G'day All,
I've just been browsing through some of the latest
book reviews and found one by Dr. ML Augee, and I
thought most of you would like to read his words. We
all know this lady, some of the lucky ones on this
list know her very well indeed, I think she is too shy
to let the world know about her own new book, but
sorry Denise it's time for you to stand up and take a
bow. Please accept my own applause and sincere
congratulations, and I know thee applause and
congratulations of many more on this list. You richly
deserve more for what you have done for wild birds and
are still doing up there.
I agree with Victoria Quinton, come on Denise, let us
know some more.
Potters off to meet up with the Canadians, whilst
those funny pomes are in the air, hmmm I'll try to
place an order with Dymocks up in Melbourne.
John A. Gamblin
=snip=
Field guides are slim volumes one sticks into a pocket
to accompany a bushwalk or larger volumes the serious
naturalist puts into the backpack or keeps in the
glove box. They are not really books one sits down and
reads. Until now the only Australian exception has
been the delightful "Mammals of South Australia"
written in 1923 by Wood Jones. That book is still in
print, and still in use because it contains many
observations by the author and snippets of information
that simply cannot be found anywhere else.
Denise Goodfellow has produced a book in a similar
style which is highly likely to last as long as Wood
Jones. Probably longer, as it is a much larger book
and contains an even wider variety of fascinating
details; even the occasional very short story, often
showing a connection between her Aboriginal relatives
and the bird in focus.
The core of any guide is of course the detail needed
to make an easy and positive identification. That
detail is here, helped by original illustrations by
the author.
It is also very useful, especially because the author
does not assume to have produced the ultimate and most
authoritative bird guide, but gives very useful page
references to the two main field guides to Australian
birds in use today. Field biologists will simply have
to buy jackets with much larger pockets in order to
have Denise Goodfellow's book handy to read while
waiting for that elusive bird species to appear.
This is an accurate, useful and remarkable, readable
book. Before long "Goodfellow" will be the most widely
used bird guide in the Top End.
Dr. ML Augee, past director First Year Biological
Studies, University of NSW, fellow of the Royal
Zoological Society (FRZS), Secretary of the Linnaen
Society.
=snip=
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