Natural History Books

Book SynopsisIn this stunningly illustrated volume, Fuller provides a rich and moving portrait of elephants, exploring their natural history, the legends that have grown up around them, their unique place in art and literature, and their urgent need for protection today.Trade Review"Elephant truly is a remarkable work, replete with deeply moving and highly informative images and text."---Marc Bekoff, Animal Emotions"A beautifully illustrated tribute to one of the world's most persecuted species."---Brian Jackman, Travel Africa"Fuller's concise text, giving biological and historical background, is lively and informative."---Laurence A. Marshall, Natural History"[Fuller] has a gift of using simple and succinct language when conveying the most important points about elephants."---Lucy Brett-Crowther, International Journal of Environment Studies

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"There is little about goats, if anything at all, that you will not find in this book, and the photographs are at once delightful and a perfect accompaniment to a lively, well-written text."---David Gascoigne, TravelsWithBirds.com"An excellent book."---Marc Bekoff, Animal Emotions

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""The world is full of liars, a fact brilliantly depicted in Lixing Sun’s slender but important book about cheating and deception among animals and plants, as well as that hairless bipedal species that is the biggest deceiver of them all. . . . A tour de force of evolutionary biology. . . . Fascinating."---David P. Barash, Wall Street Journal"The accessible prose offers an eye-opening take on lying in the natural world and how evolutionary pressures to deceive impact human behavior. The smart parallels between humans and animals make for an insightful outing." * Publishers Weekly *"[An] intriguing introduction to the domain of dishonesty."---Tony Miksanek, Booklist"Buckle up for a riveting journey into the wide world of deception."---Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today"Lixing Sun treats this topic with both a serious scientific demeanour and a welcome injection of wry humour."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"Fascinating"---Patricia MacDuff, British Naturalists Association News Bulletin"The author has managed the seemingly impossible by making quite complex theories and rules both enjoyable to read about and relatively easy to understand."---Terry Freedman, Teachwire"Through various enlightening and entertaining examples . . . Sun (Central Washington Univ.) educates readers about the biological underpinnings of deceiving—by exploiting cognitive loopholes—and lying—by altering truthful information in communication—for which demonstrating the cheater's intention is neither easy nor necessary in nonhuman species."---J-B. Leca, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Charles Sheppard’s Coral Reefs: A Natural History not only explains what corals are and how they live, but reveals through exquisite photography the glories of the reef at all scales."---Tim Flannery, The New York Review of Books"In his gorgeous book, Life Sciences, professor Charles Sheppard celebrates the beauty of coral reefs and their dependants – ‘a wriggling tapestry of colour’ – while also warning of the threat to the reefs’ existence from ocean warming, pollution and soaring populations." * Daily Mail *"Stunningly beautiful . . . . I will never look at a coral reef in the same way again and will marveleven more at their beauty and complexity."---Daria Blackwell, Flying Fish"The book covers the huge list of dangers that reefs face today and how people are working to protect them. It looks at artificial reef structures and the marine life that lives on them. There are chapters on reef fish and sharks and how the diverse species living on the reefs interact. . . . I will never look at a coral reef in the same way again and will marvel even more at their beauty and complexity."---Caroline Robertson-Brown, Scubaverse"This excellent book, by Charles Sheppard, a foremost author of academic, popular and educational books on coral reefs, reflects a lifetime studying and enjoying these ecosystems. . . . I recommend that, in addition, to getting your own copy, you give the book to budding (and experienced) marine biologists."---Mike Elliott, The Marine Biologist"The beauty of this type of book is it can be dipped into at any stage because of the nature of the mini chapters. This book will obviously appeal to marine biologists and divers but as a general guide to coral reefs biology, flora and fauna and how the crucial impact of climate change will impact on them, then it will also appeal to all readers with an interest in general natural history. Highly recommended."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"[Though] it is full of accurate facts, it is also simply interesting to read! Each page gives equal space to descriptive prose and beautiful photos, so the reader doesn’t get overwhelmed with either."---Karla S. Fuller, The American Biology Teacher

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book is the definitive field guide to the sharks, rays, and chimaera of Europe and the Mediterranean."---Paul Cox, Shark Trust"This book is an utter delight, a treasure trove for shark geeks and a remarkable achievement for both author and illustrator. If you're interested in elasmobranchs and want a truly comprehensive i-d resource for this region, look no further."---Simon Rogerson, SCUBA Magazine"This book is a tour de force and will become the authoritative field guide and species reference for this region and an essential part of any interested person’s wildlife tool kit."---David Sims, Marine Biologist magazine"A great thing to have on your bookshelf. . . . Nobody, it seems, produces better marine-life scientific illustrations than Marc Dando, whose work can be admired here. Author David Ebert, programme director of the Pacific Shark Research Centre, knows his elasmobranchs and, while this is a reference book, has a clear and authoritative style."---Steve Weinman, Diver Magazine"Recommended for a wide range of readers from experts to enthusiasts who are interested in chondrichthyans particularly for this part of the world."---Phillip C. Sternes, Journal of Fish Biology ​​​​​​"Everything you might ever want to know about these sharks and their relatives, from detailed dentition infographics for most shark species, to highly notated and very beautiful identification illustrations, is crammed into 384 exquisitely designed pages. This is the standard that all marine life field guides should aspire to reach." * DIVE Magazine *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"She’ll make gull lovers of us all!"---Rebecca Gibson, BBC Wildlife Magazine"It's sure to make even gull sceptics among us look to the sky in new, profound ways." * Coast Magazine *"The Gull Next Door is ecologically rigorous."---Patrick Galbraith, The Critic"Taylor ... has written what I consider the best book on gulls I have read."---Jim Williams, Star Tribune"The book is full of great stories, and I really enjoyed the read, as you will."---John Miles, BirdWatching Magazine"[An] information-packed book."---Marc Bekoff, Animal Emotions"The Gull Next Door is one of those books that is interesting, enlightening, at times making the reader smile and the author’s enthusiasm for these birds is definitely infectious through these pages. This is an enjoyable book that gull experts and novices can enjoy, but most of all it is an enjoyable read for anyone who loves birds."---Nick Upton, Dartford Waffler"[An] informative, thoughtful, and entertaining book."---Johannes Riutta, The Well-read Naturalist

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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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Canopus Award for Excellence in Interstellar Writing, Long-Form Nonfiction Category""A satisfying read."---Sean Blair, BBC Sky at Night"You’d be hard pressed to find a better choice than a book covering what it would take to get man to another star system, written by one of the world’s leading scientists actively working to turn science fic­tion into science fact."---Sean CW Korsgaard, Analog"In Johnson’s vision, the possibilities are great."---Ramin Skibba, Wired"What will it take to explore a distant star within 100 years? To illuminate the momentousness (and ethics) of sending humans light-years from home, NASA scientist Les Johnson helps us digest mind-boggling numbers—the distance between stars, the energy required to travel that far—while laying out the opportunities and limits of existing technologies. Whether we get there by solar sails or ion thrusters or nuclear bombs, the advances we make in pursuit of interstellar travel will likely also change the way we live on Earth."---Fionna M. D. Samuels, Scientific American"The stars ... are notoriously far away, as the physicist and NASA technologist Les Johnson vividly emphasizes ...The nearest, Proxima Centauri, would take many millennia to reach. Some science-fiction writers, Mr. Johnson explains, have therefore imagined multigenerational “worldships”.... But what will power their vessels? The author entertainingly describes sci-fi options such as warp drives and hyperspace, as well as potentially feasible ones such as antimatter drives, and definitely possible methods such as ion drives, solar sails and nuclear-pulse propulsion, the last involving dropping a continuous series of nukes out the back of your spacecraft and riding the blast waves." * Wall Street Journal *"A sober and careful analysis of the possibility of interstellar travel, written by someone with exactly the right background."---Robert Connon Smith, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisEdward Lear, known as an author of nonsense verse, was also an artist and natural history illustrator.Trade Review"As Robert McCracken Peck shows us in his The Natural History of Edward Lear, when it comes to realistic animal portraiture, Lear could have run circles around any of his successors. He simply chose not to."---Emily Donaldson, Globe and Mail"This book is much recommended and indeed an essential reference for this rather under-researched part of Lear’s artistic life."---Clemency Fisher, Archives of Natural History"An engaging history of the remarkable 19th century artist, Edward Lear. . . . The Natural History of Edward Lear is an important and insightful description of the artist’s career with convincing evidence that his unique contributions continue to influence our artistic and literary culture."---Tony Angell, Wilson Journal of Ornithology

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Nature lovers and eco-travellers alike will be drawn in to descriptions of this spectacular environment.."---Lorraine Connolly and Hadiyah Ilyas, The Countryman"[Galápagos] builds on what was already out there and makes it better. . . . It is a thorough and timely treatise on the flora, fauna and ecosystems of this archipelago."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter

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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

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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 *

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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 *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Longlisted for the Young Adult Science Book Award, AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books""One of NPR's best books of 2020""If you enjoy imagining a mission in which humans launch a rocket that contains a spacecraft that releases a lander that launches a space boat – or even a space submarine – Hand’s book will help you grasp the full picture."---Philip Ewing, NPR's best books of 2020"A NASA scientist looks to the water-rich moons of Jupiter and Saturn, such as Europa, Titan, and Enceladus, as promising sites for the search for life beyond the Earth." * Publishers Weekly *"[Alien Oceans] describes why studying Earth’s own ocean is a crucial chapter in the quest to explore the shores of extraterrestrial seas."---Nadia Drake, National Geographic"Alien Oceans offers a historical look—as well as a peek into the future—at one of the most exciting aspects of space exploration. With the technology at hand, we could determine whether there’s life beyond Earth."---Sid Perkins, Science News"A book that is likely to prove one of the year’s most enthralling first-person accounts of a life in science."---Simon Ings, New Scientist"Alien Oceans successfully straddles a fine line between accessibility and scientific thoroughness. Hand's book is as fascinating as it is optimistic."---Tobias Mutter, Shelf Awareness"A maritime tale like no other. . . . For those who dream of plying the South Seas with Cook, or descending in the Bathysphere with Beebe, Alien Oceans provides an appealing guide to seas undreamt of until now."---Andrew H. Knoll, Times Literary Supplement"What is so captivating about this book is that it isn't just a solid survey of what we've learned in recent decades about the icy moons, but that the narrative is told by an active researcher deeply embedded in these endeavours. Through Hand's eyes we meet many of the key personalities involved and feel the sting of disappointment at cancelled funding or a malfunctioning probe, as well as the soaring excitement of a new discovery."---Lewis Dartnell, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"The author discusses how we look for and study alien oceans and what the future holds for this increasingly popular field of research. This is a book well suited to the general public, with very accessible prose, and science interspersed with personal anecdotes and witty analogies." * Nature Astronomy *"It’s a tale full of scientific twists, and Hand proves an exemplary guide: never going quite where you expect him to go and confidently leading you to ideas that are, as you’d hope, not at all obvious."---Corey S. Powell, American Scientist"To paraphrase Hamlet, there are more things in heaven and Earth than are dreamt in our philosophy. Hand calls on us to probe the depths of alien oceans to discover them. I agree."---Robert Zubrin, National Review"This is a fun, pretty cool book to read. . . . Hand’s enthusiasm is clear to see, and he has written an accessible book that takes the general reader along with him to illustrate what we already know about Io, Callisto, Titan, Ganymede and Europa too."---Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News"This book would make anyone excited about space. The research presented is thorough and the pictures included are amazing. Hand dives into every aspect of life imaginable."---Rachel Dehning, Manhattan Book Review"A thoughtful and thought-provoking treatise on the many facets that are being pursued in our quest to discover new worlds and search for life beyond our atmosphere."---Milbry C. Polk, The Explorers Journal"Alien Oceans represents an excellent introduction to the search for life in a newly defined zone of possibility. It is a good rendering of how scientific research in extreme environments is carried out, including examples of things that can go badly wrong, and comes across to the reader as the work of someone with a real enthusiasm for his subject. I very much hope that Hand will be our guide on future journeys."---John Gilbey, Chemistry World"[Hand] has been to improbable places - at risk to his own life - and has managed to conduct science while not passing on the chance to drink in the awe and wonderment of being there. This book is laced with that unfiltered enthusiasm and awe for what we have learned, what we are learning, and what lies ahead."---Keith Cowing, Astrobiology Web"Terribly fascinating, Alien Oceans makes a convincing case for exploring the moons in our solar system in the search for extraterrestrial life."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"If you want to learn about how the intersection of numerous areas of science are helping inform our understanding of the oceans, space, and ourselves, Alien Oceans is by far one of the most clearly written books on the topic. . . . It is also a wonderful window into the way scientists and engineers think about solving real world problems and applying basic knowledge."---Jonathan Wai, Forbes"A brilliant, exciting book that puts forth the best possible case for seeking extraterrestrial life on the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. I highly recommend it as one of the best books on astrobiology that I have seen so far."---Peter R. Bahn, Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres"Superb. . . . Alien Oceans is a delightful way to open the door to the discoveries that have already been made in this area of research as well as what questions are seeking to be answered now and what aspirations researchers have for the future."---Johannes E. Riutta, The Well-read Naturalist

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"If ants are your interest, look no further than this title . . . . This beautifully illustrated 224-page book, which includes over 200 colour photographs and infographics, explores the extraordinary diversity of ants and offers insights into their elaborate social systems." * Pest Magazine *"I am an ant biologist, and I am often contacted by people with a newfound interest in ants, asking about a good introductory book. . . . I have never had a good answer until now. This is the volume I would recommend."---John T. Longino, The Quarterly Review of Biology"A very attractive and easy-to-read book that can be picked up and read in short bursts, revealing the astonishing diversity of Formicidae family."---Stephen Fleming, BeeCraft"This is a book that will satisfy you page after page and you will absorb a great storehouse of knowledge, almost effortlessly."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds""An excellent comprehensive introduction to the fascinating world of ants and beautifully illustrated.""---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"This book offers access to the sometimes hidden world of the ubiquitous ant."---G.C. Stevens, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book is beautiful."---Charles Bergquist, Science Friday"All the major seaweed families and genera are covered in exquisite detail, beautifully complemented by stunning photographs and bold layouts which draw your eye to the page. . . . Whether you’re a hardened phycologist or just interested in finding out more about the delicate fronds that waft around your ankles in the shallows, this is definitely a user-friendly guide. Highly recommended."---Rose Fulton, Green Fuse"This concise and lavish volume is almost as good as a trip to the shore."---S. T. Meiers, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[An] excellent book. . . . If you have been indifferent to seaweeds and other algae before reading this book, I guarantee you that you will henceforth see them in a totally different light. You will learn, you will appreciate, you will marvel, and you will yearn to know more."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"Dip into this book and the chances are that you’ll start noticing and appreciating underwater plant life in an entirely new way."---Steve Weinman, Divernet"A highly informative, profusely illustrated book."---Anthony Payne, Glasgow Naturalist Society

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Prepare to be amazed! This book is full of some incredible facts . . . . Anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of our Lepidoptera would do well to take a look at what this book has to offer."---Peter Eeles, Dispar: The Online Journal of Lepidoptera ​​​​​​​"The facts will amaze you and the images gather you into an awe-inspiring world that we seldom even think about. Princeton prides itself in excellence and its publishing arm lives up to the high bar."---Bo Beolens, Fat Birder"Extraordinary photographs allow the reader, like the photographer, to get up close and personal to a huge range of colourful moths . . . . By the time the reader turns to the last page, says the author, he hope that they will appreciate these species’ role in their respective environments. There is no doubt about that at all." * Country Smallholding *"The book covers just about everything you could imagine about moths and even more as the authors have been very thorough in incorporating a vast amount of information into a beautifully illustrated book."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter"I cannot express what a pleasure reading this book inspires in me, every page has a strikingly colourful or terrifying image as we get face-to-face with moths and their caterpillars."---Alan Wright, Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside"This is a visually stunning book on moths. . . . Whether you’re familiar with moths or a newcomer, it should get you excited about them."---Andrew Cormack, Gwent Wildlife Trust"An incredible guide to the often neglected world of moths . . . If this is the standard they have set then the rest of the books in this series are going to be an essential purchase just like this one."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"The illustrations are excellent, some of the best I have seen anywhere, of moths in all life stages, of habitats . . . . There is something of interest on almost every page."---Adrian Spalding, Entomologist’s Gazette ​​​​"An excellent publication written for moth enthusiasts and amateur or professional entomologists. This book, as well as the entire series, does an excellent job of providing the reader with the most interesting and essential facts."---M. Rindoš, European Journal of Entomology

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Be sure to place this book on your wish list for birthdays or other special occaisons."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"[This book] lavishly illustrates a dazzling array of beetles."---Frances McKim, Pest Magazine"I find this book amazing."---P. Kozel, European Journal of Entomology"[This book] provides enough detail to excite almost any reader - including insect haters!"---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature"[An] interesting and well-written book on beetles."---D.A. Brass, Choice""A perfect introduction to the incredible world of beetles. It’s simply a beautiful crafted, stimulating educational book and well worth every penny.""---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"Well written and nicely illustrated with a selection of numerous full-color photographs that highlight the rich variety of beetles worldwide."---D.A. Brass, Choice

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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 *

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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

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This reviewer repeatedly found himself stuck on a page marveling at the hours and hours of work that had gone into the research and photography behind the detail. Like a good exhibit designer, Grimaldi does not titillate or terrify with close-ups of the monsters that typically haunt other 'bug' books. Rather, he draws readers into a world populated by wonderful, colorful insects, creating an appreciation for entomology."---G.C. Stevens, Choice"It's easy to run out of superlatives when talking about this book. For those of us who do not have advanced degrees in entomology yet are no less passionately interested in insects, this is the best guide of its kind - ever."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"An amazing book."---John Miles, Birdwatch"This beautiful 368-page hard-backed book lives up to its title – it covers all you could ever want to know about insects."---Frances McKim, Pest Magazine"If you love insects and want more background information than an ID guide can offer, The Complete Insect is a book worth considering."---Claire Bow, Outdoor Photography"This book [is] enlivened with myriad colour photographs that both startle and delight."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"An absorbing and beautiful exploration of the natural history of insects." * the Buzz *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beautifully written and illustrated."---Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today"This is a really excellent book. Please take the time to read it and get to know some of Planet Earth's most absorbing creatures. You'll be glad you did."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"This book is a wonderful introduction to octopuses and their relations . . . . Great pleasure can be obtained by just opening at random, being amazed by whatever stunning cephalopod you find an image of, and learning about it."---Angela Colling, Ocean Challenge"The author has a compelling writing style, though you could buy this book only to look at the pictures, because the quality of underwater photography is impressive. . . . Staaf covers a lot of ground with a light touch, and this is a book I would happily read and revisit."---Steve Weinman, Divernet"This book covers a lot of ground but does so in an extremely accessible way. Whether you are searching for information about a specific species or just browsing, you will end up spending hours pouring over the images and the astonishing facts about these charismatic animals."---Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown​​​​​​​, Scubaverse"[Beautifully] illustrated. . . . A must read for anyone interested in the lives of these intelligent and diverse creatures."---L.T. Spencer, Choice"[An] entertaining and enlightening read."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[An] enthralling book. . . . Lavishly illustrated with big color photos and drawings, the book covers shark biology, behavior and ecology in prose that's authoritative but highly accessible to anyone bitten by shark fever."---Ron Charles, Washington Post"[A] landmark, myth-busting book."---Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today"Truly excellent."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"[A] wonderful new book packed with facts and information about these magnificent animals. . . . Whether you are studying marine biology, or just love these perfect predators, this book will be one that you pluck from your collection time and time again."---Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown, Scubaverse"A thoughtful, easy read, suitable either for dipping into or working through, and would look good on any shark diver’s shelves."---Steve Weinman, Divernet"Many people experience irrepressible fear while swimming in the presence of sharks but exhibit deep interest in sharks when safely ashore. This text will satisfy the latter urge and may even mitigate some of the former concern."---S.R. Fegley, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A work full of surprises. . . . Immensely rewarding."---Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books"Entertaining, easy-to-read and historically rich."---Adrian Woolfson, Nature"Personal stories, hard facts, and illuminative illustrations each contribute to this engaging examination of our microbial overlords . . . Paul Falkowski's decades of study in various earth and life sciences fuel this excellent addition. . . . Falkowski effectively uses analogies to convey abstract and complicated ideas."---Rachel Jagareski, Foreword Reviews"Falkowski's loving examination sets out, life on this planet is organized by and for bacteria--the rest of us are just along for the ride."---Brian Bethune, Macleans"Falkowski brings a formidable breadth of scientific understanding to the task of explaining this, having worked as a biologist, an oceanographer and an astrobiologist. He moves easily between biological and earth sciences to help us understand the steps microscopic single-celled organisms took to make the planet habitable." * Cosmos *"[The] wonderful and awe-inspiring universe of the microbes, unseen creatures that have shaped the planet such that we may live in it, is engagingly presented by Paul Falkowski in a remarkable text entitled Life's Engines. . . . The book's success is its utter simplicity. It tells the story of the history of life on our planet from a very personal perspective. . . . I was so enthralled by this book from the get-go that I invite you to have a short taste of it."---Roberto Kolter, Cell"A pleasure to read, the book touches on virtually every topic covered in a college biology curriculum by seamlessly weaving concepts with personal anecdotes and analogies. Presenting scientific facts and the fascinating history of their discovery, Falkowski (Rutgers Univ.) intersperses evolutionary theory with biochemistry, ecology, microbiology, molecular biology, anatomy, and even anthropology and economics. He also presents a fact-based, nonpolitical vision for the future of biotechnology. . . . This reviewer came away inspired to learn more. Easily understood by anyone with a passing knowledge of science, this volume poses innumerable questions for further investigation." * Choice *"What is known about the hidden world of the microbes and their fundamental roles in sustaining planetary habitability is insightfully revealed by Paul Falkowski in this authoritative, comprehensive, and delightful book. The author is uniquely qualified, perhaps singularly so, to cover topics ranging over broad time and space scales with a scholarly, transdisciplinary perspective that ranges from fundamental physics and chemistry, to Earth and ocean sciences. I cannot think of any other scientist who would accept such a challenge. . . . He is a gifted scientist and writer, and legendary storyteller."---David M. Karl, Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin"Not a microbial biologist, I approached this book with a bit of trepidation, imaging lengthy discussions of biochemistry. Instead, I was immediately engaged by Falkowski's conversational, fluid writing, personal anecdotes, and interesting choice of topics. . . . Life's Engines [is] easily accessible to the lay reader but engaging for the scientist as well." * American Biology Teacher *"An outstanding attempt to popularize the role of microbes, especially bacteria and archaea, in making multicellular eukaryotic life possible. . . . A superb introduction to the broader consequences of life and its study."---Elof Axel Carlson, Quarterly Review of Biology

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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