The decision to review the recently published National Geographic Ultimate Field Guide to Travel Photography (National Geographic Photography Field Guides) in The Well-read Naturalist was not one made lightly. After all, WRN is explicitly dedicated to books pertaining directly to the study of natural history in all its myriad forms. Would a book providing advice and instruction in how to be a better photographer, particularly as understood from the perspective of a traveler, or a photojournalist assigned to document the sights to be seen and experiences to be had in a specific geographic place, be of use or interest to naturalists? However after having read it and discovering that the information, advice, and inspiration it provided began almost immediately to influence my own field photographic work on natural history subjects for the better, I could not but help to record my impressions of the book here for the benefit of all. Read the rest of this entry »

Back in 2007 my family and I had the good fortune to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria during its exhibition of artifacts from the Titanic. The exhibit was, without fear of hyperbole, extraordinary. Through the masterful curatorial skills with which the exhibition was planned, designed, and presented, the entire historic portrait of the Titanic, including the events of the voyage, sinking, and aftermath, was brought into clear focus for myself, my wife, and our then seven-year-old daughter. Although each of us had not only considerably different levels of interest in the subject, not to mention widely differing amounts of previous knowledge about it, we all came away from it with a better understanding of what had occurred, why, and its historical importance. Due to its multi-layered and highly effective style of presentation, memories of this marvelous exhibition were brought quickly to mind during my recent reading of John van Wyhe’s The Darwin Experience: The Story of the Man and His Theory of Evolution. Read the rest of this entry »

Last night in New York, the National Book Foundation announced the recipients of their 2009 awards. As previously reported here on The Well-read Naturalist, two natural history titles, Sean B. Carroll’s Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species and David M. Carroll’s Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook, were in contention for the non-fiction award. Sadly, it was not the year for either of these two very fine books to be honored with the award, which was bestowed upon T.J. Stiles’ The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The results of the awards notwithstanding, I have found both Remarkable Creatures as well as Following the Water to be well worth the attention of all those interested in natural history. Look for reviews of both these titles to appear on The Well-read Naturalist in the weeks to come.

For the past decade, the subject of global warming has been a touchy one to say the least. To some it is a simple fact supported by reams of scientific data, to others it is fear-mongering fiction promoted by “environmentalist radicals.” However to many between these two extremes, it is a subject of which they have often heard or read, but that they have little understanding by which to judge the truth of the arguments swirling around them. Into this increasingly heated debate, Mark Lynas’ Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet shines some much needed light. Read the rest of this entry »

It was with great pleasure that I noticed among the recently published list of finalists for the 2009 National Book Award not just one but two titles that fell squarely inside the category of natural history: Sean B. Carroll’s Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species and David M. Carroll’s Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook. While I have not had the opportunity to read and review either of these books (yet…), the mere fact that two natural history titles are in the running for the non-fiction category of the 2009 National Book Award fills me with great satisfaction as to the level of natural history writing presently being published in our country.

The winners in all categories will be announced at the 60th National Book Awards Benefit Dinner and Ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. I will not be there; however I will certainly be reporting the results here on The Well-read Naturalist.

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 »