Super natural delights/Fine and natural sights (They do barks/And they do bites)

In the section devoted to Natural Science and Medicine in the TLS for April 27, 2012, are six mind-and-eye- - and, to the extent you like lobster and/or insects, mouth- - watering recent books: The Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects by Peter C. Barnard,

"I have on my desk a copy of the newly published The Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects by Peter C. Barnard, and it will make your head spin as much as anything Stephen Hawking ever wrote. It takes you through all 558 families of British insect; as a comparison, there are only 153 families of mammals in the entire world. It is a master-word of completeness; it includes 6,600 genera and 24,000 species - of which only 55 have protected status.

As you look at insects you cease to see biodiversity as something weird or amusing or defined by collections. You understand that biodiversity is fundamental. It is nothing less than the way that life on earth works. Making more and more and more different kinds of things is the basic mechanism of life. You can reach this conclusion by turning to any page of this marvelous book."

Simon Barnes, Wild Notebook, (The Times, 8 October 2011)

Plant Galls*, #117 in the much-admired Collins New Naturalist series,

‘The series is an amazing achievement’
The Times Literary Supplement

‘The books are glorious to own’
Independent

Collins New Naturalist series is the longest-running and arguably the most influential natural history series in the world with over 100 volumes published in over 60 years. Key contributors include Fraser Darling, Max Nicholson, Sir Alistair Hardy, W.G.Hoskins, Miriam Rothschild, Richard Fitter, Guy Mountfort and Niko Tinbergen making them a veritable Encylopaedia Britannica of British natural history in its broadest sense.

by an author with the unimprovable name of Margaret Redfern,

*[Wikipedia: Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, fromfungi and bacteria, to insects and mites.]

A much-needed new study on plant galls – growths on plants formed of plant tissue that are caused by other organisms.

Most naturalists have come across oak apples, robin’s pincushions, marble galls and witches’ brooms, a few of the more familiar examples of the strange growths that are plant galls. They are beautiful, often bizarre and colourful, and amazingly diverse in structure and in the organisms which cause them. They have been known since ancient times and have attracted superstitions and folk customs. Both the ancient Greeks and the Chinese used them in herbal medicine, and until well into the nineteenth century, they had a variety of commercial uses: important for dyeing cloth, tanning leather and for making ink.

Knowledge of gall types increased during the late nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century as more species were described and their structure became more clearly understood, and yet even today, little is known about the mechanisms that cause gall formation as well as the life cycles of the organisms that initiate gall growth. Since most galls do not cause any economic damage to crop plants, research funding has traditionally been sparse in this area. However, the insect cycles and gall structures are amazing examples of the complexity of nature.

Margaret Redfern explores these fascinating complexities in this latest New Naturalist volume, providing much-needed insight into the variety of galls of different types caused by a wide range of organisms including fungi, insects and mites. She discusses the ecology of galls more generally and focuses on communities of organisms within galls, the evolution and distribution of galls, as well as human and historical perspectives.

The Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine edited by Mark Jackson, Great Discoveries in Medicine edited by William Bynum and Helen Bynum (the elegant design of whose Contents page cannot itself be improved),

The science and art of healing is now more necessary than ever, as our bodies face new challenges from globalization, environmental change and increased longevity. From letting blood to keyhole surgery, from the theory of humours to the genetic revolution, from the stethoscope to the MRI scanner, this inspiring compendium explains medicine’s turning points and conceptual changes in a refreshingly accessible way and answers some key questions:

• How has the plague influenced the course of human history?
• What effect did the pill have on the lives of women, and on society as a whole?
• How are diseased hearts and worn-out hips replaced?
• What should complementary medicine’s role be?
• How did an audacious self-experiment lead to a cure for stomach ulcers?

The book is magnificently illustrated throughout with a unique array of pictures, from Islamic manuscripts and Renaissance anatomical drawings to the very latest computer-generated images of viruses and photographs.

‘A wonderful addition to any armchair medical historian’s coffee table’ – New Scientist

‘That rarest of things – a reference book which is both a pleasure and an enlightenment to read’– The Lancet

‘Both marvellously illuminating and beautifully illuminated … a perfect marriage of simple, clear text and spellbinding pictures … breathtaking … these wise words and stunning pictures offer a humbling story and a visual feast’– Casebook

Spreads on Medicine in India, The Incubator and Typhus from the portfolios of Cashou Picture Research, whose staff helped locate the images for the book edited by the Bynums. See also Cashou's stunning portfolio of images from a wide range of first-rate popular reference books, some of which appear here at bottom.

Lobster by Richard J. King,

Lobster takes its readers on a thoroughly researched, engagingly written tour of the anatomy of both the creature and our imaginings of it. The lobster, King explains, has existed simultaneously as the poor man’s bread and the rich man’s butter for centuries – a symbol of both hard life and decadence, as illustrated by the book’s rich offering of glossy 19th-century anatomical drawings, water-colored portraits, and photographs of seamen at work, trawling for "bugs."' – Sierra Magazine

What do you know about the knobbly armoured, scarlet creature staring back at you from your fancy dinner plate? Since there are species of lobsters without claws, then what exactly is a lobster? To answer these questions Richard J. King, a former fishmonger and commercial lobsterman, has chronicled the creature's long and complex history.

Lobster takes us on a journey through the history, biology, cuisine and culture of lobsters, and their economic and environmental status worldwide. King describes how the lobster is an international commodity, and how the American lobster fishery is arguably one of the last healthy wild fisheries left on Earth. The author describes the evolution of technologies to capture these creatures, and addresses the ethics of boiling them alive. He also explores the salacious lobster palaces of the 1920s, as well as the animal's thousand-year status as an aphrodisiac, and how it has inspired numerous artists, writers and thinkers including Aristotle, Dickens, Thoreau, Dalí and Woody Allen.

in the award-winning and widely-praised Animal series from Reaktion Books,

Animal is a pioneering series from Reaktion Books. The first of its kind to explore the historical significance and impact on humans of a wide range of animals, each book in the series takes a different animal and examines its role in history around the world. The importance of mythology, religion and science are described as is the history of food, the trade in animals and their products, pets, exhibition, film and photography, and their roles in the artistic and literary imagination.

Written by authors who are passionate about their subjects, these highly accessible, informative and beautifully produced books will appeal to the general reader as well as to those with a specialist interest, and will be of educational value to college students and school children.

Jonathan Burt, Editor of the Animal series, has been interviewed in the Chronicle of Higher Education. To read the interview please click here

'Reaktion's wonderfully idiosyncratic Animal series' – New York Times

'The lion and the camel are the 34th and 35th in Reaktion's series of superb little books about animals, joining the bear, the fly, the fox, the moose, the tortoise and the rest of the crowd gathering on my shelves. These small volumes definitely don't pretend to be authoritative – they're too short, too idiosyncratic and too much fun – but the series provides a perfect introduction to an increasing number of animals and I hope it continues for a very long time.' – Josh Lacey, The Guardian

'Reaktion's wonderful series of little paperbacks about animals, which now stretches all the way from Ant to Whale. The books are compact and neatly designed, and the tone is always passionate and personal . . . packed with trivial facts, amusing insights and lovely pictures. ' – The Guardian

'A bold and fascinating series from Reaktion . . . all are full of gorgeous graphics . . . all these books give a strong sense of the depth and complexity of the emotions we invest in animals' – Independent on Sunday

'The series . . . calls itself "a new kind of animal history". It is, splendidly, even brilliantly, so. I have nothing but praise for it' – The Spectator

'Reaktion's Animal series is unfailingly fascinating' – TLS

'The latest monograph [Rhinoceros] in the winning Animal series – truly natural histories, each title a wide-ranging look at a single creature, replete with splendid illustrations – is perhaps the finest yet. Like its predecessors, this volume alternately informs, delights, moves, and astonishes.' – The Atlantic

'Each volume [in the Animal series] combines lavish illustration with incisive and often quite witty text . . . passionate and brilliant' – New York Sun

'a delightfully different series on specific creatures . . . an exhilarating, often astonishing and sometimes moving series of monographs' – Toronto Globe and Mail

'Part cultural history, part folklore, part history of science and reference books, these works gracefully traverse time, place and disciplinary approaches to explore a single animal's place in human history. Replete with images and written in an accessible style, they are sure to appeal to a range of audiences.' – British Journal for the History of Science

'The formula – lavishly illustrated pocket-sized books exploring the impact of a great variety of species on human culture in the widest sense – is one which lends itself to a delightfully eclectic range of treatments . . . it is the achievement of Reaktion Books to have created a whole shelf-full of such works, and the continuing success of the series is a heartening confirmation of the good taste of the reading, and book-buying public'
– International Zoo News

'One of the great strengths of this series is its breadth and willingness to allow authors to write passionately about animal species not often given any real consideration.' –Anthrozoos

'The books are arguably some of the most original and accomplished written about animals, and the erudition displayed throughout is impressive.' – Ibis

'The way in which people and animals interact is the theme underlying a series published by Reaktion Books. The range of the coverage and illustrations, too, is impressive.'
– Practical Reptile Keeping

Winner of the British Book Design and Production Awards 2004 Brand/Series Identity category

Animal t-shirt - Penguin

Reaktion Books

Animal t-shirt - Shark

Reaktion Books

Ant
Charlotte Sleigh

Ape
John Sorenson

Bear
Robert E. Bieder

Bee
Claire Preston

Camel
Robert Irwin

Cat
Katharine M. Rogers

Chicken
Annie Potts

Cockroach
Marion Copeland

Cow
Hannah Velten

Crow
Boria Sax

Dog
Susan McHugh

Donkey
Jill Bough

Duck
Victoria de Rijke

Eel
Richard Schweid

Elephant
Dan Wylie

Falcon
Helen Macdonald

Fly
Steven Connor

Fox
Martin Wallen

Frog
Charlotte Sleigh

Giraffe
Edgar Williams

Hare
Simon Carnell

Horse
Elaine Walker

Hyena
Mikita Brottman

Kangaroo
John Simons

Lion
Deirdre Jackson

Lobster
Richard J. King

Moose
Kevin Jackson

Mosquito
Richard Jones

Otter
Daniel Allen

Owl
Desmond Morris

Oyster
Rebecca Stott

Parrot
Paul Carter

Peacock
Christine E. Jackson

Penguin
Stephen Martin

Pig
Brett Mizelle

Pigeon
Barbara Allen

Rat
Jonathan Burt

Rhinoceros
Kelly Enright

Salmon
Peter Coates

Shark
Dean Crawford

Snail
Peter Williams

Snake
Drake Stutesman

Sparrow
Kim Todd

Spider
Katarzyna Michalska and Sergiusz Michalski

Swan
Peter Young

Tiger
Susie Green

Tortoise
Peter Young

Trout
James Owen

Vulture
Thom van Dooren

Whale
Joe Roman

Wolf
Garry Marvin

and Lobster: A Global History by Elisabeth Townsend,
Lobster

'Elisabeth Townsend considers the creature that inspired mosaic artists in ancient Pompeii, reclined like a cardinal in still life paintings, gave Salvador Dalí a telephone handle, fed the indigent poor and later the spoiled rich and became a partial success in shellfish farming , , , Reading its 128 pages inclusive of recipes will leave almost anyone considerably more clued up about lobsters than they were before.' – Fay Maschler, The Spectator

'Elisabeth Townsend's concise but rich Lobster: A Global History offers a journey through lobster's prehistoric and recorded history, exploring scientific, environmental and culinary matters . . . She also does an outstanding job of documenting and explaining the modern controversy over the treatment of lobster.' –Jasper White, Wall Street Journal

From pauper’s food to cultural icon, this book tells the story of our relationship with the lobster, from coastal hunter-gatherers through the Industrial Revolution to modern times. As lobsters became a status symbol for the rich, they became the subjects of both artists and writers. The lobster has been depicted in Egyptian temples and Pompeiian feasts; Dutch still lifes and Japanese woodcuts; Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Salvador Dalí's Lobster Telephone. And the social history of its consumption takes us from the Stone Age, through the early European settlers in New England and Australia, to today’s Japanese live lobster sashimi.

The lobster has been transformed from a peasant food into a luxurious delicacy that reflects our changing ideas about diet and human consumption. Today’s consumer is concerned about the ethics of eating lobster, and controversy rages about methods of killing them. Though scientists continue to debate whether lobsters can feel pain, concerns about cruelty have led to the invention of new machines that are intended to kill them humanely. There are also efforts to farm lobsters, to re-stock the seas with juveniles and to fish them sustainably.

Lobster will appeal to anyone who loves this fascinating crustacean, or who has chased a lobster across a kitchen floor.

from the Edible series, another hail-fellowed and well-met line from Reaktion Books:

Special Commendation – André Simon Food and Drink Awards

Edible is a revolutionary new series of books on food and drink which explores the rich history of man’s consumption. Each book provides an outline for one type of food or drink, revealing its history and culture on a global scale. 50 striking illustrations, with approximately 25 in colour, accompany these engaging and accessible texts, and offer intriguing new insights into their subject. Key recipes as well as reference material will also accompany each title.

To learn more about the Edible series of books, and the authors behind them, please visit http://edible-series.blogspot.com/

'Embellished with clever illustrations and a nice selection of historical and contemporary recipes . . . [an] outstanding series of food volumes.' – Wall Street Journal

'Each of these condensed reads is stuffed with irreverent facts, anecdotes and evidence of wide-ranging research.' – The Scotsman

'The Edible series of books are full of fascinating facts but are almost small enough to squeeze into a Christmas stocking.' – Delicious

'Spend your book tokens on Reaktion Books's little collectables for couch potatoes, discreetly yellow-jacketed, entertainingly illustrated hardbacks on a single theme written by serious scholar-cooks. All are subtitled A Global History, a promise which at £9.99 for 150 pages of impeccably researched sweet reason, they indeed fulfill'
– Elizabeth Luard, The Oldie

'The Edible series of little yellow hardbacks has established itself as the backbone of the food history section. They are well-researched and illustrated with a pleasing balance of anecdote and serious history.' – The Bookseller

'Each book in the "Edible Series" describes a food or drink — its history, how it has evolved and how it has figured in various cultures across civilization. Twenty-eight of these little butter-cream-colored gems are in the works; 11 so far have been published. Printed on heavy, rich stock with drawings and color photos, they are an appetizing bunch.'
– Los Angeles Times

'These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting . . . sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations'
– Chicago Tribune

'We are quite taken with the short but engagingly readable Edibles series of handsome little books on basic, well, edibles, as in the cultural and global history of one type of food or beverage . . . these spritely, much-illustrated books are a peruser’s delight.' – Toronto Star

'The decision to make the series global in scope is both enjoyable and admirable, taking the reader outside expectations and placing cuisine in a broader-than-usual context.'
– Gastronomica

'a fun, smartly written series appropriate for a popular audience that likes to eat . . .
the Edible series books provide level-headed and enjoyable overviews of food culture . . . These will create a little library that any foodie will be proud to show off . . . aesthetically pleasing volumes with decent content that would make good presents.'
– Winterthur Portfolio

'These little morsels of books are part of a delightful and new imprint known as the Edible series . . . The history of each foodstuff is set out compactly and with erudition . . . in each case, it's when the history moves closer to current day that revelation and delight meet.'
– Diplomat magazine

'I have nothing but praise for the books that make up this wonderful series . . . While the general standard of the information is of the highest scholarly standards, the writing is accessible, and the production of each book is nothing short of beautiful, making these highly desirable volumes for readers outside of the food history area.' – Text Journal of Writing

'Well-illustrated and offering accessible and intriguing text, these titles will be of interest to anyone with a fascination with food.' – Your Family History

'The small format is perfect for a stocking stuffer, but these books aren’t light on substance . . . In each volume, you’ll find great photography, illustrations, art, related advertisements and a nice selection of related recipes.' – The Saratogian

'The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting . . . food writing at its best!' – Ken Hom, Chef and author

'Books in Reaktion's Edible series are paragons of their type; concise and flavourful, jammed with interesting facts, period photos and just a handful of recipes, in case you want to "do it yourself". I recommend these books to foodies and academics alike.'
– Robert Sietsema, restaurant critic for The Village Voice

Apple A Global History
Erika Janik

Bread A Global History
William Rubel

Cake A Global History
Nicola Humble

Caviar A Global History
Nichola Fletcher

Champagne A Global History
Becky Sue Epstein

Cheese A Global History
Andrew Dalby

Chocolate A Global History
Sarah Moss and Alexander Badenoch

Curry A Global History
Colleen Taylor Sen

Dates A Global History
Nawal Nasrallah

Gin A Global History
Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

Hamburger A Global History
Andrew F. Smith

Herbs A Global History
Gary Allen