One of the true joys of both reading and bird study is the practice of simply doing it for unapologetic personal pleasure. In the world of books, the trend toward “utilitarian books,” those intended to impart to the reader some great secret that will improve their business, romantic life, or cholesterol levels has largely displaced many older genres that really made reading an enjoyable part of life. Of these, the miscellany has perhaps suffered most. Lacking a Puritanically measurable purpose, these wonderful collections of facts, literary snippets, personal reflections, and assorted other discoveries, despite being a bane to classification and stocking for the modern bookseller, are a genuine joy to read. Fortunately, the authors and publisher of Winged Wonders: A Celebration of Birds in Human History have defied this trend and given us all a gift for which we should be most grateful. Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to the popularity of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan’s landmark documentary film The National Parks, America’s Best Idea presently being broadcast on PBS, the writings of John Muir have been selling at an astonishing pace. According to a representative of The Library of America, the publishers of a well known and highly regarded collection of Muir’s works, their entire warehouse stock of Library of America #92: Muir: Nature Writings has been sold and a reprint is presently underway. (Copies are still reported to be available at some booksellers, thus if one is found either in a shop or on-line those interested in securing a copy immediately should allow no delay in their purchase of it; placing an advance order for the next printing may also be a good idea should a copy not presently be found.) While volumes of the works of another prominent figure in the development of the national parks, Theodore Roosevelt, Library of America #153: Theodore Roosevelt: The Rough Riders and an Autobiography and Library of America #154: Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches are not mentioned as being in short supply, a surge in their popularity as well would certainly not be unexpected. Read the rest of this entry »