Birdbooker Report 64

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of a wide variety of science, nature and behavior books that currently are, or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle birding pals and book collector, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is edited by me and published here for your information and enjoyment. Below the fold is this week's issue of The Birdbooker Report which lists ecology, environment, natural history and bird books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.

FEATURED TITLES:

1. Bartlett, R.D. and Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians, Snakes, Turtles and Lizards of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. 2009. University Press of Florida. Paperbacks: 217, 278, 315 pages respectively. Price: $29.95 U.S. each. [Amazon: Amphibians $19.77; Amazon: Snakes $21.86; and Amazon: Turtles and Lizards $19.77]. SUMMARY: This three volume set covers the herpetofauna of western North America (primarily the western lower 48 states) and Hawaii. Each species account includes text, a color range map and color photographs. The taxonomy is based on the latest available information. The inclusion of the Hawaiian herpetofauna (especially the introduced Indonesian-Pacific geckos) is useful. These books are also available in eastern North American versions. People interested in the herpetofauna of the region will want these books! GrrlScientist comment: These books look wonderful (and I'll bet the Eastern books are equally as interesting) and I'd sure like to read and review them for you.

New and Recent Titles:

1. Dickinson, Rachael. Falconer on the Edge: A Man, His Birds, and the Vanished Landscape of the American West. 2009. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Hardbound: 220 pages. Price: $24.00 U.S. [Amazon: $16.32]. SUMMARY: The author portrays falconer Steve Chindgren and his birds. Dickinson follows Chindgren as he hunts with his birds and she also describes what it means to be a falconer in the modern west. The story climaxes with the loss of two of his birds, Zaduke and Jahanna, to Golden Eagles.
2. Harris, Tim (editor). National Geographic Complete Birds of the World. 2009. National Geographic. Hardbound: 384 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S. [Amazon: $23.10]. SUMMARY: This book features every family of birds found worldwide. Each family account includes a color range map, color photographs and sometimes color artwork. I would recommend this book for beginning and intermediate birders.
3. Minelli, Alessandro. Forms of Becoming: The Evolutionary Biology of Development. 2009. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 228 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S. [Amazon: $20.12]. SUMMARY: Evolutionary developmental biology ("evo-devo") answers the fundamental question of which came first, form or function? It does this by showing how evolution controls the development of organisms. In this book the author takes an in-depth and comprehensive look at the history and key issues of evo-devo. GrrlScientist comment: EvoDevo is one of the fields that I read about often because of its similarities to my own field and especially due to the similarities to my professional training. I'd sure like to read and review this book for you.
4. Patterson, Gordon. The Mosquito Crusades: A History of the American Anti-Mosquito Movement from the Reed Commission to the First Earth Day. 2009. Rutgers University Press. Hardbound: 271 pages. Price: $49.95 U.S. [Amazon: $39.80]. SUMMARY: The author traces efforts to control mosquitoes in 20th Century United States by using examples from the New Jersey Meadowlands and along San Francisco Bay's east side.
5. Breiter, Matthias. Bears: A Year in the Life. 2009. Firefly Books. Paperback: 176 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S. [Amazon: $16.47]. SUMMARY: The author takes the reader through an entire year in the lives of the three bear species (polar, black and brown) found in North America. Breiter details the biology and natural history of these bears. His photography highlight this book!