Nature and Science
December 2019
Recent Releases
The Hidden World of the Fox
by Adele Brand

What it is: a mammal ecologist's lyrical mediation on the red fox and its place in an increasingly urbanized world.

Want a taste? "flame-orange on a white canvas, black paws and thick brush, pointed muzzle and diamond-sharp eyes." 

Don't miss: an informative chapter on fox vocalizations actually titled "What Does the Fox Say?"
A Polar Affair: Antarctica's Forgotten Hero and the Secret Lives of Penguins
by Lloyd Spencer Davis

What it's about: the life and career of G. Murray Levick, a member of Robert Scott's Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica who became the first person to conduct extensive field research on penguins.

What sets it apart: While researching this book, penguin biologist Lloyd Spencer Davis gained access to Levick's original (coded) field notes and his unpublished (and censored) manuscript on penguin sexual behavior.
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes that Stick
by Wendy Wood

What it's about: Drawing on current research, a psychology professor examines the science behind habit formation and offers pointers on how we can use this information to improve our own lives. 

The takeaway: Conscious decision-making is overrated; most of what we do (positive or negative) is the result of unconscious habitual behaviors that can be changed and reinforced through repetition.

Who it's for: everyone interested in making a big change (especially anyone who's ever been criticized for "lacking willpower").
Focus on: Dinosaurs
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
by Steve Brusatte

What it is: A captivating look at what current research says about the rise, reign, and (so-called) extinction of dinosaurs.

Did you know? If the dinosaurs discussed here seem different than the ones you remember from childhood, that's because they are: paleontologists discover, on average, one new species a week(!).

About the author: American paleontologist Steve Brusatte served as the scientific consultant for the 2013 film Walking With Dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs Without Bones: Dinosaur Lives Revealed by Their Trace Fossils
by Anthony J. Martin

What it's about: ichnology, the study of "trace fossils" -- i.e. fossils that are neither tooth nor bone, including tracks and trails, burrows and nests, tooth and claw marks, skin, and coprolites (fecal fossils).

Why you should read it: Although they may not make an awe-inspiring museum display, trace fossils are essential to understanding the biology and behavior of prehistoric organisms.

For fans of: the enthusiasm of Brian Switek's My Beloved Brontosaurus.
The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy
by Paige Williams

What it does: delves into the international fossil trade, both legal and illicit, by recounting a Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton smuggled out of the Gobi Desert, as well as paleontologists' efforts to have the specimen returned to Mongolia.

Why you might like it: This thoroughly researched account leaves no stone unturned as it explores a world unfamiliar to many.

For fans of: Kirk W. Johnson's The Feather Thief and other books that blend natural history and true crime.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
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https://rvalibrary.org/
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