Ah Spring… the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and the publishers are holding amazing sales on their books.
Two that have most recently come to my attention are from Cornell University Press and the University of California Press.
When it comes to the history of ecological f… well, “fornication”-ups, few can rival that of the 1935 importation of 101 individual Central and South American Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) into Australia. The idea seemed reasonable enough at the time and was done with the best of intentions – bring in the toads to control the insects that ate the sugar-cane being grown there. However, like many species introductions done with the best of intentions, this one truly paved the proverbial road to you know where.
Up late one night reading Carol Grant Gould’s enchanting “The Remarkable Life of William Beebe; Explorer And Naturalist,” I happened upon the story of Beebe meeting Henry Gaylord Wilshire, the somewhat eccentric socialist millionaire for whom Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles is named (because he owned the property upon which much of it was constructed).
Recounting the story of the life and work of the late Peter M. Douglas, long-serving chairman of the California Coastal Commission, and indefatigable advocate for the preservation of and open access to the magnificent coastline of the U.S. state of California, this new book will – it is hoped – bring greater attention to one of those most responsible for making it still possible for us all continue to be able to enjoy a visit to some of the worlds most remarkable coastal areas.