy physics, cockroaches aren't immune to radiation, and earwigs, despite their name, don't inhabit human ears. Fair enough--but Berenbaum doesn't simply kill untruths dead like a can of Raid. She uses these topics as jumping-off points for enlightening discussions about the insect world, which is so vast and incredible that it requires no exaggeration. * Utne Reader *Clever and humorous, this is a book for the layperson that even scientists will enjoy reading. -- J. M. Gonzalez * Choice *Table of ContentsThe Beasts * The Aerodynamically Unsound Bumble Bee * The Brain-Boring Earwig * The California Tongue Cockroach * The Domesticated Crab Louse * The Extinction-Prevention Bee * The Filter-Lens Fly * The Genetically Modified Frankenbug * The Headless Cockroach * The Iraqi Camel Spider * The Jumping Face Bug * The Kissing Bug * The "Locust" * The Mate-Eating Mantis * The Nuclear Cockroach * The Olympian Flea * The Prognosticating Woollyworm * The Queen Bee * The Right-Handed Ant * The Sex-Enhancing Spanishfly * The Toilet Spider * The Unslakable Mosquito * The Venomous Daddylonglegs * The Wing-Flapping Chaos Butterfly * The X-ray Induced Giant Insect * The Yogurt Beetle * The Zapper Bug

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Book SynopsisIn 2005 Jackson ventured into the remote swamp forests of the Congo to collect reptiles and amphibians. This book is an account of her research on the front lines of the biodiversity crisis—coping with endless delays in obtaining permits, learning to outrun army ants, subsisting on Spam and manioc, and ultimately falling in love with the forest.Trade ReviewIndiana Jones, step aside! Kate Jackson is an intrepid adventurer and explorer, and her passion for research, discovery, and snakes resonates from every page of this gripping account of a woman in science. -- Meg Lowman, author of Life in the Treetops and It's a Jungle Up ThereThis is the sort of book that makes hardcore field biologists cry out, "take me to the rainforest." For the rest of you, enjoying the sanity and comforts of the armchair adventurer, I suggest you hang on and enjoy the ride. -- Mark W. Moffett, Research Scientist, Smithsonian Institution and recipient of the Lowell Thomas Medal of the Explorer's ClubKate Jackson's field memoir detailing her experiences in the Republic of Congo is a delight that thrills and informs the reader. In relating her adventures conducting a herpetological survey and collecting venomous snakes, she brings to vivid life the harsh realities of fieldwork with its frustrations and disappointments. We're with her as she battles loneliness, parasites, and uncertainties and adapts to a foreign culture. And we share her personal highs and the swamp forest's allure. Bravo to this intrepid herpetologist! -- Marty Crump, author of Headless Males Make Great Lovers and Other Unusual Natural HistoriesThis is what exploratory natural history in a remote place, embedded in a very different culture, is really like--frustrating, confusing, scary, and fraught with prospects for failure. Jackson tells the truth even when it doesn't necessarily reflect well on her, and did I mention she's a small woman working in places where, I'm not kidding, most male herpetologists wouldn't dare to go? Mean and Lowly Things is genuine adventure, without the swashbuckling! -- Harry W. Greene, Cornell University Professor and author of Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in NatureIt is always exciting to read about remote, natural places in the world and even more so when the story is told by a field researcher. In the tradition of Jane Goodall...Jackson has written a fascinating, adventure-filled memoir, describing how her love of snakes led her to become a herpetologist. She was eventually able to raise money for a survey of reptiles and amphibians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, specifically in the flooded forest habitat around Lac Télé. Drawing from her journal entries, Jackson takes us through the planning, permits, and travel, as well as her actual time in the field catching animals. Jackson learns to work with her native field staff during her two collecting trips and shows appreciation for all the local people she meets and employs. -- Margaret Henderson * Library Journal *Herpetologist Jackson is candid, funny, and precise as she chronicles her demanding and illuminating experiences collecting snakes, frogs, and toads in the flooded forests of the Congo... Sharply observant, considerate, and rough, Jackson is immensely entertaining in her exuberantly detailed descriptions of swarms of termites, ants, and mosquitoes; unpalatable food; and painfully rugged campsites. Add to that nearly surreal negotiations with officials, confounding relationships with guides and assistants, medical misadventures, and moments ludicrous and dramatic as she chases down poisonous snakes, handles animal remains, and snuggles to preserve and identify priceless specimens and forge cross-cultural scientific partnerships. Jackson is a dynamo, and her riveting, amusing, and revealing tales from the biodiversity front line awaken fresh appreciation for hands-on scientific inquiry and the wonders of nature. -- Donna Seaman * Booklist *In our age of Google Maps, it's comforting to learn that a few places remain relatively impenetrable to the outside world. Nowhere is this more true than the Congo, which has long held a fascination for explorers and scientists and continues to guard its secrets...Descriptions of ant invasions, maggots under the skin, sleepless nights, bad food and even the odd venomous snake bite all keep the pages turning. Against the odds, Jackson's efforts in the Congo eventually pay off--not only does she discover a new species, she also finds romance. This intriguing blend of science and human interest, related in a matter-of-fact style, brings to life a little-known part of the world. -- Dan Eatherley * BBC Wildlife *This book will serve as an inspiration to future field biologists. It is also an exciting adventure story for those who would rather avoid the ants, termites, wasps, and the fly maggots that burrow into the biologists' skin and grow larger there. -- M. P. Gustafson * Choice *Fieldwork is very important but unsung. Jackson deserves respect for her drive, ability to organize and manage her fieldwork alone, train local students, and to learn the local language without losing sight of the scientific aims...She is refreshingly honest about the failures, mistakes and difficulties of her fieldwork as well as the successes...Mean and Lowly Things is full of incident and cultural as well as scientific insight that should carry non-scientific readers right to the end. -- David J. Gower * Times Literary Supplement *As a travel book, Kate Jackson's account of snake collecting in the tropics is both humorous and dramatic...As an account of biological fieldwork under trying conditions, however, Jackson's book is both elegant and appealing...There are probably only a few specialists who can fully appreciate the professional journal articles on the biodiversity of the Congo forest that resulted from Jackson's expeditions. And only a few adventurous readers may share her "irrational longing to return" to the Lac Télé forest, which, judging from her online blog, she did in the summer of 2008. But we can all hope that she will continue writing, and that we won't have to wait too long for the next installment of Kate Jackson's Excellent Adventures, wherever they may lead. -- Laurence A. Marschall * Natural History *Table of Contents* Prologue * How It All Started * Back to the Congo * In Limbo * The Flooded Forest * Neighbors, Nets, and Nothing * The Red Snake * A Bottle of Snakes * A Day of Monsters * Time to Go * Red Tape Revisited * Planning My Return * Back to the Likouala * This Is Impongui * Snake Medicine * Making Herpetologists * The Home Stretch * A Stressful Day * Kende Malamu * Epilogue * Acknowledgments * Index

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Book SynopsisSara B. Pritchard traces the Rhône’s remaking since 1945, showing how state officials, technical elites, and citizens connected the environment and technology to political identities and state-building, and demonstrating the importance of environmental management and technological development to the culture and politics of modern France.Trade ReviewOriginal in its contribution, persuasive in its argument, and elegant in its design, this is a highly impressive work. Pritchard outlines the interconnections among technology, environment, and society in a systematic and coherent way. Her innovative treatment of the Rhone develops the 'envirotechnical' approach into a mature, sophisticated, and powerfully compelling analytical tool. A superb piece of scholarship and a remarkable accomplishment. -- Michael D. Bess, author of The Light-Green Society: Ecology and Technological Modernity in France, 1960-2000Pritchard has written an outstanding interdisciplinary study of the efforts to manage the Rhône River since 1945. In so doing, she provides the reader with a perceptive model of the 'envirotech' approach toward understanding complex phenomena involving technology and society. -- Joel Tarr, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPritchard has recovered the fascinating story of France's massive, half-century mobilization of state-of-the-art technological and ecological know-how in transforming the nation's largest river – the unruly Rhone – into a futuristic valley of economic productivity and recreational pleasure. -- Leo Marx, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyPritchard examines how the development of the Rhône River has been integral to the modernization of post-WW II France...Expertly linking ecology and technology to the political and cultural history of France, Pritchard illustrates how the Rhône is emblematic of the processes through which "technologies and strategies of environmental management materialized France as a nation in the territorial space declared within its borders." To this end, the importance of the river's value in areas such as hydroelectricity, agriculture, nuclear energy, and industrialism went well beyond the economic realm. Instead, these uses were derived from discursive and material visions at the very core of national identity and the project of nation building. -- A. C. Stanley * Choice *

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