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In Search of One Last Song: Britain's Disappearing Birds And The People Trying To Save Them
by Patrick Galbraith‘Wonderful and enriching’ Adam Nicolson Our wild places and wildlife are disappearing at a terrifying rate. This is a story about going in search of the people who are trying to save our birds, as well as confronting the enormity of what losing them would really mean.
In Search of the Canary Tree: The Story of a Scientist, a Cypress, and a Changing World
by Lauren E. OakesThe award-winning and surprisingly hopeful story of one woman's search for resiliency in a warming worldSeveral years ago, ecologist Lauren E. Oakes set out from California for Alaska's old-growth forests to hunt for a dying tree: the yellow-cedar. With climate change as the culprit, the death of this species meant loss for many Alaskans. Oakes and her research team wanted to chronicle how plants and people could cope with their rapidly changing world. Amidst the standing dead, she discovered the resiliency of forgotten forests, flourishing again in the wake of destruction, and a diverse community of people who persevered to create new relationships with the emerging environment. Eloquent, insightful, and deeply heartening, In Search of the Canary Tree is a case for hope in a warming world.
In Search of the Physical Basis of Life
by Gilbert LingIt is highly probable that the ability to distinguish between living and nonliving objects was already well developed in early prehuman animals. Cognizance of the difference between these two classes of objects, long a part of human knowledge, led naturally to the division of science into two categories: physics and chemistry on the one hand and biology on the other. So deep was this belief in the separateness of physics and biology that, as late as the early nineteenth century, many biologists still believed in vitalism, according to which living phenomena fall outside the confines of the laws of physics. It was not until the middle of the nineteenth century that Carl Ludwig, Hermann von Helmholz, Emil DuBois-Reymond, and Ernst von Briicke inaugurated a physicochem ical approach to physiology in which it was recognized clearly that one set of laws must govern the properties and behavior of all matter, living and nonliving . . The task of a biologist is like trying to solve a gigantic multidimensional crossword fill in the right physical concepts at the right places. The biologist depends on puzzle: to the maturation of the science of physics much as the crossword solver depends on a large and correct vocabulary. The solver of crossword puzzles needs not just a good vocabulary but a special vocabulary. Words like inee and oke are vitally useful to him but are not part of the vocabulary of an English professor.
In Search of the River Jordan: A Story of Palestine, Israel and the Struggle for Water
by James FergussonA writer’s travels along the legendary yet contested Jordan River—exploring the long conflict over water supply Access to water has played a pivotal role in the Israel-Palestine dispute. Israel has diverted the River Jordan via pipes and canals to build a successful modern state. But this has been at the expense of the region’s cohabitants. Gaza is now so water-stressed that the United Nations has warned it could soon become uninhabitable; its traditional water source has been ruined by years of over-extraction and mismanagement, the effects exacerbated by years of crippling blockade. Award-winning author and journalist James Fergusson travels to every corner of Israel and Palestine telling the story of the River Jordan and the fierce competition for water. Along the way, he meets farmers, officials, soldiers, refugees, settlers, rioting youth, religious zealots, water experts, and engineers on both sides of the Green Line. Fergusson gives voice to the fears and aspirations of the region’s inhabitants and highlights the centrality of water in negotiating future peace.
In The Shadow of the Mountain
by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado*****"Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a woman possessed of uncommon strength, rare compassion, and a ferocious stubbornness to not allow the trauma of her childhood to destroy her life." - Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love"Told with searing honesty, this vividly wrought memoir chronicles an almost superhuman journey from the deep vortex of trauma and self-destructive compulsions to the heights of physical endurance and spiritual emergence."- Dr. Gabor Maté, Bestselling Author of In The Realm Of Hungry Ghosts"Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a warrior. I'm in awe of her strength and courage." - Selena Gomez YOU DON'T CONQUER A MOUNTAIN. YOU SURRENDER TO IT ONE STEP AT A TIME. Despite a high-flying career, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado knew she was hanging by a thread. Deep in the throes of alcoholism, and hiding her sexuality from her family, she was repressing the abuse she'd suffered as a child.When her mother called her home to Peru, she knew something finally had to change. It did. Silvia began to climb. Something about the sheer size of the mountains, the vast emptiness and the nearness of death, woke her up. And then, she took her biggest pain to the biggest mountain: Everest. The 'Mother of the World' allows few to reach her summit, but Silvia didn't go alone. Trekking with her to Base Camp, were six troubled young women on an odyssey that helped each confront their personal trauma, and whose strength and community propelled Silvia forward...Beautifully written and deeply moving, In the Shadow of the Mountain is a remarkable story of compassion, humility, and strength, inspiring us all to find have faith in our own heroism and resilience.
In Sight of Yellow Mountain: A Year in the Irish Countryside
by Philip Judge‘This is The Good Life meets A Year in Provence’. Sue Collins, The Nualas‘A luminous, funny and profound reading experience.’ Sebastian Barry First, a dream of escaping the city… and then a century-old cottage to match the dream. Moving to a small village in the heart of the countryside was the beginning of a new life for Philip Judge and his Beloved – the beginning of life In Sight of Yellow Mountain. Judge describes the season-by-season charms and frustrations that he, his Beloved, and eventually, his two growing boys experience as they adapt to life in the countryside.There are highs and lows. Wellies and tweeds are bought. Vegetable patches cultivated. Lambs are born, calves die. There is weather: good and bad; health and happiness; illness and sadness. The city slicker fails miserably at Name That Grain! and makes many faux pas along the way, but ultimately, this is the story of one man, and his growing family, experiencing the pleasure that is finding home.
In Silico Bees
by James DevillersBees are critically important for ecosystem function and biodiversity maintenance through their pollinating activity. Unfortunately, bee populations are faced with many threats, and evidence of a massive global pollination crisis is steadily growing. As a result, there is a need to understand and, ideally, predict how bees respond to pollution dist
In Silico Bees
by James DevillersBees are critically important for ecosystem function and biodiversity maintenance through their pollinating activity. This book provides a collection of computational methods to those primarily interested in the study of the ecology, ethology, and ecotoxicology of bees. It presents numerous case studies to enable readers to understand the appropriateness but also the limitations of models in theoretical and applied bee research. Written by an international team of experts, this book covers the main types of modeling approaches that can be used in terrestrial ecology and applied ecotoxicology.
In Situ Assessment of Structural Timber (RILEM State-of-the-Art Reports #7)
by Bohumil Kasal Thomas TannertWood is one of the most intriguing structural materials and the only one that is truly renewable. Along with stone, wood is the oldest structural material on the planet and has been extensively used throughout human history. Due to its aesthetical value and positive environmental impact, wood has experienced a renaissance in construction.As a biodegradable, hygroscopic, non-isotropic material, wood presents special challenges for a professional and requires through knowledge ranging from biology to continuum mechanics. This state-of-the-art report reflects the current knowledge in the area of in situ assessment of the physical and mechanical properties of wood structures. Nondestructive, semi-destructive and destructive methods are described in a systematic manner where technology, equipment and limitations are discussed. Some of the discussed methods are used in other materials such as masonry and concrete. Most of the methods, however, are specific to wood and special qualifications are required to understand and apply these methods effectively. Existing methods are constantly improved and new methods are being developed. This report includes methods that are used in practice or have shown significant promise and have a body of knowledge that supports statements made in this report. This is a useable tool for professionals, researchers, educators and students
In-Situ Remediation of Arsenic-Contaminated Sites (Arsenic in the environment)
by Jochen Bundschuh Hartmut M. Holländer Lena Qiying MaProviding an introduction, the scientific background, case studies and future perspectives of in-situ arsenic remediation technologies for soils, soil water and groundwater at geogenic and anthropogenic contaminated sites. The case studies present in-situ technologies about natural arsenic, specifically arsenate and arsenite, but also about organic arsenic compounds. This work covers geochemical, microbiological and plant ecological solutions for arsenic remediation. It will serve as a standard textbook for (post-)graduate students and researchers in the field of Environmental Sciences and Hydrogeochemistry as well as researchers, engineers, environmental scientists and chemists, toxicologists, medical scientists and even for general public seeking an in-depth view of arsenic which had been classed as a carcinogen. This book aims to stimulate awareness among administrators, policy makers and company executives of in-situ remediation technologies at sites contamined by arsenic and to improve the international cooperation on the subject.
In Some Lost Place: The first ascent of Nanga Parbats Mazeno Ridge
by Sandy AllanIn the summer of 2012, a team of six climbers set out to attempt the first ascent of one of the great unclimbed lines of the Himalaya - the giant Mazeno Ridge on Nanga Parbat, the world's ninth highest mountain. At ten kilometres in length, the Mazeno is the longest route to the summit of an 8,000-metre peak. Ten expeditions had tried and failed to climb this enormous ridge. Eleven days later two of the team, Sandy Allan and Rick Allen, both in their late fifties, reached the summit. They had run out of food and water and began hallucinating wildly from the effects of altitude and exhaustion. Heavy snow conditions meant they would need another three days to descend the far side of the 'killer mountain'. 'I began to wonder whether what we were doing was humanly possible. We had climbed the Mazeno and reached the summit, but we both knew we had wasted too much energy. In among the conflicting emotions, the exhaustion and the elation, we knew our bodies could not sustain this amount of time at altitude indefinitely, especially now we had no water. The slow trickle of attrition had turned into a flood; it was simply a matter of time before our bodies stopped functioning. Which one of us would succumb first?' In Some Lost Place is Sandy Allan's epic account of an incredible feat of endurance and commitment at the very limits of survival - and the first ascent of one of the last challenges in the Himalaya.
In Springtime (Wesleyan Poetry Series)
by Sarah BlakeIn Sarah Blake's epic poem of survival, we follow a nameless main character lost in the woods. There, they discover the world anew, negotiating their place among the trees and the rain and the animals. Something brought them to the woods that nearly killed them, and they're not sure they want to live through this experience either. But the world surprises them again and again with beauty and intrigue. They come to meet a pregnant horse, a curious mouse, and a dead bird, who is set on haunting them all. Blake examines what makes us human when removed from the human world, what identity means where it is a useless thing, and how loss shapes us. In a stunning setting and with ominous dreams, In Springtime will take you into a magical world without using any magic at all—just the strangeness of the woods. Includes a stunning art feature by Nicky Arscott.7.If only the night held one dream instead of many.In the next dream you dig up the bird.In the next dream you dig in the same place and find a gun. You've shot someone. You weren't supposed to return to this place where you hid the gun.You're an idiot in your dream.In the next dream the horse returns. The horse startles you awake. But you are still asleep. Dreams are some wicked things.In the next dream you are in a desert. That's different.You forget what grass is. What it smells like. What the shadows of trees look like across your legs.You laugh your head off at the sight of a cactus.In the next dream you can see the spirit of the bird that will haunt you for weeks. Her tongue makes you think all of her words will come out garbled.Then you remember all she does is sing.
In the Company of Seahorses (Wild Nature Press #32)
by Steve Trewhella Julie HatcherSeahorses are instantly recognisable and have been a part of our culture for millennia, yet we still know very little about these enigmatic creatures.Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher have spent hundreds of hours in British waters observing native seahorses, witnessing at first hand how they behave in the wild, and how they interact with the other plants and animals in their underwater realm.With stunning photography, In the Company of Seahorses paints a rich picture of a mysterious world amongst swaying seagrass and colourful seaweeds. The accompanying text is packed with personal anecdotes describing the authors’ journey of discovery, illustrating for the first time the secretive lives of these elusive animals in British waters.By sharing one couple’s passion for an entrancing ocean icon, this book aims to inspire, inform and create a better understanding of the seahorse and its often vulnerable habitats around the British coastline.
In the Event of Love: A sweet and steamy Christmas rom-com! (Fern Falls)
by Courtney KaeGoodreads Summer Romance Reading RecommendationBuzzfeed's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Romances of 2022'Exactly the slow-burn, second-chance, friends-to-lovers romance I was craving' ALI HAZELWOOD'The perfect holiday romance! . . . Move over, Stars Hollow. I'm moving to Fern Falls!' Lacie Waldon'The holiday romance of my dreams! The sweetness of a Hallmark holiday movie, set in a town that rivals Schitt's Creek, with plenty of steamy scenes to heat things up!' Falon Ballard'Wintry perfection, a cozy flannel blanket of a book that wraps its reader in the warmest hug' Rachel Lynn SolomonOffering a steamy, queer spin on the feel-good tropes Hallmark movie, this sweet, funny #OwnVoices rom-com is perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexandria Bellefleur!......................................... With her career as a successful Los Angeles event planner imploding, Morgan Ross isn't just heading home for the holidays, it's more of a strategic retreat. Breathtaking mountain backdrops, acres of pine trees, quirky townsfolk, and charming small businesses aside, Fern Falls is also the setting of Morgan's greatest heartbreak - and she'll do anything to avoid her one-time best friend turned first love, Rachel Reed. But when Morgan discovers that Rachel's struggling Christmas tree farm is the only thing standing between Fern Falls and a corporate takeover, she has to put her heartbreak on hold. Pouring her focus into planning the perfect Christmas event to save the town, Morgan finds herself spending more and more time with Rachel. Who can blame them if the romance of the season starts to get to them? Morgan knows one thing for sure though: she and Rachel will never have a heart-warming happy ending. And, anyway, she's only here for Christmas . . . right? .........................................'Sparkles with humor and charm. The residents of Fern Falls will draw you in with their warm banter and open hearts, while the sapphic romance will heat you up faster than a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day' Sonia Hartl'Will make your heart soar. A sexy, sparkling debut' Annette Christie'Reads like a Hallmark Christmas movie and goes down like a mug of peppermint hot chocolate... Cozy, comforting, and surprisingly steamy - this is the queer Christmas story we deserve!' Alison Cochrun'Sweet as a cup of hot cocoa (with some spice mixed in) . . . the feel-good, queer, second-chance holiday romance we've all been waiting for' Anita Kelly'Kae's sparkling voice wraps you up like a warm blanket' Ava Wilder'Ultra cozy, heart-meltingly sweet, and full of warm wit. Courtney Kae shines with a fresh, bright voice and supremely relatable characters including a dreamy lumberjane who instantly stole my heart!' Rosie Danan'With its charming small town, snowy mountaintop kisses, and dreamy lesbian lumberjane, In the Event of Love is perfect for the holidays!' Helen Hoang
In the Field, Among the Feathered: A History of Birders and Their Guides
by Thomas R. DunlapAmerica is a nation of ardent, knowledgeable birdwatchers. But how did it become so? And what role did the field guide play in our passion for spotting, watching, and describing birds? In the Field, Among the Feathered tells the history of field guides to birds in America from the Victorian era to the present, relating changes in the guides to shifts in science, the craft of field identification, and new technologies for the mass reproduction of images. Drawing on his experience as a passionate birder and on a wealth of archival research, Thomas Dunlap shows how the twin pursuits of recreation and conservation have inspired birders and how field guides have served as the preferred method of informal education about nature for well over a century. The book begins with the first generation of late 19th-century birdwatchers who built the hobby when opera glasses were often the best available optics and bird identification was sketchy at best. As America became increasingly urban, birding became more attractive, and with Roger Tory Peterson's first field guide in 1934, birding grew in both popularity and accuracy. By the 1960s recreational birders were attaining new levels of expertise, even as the environmental movement made birding's other pole, conservation, a matter of human health and planetary survival. Dunlap concludes by showing how recreation and conservation have reached a new balance in the last 40 years, as scientists have increasingly turned to amateurs, whose expertise had been honed by the new guides, to gather the data they need to support habitat preservation. Putting nature lovers and citizen-activists at the heart of his work, Thomas Dunlap offers an entertaining history of America's long-standing love affair with birds, and with the books that have guided and informed their enthusiasm.
In the Field, Among the Feathered: A History of Birders and Their Guides
by Thomas R. DunlapAmerica is a nation of ardent, knowledgeable birdwatchers. But how did it become so? And what role did the field guide play in our passion for spotting, watching, and describing birds? In the Field, Among the Feathered tells the history of field guides to birds in America from the Victorian era to the present, relating changes in the guides to shifts in science, the craft of field identification, and new technologies for the mass reproduction of images. Drawing on his experience as a passionate birder and on a wealth of archival research, Thomas Dunlap shows how the twin pursuits of recreation and conservation have inspired birders and how field guides have served as the preferred method of informal education about nature for well over a century. The book begins with the first generation of late 19th-century birdwatchers who built the hobby when opera glasses were often the best available optics and bird identification was sketchy at best. As America became increasingly urban, birding became more attractive, and with Roger Tory Peterson's first field guide in 1934, birding grew in both popularity and accuracy. By the 1960s recreational birders were attaining new levels of expertise, even as the environmental movement made birding's other pole, conservation, a matter of human health and planetary survival. Dunlap concludes by showing how recreation and conservation have reached a new balance in the last 40 years, as scientists have increasingly turned to amateurs, whose expertise had been honed by the new guides, to gather the data they need to support habitat preservation. Putting nature lovers and citizen-activists at the heart of his work, Thomas Dunlap offers an entertaining history of America's long-standing love affair with birds, and with the books that have guided and informed their enthusiasm.
In the Footsteps of Audubon
by Denis ClavreulAn artist’s uniquely personal journey across AmericaIn the nineteenth century, ornithologist and painter John James Audubon set out to create a complete pictorial record of North American birdlife, traveling from Louisiana and the Florida Keys to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the cliffs of the Yellowstone River. The resulting work, The Birds of America, stands as a monumental achievement in American art. Over a period of sixteen years, recording his own journey in journals and hundreds of original paintings, renowned French watercolorist Denis Clavreul followed in the naturalist’s footsteps.In the Footsteps of Audubon brings together some 250 of Clavreul’s stunning watercolors along with illuminating selections from Audubon’s journals and several of his paintings. With pencil and brush in hand, Clavreul turns his naturalist’s eye and painterly skill to the landscapes that Audubon encountered on his travels, and to the animals and plants that Audubon depicted in his art. A passionate ornithologist, Clavreul sketches birds in the wild with rare dexterity, bringing them vividly to life on the page. He documents his encounters along the way with people who live with nature, many of whom are passionately engaged in preserving it, drawing on his insights as both a biologist and an artist to connect the past, present, and future.A spellbinding, richly evocative journey, In the Footsteps of Audubon is an invitation to see the natural world as Audubon saw it—and to see with new eyes what it has become today.
In the Footsteps of Audubon
by Denis ClavreulAn artist’s uniquely personal journey across AmericaIn the nineteenth century, ornithologist and painter John James Audubon set out to create a complete pictorial record of North American birdlife, traveling from Louisiana and the Florida Keys to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the cliffs of the Yellowstone River. The resulting work, The Birds of America, stands as a monumental achievement in American art. Over a period of sixteen years, recording his own journey in journals and hundreds of original paintings, renowned French watercolorist Denis Clavreul followed in the naturalist’s footsteps.In the Footsteps of Audubon brings together some 250 of Clavreul’s stunning watercolors along with illuminating selections from Audubon’s journals and several of his paintings. With pencil and brush in hand, Clavreul turns his naturalist’s eye and painterly skill to the landscapes that Audubon encountered on his travels, and to the animals and plants that Audubon depicted in his art. A passionate ornithologist, Clavreul sketches birds in the wild with rare dexterity, bringing them vividly to life on the page. He documents his encounters along the way with people who live with nature, many of whom are passionately engaged in preserving it, drawing on his insights as both a biologist and an artist to connect the past, present, and future.A spellbinding, richly evocative journey, In the Footsteps of Audubon is an invitation to see the natural world as Audubon saw it—and to see with new eyes what it has become today.
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Geoheritage, Geotourism and Conservation in the Galapagos Islands (Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism)
by Daniel Kelley Kevin Page Diego Quiroga Raul SalazarThis book provides the first-ever overview of and guide to the geological setting and related features of the famous, volcanically active Galapagos Islands, as well as an in-depth analysis of the setting’s relationship to the region’s unique and iconic ecology, and its conservation. Further, it provides an introduction to human settlement and activity on the islands, including the transition from subsistence to a fishing economy and more recently tourism, all in the context of increasingly restrictive conservation regulations. Importantly, the book also explores the development of the concept and practice of sustainable development across the islands as a framework for future economic development, pursuing an approach that reconciles the needs of the resident population with conservation of this fragile environment.The book is intended for a broad readership, from those engaged in geological and ecological studies, college and university educators and conservation practitioners, to more general visitors to the islands.
In the Forest: Level 2 (National Geographic Readers Ser.)
by Shira Evans National Geographic KidsNational Geographic Primary Readers is a high-interest series of beginning reading books that have been developed in consultation with education experts. The books pair magnificent National Geographic photographs with lively text by skilled children’s book authors across four reading levels. What kinds of interesting creatures live amongst the forest trees? Level 2: Becoming fluent: These books are a good match for kids who are developing reading stamina and enjoy a longer book. They are ideal for readers of Green, Orange and Turquoise books.
In the Garden (Nature Walks #3)
by Clare CollinsonTake a nature walk in the garden and become a nature detective to discover the different animals and plants that live there.
In the Land of Giants
by Max AdamsThe bestselling historian tells the story of the landscapes, peoples and culture of early medieval Britain in eight walks, an epic sea voyage and a north-south ride by motorbike. The five centuries between the end of Roman Britain (410) and the death of Alfred the Great (899) have left few voices save a handful of chroniclers, but Britain's 'Dark Ages' can still be explored through their material remnants: buildings, books, metalwork, and, above all, landscapes. Adams explores Britain's lost early medieval past by walking its paths and exploring its imprint on valley, hill and field. From York to Whitby, London to Sutton Hoo and Falmouth to Mallaig, In the Land of Giants offers a beautifully written insight into the lives of peasants, drengs, ceorls, thanes, monks and kings during an enigmatic but richly exciting period of our island's history.
In the Mountains: The health and wellbeing benefits of spending time at altitude
by Ned MorganMountains have forever been steeped in poetry, symbolism and mystery, inspiring everyone from the explorers who wish to scale every peak to those who wish to walk in the valleys, ski the slopes or take in the crisp air and feel renewed once more. These rooftops of the world encourage us to see the bigger picture, appreciate the world around us and the sensations in our own bodies. The mountains offer clarity and a sense of 'getting away from it all' - they call to our wild side and are in many physical and mental ways good for us. The benefits of spending time at altitude include: Weight lossImproved heart healthReduced stressImproved the quality of sleepImproved immune functionEncouraged physical fitness and activityImproved mental agility and creativityImproved mood Improved self-esteem, self-awareness and sense of wellbeingAs the world's population becomes increasingly urbanised, the need for a healthy relationship with nature is more important than ever, both from a psychological wellbeing and physical health point of view. In the Mountains is an awe-inspiring book that takes us on a journey to reveal the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time at altitude and also teaches how we can be inspired by the research to bring elements of a mountain lifestyle into our everyday lives, from spending more time outdoors, walking on uneven ground whenever possible and enjoying the medicinal benefits of mountain herbs.
In the Mountains Green: Harvest to Harvest in the Southern Wilds – The Diary of a Country Parson
by Peter Owen Jones'As a boy, I would walk out into the fields alone. Looking south, I set my eyes on the far ridge, wondering, not knowing, what lay beyond it. What world existed there? Now, as a man, I stand on the top of the Downs, up on the mountains green. To the south, the land folds down to the sea, but to the north the boy is there looking back at me…' In a series of joyous, reflective and inspired diary pieces, Peter Owen Jones takes us on a voyage through the yearly cycle – a journey of inner and outer discovery. With the variety and colour of British seasonal life and the beauty of the Sussex countryside as his backdrop, Owen Jones observes the magical in the everyday – in the birds, bees and butterflies, but also in people. With lightness of touch and good humour, he calls for an awakening to the world around us, to ourselves, and ultimately to meaning in life. Originally published as a series of separate articles in Sussex Life magazine, the essays gathered here provide a delightful glimpse into the life of a nature-loving country parson.
In the Name of Plants: From Attenborough to Washington, the People behind Plant Names
by Sandra KnappA vividly illustrated meeting with thirty plants and their inspiring namesakes Shakespeare famously asserted that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” and that’s as true for common garden roses as it is for the Megacorax, a genus of evening primroses. Though it may not sound like it, the Megacorax was actually christened in honor of famed American botanist Peter Raven, its name a play on the Latin words for “great raven.” In this lush and lively book, celebrated botanist Sandra Knapp explores the people whose names have been immortalized in plant genera, presenting little-known stories about both the featured plants and their eponyms alongside photographs and botanical drawings from the collections of London’s Natural History Museum. Readers will see familiar plants in a new light after learning the tales of heroism, inspiration, and notoriety that led to their naming. Take, for example, nineteenth-century American botanist Alice Eastwood, after whom the yellow aster—Eastwoodia elegans—is named. Eastwood was a pioneering plant collector who also singlehandedly saved irreplaceable specimens from the California Academy of Sciences during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Or more recently, the fern genus Gaga, named for the pop star and actress Lady Gaga, whose verdant heart-shaped ensemble at the 2010 Grammy Awards bore a striking resemblance to a giant fern gametophyte. Knapp’s subjects range from Charles Darwin’s grandfather, Erasmus Darwin (Darwinia), and legendary French botanist Pierre Magnol—who lends his name to the magnolia tree—to US founding figures like George Washington (Washingtonia) and Benjamin Franklin (Franklinia). Including granular details on the taxonomy and habitats for thirty plants alongside its vibrant illustrations, this book is sure to entertain and enlighten any plant fan.