What are you currently reading?

lintworm said:
I have now almost finished The largest avian radiation by Jon Fjeldsa, Les Christidis and Per Ericson.That really is a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in taxonomy, biogeography, birds or all combined. It is almost out of stock, but I would highly recommend it. It is not easy writing, but well worth it and apparently almost sold out...
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I am now reading this book too. I agree with "lintworm"; it is an extremely interesting book, essential reading for anybody interested in the taxonomy of birds. It's a beautifully illustrated volume too.
 
School, especially exam season and some other responsibilities have been making it a little hard for me to read, but right now I’m working on Beyond Animal Welfare by Dr Terry L. Maple, which is about the integration of welfare programs in zoos and the science behind it. I recently finished Chimpanzee Memoirs, which is a collection of memoirs from various scientists about working with chimps. Super good read, and each chapter had a nice little illustration of a special chimp mentioned in the corresponding memoir.
After Beyond Animal Welfare, I’m probably going to read Jackie Higgins’ Sentient: How Animals Illuminate The Wonder of Our Human Senses, which is about the different ways animals perceive the world and seems super interesting!
 
Ironically, I am reading The Modern Ark: The Story of Zoos Past, Present, and Future by Vicki Croke. I actually don't normally read zoo-related books (although I do tend to stick to nonfiction) but that is what I am reading at the moment of seeing this thread lol
 
I recently finished The Tiger - A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant and have recently started The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen. I have also started re-reading Charles Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle.
 
Just finished The Moth Snowstorm by Michael McCarthy. Didn't know until I started reading that the author grew up one village over from me on the Wirral. Reading descriptions of birding sites I'm familiar with from 50 years before I visited them is an interesting experience, made sadder by what's been lost, "spotted flycatchers in every Wirral village...".

On the whole, a nice, emotive, if not worldview-altering wildlife-based read.
 
I’ve just got round to starting “Parrot breeding under the Panamanian sun” by Jacobo Lacs. Recently finished “Psittaculture” by Tony Silva for the second time through (now just dip in and out for reference) and will start his new volume on amazons next. s
 
Science fiction. I have been reading SF for the past 70 years! Also enjoy adventure books.
 
I'm now on "Vesper flights", a collection of short writings by H is for Hawk author Helen MacDonald. Pieces covering a wide range of topics, mostly nature or conservation related. Feels very personal, enjoying it thus far.
 
Recently I managed to pick up a second-hand copy of The Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russel Wallace, which I'm quite stoked about. It is a Dutch translation, but it was almost free so I won't complain!
 
Currently I am reading 1 Gettysburg’s lost love story the ill fated romance of General John Reynolds and Katie Hewitt by Jeffrey J Harding.
2. At Gettysburg or What a Young Girl Saw and Heard of the battle by Mrs. Tillie Pierce Alleman.
3. Firestorm at Gettysburg Civilian voices June-November 1863 by Jim spade and John Alexander.
 
Currently, I'm trying to push myself back into reading 'The Secret Lives Of Elephants' by Hannah Mumby. I read about a quarter last year, but then found I didn't have time to sit and comfortably read as much as I'd like.
 
Recent reads:
Restoring the Wild by Roy Dennis
Formidable at first, but an absolute treasure trove of a memoir by a well-deserved conservation icon. Chock-full of names, dates, and figures, not a light read by any means, but really drives home how much work goes into a successful reintroduction. Inspirational.

The Hunt for the Golden Mole by Richard Girling
Not gonna lie, didn't really enjoy this book. The author's exploration of obscure and 'lost' mammals is great reading, but many chapters try and tackle wider conservation or other nature-related issues but are unable to do so in sufficient detail, in my opinion. It could have done with having a narrower focus to better define what it was. It's also full of the kind of minor errors and inaccuracies that ruin a book for a pedant like me.

Currently on Elegy for a River by Tom Moorhouse. Brilliantly humorous while simultaneously harder-hitting than I was expecting so far.
 
  • I'm currently about halfway through reading "Platypus Matters: the Extraordinary Story of Australian Mammals" (Jack Ashby; 2022). (The author is assistant director of Cambridge University's Zoology Museum.)
  • I've also just started reading "Nature's Mirror: How Taxidermists Shaped America's Natural History Museums and Saved Endangered Species" (Mary Anne Andrei, 2020).
 
Among the books I received for Christmas, I have started Wilder by Millie Kerr.
Fantastic so far. There's a lot of rewilding literature out there these days, so reading a book like this, focusing mostly on examples from the global south, is a real breath of fresh air. Thoroughly infused with hope and optimism throughout, while not shying away from discussing difficulties various rewilding projects face.
 
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