Birkhead has combined ingenuity and perseverance to produce an evocative portrait of a great pioneer in the scientific study of birds'Literary ReviewFrancis Willughby lived and thrived in the midst of the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. Along with his Cambridge tutor John Ray,Willughby was determined to overhaul the whole of natural history and impose order on its complexity. It was exhilarating,exacting and exhausting work. Yet before Willughby and Ray could complete their monumental encyclopaedia of birds,Ornithology,Willughby died. In the centuries since,Ray's reputation has grown,obscuring that of his collaborator. Now,for the first time,Willughby's own story and genius are given the attention they deserve. Tim Birkhead celebrates how Willughby's endeavours set a standard for the way birds and natural history should be studied. Rich with glorious detail,The Wonderful Mr Willughby is a fascinating insight into a thrilling period of scientific history and a lively biography of a man who lived at its heart.
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLCISBN: 9781408878521Number of pages: 368Weight: 296 gDimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
In this engrossing biography of "the first true ornithologist",Birkhead takes us on imaginative journey to the time of Charles II,when there was no classification of animals,birds and plants; when men such as Willughby often endured great hardship in order to make ground-breaking discoveriesEnergetically pursuing his quarry,Birkhead has combined ingenuity and perseverance to produce an evocative portrait of a great pioneer in the scientific study of birdsBrilliantly researched - a vivid celebration of a neglected pioneer of scientific natural historyA joint celebration of two of the great scientific brains of the Age of Reason...(An) engaging study'(A) precise and rigorously told biography...There's a quiddity about (Birkhead's) writing that follows in his subject's stepsFascinating Francis Willughby is an ideal subject for a biography...An entertaining and informative book,packed with well-explained scientific detailThe story of Willughby's short life,elegantly and engagingly told by Tim BirkheadEnthralling ... Tim Birkhead's careful sleuthing uncovers the remarkable story of an ingenious gentleman-scholar living at the dawn of the scientific revolutionIf you ever thought the history of natural history might be dull,this wonderful book,a masterpiece of biographical sleuthing,will quickly dispel that illusion...The author's passion for his subjects,both human and avian,shine through as he brings history to life and relates past to presentMagnificent: science without any high falutin'technologyBrilliant. It's so wonderful when you come across a book on a subject you are not naturally drawn to and you're completely engaged by itFull of wonder and surprise and beautifully writtenBirkhead's approach to writing - hard,clear sentences; deep,revelatory looking - has the same effect as his microscope,bringing objects to light that were previously hidden,making us see the familiar with new eyes...After reading The Most Perfect Thing,you'll never dip your morning soldiers without a shiver of wonder at the complexity and resgourcefulness of the humble egg
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