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Nature and Science April 2017
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| The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan EganClustered along the border between the United States and Canada, the Great Lakes are an "interconnected watery expanse that sprawls across 94,000 square miles." In this thought-provoking book, journalist Dan Egan recounts the 14,000-year history of the world's largest freshwater system from its Ice Age origins to its modern-day role as both a shipping corridor and threatened ecosystem. He also explores what lies beneath the surface (an estimated 6,000 shipwrecks as well as a number of invasive species, the result of 19th-century efforts to connect these bodies of water to the Atlantic Ocean) and reflects on the precarious future of this unique natural resource. |
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| Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill SchuttNever has the expression "you are what you eat" been more apt. Sometimes called "intraspecific predation," cannibalism -- in which members of a species eat part or all of other members of their species -- is widespread in the animal kingdom for reasons that include (but are not limited to) overpopulation and the stresses of captivity. It's also not that uncommon among humans, who may engage in cannibalism for medicinal purposes, as part of funeral rites, or as a demonstration of filial piety. Examining biological and cultural aspects of cannibalism, author and zoologist Bill Schutt also offers thoughts on the circumstances (such as famine and disease caused by climate change) that could make this taboo more...um, palatable. |
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| The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing by Damion SearlsAlthough most people are familiar with the iconic Inkblot test, not many know about its creator, Swiss psychoanalyst Hermann Rorschach. A student of Eugen Bleuler and Carl Jung, Rorschach was also the son of a painter and an admirer of modernist and abstract art, all of which influenced his work. However, Rorschach's life and career are only part of the story. After his death, the test took on a life of its own: adopted by military, embraced by the advertising industry, and debated within the psychological community, this set of ten symmetrical images continues to be administered to students, job applicants, and even war criminals while at the same time leaving an indelible mark on the popular imagination. |
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Owls of the World
by James Duncan
Packed with beautiful illustrations, it explores owl behavior and life cycle, including hunting, courtship, breeding and special adaptations for nocturnal life.
There is a chapter on each owl family, from the huge eagle owls to the diminutive pygmy owls and owlets.tion
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The Rarest Bird in the World: The Search for the Nechisar Nightjar
by Vernon R. L. Head
Documents the 1990 expedition by Cambridge scientists who collected dozens of specimens from the Ethiopian plains, recounting how their discovery of an unidentified bird's wing sparked a search for the elusive Nechisar Nightjar decades later. A first book.
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| H is for Hawk by Helen MacdonaldStruggling with depression in the wake of her beloved father's unexpected death, author and academic Helen Macdonald decided to acquire and train a goshawk, a challenge even for an experienced falconer like herself. As she rears Mabel, her goshawk chick, she reflects on the history of the sport and reconsiders a favorite book from her childhood: The Goshawk by T.H. White. Replete with sensory details of falconry and soaring descriptions of the countryside near her home in Cambridge, England, H is for Hawk is both a moving account of grief and a fascinating glimpse into an unseen world. For another lyrical memoir by a falconer, try Richard Hines' No Way But Gentlenesse. |
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| The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About... by Noah StryckerWhat do penguins fear? How do pigeons find their way home? Why do bowerbirds build such elaborate nests? Noah Strycker, an associate editor for Birding magazine, explores these and other questions. Divided into three sections, "Body," "Mind," and "Spirit," this book considers behaviors specific to birds, such as homing instincts and the pecking order, as well as those once attributed solely to humans, such as self-awareness, the creation of art, and romantic love. For more insight into bird behavior, try Tim Birkhead's Bird Sense: What It's Like to Be a Bird. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Michigan City Public Library 100 E. 4th Street Michigan City, Indiana 46360 219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
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