Birdbooker Report 69

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 TITLE:

1. Nicholls, Steve. Paradise Found: Nature in America at the Time of Discovery. 2009. University of Chicago Press. Hardbound: 524 pages. Price: $30.00 U.S. [Amazon: $19.80]. SUMMARY: The author explores how North America used to be and what its natural environment was like when European settlers first encountered it. Nicholls seems to downplay what is called " The Pristine Myth", which states that despite what most people think, North America was far from pristine at the time of European contact. North America had already been altered by the Aboriginal-Americans. Still this book is an interesting read about what has been lost in North America since 1492.

New and Recent Titles:

1. Cevasco, George A. and Richard P. Harmond (editors). Modern American Environmentalists: A Biographical Encyclopedia. 2009. Johns Hopkins University Press. Hardbound: 557 pages. Price: $110.00 U.S. [Amazon: $96.38]. SUMMARY: This book profiles the lives and contributions of nearly 140 major figures during the 20th Century environmental movement. The entries range from 2 to 8 pages in length. Anyone interested in the history of 20th Century American Environmentalism will want this book.
2. Farquharson, Vanessa. Sleeping Naked is Green: How an eco-cynic unplugged her fridge, sold her car, and found love in 366 days. 2009. Mariner Books. Paperback: 267 pages. Price: $13.95 U.S. [Amazon: $10.94]. SUMMARY: To lessen her ecological footprints, the author takes on the personal challenge of making one green change to her lifestyle every day for a year. She quickly finds out what is doable and what isn't.
3. Laufer, Peter. The Dangerous World of Butterflies: The Startling Subculture of Criminals, Collectors, and Conservationists. 2009. The Lyons Press. Hardbound: 272 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S. [Amazon: $16.47]. SUMMARY: The author takes a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the butterfly industry and the underground world of collectors. Laufer also examines other threats to butterfly survival like illegal logging in Mexico and the U.S./Mexico border fence. An interesting cast of characters highlight this book.