August 2023 MBR The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Discovering Moths
John Himmelman
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
9780811772112, $24.95, PB, 296pp

https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Moths-Nighttime-Backyard-American/dp/081177211X

Synopsis: Lepidopterology is a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the three super-families of butterflies. Someone who studies in this field is a lepidopterist.

With the publication of "Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard, Eastern North American Species", and featuring a lively, accessible prose, author John Himmelman explains the intricacy of moths' life cycle, their importance in nature, and how just a tiny handful of the many moth species are truly pests to humans.

"Discovering Moths" also tells the reader how to attract moths with lights and bait, when and where to observe them, and how best to photograph these tiny subjects. Entertaining personal anecdotes and short profiles of some of the country's foremost moth-ers add human interest.

This new second edition of "Discovering Moths" from Stackpole Books includes updates, photos and information while focusing on moths populated in states east of the Mississippi.

Critique: Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, of by John Himmelman's "Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard, Eastern North American Species" with its focus on Eastern North America specifies, includes a six page Glossary, a two page Bibliography, and a seventeen page Index. While illustrated throughout with black/white illustrations, there is also a section of full color photos of moths. "Discover Moths" is a welcome and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Entomology collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted for students, academia, lepidopterists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Discovering Moths" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $17.99).

Editorial Note: John Himmelman (www.johnhimmelman.com) is an author/illustrator of over eighty books for children and books (for grown up kids) on various nature topics. He graduated from School of Visual Arts in 1981, with his first book, Talester the Lizard, published later that year. He is a naturalist and author of Cricket Radio, Tuning In the Night-Singing Insects, and Guide to the Night-Singing Insects of the Northeast (Stackpole). He lectures on a variety of natural history topics and leads trips in search of exciting flora and fauna.

Cougars on the Cliff
Maurie Hornocker
The Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
www.globepequot.com
9781493073290, $29.95, HC, 328pp

https://www.amazon.com/Cougars-Cliff-Pioneering-Understand-Mythical/dp/149307329X

Synopsis: Maurice Hornocker is recognized worldwide as the first scientist to unravel the secrets of America's most enigmatic predator -- the mountain lion. A story of redemption, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" is a memoir about the never-before-told adventures, challenges, and controversies surrounding Hornocker's groundbreaking study of cougars in the remote reaches of the Idaho Primitive Area.

North America's biggest cat was once killed for bounty dollars, slaughtered with impunity and driven toward extinction. But today's cat of intrigue, despite our lingering fears and misconceptions, has returned to much of its native range in the western United States and gained respect as a predator integral and necessary to wild ecosystems. This turnaround was triggered by one man: Maurice Hornocker. Cougars on the Cliff recounts the early years of his research (1964-1973) when he tracked lions following a dog's nose and footprints in the snow -- and before telemetry was available.

Hornocker was first to learn that mountain lions living in stable populations limit their own numbers through territoriality and a concept he called "mutual avoidance." This insight flew in the face of long-held beliefs that cougars were prolific and wanton killers that needed to be controlled as vermin. Thanks to Hornocker's work, today cougars can be found throughout the West and have even started to reclaim their place in New England.

Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of a section of color plates, "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" showcases the amazing life and achievements of Maurice Hornocker in a detailed and inherently fascinating memoir (written with the assistance of David Johnson) that will have immense appeal to those interested in wildlife in general, mountain lions in particular. While highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library American Biography/Memoir and American Wildlife collections, it should be noted for that "Cougars on the Cliff: One Man's Pioneering Quest to Understand the Mythical Mountain Lion" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $21.49).

Editorial Note: Maurice Hornocker, PhD, is a wildlife biologist best known for advancing our knowledge of the elusive mountain lion's behavior and ecology. During his fifty-five years of research in Idaho, New Mexico, and Yellowstone National Park, he published numerous scientific papers about cougars and edited books that include "Cougar: Ecology & Conservation," "Yellowstone Cougars" (which was the recipient of a 2020 The Wildlife Society Publication Award), and "Desert Puma" (which was the recipient of the 2002 The Wildlife Society Book of the Year Award). His writing, research, and mountain lion photographs have appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, and National Wildlife. (https://upcolorado.com/university-press-of-colorado/itemlist/tag/Maurice%20G%20Hornocker)

Eight Bears
Gloria Dickie
W.W. Norton
500 5th Avenue New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9781324005087, $30.00

https://www.amazon.com/Eight-Bears-Mythic-Imperiled-Future/dp/1324005084

Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future is an insightful survey of eight bear species and their history and conservation issues. It comes from an environmental journalist and National Geographic explorer who followed scientists studying these bears around the world, from China to South America.

From observations of the wild/urban interface in the American West that have led to historic changes in bear habits to the impact of human changes to their environment, Eight Bears is an important survey. It goes beyond the usual natural history approach to blend in facets of environmental change that are key to understanding the bears' past and future struggles to remain on this planet.

Eight Bears should be in any natural history or environmental issues collection as a classic story of world changes and their impact on all life.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review