The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century

Who is more obsessed? The feather thief, Edwin Rist or the author of The Feather Thief, Kirk Wallace Johnson. The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century covers the bizarre museum “heist” by American flutist, Edwin Rist. At the time of his crime, Rist was only 20 years old and

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The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World

The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World is a downer of a book that catalogs the massive decline amongst insects. Over the last several decades, nearly every single group of insects from butterflies to beetles, fireflies to bees has been in a downward spiral. Author Oliver Milman is a

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Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests

Nature’s Temples: A Natural History of Old-Growth Forests by Joan Maloof was originally published in 2016 but has since been revised and expanded in 2023 by Princeton University Press. Joan Maloof, PhD, is the founder and director of the Old Growth Forest Network. This quick read starts out with the basics: “What is an Old

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Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees

Princeton University Press’s Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees is definitely geared towards more serious birders. It includes the highly similar Empidonax flycatcher family as well as four pewees and Olive-Sided Flycatcher. The guide is split into two parts: How to Use the Guide and the Field Guide proper. How to Use

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How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity

How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals About Their Origin, Lives & DiversityDouglas J. FutuymaPrinceton University Press (2021) Birds are one of the most fascinating group of animals. They have a great deal of diversity and live in nearly every habitat on the globe. Many have beautiful coloration, fascinating behavior, and beautiful voices. And of course,

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The River of the Mother of God: and Other Essays

The River of the Mother of God: and Other Essays is a collection of Aldo Leopold’s least known writings. Many of these were previously published in periodicals or were presented as lectures. There are even a few book reviews included. However, a great deal of the essays were found after Leopold’s death in 1948 and

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