Natural History Books
Birlinn General Lochaber and Glencoe: Landscapes in Stone
Book SynopsisThe Lochaber and Glencoe area is rich in historical associations. It was at Glenfinnan that Bonnie Prince Charlie started his long march southwards to lay claim to the British throne, and Glencoe was the scene of one of the most vicious massacres in Scottish history. But a longer and even more turbulent history is played out geologically. Ancient volcanoes erupted in massive explosions, causing shock waves that reverberated around the planet. Their eroded remains form some of the breathtaking scenery for which Glen Coe is famous, as well as the highest mountain in Britain – Ben Nevis. Ice too played its part as glaciers scraped their passage across the landscape, carving deep glens and shaving the tops off the highest mountains. This book is fascinating introduction to the geology of the area, which features some of Scotland’s oldest rocks and some of its most stunning and dramatic scenery.Trade Review'Alan McKirdy’s insights are valuable because he is the author of a string of accessible and informative short illustrated books on the geological history of Scotland' * West Highland Free Press *'Not only are they a wealth of information on Scotland's past, they offer valuable insight as Scotland’s future becomes increasingly uncertain due to climate change' * Dundee Courier *
£6.99
Profile Books Ltd The Observant Walker: Wild Food, Nature and
Book Synopsis'Blissfully funny, staggeringly informative, a joyful companion' Caroline Quentin 'Tells the endlessly fascinating tale of Britain's natural history in a way that makes every delicate detail sparkle with life' Charlie Corbett, author of 12 Birds to Save Your Life When we go for a walk, whether in the countryside or city, we pass through landscapes full of natural beauty and curiosities both visible and invisible - but though we might admire the view, or wonder idly about the name of a flower, we rarely have the knowledge to fully engage with what we see. When we do, our sense of place is expanded, our understanding deepened and we can discover richness in even the most everyday stroll. John Wright has been leading forays around Britain for decades. As an expert forager, he shows people how to identify the edible species that abound - but he also reveals the natural history, stories and science behind our surroundings. Here, he takes us with him on eight walks: from verdant forests to wild coastlines, via city pavements, fields and rolling hills, he illuminates what can be found on a walk across any British terrain, and how you might observe and truly understand them, for yourself. Warm, wise and endlessly informative, with helpful illustrations and suggested routes, this book will help you to see the world around you with new eyes: no walk will be the same again.Trade ReviewJohn's passion for the natural world is infectious. His knowledge and understanding of the flora and fauna that surrounds us all makes this book an essential read for ramblers. When you see things others miss, every walk is fascinating. -- Jo Brown, author * Secrets of a Devon Wood *Blissfully funny, staggeringly informative, a joyful companion for those of us who are learning to value the natural world. Urban, coastal or rural nature lovers ... It's all here. -- Caroline QuentinSimply revelatory * Saga *Witty, informative, and beautifully illustrated * Reader’s Digest *Praise for The Forager's Calendar: 'He writes so engagingly ... [This book] is a treasure. It is beautifully produced, designed and illustrated. -- John Carey * The Sunday Times *John Wright writes as though he's talking directly to you, a good friend in the same room. His harvest of fascinating information is worn lightly, with funny, whimsical observations * BBC Countryfile *A hugely useful, well-illustrated and often funny book * The Times *
£15.00
ACC Art Books Richmond Park: London's Wildlife Haven
Book Synopsis"A stunning collection of photographs by Alex Saberi, which illustrate the rich diversity of wildlife in Richmond Park throughout the seasons." - Discover Wildlife.com "Alex's ethereal, fairy-tale-like images are a real wonder. His grasp of light, location and atmosphere make these photographs ones that border on the unique." - Amateur Photographer Sir David Attenborough has described Richmond Park as "A very special place" - and with good reason. This vast oasis of green, just eight miles from the centre of London, is an ecological pearl in the midst of sprawling urbanisation. The park, most famous for its herd of 630 Fallow and Red Deer, is not only Europe's largest park, but is as big as the seven other royal parks combined. Since King Charles I enclosed the park in 1637, it has provided a haven of tranquillity and diversion for all its visitors. Today, some 77 million people pass through its gates each year. In this beautiful book, Alex Saberi captures Richmond Park's unique blend of rare and diverse wildlife, plant life and rolling landscapes. From a crow perching on a bench in the morning haze to a foolhardy Labrador, breaking impatiently away from its owner, the photographs capture its inherent beauty as well as those rare moments of wildlife action and majesty that only yield themselves to the most patient and knowledgeable of observers.
£11.96
Chronicle Books Catffirmations Journal
Book SynopsisTake time to channel the instinctive wisdom of clever cats with this guided mindfulness journal. Let the captivating illustrations of hidden felines and their mantras add some calm to your day, as you follow the prompts to find your most playful and centered self.
£15.29
Chronicle Books Catffirmations Notes: 20 Different Affirmation
Book SynopsisShare some inner feline wisdom with twenty Catffirmations Notes. These twenty different notecards feature captivating illustrations of hidden cats accompanied by the inspiring affirmations of wise and witty kitties. Perfect for that "thinking of you" message, sending a heartfelt "thank you," or simply sharing a mindful mantra with the cat lovers in your life.
£15.65
Chronicle Books Mushroom Spotter's Deck: A Field Guide to Fungi &
Book SynopsisFrom beloved artist Megan Lynn Kott, this beautifully illustrated deck is a celebration of fungi and their age-old wisdom. Complete with seventy-eight cards, each featuring a watercolor painting of a mushroom on the front and an engaging description on the back-including identifying characteristics, fun facts, and a dash of mystical mushroom wisdom-this deck is an invitation to notice and appreciate the mysterious world of fungi. An accompanying booklet includes a brief introduction to mushrooms, a glossary of terms, plus guidance on how to use cards-display them as art or keep them on hand during your nature walks! Packaged in an attractive, portable box, this playful and informative deck is a must-have for mushroom lovers of all stripes.
£17.27
Chronicle Books Star Notebook Collection
Book Synopsis Capture your brilliant ideas and everyday reflections in these notebooks featuring photographs from the archives of NASA.Explore the wonders of the cosmos with this set of three notebooks (two lined, one gridded), each cover emblazoned with an astonishing full-color image of star fields and adorned with glittering foil stars. Note-taking or journaling will inspire reflection and big ideas as you contemplate the vastness and beauty of the universe.SPACE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: Show your love for all things space-related with this stunning notebook set! Official photographs from the archives of NASA decorate the covers, featuring otherworldly images of the celestial bodies of deep space. PRACTICAL JOURNALS: The infinitely expanding universe has always inspired creativity, deep thinking, and exploration. These slender, saddle-stitched notebooks are easy to slip into a backpack on adventures or keep by the bedside to jot down ideas and dreams. GREAT
£13.30
Chronicle Books Pendleton Textured Lined Journal
£16.15
Whittles Publishing A Natural History of Lighthouses
Book SynopsisThis is the story of lightkeepers’ contributions to the natural history of lighthouses in conjunction with the history and maintenance of the manned navigation beacons – their primary function of course – ‘for the safety of all’. Since keepers were first engaged to maintain lighthouses around our coast they have encountered wildlife, and in some cases developed a keen interest and expertise on the subject. Towards the end of the nineteenth century keepers were encouraged to submit annual returns of bird movements enabling reports on bird migration and several authoritative books to be compiled. As a result, ornithologists began to recognise how many lighthouses were well-placed to establish bird observatories – a few were in redundant lighthouses, often on offshore islands. However, lightkeepers also recognised that in certain weather conditions and during migration times, flocks of birds were attracted to the beam, resulting in many fatalities. While the problem is now better understood and considerably reduced, the automation of all British lighthouses has resulted in there no longer being lighthouse keepers to monitor the situation and report bird, sea mammal, insect and bat movements. The Natural History of Lighthouses highlights the contribution made by lighthouse keepers over the last century or two to the study of natural history, and ornithology in particular. Much of this is discussed in the words of the keepers themselves, set in the context of lighthouse history. Scotland has an especially rich lighthouse tradition, mainly due to a dynasty of Stevenson engineers covering over a century, all of whom also had a profound understanding of weather and geology – and indeed natural history – so important in the placing of their lighthouses. Several redundant lighthouse buildings still function as bird observatories as well as wildlife viewpoints and study centres, museums, hotels, restaurants and private homes. The lanterns themselves are still maintained in this digital and satellite age, monitored remotely from a strategic control centre.Trade Review'...a collection of great stories about the life of the keepers, as well as references to the work of lightships and their crew. ...there are plenty of marvellous stories here. This well-produced book also contains some terrific photography.' Nautilus Telgraph
£22.46
Whittet Books Ltd The Barn Owl: Guardian of the Countryside
Book SynopsisThis is certainly not the only book to be published on barn owls, but it is the first to go beyond describing this, our most treasured bird, and to examine how our changing environment is affecting its future. It is illustrated with colour photographs throughout, and the text is supported by maps, charts, and tables.
£20.00
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales: The Story of
Book SynopsisBrown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales is a written and photographic celebration of one of the Peak District’s most secretive and enigmatic animals. Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated with over 100 colour photographs, this book gives a unique insight into the life, habitat and history of a much loved, yet threatened, species.First published in 2010 to coincide with the International Year of Biodiversity, this new edition – with more than 60 new photos – is intended to raise awareness of the brown hare (Lepus europaeus), which is now extinct in parts of Britain and listed as a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.The book is split into two sections; the first describes the brown hare, what differentiates them from rabbits and other hares, their breeding patterns, courtship, boxing, their remarkable speed and agility, their habitat, what they eat, and their history in the UK and the Derbyshire Dales. There are also tips on where and how to see hares in the wild.The second section, biodiversity, sets the hare in the context of the rapid and extensive loss of their preferred natural habitat, primarily wildflower meadows and traditional grasslands, now almost eradicated by intensive farming systems in some areas. Balanced yet thought-provoking reflections on these modern farming methods are supplemented by accounts from local farmers, including Lord Edward Manners of Haddon Hall, interviewed especially for the book by the author.From local author and photographer Christine Gregory, Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales is an enlightening and captivating portrait of a beautiful British mammal.Trade Review'It features wonderful images of the hares themselves, a testimony to the author's patience, fieldcraft and expertise as a photographer ... Underlying the photography, the text carries a powerful conservation message, emphasising the importance of habitat diversity, for the hares and for the rest of the associated wildlife.' Dr Derek Yalden, Mammal News'Christine Gregory's book is a worthy addition to the tradition of natural history writing. It is scientifically accurate, well-written and a homage to an animal Christine is clearly fond of.' Jim Dixon, Chief Executive, Peak District National Park Authority
£15.29
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd The Water Vole: The Story of One of Britain's
Book SynopsisThe water vole is one of Britain's most endangered mammals. A native of the British Isles, and popularised in modern culture as 'Ratty' in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, the water vole is a cherished resident of our rivers, canals, streams and ponds. But this once ever-present mammal, like so many others, is now in danger - during the 1990s Britain's water vole population declined by over 80 per cent, and it is now fully protected by law in England and Wales. In The Water Vole, Christine Gregory, author of Brown Hares in the Derbyshire Dales and A River in Time, tells the story of the water vole, past, present and future, principally through its history in the waterways of Derbyshire. Having spent several years studying Derbyshire's water vole population and habitats, and capturing their behaviour intimately through her photography, Christine has developed a relationship with many of the custodians of the county's waterways, who are vital to the survival of the water vole. Decades of painstaking research into the decline of the water vole and the visionary work of conservationists give much cause for hope. Respecting our countryside and wild places and rebuilding the health of our rivers is key: we all have a role to play in the water vole's future.Table of ContentsForeword by Chris Packham; Introduction; Part 1 - The Water Vole; Part 2 - How Water Voles Live; Part 3 - A Protected Species; Part 4 - Derbyshire's Water Voles; Part 5 - History of the Water Vole in Britain; Part 6 - The Otter, the Mink and the Water Vole; Part 7 - The Future for Water Voles; Appendices.
£15.29
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd Kinder Scout: The people's mountain
Book Synopsis'An exceptional book.' Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words, Landmarks and Mountains of the Mind‘We made Kinder Scout, not just metaphorically, or metaphysically, not just with our stories and our battles, but literally changed its shape, from the peat washing off its summit, to the drystone walls that turn the hillside into a harmonious grid, the trees that are and more often aren’t there, to the creatures that we’ve allowed to remain and those we’ve done away with. It’s our mountain.’In 1951 the Peak District was designated the UK’s first national park: a commitment to protect and preserve our countryside and wild places. Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, and sitting at the base of the Pennines, it is home to Kinder Scout, Britain’s most popular ‘mountain’, a beautiful yet featureless and disorientating plateau which barely scrapes the 600-metre contour, whose lower slopes bore witness in 1932 to a movement of feet, a pedestrian rebellion, which helped shape modern access legislation: the Kinder Mass Trespass.But Kinder Scout’s story is about much more than the working class taking on the elite. Marked by the passage of millions of feet and centuries of farming, a graveyard for lost souls and doomed aircraft, this much-loved mountain is a sacred canvas on which mankind has scratched and scraped its likeness for millennia. It is a record of our social and political history, of conflict and community.Writer Ed Douglas and photographer John Beatty are close friends and have a shared history with Kinder going back decades. In this unique collaboration they reveal the social, political, cultural and ecological developments that have shaped the physical and human landscape of this enigmatic and treasured hill.Kinder Scout: The People’s Mountain is a celebration of a northern English mountain and our role in its creation.Trade Review'An exceptional book. The writing is rich with original research, the photographs glitter with strangeness and beauty, and the whole book rings with the passion, knowledge and vision of two people who have explored their subject for most of their lives, and fallen into profound acquaintance with it.' – Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words and Mountains of the Mind'Kinder – even the word has an echo-like quality. And this is a book of beautiful echoes in which words and pictures call to each other back and forth across the pages. Simple waymarkers such as moss, grouse, flight open up a spacious meditation that takes in history, adventure, memory and the necessity of beauty. The echoes build as we pass through the phases of the book, creating a vivid and moving iconography of the character and temper of this ‘half-poisoned, denuded and yet still-sacred ground.' – Katharine Towers, award-winning poet and author of The Remedies and The Floating Man'Everyone who loves the Peak District should have this book and help to work for its ultimate redemption. We will win!' – Mark Avery'Quietly astonishing and important piece of work.' – David Lintern, The Great Outdoors'Douglas tells the story in his fine poetic style, "pacing out time’s shore" while walking its northern rim, or when squatting on the summit "dismantled by wind and rain, grains of sand washed away, and me with them, pretty soon".' – Jules Stewart, Geographical'This is one of the most stand out books you will ever see. You will come to appreciate one of our most most iconic landscapes, its people, its seasons and beauty. This is achieved though it's delightful, thoughtful and well researched commentary combined with enchanting imagery. In a phrase it's a "Classic".' - Mansel Kersey, The Snow Leopard AwardTable of ContentsSand; Sheep; Flight; Grouse; Moss; Hare.
£17.95
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd Day Walks in Somerset: 20 coastal, moorland and
Book SynopsisDay Walks in Somerset features 20 routes between 7 and 15 miles (11km and 24km) in length, spread across the county of Somerset, including the Exmoor National Park. Researched and written by experienced and local authors Jen and Sim Benson, the walks range from gentle rambles to more challenging day walks, all through interesting and varied landscapes. Split into five sections – Exmoor; Quantock Hills & Blackdown Hills; Somerset Levels; Mendip Hills; and Bath & North East Somerset – this guidebook explores the best that Somerset has to offer. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.Table of ContentsSomerset Area Map & Route Finder Introduction Acknowledgements About the walks Navigation GPS & mobile phones Comfort Safety The Countryside Code How to use this book Maps, descriptions, distances Km/mile conversion chart Section 1 – Exmoor 1 Selworthy & Bossington, 16.5km 2 Dunkery Beacon & Horner Wood, 18km 3 Dunster Castle & Woods, 17km 4 Around Wimbleball Lake, 13.4km Section 2 – Quantock Hills & Blackdown Hills 5 Kilve Coast & Beacon Hill, 20.1km 6 Northern Quantock Hills, 11.2km 7 Wills Neck & Cothelstone Hill, 15.6km 8 East Deane Way Link-Up, 19.4km Section 3 – Somerset Levels 9 Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, 21.9km 10 Burrow Mump & West Sedgemoor, 24.2km 11 Collard Hill & Lollover Hill, 12.5km 12 Cadbury Castle & the Corton Ridge, 16.3km Section 4 – Mendip Hills 13 Brean Down, 20.6km 14 Crook Peak, 14km 15 Cheddar Gorge, 15.5km 16 Ebbor Gorge, 12km Section 5 – Bath & North East Somerset 17 Ashton Court & Leigh Woods, 13.3km 18 Ammerdown, 12.6km 19 Cotswold Way, 17.9km 20 Kennet & Avon Canal Loop, 14.6km Appendix
£13.46
Vertebrate Publishing Ltd Sheffield Round Walk: A 24km/15mile scenic city
Book SynopsisSheffield Round Walk is a 15-mile circular walk covering the beautiful south-west corner of the city. It reveals the stunning and varied landscapes of this part of the city, you’ll see ancient woodlands, river valleys, pretty Victorian suburbs and parkland, and you’ll glimpse the moorland above the city. Written by Sheffield local Jon Barton, the text is peppered with interesting detail about Sheffield’s industrial past, geology and the varied and surprising wildlife that can be seen on this walk. The walk starts and finishes at Hunter’s Bar Roundabout, where you can visit the lovely independent shops and cafes along Ecclesall Road and Sharrow Vale Road. From here the route goes through Endcliffe Park following the Porter Brook to Ringinglow. Next, pick up the Limb Brook, following it down to Ecclesall Woods and then on to Beauchief. Onwards through Graves Park, Meersbrook Park and passing the River Sheaf before climbing up through Nether Edge and Chelsea Park and back to the start. The walk is split into four linear sections, which vary in character from peaceful and rural to lively and urban. Each section includes plenty of ideas for places to visit on the route as well as details of local cafes and pubs.Together with stunning photography, this book features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, refreshment stops and places to visit on and near the route.Table of ContentsIntroductionAcknowledgementsRun or walk?Walk timesThe Countryside CodeMaps, descriptions, distancesKm/mile conversion chartSheffield Area Map1 Porter Valley2 Limb Valley3 Sheaf Valley4 Gleadless ValleyFurther Information
£8.54
Candlestick Press The Spring Pond
Book Synopsis
£6.95
Magic Cat Publishing Glow: Discover 30 Constellations, Stars and
Book SynopsisThis beautiful pack of 30 cards is perfect for every budding star gazer! Each card features a different constellation, planet or star to spot in the night sky, with stunning artwork on one side, and easy-to-follow guidance on the reverse. Learn how to find the North Star, understand the phases of the moon, find all the planets in our solar system, discover the science behind eclipses and explore iconic constellations include Orion, the Plough and the Great Bear. Every object is visible with the naked eye, meaning no telescopes are necessary. An introductory booklet includes a night sky map and guidance for young astronomers aged 5+. -30 cards each featuring a different star, planet or constellation to spot -Learn how to locate the North Star and all the planets in the Solar System -Explore iconic constellations including Orion, the Plough and the Great Bear -Understand the phases of the moon -Discover the science behind eclipses -Includes a night sky map -Every object is visible with the naked eye; no telescopes are necessary -Perfect for budding astronomers aged 5+
£13.24
Smith Street Books Deck of Stars: A guide to the night sky
Book SynopsisAcross human cultures and history, we have looked up to the heavens and discovered the constellations, from Auriga to Cassiopeia and Cygnus to Lyra. Each cluster of stars has its own story, both mythic and scientific. With The Deck of Stars, you can learn about both. With 50 cards, this deck teaches you about the science behind each constellation, the lore that accompanies them, and how to spot these patterns of stars in the night sky. Space is full of magic, and these illustrated cards captures it in a beautiful box.
£16.31
Smith Street Books Heads & Tails: A Cat Memory Game Cards: Match up
Book SynopsisPurr-fect your memory skills with this illustrated cat memory deck. Get ready to pounce into a world of feline fun with our new deck of memory cards featuring illustrations of adorable cats! Featuring 30 cat breeds across 60 beautifully illustrated cards, it’s your job to match the head and tail of each lovable feline. Perfect for cat lovers of all ages, this deck of memory cards is both entertaining and challenging. Whether you're playing solo or with a group, our cat-themed memory cards will provide hours of fun and help improve your memory skills. With charming illustrations, this deck makes for a great gift for any cat enthusiast or anyone looking for a fun and engaging game to play with friends and family. So, what are you waiting for? Have a meow-tastic time with our new deck of cat-themed memory cards!
£15.30
Columbia University Press On the Prowl
Book SynopsisOn the Prowl is a fully illustrated and approachable guide to the evolution of the big cats and what it portends for their conservation today. Mark Hallett and John M. Harris trace the origins of these iconic carnivores, venturing down the evolutionary pathways that produced the diversity of big cat species that have walked the earth.Trade ReviewOn the Prowl is a superb book, both enjoyable and instructive. I’m greatly impressed with the huge amount of data that Hallett and Harris have collected and presented in a most readable manner. The complex evolutionary history and relationships of the cats will keep researchers arguing for years. -- George Schaller, senior conservationist, Wildlife Conservation Society, and author of The Serengeti Lion: A Study of Predator-Prey RelationsOn the Prowl brings together biological and paleontological research related to the origins and history of the big cats, with an original emphasis on Asiatic data, paying homage to their majesty, dignity, and beauty. Mark Hallett’s artwork has succeeded brilliantly in capturing their inner spirit and character, their vulnerability and vitality. This book will serve the noble goals of making people aware of the fragility of ecosystems and revealing the moral obligation to preserve and protect extant species. -- Christine Argot, research professor and curator of collections, Muséum National d’Histoire NaturelleHallett and Harris guide the reader on a 20-million-year tour of predator and prey evolution, using environmental change as an engine for adaptation and extinction. The narrative is engaging, spiked with a touch of controversy, and supported by superb illustrations. For those interested in the evolutionary origins of big cats, On the Prowl would be a valuable addition to your library. -- Christopher Shaw, Idaho Museum of Natural History[An] erudite study of big cats. * Nature *Will have many a book lover purring with pleasure. * The Inquisitive Biologist *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPreface1. Threads in the Fabric of Time2. Anatomy of a Hunter3. A Breath of Frost4. Beyond the Distant Horizons5. Testimony of the Caves6. Aftermath of an Ice Age7. Man the Destroyer8. The Steeds of DurgaAppendix 1: Distribution of Pantherins and Other Felids in Geologic TimeAppendix 2: Pantherin Dispersals Across the WorldAppendix 3: Taking ActionAppendix 4: Species of the Genus PantheraGlossarySourcesSuggested ReadingIndex
£27.00
Columbia University Press Fantastic Fossils
Book SynopsisIn Fantastic Fossils, Donald R. Prothero offers an accessible, entertaining, and richly illustrated guide to the paleontologist’s journey. He details the best places to look for fossils, the art of how to find them, and how to classify the major types.Trade ReviewThis book condenses most of what you find in a college textbook on paleontology into a concise, readable handbook that explains everything from how to find and collect fossils to how to assign them scientific names. No fossil enthusiast should be without it! -- Spencer G. Lucas, Curator of Paleontology, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and ScienceDonald Prothero knows how to use the written word to make paleontology exciting, and the literary adventure he takes us on in his latest book, Fantastic Fossils, is definitely worth the price of admission. Via prose and a plethora of illustrations, Prothero shepherds us from badlands to beaches and quarries to roadcuts; all of these peregrinations give the reader a sense of what it’s like to be on a paleontological quest. As part of this metaphorical pursuit one also receives practical knowledge; the reader comes to understand not only how to collect and identify fossils but also their broader significance as natural history objects with myriad implications for ecology, evolution and climate change. Prothero’s book features the remark that: “Fossils are cool. Fossils are amazing.” I concur, and if you do too, or if you’re anyone from nine to ninety who wants to learn more about fossils, you should definitely check out this book. -- Bruce S. Lieberman, Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of KansasProthero is a prolific author of popular paleontology titles. Meeting his usual excellent standard, this delightful and wide-ranging book provides an engaging grounding in the basics of paleontology and geology, alongside information on many of the common creatures budding fossil hunters are likely to encounter. -- John Pickrell, author of Flying Dinosaurs and Weird DinosaursThe text is easy to understand, with limited use of jargon, and will be most helpful to beginners who want to know more about fossils but have limited geological understanding. * Choice *Accessible, entertaining, and richly illustrated. A must have for anyone with an interest in fossils. * Birdbooker Report *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart I. Fossils Are Where You Find Them1. Fantastic Fossils2. How Are Fossils Formed?3. What Kinds of Rocks Yield Fossils?4. Where Do You Find Fossils?5. Dating Fossils6. Collecting Fossils: Badlands7. Collecting Fossils: Beaches8. Collecting Fossils: Quarries and Roadcuts9. The Crucial Step: Collecting DataPart II. Identifying Your Fossils10. What’s in a Name?11. Phylum Porifera: Sponges and Their Relatives12. Phylum Cnidaria (Coelenterates): Sea Jellies, Sea Anemones, and Corals13. Phylum Brachiopoda: Brachiopods, or Lamp Shells14. Phylum Bryozoa: Bryozoans, or Moss Animals15. Phylum Arthropoda: Trilobites and Their Relatives16. Phylum Mollusca: Clams, Snail, Squids, and Their Relatives17. Phylum Echinodermata: Sea Stars, Sea Urchins, and Their Relatives18. Phylum Hemichordata: Graptolites19. Phylum Chordata: Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals20. Paleobotany: Fossil PlantsIndex
£19.00
Yale University Press In Search of the River Jordan
Book SynopsisA writer's travels along the legendary yet contested Jordan Riverexploring the long conflict over water supplyTrade Review“James Fergusson gives the reader a vivid understanding of the intricacies of occupation in Israel-Palestine by showing how the issue of water has been weaponised. The book describes the strange geography of the River Jordan and the vanishing Dead Sea, and gives lively descriptions of people and places along the way.”—Raja Shehadeh, author of We Could Have Been Friends, My Father and I: A Palestinian Memoir“In this beautifully descriptive, scrupulously objective, and profoundly important book, James Fergusson exposes the shamefully unequal allocation of vital water resources between Israelis and Palestinians – while daring to dream that righting this wrong could be a first step towards a just peace.”—Donald Macintyre, author of Gaza: Preparing for Dawn“Presents a vivid and enlightening new angle on the Middle East’s most intractable conflict. Fergusson’s book is both a highly readable and engaging travelogue and a nuanced political analysis of the balance of power in contemporary Israel-Palestine.”—William Sutcliffe, author of The Wall “A beautifully conceived and written book. That contemporary Israel-Palestine is a land of both environmental destruction and hydro-apartheid is not news. But in Fergusson’s hands, these brute realities are revealed in the most sensitive, compelling and accessible of styles.”—Jan Selby, author of Water, Power and Politics in the Middle East“James Fergusson’s meticulous search for each rivulet, stream, mountain aquifer, sewage pipe and desalination plant concludes with a crystal-clear vision of an ecological reconciliation. Anyone interested in peace should read this book.”—Nick Thorpe, author of The Road Before Me Weeps
£18.99
University of California Press Adventures among Ants
Book SynopsisTakes us around the globe on a colorful journey in search of the hidden world of ants. In tales from Nigeria, Indonesia, the Amazon, Australia, California, and elsewhere, this book recounts the author's entomological exploits and provides details on how ants live and how they dominate their ecosystems through strikingly human behaviors.Trade Review"Packed with graphic enthusiasm...[and] provocative thoughts... [Moffett] writes with an entertainer's instinct for hooking a restless audience." New York Times "[Adventures among Ants] is hefty, yet aerodynamic. It's really good for killing ants." The Colbert Report "Take a look at daring eco-adventurer Mark Moffett's spectacular new ant book." - Margaret Atwood -- Margaret Atwood New York Review Of Books "Superb book by a first-class writer with an unsurpassed feel for ants." Library Journal "Adventures Among Ants may reach a broader audience than other recent publications and therefore stimulate interest in ants among a new generation." -- Philip Newey Bioscience "Serfdom, war and dying for the tribe: It reads like a page out of a Russian novel. In fact, we're talking about ant life." Los Angeles Times "The book itself is a fine specimen ... [Moffett's] expertise with the camera must match his expertise on ant biology." National Wildlife "Moffett's ants are always sleek, polished and doing something spectacular." Nature "Adventure Among Ants offers exotic tales of places you will probably never go, and glimpses of beautiful ants performing marvelous feats." -- Deborah M. Gordon Nature "Many fascinating anecdotes." Washington PostTable of ContentsIntroduction: Travels with My Ants A Brief Primer on Ants Marauder Ant, the Ultimate Omnivore 1. Strength in Numbers 2. The Perfect Swarm 3. Division of Labor 4. Infrastructure 5. Group Transport African Army Ant, Raiders on the Swarm 6. Big Game Hunters 7. Clash of the Titans 8. Notes from Underground Weaver Ant, Empress of the Air 9. Canopy Empires 10. Fortified Forests 11. Negotiating the Physical World Amazon Ant, the Slavemaker 12. Slaves of Sagehen Creek 13. Abduction in the Afternoon Leafcutter Ant, the Constant Gardener 14. A Fungus Farmer’s Life 15. The Origins of Agriculture Argentine Ant, the Global Invader 16. Armies of the Earth 17. The Immortal Society Conclusion: Four Ways of Looking at an Ant Acknowledgments and a Note on Content Notes Index
£20.70
University of California Press The Biology of Chameleons
Book SynopsisThey change color depending on their mood. They possess uniquely adapted hands and feet distinct from other tetrapods. They feature independently movable eyes. This comprehensive volume delves into these fascinating details and thorough research about one of the most charismatic families of reptiles--Chameleonidae. Written for professional herpetologists, scholars, researchers, and students, this book takes readers on a voyage across time to discover everything that is known about chameleon biology: anatomy, physiology, adaptations, ecology, behavior, biogeography, phylogeny, classification, and conservation. A description of the natural history of chameleons is given, along with the fossil record and typical characteristics of each genus. The state of chameleons in the modern world is also depicted, complete with new information on the most serious threats to these remarkable reptiles.Trade Review"Taken overall, this book is an excellent and timely addition to the natural history literature for both professional biologists and other chameleon aficionados." -- Robin Andrews The Quarterly Review of Biology 90, no. 1Table of ContentsContributors Foreword 1 Biology of the Chameleons: An Introduction Krystal A. Tolley and Anthony Herrel 2 Chameleon Anatomy Christopher V. Anderson and Timothy E. Higham 2.1 Musculoskeletal Morphology 2.2 External Morphology and Integument 2.3 Sensory Structures 2.4 Visceral Systems 3 Chameleon Physiology Anthony Herrel 3.1 Neurophysiology 3.2 Muscle Physiology 3.3 Metabolism, Salt, and Water Balance 3.4 Temperature 3.5 Skin Pigmentation, Color Change, and the Role of Ultraviolet Light 3.6 Developmental Physiology 4 Function and Adaptation of Chameleons Timothy E. Higham and Christopher V. Anderson 4.1 Locomotion 4.2 Feeding 5 Ecology and Life History of Chameleons G. John Measey, Achille Raselimanana, and Anthony Herrel 5.1 Habitat 5.2 Life-History Traits 5.3 Foraging and Diet 5.4 Predators 6 Chameleon Behavior and Color Change Devi Stuart-Fox 6.1 Sensory Systems and Modes of Communication 6.2 Color Changes 6.3 Social and Reproductive Behavior 6.4 Sexual Dimorphism: Body Size and Ornamentation 6.5 Antipredator Behavior 7 Evolution and Biogeography of Chameleons Krystal A. Tolley and Michele Menegon 7.1 Evolutionary Relationships 7.2 Diversity and Distribution 7.3 Regional Diversity 7.4 Patterns of Alpha Diversity 7.5 Patterns of Beta Diversity 8 Overview of the Systematics of the Chamaeleonidae Colin R. Tilbury 8.1 Evolution of Methodology in Chameleon Taxonomy 8.2 Current Status of Taxonomy of the Chamaeleonidae 8.3 Subfamilial Groupings within Chamaeleonidae 8.4 Overview of Extant Genera 9 Fossil History of Chameleons Arnau Bolet and Susan E. Evans 9.1 Phylogenetic Relationships of Iguania and Acrodonta 9.2 Fossil Record of Acrodonta 9.3 Origins of Acrodonta 9.4 Origins of Chamaeleonidae 10 Chameleon Conservation Richard Jenkins, G. John Measey, Christopher V. Anderson, and Krystal A. Tolley 10.1 Conservation Status of Chameleons 10.2 Trade in Chameleons 10.3 Chameleons and Global Change 10.4 The Way Forward Appendix Abbreviations References Photo Credits Index
£46.75
Harvard University Press Our Oldest Companions
Book SynopsisThe unique relationship between dogs and humans has had huge evolutionary consequences, changing the physical, behavioral, genetic, and emotional characteristics of both species. Pat Shipman looks to fossil records and new evidence to trace how the process of domestication worked and discovers how much of ourselves we owe to our canine companions.Trade ReviewThis book is a great read for anyone interested in dogs but is overall of a high enough quality for scholars to enjoy. Shipman explores the genetic, behavioral, and archaeological studies revealing the development of the companion relationship between people and dogs, and brings the human and canid settlement of the Australian region into a global context. -- Susan O’Connor, author of Transcending the Culture–Nature Divide in Cultural HeritageWhen, where, and how did the partnership between dogs and humans begin? Was it an accident? Was it inevitable? Where would we human beings be without our canine colleagues? Pat Shipman’s Our Oldest Companions is a must-read, a tour de force drawing together under one proverbial roof what science can tell us to date. A follow-up to her provocative and intriguing The Invaders, Dr. Shipman examines the anthropology and archeology of the dog’s transition from wolf to house pet all over the world, from the Australian Outback to north of the Arctic Circle. You’ll want to read this book three, four, even five times in order to absorb the abundance of research and ideas presented here. -- Wendy Williams, author of The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble CompanionThe latest in a string of authoritative and readable books by Pat Shipman benefits from her well-known scientific knowledge and her great storytelling ability. One of the first times anyone has told how the evidence from archaeology and DNA of Sahul, with its late-appearing dingoes and singing dogs, adds to the human story rather than seeming anomalous. It is the perfect complement to other accounts written with a bias towards Africa, Asia, or Europe. This book, like the dogs that are at its center, covers all the continents where modern people have lived with them. Read it. You will enjoy it. -- Iain Davidson, author of Making Scenes: Global Perspectives on Scenes in Rock Art[A] lively tale of dog domestication and migration. -- Josie Glausiusz * Nature *The erudite Our Oldest Companions makes a remarkable story out of the long partnership between humans and dogs. * Foreword Reviews *A fascinating and often surprising exploration of human and canine evolution…[Shipman’s] captivating prose will enchant all readers seeking to learn more about humans, dogs, and our long history together. -- Adrienne Krone * Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture *
£15.15
Harvard University Press Life in the Cosmos
Book SynopsisAre we alone in the universe? It is a captivating question, but one that historically eluded proper scientific investigation. The new discipline of astrobiology changes the game, introducing rigor to the quest for extraterrestrial life. Life in the Cosmos surveys the field, showing how cutting-edge research is closing in on the answers “out there.”Trade ReviewThe new go-to for astrobiology. Life in the Cosmos is a quantitative and encyclopedic tour de force for all topics related to the origin of life on Earth and life’s existence beyond. -- Sara Seager, author of The Smallest Lights in the UniverseAn instant classic. Lingam and Loeb’s brilliant Life in the Cosmos is a momentous scientific achievement. To anyone looking to dig deep into the exciting prospect of discovering extraterrestrial life, I say: Make space on your bookshelf. -- Michael J. Russell, University of TurinA book of sweeping vision. Lingam and Loeb offer detailed and insightful analysis of the challenges we face as we investigate the universal distribution of this unusual material we call life. A helpful and fascinating read. -- Charles Cockell, author of Astrobiology: Understanding Life in the UniverseAre we alone in the universe? Lingam and Loeb provide expert guidance to the many dimensions of this fundamental question—and, just maybe, how to answer it. -- Andrew H. Knoll, author of A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight ChaptersA remarkable and modern survey of how to search for life in the universe, from two of the boldest, most innovative thinkers in the field today. Impressively detailed, this book takes into account what we know about life on Earth to consider what we don’t know about life elsewhere. -- Jason Wright, Director, Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence CenterThis book discusses everything you ever wanted to know about life in the cosmos. Lingam and Loeb are the best guides for this truly breathtaking journey, providing masterful and comprehensive answers for everyone, from the scholar to the amateur stargazer. -- Dimitar Sasselov, author of The Life of Super-Earths: How the Hunt for Alien Worlds and Artificial Cells Will Revolutionize Life on Our PlanetThe search for intelligent alien life continues to motivate and inspire generations of scientists and the public alike…The authors separate themselves from other treatments of similar topics by focusing on ‘extraterrestrial technological intelligences’ rather than alien life more generally. * Nature Astronomy *Boldly goes where few academic books have gone before by seriously and open-mindedly considering the possibility of extraterrestrial technological intelligence on par with or far beyond humans…Chock-full of interesting topics and insights…A stellar achievement that deserves the undivided attention of readers who are ready to take a deep dive into astrobiology. * Inquisitive Biologist *An excellent primer on life on earth, from the very beginnings…Both incredibly wide-ranging and constantly fascinating. * Complete Review *
£56.06
Princeton University Press Birds of Botswana
Book SynopsisHere is the ultimate field guide to Botswana's stunningly diverse birdlife. Covering all 597 species recorded to date, Birds of Botswana features more than 1,200 superb color illustrations, detailed species accounts, seasonality and breeding bars, and a color distribution map for each species. Drawing on the latest regional and national data, the bTrade Review"[An] excellent guide... With the publication of this field guide, Botswana is likely to become a more popular birding destination for travelers."--Dan R. Kunkle, Wildlife Activist "This is the first-ever field guide to birds of this south African country. Part of the Princeton Field Guides, it is excellent, with 255 well-executed color plates of all 597 Botswana species... A very valuable resource for all academic audiences concerned with Africa's wildlife."--Choice "This book is definitely an excellent addition to the ornithological literature of southern Africa."--Holger Kolberg, Lanioturdus "The book will be a welcome addition to any keen southern African birder's library."--Peter Ryan, African Birdlife "Attractive, readable ... this field guide will prove indispensable for birdwatchers traveling in Botswana."--Jonathan F. Husband, ARBATable of ContentsForeword 7 Acknowledgments 8 Introduction 9 Botswana at a glance 9 Biogeographic context 10 Vegetation and habitat types 11 Overview of Botswana's birds 17 Where to see birds in Botswana 17 How to use this book 20 BirdLife Botswana 22 Glossary 23 Bird Topography 26 Species Accounts 28-383 Struthionidae 28 Numididae 28 Phasianidae 30 Turnicidae 34 Anatidae36 Podicipedidae 46 Phoenicopteridae 48 Ciconiidae 50 Scopidae 54 Threskiornithidae 56 Ardeidae 58 Pelecanidae 70 Phalacrocoracidae 72 Anhingidae 74 Heliornithidae 74 Sagittariidae 76 Pandionidae 76 Accipitridae 78 Falconidae 112 Otididae 120 Gruidae 124 Sarothruridae 126 Rallidae 126 Burhinidae 134 Recurvirostridae 134 Charadriidae 136 Rostratulidae 142 Jacanidae 144 Scolopacidae 146 Glareolidae 158 Stercorariidae 164 Laridae 164 Pteroclidae 170 Columbidae 172 Musophagidae178 Cuculidae 180 Strigidae 190 Tytonidae 196 Caprimulgidae 198 Apodidae 202 Trogonidae 206 Coliidae 208 Coraciidae 210 Alcedinidae 212 Meropidae 218 Upupidae 222 Phoeniculidae 222 Bucerotidae 224 Bucorvidae 226 Lybiidae 228 Indicatoridae 230 Picidae 232 Psittacidae 236 Platysteiridae 238 Prionopidae 240 Eurylaimidae 240 Malaconotidae 242 Dicruridae 248 Campephagidae 248 Monarchidae 250 Laniidae 250 Oriolidae 254 Pittidae 256 Corvidae 256 Stenostiridae 258 Paridae 258 Remizidae 260 Nicatoridae 260 Alaudidae 262 Pycnonotidae 272 Hirundinidae 274 Macrosphenidae 282 Phylloscopidae 282 Acrocephalidae 284 Locustellidae 290 Cisticolidae 290 Leiothrichidae 302 Sylviidae 306 Zosteropidae 308 Certhiidae 308 Sturnidae 310 Buphagidae 316 Turdidae 318 Muscicapidae 320 Nectariniidae 334 Passeridae 338 Ploceidae 344 Estrildidae 356 Viduidae 364 Motacillidae 370 Fringillidae 378 Emberizidae 382 Appendix of Additional Species 384 References 385 Species Index 386 About the Author & Illustrator 398
£25.20
Princeton University Press Tracks and Signs of the Animals and Birds of
Book SynopsisAn illustrated field guide that enables you to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of mammal and bird species found in Britain and Europe, covering behaviors ranging from hunting, foraging, and feeding to courtship, breeding, and nesting. It includes informative descriptions of mammal species along with distribution maps.Trade Review"If anyone has a particular interest in learning how to track animals they should buy this book. If on the other hand they are someone who likes to understand the countryside and delve below the surface more than a little, this book will help them to do just that in a handy-sized, nonscientific, and highly readable guide."--Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog "[B]y far the best book on the subject I've ever seen ... beautifully illustrated."--Dick Warner, Irish Examiner "[Focuses] on helping you identify the signs species leave behind, and these are especially useful for tough-to-tell-apart, cryptic, or nocturnal species."--Kate Jones, New Scientist "[C]oncise and punchy ... [Olsen] manages to pack an awful lot into these pages, and the result is as thorough a survey of European tracks and signs as you could wish for in a book that's still small and light enough for you to consider taking out into the field... [The book makes] lavish use of colour photos, and there's a pleasingly equal weight given to different species, and to the different aspects of the subject being dealt with."--Matt Merritt, Birdwatching Magazine "I cannot praise Tracks and Signs highly enough. It is not only the finest guide to tracking I've ever held in my hands, it is one of the most attractive and informative books on natural history I've ever seen. This guide will prove invaluable to those who already take an interest in tracking and wish to gain more experience. It is also an important tool to promote the field art of tracking in Europe, a region where tracking as a zoological method can use all the support it can get. I also wish to emphasize that this is not only a book for European (and British) naturalists. I definitely recommend it to naturalists in North America and East Asia as well. Yes, it is that good."--Jochen Roeder, 10,000 Birds "[T]his is a lovely book to dip into and learn something new each time. It may not work as a conventional 'in the field guide' but will be invaluable to identify tracks and signs from photographs at home. The drawings and photographs are excellent throughout and the text is clear and concise. I would recommend this book to anyone with an active interest in nature."--Mike King, Gloster Birder "[A] great field guide to take out with you on country walks, as well as to use for study at home... [A] very attractive book with detailed information and wonderful photography. The layout is clear and easy to follow and there's a wealth of information in there."--Kate Bradbury, English Garden "A lavishly illustrated book, packed with colour photographs... [T]his book is the start of many possible wildlife adventures and really gets the adrenalin flowing!"--Biggest Twitch "[A]n excellent book which has rekindled my interest in tracking down more mammals and looking more carefully for the signs of birds. This book is certainly highly recommended... [T]his book will be on the packing list for all our tours in future."--Biggest Twitch "[I]t's a fascinating, high-quality, good value and very informative book that I'd happily recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject, and I'm looking forward to test-driving it in the North Yorkshire forests this winter."--Mark James Pearson, Birding Frontiers "Brown et al. will doubtless already be known to many as a reliable guide to the tracks and signs of birds. Those wishing to extend their knowledge of the subject to include mammals should certainly examine a copy of Olsen."--M.G.W., IBIS "This excellent guide should enable the observer to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of our native birds and mammals. I must emphasize the high quality of the outstanding colour photographs."--Bryan Sage, Country-Side "For me one of the great strengths of this book is that reading it--even just browsing through it--has heighten my awareness of what is around me. I always kept an eye out for tracks and signs--but since spending a bit of time with this book I find myself noticing much more--and referring back to it often when I've discovered something new to narrow down the options."--Calvin Jones, Ireland's Wildlife "This is a very well-produced, abundantly illustrated guide to the tracks and signs of 175 species of European mammals and birds, bound in a field-friendly, flexible cover... [T]here is much to enjoy here, from the new illustrations to the excellent photographs. A useful addition to the literature on tracks and signs, which adds to the previously available guides."--Curious Naturalist "[I]f you are looking for something comprehensive for Britain and Europe, this is the book for you... Although advertised as a field guide, this book would be a good addition to a library as a reference book on all tracks and signs."--Helen Ashton, Reference ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface 5 Mammal tracks 6 Antlers 18 Bird tracks 22 Scat 35 Carnivores 35 Carnivore scat 36 Scat of smaller mammals 38 Scat of larger rodents 8 Scat of larger herbivores 40 Bird droppings 43 Feeding signs on trees 46 Fray marks on trees 57 Holes in trees, ant heaps, etc 59 Gnawed branches 62 Feeding signs on mushrooms 64 Feeding signs on turnips 65 Feeding signs on spruce cones 66 Feeding signs on pine cones 68 Feeding signs on hazelnuts 68 Feeding signs on walnuts 71 Feeding signs on rose hips 72 Feeding signs on cherry stones 73 Feeding signs on apples 74 Nests and dens 76 Pellets 82 Owl pellets 82 Raptor pellets 84 Gull, cormorant, heron, and stork pellets 85 Wader, crow, and jay pellets 87 Skulls in pellets 89 Other skulls and bones 91 Round nests 92 Feathers 96 Raptor feeding signs 100 Trails 104 Brown Bear 106 Wolverine 109 Wolf and domestic dog 111 Lynx 115 Iberian Lynx 117 Wildcat 118 Arctic Fox 120 Red Fox 122 Raccoon Dog 127 Raccoon 130 Eurasian Badger 132 European Beaver 136 North American Beaver 142 Coypu 143 Muskrat 144 Northern Water Vole 147 Southern Water Vole 151 Water Shrew 151 Otter 154 American Mink 157 European Mink 160 Western Polecat 161 Pine Marten 163 Beech Marten 165 Stoat 167 Weasel 169 Brown Hare 171 Mountain Hare 174 Rabbit 176 Red Squirrel 179 Grey Squirrel 183 Flying Squirrel 184 Alpine Marmot 185 European Souslik 187 Black Rat 188 Brown Rat 189 House Mouse 192 Yellow-necked Mouse 195 Wood Mouse 199 Striped Field Mouse 200 Harvest Mouse 202 Northern Birch Mouse 204 Common Dormouse 205 Garden Dormouse 207 Edible Dormouse 209 Bank Vole 211 Field Vole 213 Common Vole 215 Norway Lemming 216 Wood Lemming 218 Grey-sided Vole 219 Root Vole 220 Common Mole 221 Western Hedgehog 223 Algerian Hedgehog 226 Common Shrew 226 Bats 229 Horses 231 Cattle 232 Wild Boar 233 Elk 237 Red Deer 241 White-tailed Deer 246 Fallow Deer 247 Sika Deer 250 Reeve's Muntjac 251 Roe Deer 253 Reindeer 258 Musk Ox 261 Mouflon 263 Chamois 265 Domestic sheep 266 Goats 267 Seals 268 Sea turtles 269 Photo credits 270 Index of species 271
£16.19
Princeton University Press Horses of the World
Book SynopsisTitle of the original edition: Tous les chevaux du monde: pres de 570 races et types decrits et illustres (Paris: Delachaux et Niestle, 2014).Trade Review"Winner of a 2018 Outstanding Reference Sources Award, Reference and User Services Association, American Library Association""A comprehensive, large-format encyclopedia, the 536-page volume begins with sections on breed identification, domestication of the horse and equestrian principles. . . . A wealth of information on horses, this book would be a helpful reference for a student 4-H member and anyone interested in learning about how horses are used all over the world." * Western Horseman *"This is the horse book to end all horse books. . . . A magnificent reference for anyone with a passion for horses." * Toronto Star *"Cleverly designed and handsomely illustrated, this single-volume encyclopedia of horse breeds will serve nicely both on the reference shelf and as a desktop companion for equine enthusiasts. . . . Writing style is refreshingly straightforward. . . . Although this is published for adult readers, more than 400 richly colored photographs and illustrations will likely attract and hold the interest of young readers as well." * Booklist *"There are some 570 or possibly more varieties of horse . . . and Horses of the World covers them all. There is introductory material about horses, breeds, how we tell them apart, conservation status, etc. Each horse breed is then given one half of a page on each of two folios, so you see overleaf some illustrated text on one side, and a fuller and very official illustration on the other, for most breeds, with some variation."---Greg Laden's blog"A must for horse lovers and a fascinating browse for all readers." * Library Journal *"Well-known French equestrian writer Rousseau here offers, in translation, a detailed, large-format overview of all extant domestic and wild horses and other equine breeds (e.g., zebras), covering the origins of 570 modern breeds; their anatomy, physiology, and variations; and modern equestrian practice." * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction 8 Horses of the World 8 How to Identify a Breed of Horse 10 Identity Card 19 The Domestication of the Horse and the Main Equestrian Disciplines 21 How to Use This Book 23 Other Equines of the World 25 Extinct Horses 26 Wild Horses 26 Hybrids 28 Horses of Northern Europe 31 Iceland (1) 32 United Kingdom (23) 34 Ireland (5) 56 Norway (3) 60 Denmark (8) 64 Sweden (6) 70 Finland (2) 76 Horses of Southern Europe 79 Portugal (4) 80 Spain (19) 84 Italy (24) 102 Slovenia (2) 124 Croatia (2) 126 Bosnia and Herzegovina (1) 128 Serbia (1) 128 Albania (1) 129 Greece (9) 130 Horses of Western Europe 137 France (24) 138 Belgium (6) 162 Luxembourg (1) 168 Netherlands (6) 168 Germany (32) 176 Switzerland (3) 202 Austria (4) 204 Horses of Eastern Europe and Russia 209 Estonia (3) 210 Latvia (1) 212 Lithuania (3) 214 Poland (8) 216 Belarus (2) 224 Czech Republic (6) 226 Slovakia (2) 230 Hungary (9) 232 Romania (6) 242 Bulgaria (3) 246 Moldava (1) 248 Ukraine (2) 250 Georgia (3) 252 Russia (33) 254 Horses of the Middle East 279 Turkey (10) 280 Syria (1) 288 Israel 288 Saudi Arabia (1) 290 Azerbaijan (4) 292 Iran (6) 296 Horses of Central Asia 301 Turkmenistan (2) 302 Uzbekistan (1) 304 Kyrgyzstan (2) 304 Tajikistan (2) 306 Afghanistan (1) 308 Kazakhstan (4) 310 Mongolia (2) 314 Horses of the Indian Subcontinent 319 Pakistan (7) 320 India (8) 324 Sri Lanka (1) 330 Nepal (2) 332 Bhutan (3) 332 Bangladesh (1) 334 Horses of the Far East and Southeast Asia 337 China (39) 338 Myanmar (2) 362 Thailand (1) 364 Laos (1) 365 Vietnam (2) 366 Cambodia (1) 367 South Korea (1) 368 Japan (9) 370 Philippines (1) 378 Malaysia (2) 380 Indonesia (13) 382 Horses of North Africa 391 Morocco, Algeria (2) 392 Tunisia (1) 394 Egypt (1) 396 Horses of West Africa 399 Senegal (4) 400 Niger (1) 402 Togo and Benin (1) 402 Nigeria (1) 403 Cameroon (2) 404 Horses of East Africa 407 Sudan (2) 408 Ethiopia (1) 410 Somalia (1) 410 Horses of Southern Africa 413 Namibia (1) 414 South Africa (6) 414 Lesotho (1) 420 Horses of North America 423 Canada (8) 424 Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1) 430 United States (47) 432 Horses of Central America and the Caribbean 479 Bahamas (1) 480 Cuba (4) 480 Puerto Rico (1) 484 Mexico (3) 484 Costa Rica (1) 488 Horses of South America 491 Colombia (3) 492 Venezuela (1) 494 Brazil (14) 496 Peru (2) 504 Bolivia (1) 506 Chile (2) 506 Argentina (6) 508 Horses of Oceania 515 Australia (6) 516 New Zealand (1) 522 Solomon Islands 522 Tonga 522 French Polynesia (1) 524 Conclusion 526 Acknowledgments and Photograph Credits 527 Bibliographic Sources 528 Index of Horse Names 531 Some Extinct Breeds 536
£33.25
Princeton University Press Oceanic Birds of the World
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of British Birds' Best Bird Books of 2019""An inspiration for future seabirding trips, a knowledge base for more familiar species, and a sheer delight to drool over the amazing images of gadfly petrels, alcids, albatrosses and storm petrels … anyone with an interest in seabirds needs to buy this guide."---Mark Newsome, BirdGuides"A remarkable bird guide; it contains an unusual depth of ornithological and taxonomic knowledge combined with field expertise, organized in a readable manner that focuses almost entirely on bird identification. It is full of visual identification goodies and smart observations, facts and maps, up-to-date taxonomy and hundreds of photographs." * 10,000 Birds Book Review *"It is excellent, the text is comprehensive and ID features do get pointed out. . . Series world birders will want this on their bookshelves as will dedicated sea watchers." * Fat Birder *"How often have you read a fieldguide from cover to cover within two weeks? For me the anser is: once. In case of this one. . . . buy it!"---Rinse van der Vliet, Dutch Birding"This book will undoubtedly set a new standard for many years to come."---Michael Scott, Conservation Biology"This is an excellent book . . . . A celebration of the diversity and beauty of the world’s seabirds. . . . It is indeed a major achievement to have photographed so many of them and to present them in one publication. This is a ‘must have’ addition to any keen birder’s library."---Nic Hallam, IBIS Book Reviews
£27.00
Princeton University Press Canids of the World
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Canids of the World is a timely resource and a fascinating survey of wolves and their canine relatives."---Nancy Jo Tubbs, International Wolf"This is the best encyclopedia any reader or writer can hope for. I look forward to returning to it over the coming years." * Pennsylvania Literary Journal *
£22.50
Princeton University Press New Guinea
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book sets the pulse racing about a world that really must be seen if at all possible. I knew about birds of paradise but this book has rekindled a passion for this so wonderful and bonkers family of birds, just take a look at the photographs here!" * Biggest Twitch Birdwatching Trips *"There is not another book on the market to come anywhere near this publication. Sit back and be drawn into such a landscape you can only dream of while at home."---John Miles, Birdwatching"[A] beautifully crafted book."---Peter Menkhorst, Australian Book Review"[A] masterpiece."---Joan Mead-Matsui, Everything, Everywhere, Travel Writer"[A] beautiful and authoritative overview . . . . [If] you share a passion for wild and poorly known places then this book represents an introduction to one such treasure trove."---Guy Kirwan, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club
£22.50
Princeton University Press Far from Land
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the British Trust for Ornithology's Best Bird Books of 2018""A brilliant global overview of seabird behaviour."---Kenny Taylor, BBC Wildlife"His tour of the ecological highlights is gripping in scope and in granular detail gleaned from observations of puffins, penguins, fulmars and more."---Barbara Kiser, Nature"This is a celebration of nature writing, scientific research and the wonder of birds, large and small, that glide, flap and flutter across the world’s oceans."---Tim Birkhead, Times Literary Supplement"Brooke’s storytelling skills are first rate, and artist Bruce Pearson’s illustrations only further the mesmerizing quality of this project." * Foreword Reviews *"[Brooke] shares his encyclopedic knowledge with dry wit and fine attention to detail in this absorbing book. . . . His enthusiasm is so infectious that Far from Land is bound to hatch some much-needed new devotees."---Adrian Barnett, New Scientist"If you thought you knew all about seabirds, then think again. This book is absolutely packed with new information."---John Miles, Bird Watching Magazine"Written with passion and knowledge in equal doses. It is beautifully written, immediately captures interest, is erudite, avoids jargon, and is entertaining with a fair peppering of humour. . . . I cannot think of one good reason why any seabirder – field birders and researchers alike – would want to skip this book. Buy it."---Bob Flood, Birdwatch Magazine"[A] marvellous new study."---John Burnside, New Statesman"A thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating survey of the world of seabirds – made all the more enjoyable by Bruce Pearson’s lovely pen-and-wash illustrations."---Nigel Andrew, Literary Review"The most up-to-date picture of how seabirds behave when we aren’t watching. . . . Beautifully written."---Joe Culley, Irish Times"In a very approachable and often dazzling book, Michael Brooke blends the seemingly incompatible worlds of romance and science. The book almost reads like a collection of fairy tales, stories from lands far away of almost-mythical creatures."---Mihai Andrei, ZME Science"As an all-encompassing look at the lives of all sort of seabirds, this book would be hard to beat . . . a must-have book for anyone with an interest in the most mysterious of all birds."---Matt Merritt, Bird Watching Magazine"Michael Brooke has drawn on his knowledge of current science to give a timely summary of research so far and a brilliant global overview of seabird behaviour."---Kenny Taylor, BBC Wildlife Magazine"To read it is like encountering a new and unknown blue planet for the first time. . . . How much better to live now when the world of seabirds, even far from land, is chronicled in such magnificent detail by scientists such as Brooke."---Matt Ridley, The Times"A magical tour of every ocean and some of the remotest locations on the planet through the lives of seabirds. . . . The potential for future discoveries as technologies advance is truly exciting and I cannot wait for the sequel to this book in 20 years’ time."---Ruth Walker, British Trust for Ornithology"Michael Brooke’s book, Far From Land, provides an entertaining and highly digestible account of what we have learnt from the past three decades of seabird tracking research, and what we have learnt is nothing short of staggering. . . . It is well written, tripping along at a nice pace, and should keep anyone with an interest in marine biology or ornithology entertained."---Stephen Votier, Current Biology Magazine"An impressive global overview of impressive modern research into what proves to be even more impressive seabirds. . . . Altogether a well-written, finely illustrated, instructively mapped book."---Richard Sherley, Seabird"This is a relatively slim volume, but one that is absolutely packed with information and all conveyed in an engaging and often witty style."---Andrew Bielinski, Scottish Birds"The book is written with wit (e.g., quoting from a scientific presentation given in rap) and real insight, helped bythe fact that the author himself is a field ornithologist and understands how much time and effort goes into workthat may end up summarized in a sentence in the book. This is a book that all ornithologists should read, but itwill also inspire marine biologists, seafarers, and all who travel the seas into deepened respect for the seabirdswith which they share the oceans."---Michael Scott, Conservation Biology
£16.19
Princeton University Press Birds of Belize
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A typical good modern birding field guide with distribution maps, concise text including helpful identification notes, and illustrations all on the same page. This all makes it a very easy field guide to use."---Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours"[Birds of Belize] is a first rate guide, user-friendly and very portable. If a trip to Belize is in your future, don't leave home without it!"---David M. Gascoigne, Travels With Birds"This book is a MUST have for anyone birding Belize!"---Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report
£27.00
Princeton University Press Gulls of Europe North Africa and the Middle East
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Birdwatcher's Yearbook Best Bird Book of the Year""Third Place for the 2022 BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year, British Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology""[An] excellent Princeton University Press guide."---Stuart Winter, Sunday Express"[The book] lays bare the intricacies of the moult and aging of gulls, but in such a simple and comprehendible way that it is impossible not to glean valuable information even on the first read through."---Brian Robertson, Scottish Birds"No matter what your experience of gulls might be, there is certainly plenty to learn in the book . . . . An excellent book and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in identifying gulls, whatever their ability."---Brian Small, British Birds"The authors are among the foremost experts on this taxing group, and have pioneered research into identifying distinctions among many of the most cryptic species. This book is a distillation of that knowledge and experience . . . . Highly recommended."---Dominic Mitchell, Birdlife Magazine"A landmark for future photo ID guides."---David W.McAllister, Highland Naturalist"This is one of the best books I have seen so far on gulls, and it is packed with identification tips and features, and excellent, clear and concise pictures. . . . It is a great reference book to check any field notes made later and is set out in an easy-to-follow format which is a welcome change. I thoroughly recommend this book to the beginner and expert alike."---Neville Davies, Gwent Wildlife Trust"An analytical as well as a holistic approach to identification pointing out the detail as well as the broader picture."---Steven Rutherford, British Naturalists Association"[A] must have book. . . . ‘Gulls’ deserves to find a place on any serious birders book shelf."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog"[An] excellent and easy to paw over book."---Bo Beolens, Fat Birder"The most up-to-date and comprehensive gull guide available. . . . After a few spotting sessions armed with this book you may be tempted to become a larophile."---Eric Brown, News Shopper"An excellent reference source."---Gordon Hamlett, Birdwatcher's Yearbook"With 45 illustrated species and subspecies and nearly 1400 images, this superb book looks like one of the most complete guides on this topic and cannot be missed by Gull experts. . . . A little gem!"---Gaia Bazzi, Avocetta: Journal of Ornithology "This well-written and researched book is easy to read for both expert and beginner alike, with chapters that flow well and finish with a concise conclusion at the end. . . . An excellent resource detailing the ecology of this amazing bird."---Dave Grant, IBIS Book Reviews
£31.50
Princeton University Press What a Mushroom Lives For
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Nominee for the James Beard Media Award in Reference, History, and Scholarship""Winner of the Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes, BC and Yukon Book Prizes""Few readers, I suspect, have ever considered fungi to be sentient, but Michael Hathaway . . . argues that mushrooms (as well as plants and other organisms widely considered as passive automatons), though not exactly conscious, nevertheless 'engage their surroundings in a dynamic way.' . . . The takeaway, Hathaway advises, should at least be a renewed appreciation of the interconnectedness of all forms of life, flora, fauna, and 'funga,' and a realization that the world is 'made and remade through relationships.'"---Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History"This book will be valuable to social scientists and ecologists, and essential to philosophers of human-fungi relationships." * Choice *
£15.29
Princeton University Press The Lives of Butterflies
Book SynopsisTrade Review"I wholeheartedly recommend this delightful book, especially for anyone interested in butterflies and pollinators, whether a backyard nature enthusiast or a student in a conservation, biology or entomology field. If you have already fallen in love with the Princeton University Press 'The Lives of the Natural World' series, you won't be disappointed with this latest addition to your collection."---Amanda Williams, Buzz About Bees"We are treated to a glorious investigation of the world of lepidopterans with a full accounting of their life histories, behaviour, habitats and resources, populations status, seasonality, defence and natural enemies, and finally, that ominous elephant in every room, threats and conservation."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"A great introduction to butterflies around the world." * the Buzz *
£27.00
Princeton University Press Field Guide to North American Flycatchers
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An American Birding Association Best Bird Book of the Year""An incredibly handy tool. . . . As an eBird reviewer I already know that I’ll be pulling this book off the shelf on a regular basis during migration."---Blaine Carnes, Association of Field Ornithologists"[Field Guide to North American Flycatchers] is exactly the sort of detailed guide to empids and pewees that I’ve been hoping for since…well, basically since I started birding. Simply put, every North American birder should have this."---Grant McCreary, The Birder's Library"A book well worth owning for both its excellence of content and uniqueness. . . . [It is] light and portable, and, with minimal technical language, geared to birders of every level."---Donna Lynn Schulman, 10,000 Birds"This book is amazing, this book is fantastic. It offers so much insight into the world of flycatchers. . . . It offers a lot on how to challenge our perception of things, how to look at things in a different way. . . . The artwork is awesome, the details are awesome."---Byron Murray, To Know the Land"A MUST have for anyone birding North America!"---Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report"A unique and excellent field guide, and one very well worth having if you are interested in trying to improve your identification skills when it relates to the often-challenging identification of these commonly encountered flycatcher species. . . . . Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch should be congratulated on producing such a well-designed, comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated guide that will surely aid many users, beginners and experts alike."---Frank Lambert, Frank Lambert Birding"The illustrations are magnificent. . . . I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to everyone who has ever or will ever struggle with flycatcher identification – it is a great addition to the specialized books out there."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature"Holding your hand through the entire process, the guide makes it possible to identify almost any empid and pewee that might cross your path"---David Callahan, Birdwatch Magazine"An important step forward in the available identification material for this group of species. . . . Even experienced birders from within the ranges of these species will likely learn from this book"---Ben Lucking, British Birds"Empidonax flycatchers . . . have needed a book like this for a long time, and I'm just really glad that when it does finally come along that it is done as well as it is."---Nate Swick, American Birding Association
£15.29
Cornell University Press Diseases of Trees and Shrubs
Book Synopsis"One of the ten best horticultural books of the century."—The Washington PostTrade ReviewOne of the ten best horticultural books of the century. * Washington Post *A truly superior reference work returns new and improved, with both form and content reflecting advances in knowledge. The high praise that met the 1987 release of this book's first edition—one reviewer called it one of the 'ten best horticultural books of the century'—seems equally deserved for the second edition. 'Diseases' describes 470 afflictions affecting more than 300 species and occurring in the temperate regions of the United States and Canada; another 50 chemical, physical, or unknown agents are also portrayed. This is a diagnostic manual, and as such, discussion of control measures is negligible. Far from resting on their laurels, Sinclair and Lyon have made some key improvements to their work. Perhaps the most striking of these are the book's distinctly sharper, digitally optimized images, more than 2000 of them in color. Those who teach (or study) the subject may appreciate Sinclair and Lyon's tweaks to the preliminary apparatus in the new edition, changes that help make a prodigious amount of technical information a little more intelligible. Fairly easy diagnostic reference is made possible with an index that lists both the scientific (genus judiciously boldfaced) and common names of plants. Bottom Line: This book will continue to be the standard reference for those who deal with tree and shrub pathology professionally, but gardeners with problems will find it just as indispensable. (Amateurs, of course, might do just as well examining the pictures.) An essential purchase for special horticultural, academic, and large public collections. * Library Journal (starred review) *Diseases of Trees and Shrubs is by far the best book currently available for the horticulturist, arborist, or forester who wishes to identify disorders of forest and shade trees and woody ornamentals. * The Public Garden *It is well written and it is illustrated with photographs of such high quality that in this respect it could be described as a 'coffee table' book of forest pathology. * Forestry *This book is a remarkable contribution to the literature on tree pathology, providing a valuable source of reference on tree disease for all with an interest in the subject. It must surely be almost obligatory reading for the specialist tree pathologist, and will prove of great value to all tree care professionals. It will fascinate any tree lovers who wish to find out more about the diseases and disorders that may afflict trees. * Arboricultural Journal *The book arrives at a time of biological globalization and environmental change bearing the high risk of new pathogen introductions and emerging diseases. It is therefore indispensible also for forest pathologists outside of North America. The main emphasis of the book is on infectious disease, but nutrient deficiencies, damages by heat, drought and freezing, sides effects of pesticides and damages by air pollution are also included. This book is of the highest possible quality and it is a really magnificent resource for anybody who is facing the challenge of tree disease diagnosis. Moreover, the book is a celebration of biodiversity associated with woody plants as well as an aesthetic enjoyment. * Forest Pathology *This is an absolute 'must have' for all professional tree people. A complete and thorough revision of the 1987 classic, it contains more than 2,000 digitally optimized color images of all important diseases of trees and woody ornamentals of the US and Canada. Having used the original book as a disease bible a gazillion times, this reviewer was amazed to discover that the authors could make such substantial improvements. Most of the color plates are completely new sets of photos, and they are of the highest quality. Important new diseases that have come onto the scene in the last 20 years, such as dogwood anthracnose, have been added. The authors have introduced a number of new microscopic figures to help in the positive identification of various pathogens. As in the first volume, the authors do a wonderfully thorough job with the descriptive information presented for diseases. This reference classic should be part of the library of every plant health care specialist, forester, horticulturist, and student in the field. Essential. * Choice *Table of ContentsContents About this book How to use this book Dedication and acknowledgmentsDiseases caused by fungi Overview of fungal diseases of woody plants Diseases caused by Ascomycota Foliar diseases Taphrina diseases: leaf curls and blisters, bladder plum, witches'-brooms Powdery mildews Witches'-broom of hackberry and black witches'-broom of serviceberry Dark fungi on plants: sooty molds, black mildews, and others Spot anthracnoses and scabs caused by Elsinoe and Sphaceloma Diseases caused by Mycosphaerella species and related anamorphs Overview Leaf spots of ash, walnut, citrus, rose, mountain-ash, sycamore Septoria diseases of poplar and other plants Brown spot needle blight of pines Dothistroma needle blight of pines Stigmina leaf spot of palms Mycosphaerella leaf spot of Yucca Blights and leaf spots caused by fungi of the Cercospora complex "Cercospora" blights of Cupressaceae Some "Cercospora" leaf spots Linden leaf blotch, and leaf spots caused by Coniothyrium, Microsphaeropsis, Sonderhenia, and "Hendersonia" Ascochyta blight of lilac Leaf spots and blotches caused by Cuignardia and Phyllosticta Diseases caused by Cuignardia species: leaf blotch of horse-chestnut and buckeye, leaf spot of Boston ivy, black rot of grapevine Phyllosticta leaf spots and blotches of dogwood, hazelnut, witch-hazel, maples Tubakia leaf spot of oaks and other trees and fly-speck leaf spot of Vaccinium Needle blights and needle casts of conifers Lophodermium needle casts Ploioderma needle casts of pines Canavirgella and Davisomycella needle casts of pines Elytroderma needle casts of pines Lonhodermella and Cvclaneusma needle casts of pines Rhizosphaera and Isthmiella needle casts Rhabdocline and Swiss needle casts of Douglas-fir Meria needle blight of larch and Didymascella leaf blight of cedar Snow blights Brown felt blights Tar spots Ink spot leaf blight of aspen and poplar Ovulinia petal blight of Rhododendron and Ciborinia flower blight of Camellia Botrytis blight Cristulariella leaf spots Brown rot of stone fruits Entomosporium leaf spot of Maloideae Black spot of rose and Blumeriella leaf spot of cherry and plum Marssonina spots and blights Leaf spots and blights of aspen and poplar Anthracnoses of birch and bittersweet Alternaria blights and leaf spots Shoot blights and twig diebacks Scab diseases caused by Venturia species Apple scab Scabs of firethorn, loquat, and toyon Venturia leaf and shoot blights of aspen and poplar Scab and black canker of willow and Venturia leaf blotch of maple Bronze leaf disease of aspen and poplar and Linospora leaf blight of balsam poplars Anthracnoses Anthracnose overview and black spot of elm Ash anthracnose Oak anthracnose Sycamore anthracnose Walnut anthracnose and Gnomonia leaf spots of hickory and pecan Doewood anthracnose Anthracnoses of birch, filbert, and redbud Anthracnoses and Didymosporina leaf soot of maples Cankers and diebacks Hornbeam anthracnose Anthracnoses and diebacks caused by Clomerella and Colletotrichum Butternut canker Sirococcus blight of conifers Ceratocystis cankers Diseases caused by Botryophaeria and allied fungi Botryosphaeria cankers and diebacks Cankers, dieback, and leaf blight caused by B. dolliidea and B. Ribis Cankers and dieback caused by: B. stevensii and Diplodia quercina B. queicuum and related fungi on oak B. obtuse B. rhodina Diplodia (Spiiaeropsis) blight of pines and other conifers Sphaeropsis canker and dieback of elm Sphaeropsis knot and Dipiodia gall Melanconis diebacks and sooty canker Diseases caused by Diaportlx and Phomopsis species Diaporthc and Phomopsis cankers and cliebacks Overview Phomopsis canker of Russian-olive Diseases of Rhododendron Phomopsis cankers of almond and peach Diseases associated with the Diaporihe eres complex Phomopsis dieback of poplar Diaporthe canker and dieback of sycamore Phomopsis dieback of weeping figOther cankers and diebacks caused by Diaporthe and Plioniopsis Diaporthe and Phomousis cankers of conifers Phomopsis, Kabatina. and Scleronlioma blights of juniper and other gymnosperms Stem galls Phomopsis sails Phomopsis canker of Cardenici and Nectriella gall of ornamental plants Black knot of Prunus Cankers and diebacks, continued Cryptodiaporthe cankers Cryptodiaporthe canker of poplar Cryptodiaporthe canker of willow Golden canker of alternate-leaf clogwood Eastern filbert blight Chestnut blight Chrysoporthe canker of Eucalyptus Endothia canker Leucostoma and Valsa cankers Overview Valsa cankers and diebacks of conifers Leucostoma canker of spruce and other conifers Leucostoma cankers of Pruniis Leucostoma and Valsa cankers of poplar and willow Valsa cankers of maple Cryptosporiopsis canker of red maple Nectria cankers and diebacks Coral-spot Nectria canker Tubercularia canker and dieback Thyronectria canker of honeylocust Perennial Nectria canker Beech bark disease Fusarium cankers Cankers caused by Fusarium solani or F. Iateritium Pitch canker of pines Pestalotiopsis spots, blights, and diebacks Sciridium cankers of cypress Cryptosphaeria canker of aspen Eutypella canker of maples Cankers and diebacks caused by Xylariaccous fungi Entoleuca (Hypoxylon) canker of aspen Biscogniauxia cankers and diebacks Biscogniauxia (Hypoxylon) diebacks of oaks Blister canker Camillea- and Hypoxylon-associated cankers and diebacks Basal canker and butt rot caused by Kretzschmaria deusta Cankers and diebacks caused by discomycetes Sooty-bark canker of aspen and poplar Ceningium dieback of pines Scleroderris canker of conifers Atropellis cankers of pines Lachnellula cankers of conifers and Strumella canker of hardwoods Root diseases Charcoal root rot and Fusarium root rots Root rots and blights caused by Cylindrocladium and Cylindrocladiclla Phymatotrichum and Thiclaviopsis root rots Xylaria and Rosellinia root rots Rhizina root rot and southern blight Procerum root disease of pines Systemic fungal diseases Black stain root disease of conifers Ceratocystis cankers Ceratocystis cankers of Populus and Prunus Canker-stain of planetree and sycamore Sapstreak disease and bluestain Oak wilt Dutch elm disease Verticillium wilt Persimmon wilt Fusarium wiltsDiseases caused by Basidiomycota Foliar diseases Exobasidium galls and blisters Articularia and Microstroma leaf spots and witches'-brooms Insolibasidium blight of honeysuckle and false smut of palms Diseases caused by Rhizoctonia-forming fungi Rusts Overview of rusts Phragmidiurn rusts Gymnosporangium rusts Overview Cedar-apple rust Hawthorn rust Quince rust Juniper broom rust Broom rust of incense-cedar and rust galls on south-western junipers Medlar rust Additional Gymnosporangium rusts Puccinia and Cumminsiella rusts Ash rust Cluster-cup rust of currant and gooseberry Crown rust of buckthorn Rusts on Berberis and Mahonia Fig rust and birch rust Pucciniastrum and allied rusts Hemlock-hydrangea rust Hemlock-blueberry rusts Fir-fireweed and fuschia rusts Fir-blueberry rust Other Pucciniastrum and Thekopsora rusts in North America Fir-fern rusts Broom rust of fir Melampsora rusts Poplar rusts Willow rusts Chrysomyxa rusts of spruce Needle rusts of pines Stem and cone rusts of pines Overview of North American Cronartium rusts White pine blister rust Fusiform rust and pine-oak gall rusts Sweetfern blister rust Stalactiform and Comandra blister rusts Limb rusts and cone rusts Western gall rust Trunk and limb rots of hardwoods Overview of wood types and decay processes Representative decay fungi: Stereum gausapatum, Hericium erinaceus, Phellinus species, Climacodon septentrionalis, Bjerkandera adusta, Fomes fomentarius, Globifomes graveolens, Perenniporia fraxinophila, Oxyporus populinus, Trametes versicolor, Polyporus squamosus, Laetiporus species, Piptoporus betulinus Canker-rots of hardwoods Spiculosa canker Canker rots of birch Hispidus canker, heart rot and canker-rot caused by Inonotus andersonii, canker-rot caused by Inonotus glomeratus Sapwood rot and cankers caused by Cerrena unicolor and Schizophyllum commune Sapwood decay and silverleaf caused by Chondrostereum purpureum Trunk rots and canker-rots of conifers Heart rots caused by Fomitoosis pinicola and Echinodontium tinctorium Heart rot caused by Phellinus pini and canker rot caused by P. cancriformans Root diseases Southern blight Rhizoctonia diseases Armillaria root rots Mushroom root rot Root and butt rots caused by Heterobasidion species Red root and bun rot of conifers Brown root and butt rot of conifers Laminated root rots of conifers Root and butt rots caused by Inonotus dryadeus and Oxyporus latemareinatus Ganoderma root and butt rots and trunk decay Overview Root and bun rot of palms Diseases of woody dicots caused by laccate Ganodermas Ganodermas on conifers Diseases caused by Ganoderma applanaturn and related fungiDiseases caused by Oomycota Overview of Oomycctes Downy mildews Diseases caused by Phytophthora species Overview Shoot blights, diebacks, and fruit rots Cankers, collar and crown rots, foot rots, and root rots Diseases caused by Phytoplithora rarnorum Collar, crown, and foot rots Root rots and feeder root necroses Root and crown rot of Port Orford cedar Diseases caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi Other Phytophthora root rotsBacterial diseases Overview Leaf spots, blights, and cankers Diseases caused by Pseudomonas species Diseases caused by Xanthomonas species: citrus canker, bacterial spot of Prunus, bacterial blight of walnut, and others Fire blight Bleeding bacterial cankers Bacterial galls of olive, oleander, and ash Crown gall Wetwood, slime flux, alcoholic flux Bacterial scorch diseases Overview Representative diseases: Pierce's disease of grapevine, almond leaf scorch, bacterial scorch of landscape trees and shrubs Diseases caused by mollicutes Overview Representative diseases: pear decline, Primus yellow leafroll, stubborn disease of citrus, walnut witches'-broom, bunch disease of pecan and other hickories, witches'-brooms of lilac and other plants Elm yellows Ash yellows X-disease of Prunus Lethal yellowing of palmsViral diseases Overview and plant virus diagnosis Diseases caused by nepoviruses: Prunus stem pitting, apple brown line, Forsythia yellow net, ash diseases, and others Diseases caused by carlaviruses: poplar mosaic, lilac mottle, and others Diseases caused by ilarviruses: sour cherry yellows, Prunus necrotic ringspot, apple mosaic, rose mosaic, and others Diseases associated with cucumoviruses, potyviruses, foveaviruses, varicosaviruses: leaf and flower reddening in Nandina, necrotic spots and ring mottle in Prunus, Camellia yellow mottle Diseases associated with tobamoviruses: tobacco mosaic and tomato mosaic viruses, and others Diseases associated with rhabdoviruses, necroviruses, Tobacco necrosis virus Diseases caused by virus-like agents not fully characterized Rose rosette Diseases of Rhododendron and related plants, Rhododendron necrotic ringspot Viral diseases of aspen and poplar Redbud and hibiscus diseases Apple flatlimb Viral symptoms in Acer, Cliaenorneles, Liquidambar, Liriodendron, Lonicera, Magnolia Striped chlorosis of Albizia, fig mosaic, oak viruses, viral symptoms in Bougainvillea, Celtis, Euonynius Viral diseases of conifersDiseases caused by Nematodes Overview of plant-parasitic nematodes Representative nematodes that attack roots: root knot nematodes, burrowing nematode, stunt nematodes, lesion nematodes, dagger nematodes Wilt of pines caused by pine wood nematodesPlant-pathogenic algae and plants Algal leaf spot, or green scurf North American leafy mistletoes Characteristics and habits of Phoradendron Mistletoes on angiosperms Mistletoes primarily on gymnosperms Dwarf mistletoes Overview Representative dwarf mistletoes: Arceuthobium arnericanuni, A. carnpylopodurn complcx (A. campylopodum, A, occidentale, A. laricis, A. tsugense, others), A. douglasii, A. gillii, A. vaginatum, A. pusillum Cassytha and dodder Vines that damage treesDeclines, environmental damage, and unexplained growth abnormalities Decline diseases with multiple or obscure causal factors Concepts and overview Maple decline Ash decline Birch decline, pine declines Oak decline, citrus blight Damage by environmental factors Damage by salt and other inorganic poisons Damage by misapplied pesticides Injuries and diseases caused by air pollutants Overview Damage by ozone Damage by sulfur dioxide Damage by fluorides and minor pollutant gases Mineral nutrient deficiencies Damage by drought, heat, and freezing Water shortage Heat stress Frost and freeze damage Predisposition to attack by opportunistic pathogens Damage by flooding or waterlogged soil Damage by girdling roots, hail, ice glaze, and sheet ice Lightning damage Noninfectious and unexplained growth abnormalities: fasciation, chimeras, graft union abnormalities, adventitious shoots and roots, galls, burls, witches'-broomsRestoration of sapwood and bark after injury or infection Wounds, microbial colonization, and compartmentalization Frost cracks, drought cracks, and related defects Bark formation and restorationAssociations of normal woody plants with other organisms Smooth patch, bark rot, and normal foliar shedding Symbiotic relationships of roots: mycorrhizae, nitrogen-fixing associations Epiphytes, lichens, and mossGlossary References Index
£67.15
Johns Hopkins University Press Why Sharks Matter
Book SynopsisGet submerged in the amazing world of sharks! Your expert host, award-winning marine biologist Dr. David Shiffman, will show you howand whywe should protect these mysterious, misunderstood guardians of the ocean. Sharks are some of the most fascinating, most ecologically important, most threatened, and most misunderstood animals on Earth. More often feared than revered, their role as predators of the deep have earned them a reputation as a major threat to humans. But the truth is that sharks are not a danger to usthey're in danger from us. In Why Sharks Matter, marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman explains why it's crucial that we overcome our misconceptions and rise above cinematic jump scares to embrace sharks as the imperiled and elegant ocean guardians they really are. Sharing his own fascinating experiences working with sharks, Shiffman tells us why healthy shark populations are a must for supporting ocean ecosystemsand the coastal economies that depend on them whTrade ReviewShiffman says he wants 'to teach you why sharks are remarkable and awe-inspiring animals, why we're better off with sharks than we are without them, and what you can do to help protect the alarming and increasing number of sharks of conservation concern.' He succeeds on all counts.—San Francisco ChronicleThe argument of Shiffman's book is that we should do a better job of protecting sharks, and his method is to dip analysis and policy recommendations in a sugar coating of cool facts. For Shiffman, our inability to conceptualize relative risk is both an ecological and aesthetic tragedy, undermining conservation efforts while preventing us from exulting in the glory of sharks—with their dermal denticles, their total lack of bones and their ability to hear an injured fish from a mile away.—Molly Young, New York TimesWhether this book makes you pause and reflect on your perception of sharks, or teaches you some new facts about these predators, Shiffman hopes he has shed light on human side of shark conservation through this work.—Forbes[Shiffman] delivers the book he was born to write.—The RevelatorJoin award-winning marine biologist Dr. David Shiffman in an approachable, humorous and adventure-packed narrative about sharks—the mysterious guardians of the ocean. You'll learn why we should overcome our misconceptions regarding these creatures, delve deep into Shiffman's own experiences with sharks, and explore decades of scientific research and policymaking related to shark conservation.—Scuba DivingA fun, engaging and informative read.—Biological ConservationWritten by a US shark-conservation expert with a solid academic background...[Shiffman] question[s] the easy assumptions we divers sometimes make for emotional reasons about protecting sharks, rather than being guided by the science.—DivernetShiffman is quick to celebrate those who advance the interests of sharks, profiling a diverse group of dedicated scientists (itself laudable in a field dominated by white men). His bluntness and specificity is refreshing in the face of so much advocacy that just sets its sights at 'raising awareness.'—New ScientistShiffman is an entertaining writer, not afraid to nerd out over sharks and share plenty of interesting stories. But what I really appreciate is that every piece of information is grounded in science. Think of it as the anti-Shark Week: the book is entertaining and informative without being sensational or lurid.—Cool Green Science (The Nature Conservancy)Those that want to learn more about sharks and their conservation will find [Why Sharks Matter] a valuable resource. Shiffman is aiming to educate this generation and inspire them to help make the difference that will see shark populations rebuild....As such, this is a book as much about people as it is about sharks.—Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Current BiologyA humorous and pleasant read, packed with lots of facts and stories.—The Marine BiologistTable of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1. Shark Basics, and Fun Facts to Keep You ReadingChapter 2. Sharks Are Not a Threat to HumansChapter 3. The Ecological Significance of Sharks Chapter 4. What Are the Threats to Sharks and How Threatened Are They? Chapter 5. How Can We Protect Sharks? Chapter 6. Sustainable Fisheries for Shark Conservation: Target-Based PoliciesChapter 7. Fishing and Trade Bans for Shark Conservation: Limit-Based PoliciesChapter 8. How Are Scientists Helping Sharks?Chapter. How Are Environmentalists Helping Sharks?Chapter 10. How Can You Help Sharks? (Dos and Please Just Don'ts)AfterwordAcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndexColor plates follow page ___
£19.47
Duke University Press Coral Empire
Book SynopsisAnn Elias traces the history of two explorers whose photographs and films of tropical reefs in the 1920s cast corals and the sea as an unexplored territory to be exploited in ways that tied the tropics and reefs to colonialism, racism, and the human domination of nature.Trade Review"Coral Empire’s postcolonial jeremiad also registers the joyful endurance of surrealist visions of the submarine as a deliriously consciousness-altering realm." -- James Delbourgo * TLS *"[This] book shows that interdisciplinarity is possible. Elias combines the history of underwater cinematography and diving with attention to the surrealist art movement, natural history collecting, colonialism, and the history of tourism, and through this rich patchwork traces shifting popular interpretations of coral imagery in the early twentieth century." -- Antony Adler * Environmental History *"Ann Elias’ fascinating book couldn’t come at a better time. . . . Elias focuses on long neglected images from cinema, dioramas from museums, and illustrations from the press. She cleverly articulates them through a set of unexpected global connections that powerfully mobilise all the transforming ideas of empire, race, technology and nature at the time." -- Martyn Jolly * Australian Historical Studies *"This book is well written and the short chapters make it extremely readable. In addition, the book is beautifully printed, with black-and-white images embedded in chapters and their color counterparts inserted in the middle of the book. It is refreshing to see a book that relies on the reading of images paying such close attention to their reproduction in the text." -- Samantha Muka * H-Net Reviews *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Part I. The Coral Uncanny 1. Coral Empire 15 2. Mad Love 29 Part II. John Ernest Williamson and the Bahamas 3. Williamson and the Photosphere 49 4. The Field Museum—Williamson Undersea Expedition 68 5. Under the Sea 83 6. Williamson in Australia 97 Part III. Frank Hurley and the Great Barrier Reef 7. Hurley and the Floor of the Sea 117 8. Hurley and the Australian Museum Expedition 131 9. Pearls and Savages 147 10. Hurley and the Torres Strait Diver 165 Part IV. Hurley and Williamson 11. Explorers and Modern Media 185 12. Color and Tourism 199 Part V. The Great Acceleration 13. The Anthropocene 217 Conclusion 230 Notes 235 Bibliography 261 Index 277
£19.79
Duke University Press Marx for Cats
Book SynopsisAt the outset of Marx for Cats, Leigh Claire La Berge declares that “all history is the history of cat struggle.” Revising the medieval bestiary form to meet Marxist critique, La Berge follows feline footprints through Western economic history to reveal an animality at the heart of Marxism. She draws on a twelve-hundred-year arc spanning capitalism’s feudal prehistory, its colonialist and imperialist ages, the bourgeois revolutions that supported capitalism, and the communist revolutions that opposed it to outline how cats have long been understood as creatures of economic critique and liberatory possibility. By attending to the repeated archival appearance of lions, tigers, wildcats, and “sabo-tabbies,” La Berge argues that felines are central to how Marxists have imagined the economy, and by asking what humans and animals owe each other in a moment of ecological crisis, La Berge joins current debates about the need for and possibility of eco-sociaTrade Review“Marx for Cats is an undomesticated and indefinable meow de coeur. You can open this book anywhere---it's a Marxist Choose Your Own Adventure---and come away as unsettled, possessed, and reflective as any transportative encounter with a cat might leave you.” -- Jordy Rosenberg, author of * Confessions of the Fox *“Who knew that following cats could open up history and enliven Marxism? This delightful archive of the feline in class struggle reminds us that cats are our comrades. Hand in paw, we have a world to win!” -- Jodi Dean, author of * Comrade: An Essay on Political Belonging *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction. Cat out of the Bag 1 Part I. Menace and Menagerie: The Feudal Mode of Production and Its Cats, 800–1500 1. Lion Kings 25 Intermezzo 1. The Lion-Cat Dialectic 53 2. The Devil’s Cats 58 Part II. The Feline Call to Freedom: Slavery and Revolution in the Age of Empire, 1500–1800 3. Divine Lynxes 95 Intermezzo 2. The Tiger-Tyger Dialectic 125 4. Revolutionary Tigers 129 Part III. Our Dumb Beasts: The Rise of the Bourgeoisie and Its Appropriation of Cats, 1800–1900 5. Wildcats 177 Intermezzo 3. The Cat-Mouse Dialectic 207 6. Domestic Cats, Communal and Servile 212 Part IV. Every Paw Can Be a Claw: Revolutions with Cats, Revolutions Against Capitalism, 1900–2000 7. Sabo-Tabbies 251 Intermezzo 4. The Cat-Comrade Dialectic 288 8. Black Panthers 294 Epilogue. Pussy Cats 329 Notes 339 Bibliography 363 Index 383
£19.79
University of Toronto Press History of Medicine
Book SynopsisJacalyn Duffin's History of Medicine is one of the leading texts used to teach the history of the medical profession. Emphasizing broad concepts rather than names and dates, it has also been widely appreciated by general readers for more than twenty years. Based on sound scholarship and meticulous research, History of Medicine incorporates pithy examples from a range of periods and places and is infused with the author’s characteristic wit.The third edition has been completely revised to highlight new scholarship on the past and incorporate significant medical events of the most recent decade – including new technologies, drug shortages, medical assistance in dying, and recent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola, H1N1, Zika, and COVID-19. The book is organized around themes of scientific and clinical interest, such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, surgery, obstetrics, medical education, health-care delivery, and public health. It inTrade Review"The facts are often fascinating and the prose is lively and accessible, guaranteeing interesting reading even for those on the receiving end of the stethoscope." -- Debby Waldman * Quill and Quire *"The first readers of this History of Medicine should be medical students. As the director of a history of medicine program I welcome this book, for at last I have a good textbook to recommend ... It should be bought by, or better still, presented to each Canadian medical student as a reward for acceptance into medical school." -- Peter Warren * Canadian Medical Association Journal *"A rollicking ride through the history of medicine ... Each chapter represents the tried-and-true teaching methods of the author ... [these], combined with the author's lucid writing style and often humorous approach, made me envious of Duffin's students." -- Hughes Evans * Isis *"Duffin's book is not only concise but also entertaining and enlightening ... a valuable, good-natured overview of a large topic that challenges everyone who teaches the history of medicine to do a better job." -- Barron H. Lerner * Journal of the History of Medicine *"This book is a superbly crafted volume readily accessible to the medical students for whom it was intended but equally rewarding to historians of all stripes for its wide-ranging and insightful discussions of the development of medicine from antiquity to Ebola and AIDS ... a reminder of the splendor and fascination of healing and its lengthy and compelling history." -- Susan E. Lederer * Canadian Bulletin of Medical History *"As a textbook it is not scandalously short, but great, concise, and straightforward. Recommended!" -- Charlotte Haug * Journal of Norwegian Medical Association *Table of ContentsIllustrations Tables Acknowledgments Preface to the Second Edition 1. Introduction: Heroes and Villains in the History of Medicine 2. The Fabricated Body: History of Anatomy 3. Interrogating Life: History of Physiology 4. Science of Suffering: History of Pathology 5. First Do No Harm: History of Treatment, Pharmacology, and Pharmaceuticals 6. On Becoming and Being a Doctor: Education, Licensing, and Payment 7. Plagues and Peoples: Epidemic Diseases in History 8. Why Is Blood Special? Changing Concepts of a Vital Humour 9. Technology and Disease: Stethoscopes, Hospitals, and Other Gadgets 10. Work of the Hand: History of Surgery 11. Women’s Medicine and Medicine’s Women: History of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women 12. Wrestling with Demons: History of Psychiatry 13. No Baby, No Nation: History of Pediatrics 14. A Many-Faceted Gem: The Decline and Rebirth of Family Medicine 15. When the Patient Is Plural: Public and International Health 16. “Slow as a glacier, equally relentless”: Patient-Centred Medicine 17. Sleuthing and Science: How to Research a Question in Medical History Appendix Learning Objectives Suggestions for Further Reading Index
£32.40
Cornell University Press Reptiles of Costa Rica
Book SynopsisReptiles of Costa Rica, the long-awaited companion to Amphibians of Costa Rica, is the first ever comprehensive field guide to the crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and snakes of Costa Rica. A popular destination for tourists and biologists because of its biodiversity, the country is particularly rich in reptile fauna, boasting 245 species. The...Trade ReviewOverall the book is an amazing accomplishment— scientifically sound, beautifully constructed, and artistically orchestrated. The photos alone are reason enough to collect the book for your library. The guide is absolutely necessary for reptile exploration in Costa Rica. * Sonoran Herpetologist *
£25.19
University of Minnesota Press The Lichen Museum
Book SynopsisA radical proposal for how a tiny organism can transform our understanding of human relations Serving as both a guide and companion publication to the conceptual art project of the same name, The Lichen Museum explores how the physiological characteristics of lichens provide a valuable template for reimagining human relations in an age of ecological and social precarity. Channeling between the personal, the scientific, the philosophical, and the poetic, A. Laurie Palmer employs a cross-disciplinary framework that artfully mirrors the collective relations of lichens, imploring us to envision alternative ways of living based on interdependence rather than individualism and competition.Lichens are composite organisms made up of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria thriving in a mutually beneficial relationship. The Lichen Museum looks to these complex organisms, remarkable for their symbiosis, diversity, longevity, and adaptability, as models for relations rooted in collaboration and nonhierarchical structures. In their resistance to fast-paced growth and commodification, lichens also offer possibilities for humans to reconfigure their relationship to time and attention outside of the accelerated pace of capitalist accumulation.Drawing together a diverse set of voices, including personal encounters with lichenologists and lichens themselves, Palmer both imagines and embodies a radical new approach to human interconnection. Using this tiny organism as an emblem through which to navigate environmental and social concerns, this work narrows the gap between the human and natural worlds, emphasizing the notion of mutual dependence as a necessary means of survival and prosperity.Trade Review "The Lichen Museum is a deeply engaging, provocative, humorous, and moving account of why we should pay more attention to lichens. As lichens can be found anywhere, the entire surface of the earth becomes the lichen museum. A. Laurie Palmer weaves together personal anecdotes, theoretical interventions, photography, and detailed research to draw attention to how lichens can offer new ways to think through questions of relationality, life and death, and our mutual obligations to each other."—Heather Davis, author of Plastic Matter "Meditative and inquisitive, The Lichen Museum is an interdisciplinary work about learning from the most unassuming of species."—Foreword "Reading this work feels like taking a series of walks with a particularly curious and sensitive companion, consistently attentive to otherwise neglected facets of the actual environment. "—e-flux "As an environmentally engaged artist, Palmer introduces readers to lichens through personal observations, extensive research, and critical evaluation of past and current scientific study of this complex living organism and offers her musings on the potential philosophical and poetic implications of these symbiotic organisms."—CHOICE
£72.00
University of Minnesota Press The Lichen Museum
Book SynopsisA radical proposal for how a tiny organism can transform our understanding of human relations Serving as both a guide and companion publication to the conceptual art project of the same name, The Lichen Museum explores how the physiological characteristics of lichens provide a valuable template for reimagining human relations in an age of ecological and social precarity. Channeling between the personal, the scientific, the philosophical, and the poetic, A. Laurie Palmer employs a cross-disciplinary framework that artfully mirrors the collective relations of lichens, imploring us to envision alternative ways of living based on interdependence rather than individualism and competition.Lichens are composite organisms made up of a fungus and an alga or cyanobacteria thriving in a mutually beneficial relationship. The Lichen Museum looks to these complex organisms, remarkable for their symbiosis, diversity, longevity, and adaptability, as models for relations rooted in collaboration and nonhierarchical structures. In their resistance to fast-paced growth and commodification, lichens also offer possibilities for humans to reconfigure their relationship to time and attention outside of the accelerated pace of capitalist accumulation.Drawing together a diverse set of voices, including personal encounters with lichenologists and lichens themselves, Palmer both imagines and embodies a radical new approach to human interconnection. Using this tiny organism as an emblem through which to navigate environmental and social concerns, this work narrows the gap between the human and natural worlds, emphasizing the notion of mutual dependence as a necessary means of survival and prosperity.Trade Review "The Lichen Museum is a deeply engaging, provocative, humorous, and moving account of why we should pay more attention to lichens. As lichens can be found anywhere, the entire surface of the earth becomes the lichen museum. A. Laurie Palmer weaves together personal anecdotes, theoretical interventions, photography, and detailed research to draw attention to how lichens can offer new ways to think through questions of relationality, life and death, and our mutual obligations to each other."—Heather Davis, author of Plastic Matter "Meditative and inquisitive, The Lichen Museum is an interdisciplinary work about learning from the most unassuming of species."—Foreword "Reading this work feels like taking a series of walks with a particularly curious and sensitive companion, consistently attentive to otherwise neglected facets of the actual environment. "—e-flux "As an environmentally engaged artist, Palmer introduces readers to lichens through personal observations, extensive research, and critical evaluation of past and current scientific study of this complex living organism and offers her musings on the potential philosophical and poetic implications of these symbiotic organisms."—CHOICE
£19.79
University of Minnesota Press Game: Animals, Video Games, and Humanity
Book SynopsisA playful reflection on animals and video games, and what each can teach us about the other Video games conjure new worlds for those who play them, human or otherwise: they’ve been played by cats, orangutans, pigs, and penguins, and they let gamers experience life from the perspective of a pet dog, a predator or a prey animal, or even a pathogen. In Game, author Tom Tyler provides the first sustained consideration of video games and animals and demonstrates how thinking about animals and games together can prompt fresh thinking about both.Game comprises thirteen short essays, each of which examines a particular video game, franchise, aspect of gameplay, or production in which animals are featured, allowing us to reflect on conventional understandings of humans, animals, and the relationships between them. Tyler contemplates the significance of animals who insert themselves into video games, as protagonists, opponents, and brute resources, but also as ciphers, subjects, and subversive guides to new ways of thinking. These animals encourage us to reconsider how we understand games, contesting established ideas about winning and losing, difficulty settings, accessibility, playing badly, virtuality, vitality and vulnerability, and much more.Written in a playful style, Game draws from a dizzying array of sources, from children’s television, sitcoms, and regional newspapers to medieval fables, Shakespearean tragedy, and Edwardian comedy; from primatology, entomology, and hunting and fishing manuals to theological tracts and philosophical treatises. By examining video games through the lens of animals and animality, Tyler leads us to a greater humility regarding the nature and status of the human creature, and a greater sensitivity in dealings with other animals.Trade Review "With his characteristic combination of wit and erudition, Tom Tyler explores the powers of virtualization that stretch from the OED and the literary canon to video games both old and new. As he demonstrates, the power of reading closely, watching keenly, and listening carefully is an invitation to play otherwise, to push back against the force of the generic, whose foremost example might well be what we call, dumbly, ‘the animal.’"—Cary Wolfe, author of What is Posthumanism? and founding director, 3CT: Center for Critical and Cultural Theory, Rice University "Ducks, dogs, sheep, and squid—not to mention dung beetles. These and many more creatures roam through Tom Tyler's lively ruminations on the nature of animals in video games. With its delightful zigzags through etymology, folklore, literature, and history, Tyler shows how thinking about video games by considering the animals within defamiliarizes videogames, recenters the nonhuman, and revitalizes our sense of our own humanness."—Mark Sample, Davidson College "A brisk, insightful, and accessible study of the myriad relationships between animals and games . . . Tyler’s Game is a thoughtful reflection on what it means to be human in a hypermediated world on the verge of breakdown, with an eye toward a more ethical multispecies future to come. "—Ancillary Review of Books "A delightful and quirky stroll through everything from game design to primatology and Shakespearean tragedy to the sitcom Frasier."—Animal Studies Journal "In an era of egregious mistreatment and collective willed ignorance about animals and their lives, Game knowingly offers innocent fun with its roster of virtual beasts, alongside an unapologetic investment in the welfare of real animals."—Gamers with Glasses "The book is explicitly designed as a Trojan horse that might appear to be a playful series of essays about the role of animals in video games, but actually poses deep-rooted philosophical questions about what it means to be human."—New Formations "Tyler is clearly having fun with his work—in his crafty wordplay, in his deep engagement in the mechanisms and movements and scenes of games."—ISLE "The unpretentious writing style, the varied selection of theory and games, the entertaining structure, and the many telling puns allow the reader to gain insights even without previous specialist knowledge. With Game, Tyler presents a hybrid book that is neither fish nor fowl, but rather consists of all kinds of different species of texts."—Press Start "Game, by Tom Tyler, is a collection of twelve interesting and engaging essays on the nature of humanity, animality, and play."—H-Net Reviews "Game has an enormous sweep: Tyler’s erudition supports and adds gravitas to his playful style and subject matter. If you’d enjoy massively evocative, wide-ranging occasions for thought about “animals, video games, and humanity,” here you go."—Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism "The book brings to bear Tyler’s broad knowledge of how animals have figured in language and culture through centuries of coexistence with people, while also assessing the new representational possibilities for animals posed by video games. "—Afterimage "The reader is drawn into Tyler's witty style and gradually exposed to the difficulties of encountering animals in both games and real life."—Ecozon@ Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. Game2. A Singular of Boars3. How Does Your Dog Smell?4. Enumerating Ruminants5. An Inkling6. Playing Like a Loser7. A Thing Worth Doing8. Cows, Clicks, Ciphers, and Satire9. Meanings of Meat10. Total BS!11. Misanthropy without Humanity12. Difficulties13. Trojan HorsesNotesBibliographyLudographyPublication HistoryIndex
£19.79
Island Press The Bird-Friendly City: Creating Safe Urban
Book SynopsisHow does a bird experience a city? A backyard? A park? As the world has become more urban, noisier from increased traffic, and brighter from streetlights and office buildings, it has also become more dangerous for countless species of birds. Warblers become disoriented by nighttime lights and collide with buildings. Ground-feeding sparrows fall prey to feral cats. Hawks and other birds-of-prey are sickened by rat poison. These name just a few of the myriad hazards. How do our cities need to change in order to reduce the threats, often created unintentionally, that have resulted in nearly three billion birds lost in North America alone since the 1970s? In The Bird-Friendly City, Timothy Beatley, a longtime advocate for intertwining the built and natural environments, takes readers on a global tour of cities that are reinventing the status quo with birds in mind. Efforts span a fascinating breadth of approaches: public education, urban planning and design, habitat restoration, architecture, art, civil disobedience, and more. Beatley shares empowering examples, including: advocates for "catios," enclosed outdoor spaces that allow cats to enjoy backyards without being able to catch birds; a public relations campaign for vultures; and innovations in building design that balance aesthetics with preventing bird strikes. Through these changes and the others Beatley describes, it is possible to make our urban environments more welcoming to many bird species. Readers will come away motivated to implement and advocate for bird-friendly changes, with inspiring examples to draw from. Whether birds are migrating and need a temporary shelter or are taking up permanent residence in a backyard, when the environment is safer for birds, humans are happier as well.Table of ContentsPreface: Design of The Bird-Friendly City Chapter 1: The Benefits of Birds in a World Shaped by Humans Chapter 2: Birds in a Changing World of Cities Chapter 3: Protecting the Birds around Us: How Cities like Portland Are Nurturing Unlikely Alliances of Bird and Cat Lovers Chapter 4: Returning Home: Inspiring Work from London to Pittsburgh to Make Space for Migrating Birds Chapter 5: Replacing Habitats Lost: the Story of the Burrowing Owls of Phoenix and Efforts at Urban Relocation Chapter 6: Vertical Bird City: Singapore, Hornbills, and Beyond Chapter 7: Bird Appreciation Chapter 8: Design for Safe Passage: Cities Like San Francisco Lead the Way with Bird-Safe Buildings Chapter 9: Birds in Ravine City: Toronto’s Pioneering Work to Build Awareness and Design a Habitat City Chapter 10: Black Cockatoo Rising: The Struggle To Save Birds and Bush From a Proposed Highway Chapter 11: Birdicity: What Makes for a Deeply Bird-Friendly City and How Do We Measure It? Chapter 12: Cultivating a Bird-Caring Citizenry Bibliography
£24.70