1) Cleere, Nigel.
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Usually appearing in the fading light of dusk and vanishing again
before sunrise, nightjars are a charismatic group of predominantly
nocturnal birds. While some species have developed spectacular tails and
wing adornments, the majority are fairly uniform in appearance; subtle
browns, oranges and greys make them masters of camouflage among the
leaf-litter where they generally nest and roost in the daytime, with
these colour schemes providing birders with a stern identification
challenge in the field.
The culmination of more than 50 years of study by the world's leading expert on these birds, Nigel Cleere, Nightjars of the World
features detailed text covering their taxonomy, physiology, plumage and
moult, foraging, migration and breeding biology. The species accounts
are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, and a comprehensive
photographic selection encompasses as much subspecific, sexual and
age-related variation as possible. A series of illustrated plates by
Dave Nurney depicts every species in exceptional detail.
Meticulously
researched, this book represents the ultimate resource on nightjars and
their relationships, appearance, identification and biology, bringing
these beautiful night-birds out of the dark and into the spotlight.
RECOMMENDATION: This book updates Cleere's 1998 Nightjars title by focusing just on the Caprimulgidae (nightjars and their close relatives). This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with a serious interest in the nightjars!
2) Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland: Sixth edition. 2026. Bloomsbury Wildlife. Paperback: 224 pages. Price: $
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Adult dragonflies are among the largest and most spectacular
insects alive today, and their beautiful colours, phenomenal aerobatic
skills and preference for flying in warm, sunny weather make them easy
to observe.
Now in its sixth edition, this trusted, practical
guide enables you to identify all 58 species across the British Isles,
featuring fascinating descriptive accounts and helpful insect-watching
tips. It brings together more than 300 exquisitely detailed
illustrations by renowned wildlife artist Richard Lewington alongside
168 stunning photographs to showcase the essential identification
characteristics. Regional guides, flight-period charts and distribution
maps help you to determine when and where to see each species, and an
identification key to the larvae of all the resident and migratory
dragonfly and damselfly species is also provided.
Whether you are
just beginning to explore the world of dragonflies and damselflies or
are a long-time enthusiast, this an indispensable companion for
discovering and identifying these remarkable insects.
RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone interested in the Odonata of Great Britain and Ireland!
3) Browne, Janet. Darwin: A Biography. 2026. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 608 pages. Price: $
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Janet Browne’s award-winning, two-volume biography of Charles
Darwin has been described by many reviewers as the definitive biography
of the father of evolution. Now, Browne has skillfully distilled and
fully revised the work into a concise yet comprehensive one-volume
biography that offers significant new interpretations of Darwin and the
scientific and political legacy of his discoveries.
Few men shook
the Victorian world like Darwin did, and his story is in many ways that
of the nineteenth century. His theory of evolution was born in the age
of empire and had its greatest effect in the age of capitalism. It was
to change the course of science, culture, and history, and deeply
influence literature, art, philosophy, religion, politics, and
economics. This magisterial biography follows Darwin from his early life
and adventures on HMS Beagle to the tumult of becoming one of the first scientific celebrities with the publication of the Origin of Species.
Through personal letters and archives, Browne describes the processes
that brought the idea of evolution by natural selection into British
society and beyond, especially Darwin’s relationship with Alfred Russel
Wallace, who simultaneously proposed the same theory, and with the many
people who helped and supported Darwin, including his wife Emma
Wedgwood. Combining the best elements of social and intellectual
biography, Browne places Darwin in cultural context and integrates his
ideas with his private life.
Vivid, revealing, and compellingly readable, Darwin
is the indispensable biography of a gentleman naturalist who would
become one of the most important, influential, and controversial
scientists of all time.
RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Charles Darwin!
4)Historium Press. Paperback: 270 pages. Price: $
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Seattle, 1945. The war is ending-but for many, the hardest battles are just beginning.
In a city transformed by global conflict, four families struggle to find their place amid rising tensions, buried prejudice, and shifting identities. Victory overseas has brought hope, but at home, fear, suspicion, and inequality continue to shape everyday life.
A female defense worker, newly awakened to injustice, risks everything as she steps into the dangerous world of labor activism-threatening not only her future, but the safety of those she loves. A decorated Black war hero returns home expecting honor and opportunity, only to face a different kind of battlefield, where racism and exclusion deny him the freedoms he fought to defend. A Japanese American, released from internment, discovers that the end of war does not mean the end of hatred, and that rebuilding a life in a community that no longer trusts him may be the greatest challenge of all. A hopeful British war bride arrives chasing the promise of a new beginning, only to learn that the American dream is complicated, fragile, and not equally shared.
As labor strikes ripple through the city, racial tensions simmer, and the first shadows of Cold War hysteria begin to take hold, Seattle reveals itself as a place both beautiful and deeply divided. Old prejudices harden even as new voices rise, demanding change.
This powerful, emotionally charged novel strips away the myth of an open and enlightened city, exposing the human cost of exclusion and the quiet courage of those who refuse to accept it.
A sweeping story of resilience, identity, and the search for belonging-welcome to the City on the Sound, where no one is quite sure where they belong.
RECOMMENDATION:
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