Below the jump, I mention the books that I received recently in the mail. These are the books that I may review in more depth later, either here or in print somewhere in the world.
When I get new books, I like to share them with people. Unfortunately, you are all so far away, so I cannot host a book party in my crib where you can look then over, so I'll do the next best thing. I'll host a book party on my blog each Friday of the week when books arrive by giving you my quick "first impression" along with relevant links so you can get a copy of your own.
Books that arrived this week:
The White Planet: The Evolution and Future of Our Frozen World by Jean Jouzel, Claude Lorius and Dominique Raynaud [Princeton University Press; 2012: Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK/kindle UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
In-depth description: From the Arctic Ocean and ice sheets of Greenland, to the glaciers of the Andes and Himalayas, to the great frozen desert of Antarctica, The White Planet takes readers on a spellbinding scientific journey through the shrinking world of ice and snow to tell the story of the expeditions and discoveries that have transformed our understanding of global climate. Written by three internationally renowned scientists at the center of many breakthroughs in ice core and climate science, this book provides an unparalleled firsthand account of how the "white planet" affects global climate -- and how, in turn, global warming is changing the frozen world.
Jean Jouzel, Claude Lorius, and Dominique Raynaud chronicle the daunting scientific, technical, and human hurdles that they and other scientists have had to overcome in order to unravel the mysteries of past and present climate change, as revealed by the cryosphere -- the dynamic frozen regions of our planet. Scientifically impeccable, up-to-date, and accessible, The White Planet brings cutting-edge climate research to general readers through a vivid narrative. This is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand the inextricable link between climate and our planet's icy regions.
My first impression: The world entered a new age in the nineteenth century, the Anthropocene. This era is characterised by an increase in pollution due to human activities and this increased pollution is altering the planet's climate and environment and thus, our future. This book presents the latest research into climate science in the hope that by doing so, it will inspire policymakers as well as the public to confront the challenges that lie before us, rather than pretending that "everything will be alright".
Wind Wizard: Alan G. Davenport and the Art of Wind Engineering by Siobhan Roberts [Princeton University Press; 2012: Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US]
In-depth description: With Wind Wizard, Siobhan Roberts brings us the story of Alan Davenport (1932-2009), the father of modern wind engineering, who investigated how wind navigates the obstacle course of the earth's natural and built environments -- and how, when not properly heeded, wind causes buildings and bridges to teeter unduly, sway with abandon, and even collapse.
In 1964, Davenport received a confidential telephone call from two engineers requesting tests on a pair of towers that promised to be the tallest in the world. His resulting wind studies on New York's World Trade Center advanced the art and science of wind engineering with one pioneering innovation after another. Establishing the first dedicated "boundary layer" wind tunnel laboratory for civil engineering structures, Davenport enabled the study of the atmospheric region from the earth's surface to three thousand feet, where the air churns with turbulent eddies, the average wind speed increasing with height. The boundary layer wind tunnel mimics these windy marbled striations in order to test models of buildings and bridges that inevitably face the wind when built. Over the years, Davenport's revolutionary lab investigated and improved the wind-worthiness of the world's greatest structures, including the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Tower, Shanghai's World Financial Center, the CN Tower, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, the Sunshine Skyway, and the proposed crossing for the Strait of Messina, linking Sicily with mainland Italy.
Chronicling Davenport's innovations by analyzing select projects, this popular-science book gives an illuminating behind-the-scenes view into the practice of wind engineering, and insight into Davenport's steadfast belief that there is neither a structure too tall nor too long, as long as it is supported by sound wind science.
My first impression: Having crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (after it was rebuilt) at least twice per day for a number of years, I was impressed and sometimes terrified by its shuddering, swaying and bouncing whenever the winds picked up. As a result, I developed a healthy respect for and strong interest in wind research. But this book manages to weave an interesting and readable chronicle of Alan Davenport's life together with his research findings into the effects of wind on very tall buildings and long bridges.
The Kingdom of Rarities by Eric Dinerstein [Island Press; 2013: Amazon UK; Amazon US]
In-depth description: In The Kingdom of Rarities, scientist Eric Dinerstein poses an intriguing question: What if the way we categorized the living world was reshuffled for a moment, from a system designed to inform us about evolutionary relationships among species to one with two camps based on abundance: the Kingdom of Common species and the Kingdom of Rarities? What new observations and connections would emerge?
The Kingdom of Rarities explores that idea, building a narrative around the concept of rarity and its implications both for our understanding of how the natural world works, and for what it can teach us about protecting biodiversity during a time of large-scale environmental change.
Dinerstein highlights cutting-edge science from remote outposts around the world, focusing on some of the key questions that scientists are asking themselves right now:
- what are the rarest species?
- why are rare species most likely to be found in certain types of environments?
- which species have always been rare, and which have only recently been made rare?
- which species or places are most in need of saving?
As well as a scientific journey, The Kingdom of Rarities is also an adventure story -- to meet the rare species that are central to this tale, the reader travels with the author to exotic locations including remote New Guinea, Hawaii, the heart of the Amazon, and the foothills of the Himalayas.
Throughout, Dinerstein explores rarity as a central principle within conservation biology. Looking through this lens not only advances our understanding of the natural world but also inspires the creation of new tools and technologies that can help us both add to our knowledge base and design more effective conservation strategies. He focuses on real-time threats to biodiversity, from climate change to habitat fragmentation, and draws on his long and distinguished scientific career to illuminate the concept of rarity for readers across the spectrum of scientific knowledge.
My first impression: Not only is this book's topic fascinating to me, but a number of researchers whom I know either appear in this book or read the manuscript prior to publication. On first glance, this engaging book appears to represent the science faithfully. It also includes some lovely black-and-white illustrations.
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Indonesia by Morten Strange [Tuttle Publishing; 2012: Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK/kindle UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
In-depth description: A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Indonesia is a newly revised edition of the first -- and best -- comprehensive photographic guide to the birds of Indonesia. Because of its vast size and geographical location, Indonesia has the world's most diverse avifauna. It boasts of more than 1,600 species -- of which 235 species are only found in Indonesia, making it the world's number one travel destination for bird-watching.
This book covers a total of 912 species, including most of the non-migratory and endemic species that are seen only in Indonesia. A photograph and distribution map is given for each bird. Many new photographs appear in this volume for the first time and have been carefully selected to show the important characteristics of each bird. The concise text provide vital information, and an index of common names is provided at the back of the book.
My first impression: This was a Christmas gift from Ian Paulsen, but thanks to mistakes made by both the US and German snailmail systems (with a clear emphasis on snail), it took nearly five weeks to arrive.
I own both editions of this lovely book. Although I generally dislike photographic field guides because it is so difficult to capture what a bird species looks like in just one or two photographs, this field guide is the one grand exception to my sentiments. The photographs are excellent representations of each bird species, made even more remarkable when you realise that most (but not all) of these images depict wild individuals. One disappointment is this updated edition is still incomplete: at least two Chalcopsitta lory species (black and yellow-streaked) are not mentioned in this book, even though they are endemic to the islands of New Guinea and Indonesia.
The Unfeathered Bird by Katrina van Grouw [Princeton University Press; 2012: Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US]
In-depth description: There is more to a bird than simply feathers. And just because birds evolved from a single flying ancestor doesn't mean they are structurally all the same. With over 385 stunning drawings depicting 200 species, The Unfeathered Bird is a richly illustrated book on bird anatomy that offers refreshingly original insights into what goes on beneath the feathered surface. Each exquisite drawing is made from an actual specimen and reproduced in sumptuous large format. The birds are shown in lifelike positions and engaged in behavior typical of the species: an underwater view of the skeleton of a swimming loon, the musculature of a porpoising penguin, and an unfeathered sparrowhawk plucking its prey. Jargon-free and easily accessible to any reader, the lively text relates birds' anatomy to their lifestyle and evolution, examining such questions as why penguins are bigger than auks, whether harrier hawks really have double-jointed legs, and the difference between wing claws and wing spurs. A landmark in popular bird books, The Unfeathered Bird is a must for anyone who appreciates birds or bird art.
- A unique book that bridges art, science, and history
- Over 385 beautiful drawings, artistically arranged in a sumptuous large-format book
- Accessible, jargon-free text--the only book on bird anatomy aimed at the general reader
- Drawings and text all based on actual bird specimens
- Includes most anatomically distinct bird groups
- Many species never illustrated before
My first impression: I am working on a detailed review of this book, but have been temporarily sidetracked by some intensive (and demanding) job seeking efforts.
What book(s) are you reading? How far are you along in the book? What do you think of it so far? Do you think your book is worth recommending to others?
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