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[books 2014] non fiction
Nov. 30th, 2014 02:33 pm50. Grass, Sky, Song: Promise and peril in the world of grassland birds by Trevor Herriot
I think I became aware of Herriot when I was still subscribed to Canadian Geographic, when I read a review of one of his books. He writes about nature in the area around Regina. However, his books are expensive and awkward to get hold of over here (and I suspect outside Saskatchewan). When I was at home last month I was reminded of him because my parents have one of his books. I was able to buy two from the local Indigo.
This book is, quite simply, wonderful. It's about his travels around southern Saskatchewan to observe grassland birds and his fellow naturalists, both current and past. It's about the decline of grassland birds, in tandem with the decline of native grasslands and how that has been happening steadily since white settlement, but precipitously since the 1980s. (In short, the original prairie was kept in place by grazing bison and regular wildfire).
Highly recommended. It's interesting and informative but most of all just beautifully written.
51. Scientific American Special Collector's Edition: Dinosaurs
Bought this in an airport somewhere, and as my knowledge of dinosaurs is 30 years out of date I thought it would be a good thing to have. Eventually realised it may come in magazine format but it counts as a book - there's easily enough words, and it's really not easy stuff. It's quite technical and scientific, and even most of the illustrations are pretty info-dense. It's made up of short chapters written by leaders in the field; complete with references to the proper scientific literature.
Heavier going than I expected, but a good update nonetheless.
I think I became aware of Herriot when I was still subscribed to Canadian Geographic, when I read a review of one of his books. He writes about nature in the area around Regina. However, his books are expensive and awkward to get hold of over here (and I suspect outside Saskatchewan). When I was at home last month I was reminded of him because my parents have one of his books. I was able to buy two from the local Indigo.
This book is, quite simply, wonderful. It's about his travels around southern Saskatchewan to observe grassland birds and his fellow naturalists, both current and past. It's about the decline of grassland birds, in tandem with the decline of native grasslands and how that has been happening steadily since white settlement, but precipitously since the 1980s. (In short, the original prairie was kept in place by grazing bison and regular wildfire).
Highly recommended. It's interesting and informative but most of all just beautifully written.
51. Scientific American Special Collector's Edition: Dinosaurs
Bought this in an airport somewhere, and as my knowledge of dinosaurs is 30 years out of date I thought it would be a good thing to have. Eventually realised it may come in magazine format but it counts as a book - there's easily enough words, and it's really not easy stuff. It's quite technical and scientific, and even most of the illustrations are pretty info-dense. It's made up of short chapters written by leaders in the field; complete with references to the proper scientific literature.
Heavier going than I expected, but a good update nonetheless.
