After being rejected by four other publishers who thought the market for such a book was too small to be worth their time, when Roger Tory Peterson’s A Field Guide to the Birds: Giving Field Marks of All Species Found in Eastern North America was first published on 27 April 1934 by Houghton Mifflin in […]
Each time the nice people from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s publicity department contact me to say that they have a new Peterson’s Field Guide soon to be released, I always reply with a note that includes the text “Western? ;-)” As nine times out of ten they’re Eastern, this has become a friendly little joke between us. However every so often a new – or updated edition of a – Western guide does make an appearance.
Lepidopterists rejoice! Seabrooke Leckie has proclaimed tidings of great entomological joy on her Facebook and Twitter profiles: she has signed a contract to create a Peterson Field Guide to Moths of WESTERN North America.
When it comes to people I’d want standing beside me in the field when the identification of a bird was needed, two of those in the top ten of my list would be Steve N.G. Howell and Brian Sullivan. I’ve been afield with both these gentlemen and I can say from experience their respective skills in putting names to most anything with feathers passes “uncanny” and approaches “supernatural.”