Saturday, March 16, 2019

Book Review - Dragonflies and Damselflies, A Natural History - Princeton University Press

     I was very pleased indeed to receive a copy of this book for review. There is always a sense of anticipation with another potentially fine work from Princeton University Press, and when in addition one sees the name of Dennis Paulson as the author, the expectations are magnified.




     The book does not disappoint. It encompasses everything that I already have on my shelf, and more, and presents the information in a highly readable yet technically impeccable way. Books of this nature are generally not the stuff of bedtime reading, yet this is exactly what it became for me. I started into it and was so taken with the ease with which the information can be digested, I continued to read it in bed!
     Let me present the chapters to you:


Chapter 1 - What is a Dragonfly?
Chapter 2 - Capturing Prey and Avoiding Predators
Chapter 3 - Reproduction
Chapter 4 - The Life Cycle
Chapter 5 - Dragonflies and People
Chapter 6 - Odonate Diversity Around the World

     Each chapter is broken down into subsets of information, beautifully descriptive and informative. Permit me to give a few examples from Chapter 2:

Superlative Flight
High-quality Vision
Foraging Behaviour
Diet and Adaptation for Predation
Predators and Anti-predator Adaptations

     And so it continues. 
     Of course, wonderful photographs accompany the text.


     It speaks to the careful selection of images that a bee-eater was chosen to represent predation by birds.
     Another artifice that I found especially attractive and useful was the inclusion of species profiles at the end of each chapter to flesh out the information gleaned in the preceding sections. Furthermore, additional particulars were given, adding to the already copious knowledge presented earlier 



     


     Throughout the range of images every facet of dragonfly life is illustrated and the pictures are of high quality and vividly illustrate different aspects of the odonate life cycle.



     Towards the end of the book a section is devoted to "The Families of Odonates" where a complete synopsis is given of all the families throughout the world with the number of species, the number of genera, and the geographical distribution of each of them.



     This is followed by a comprehensive glossary defining all the technical terms that are unique to odonates - a very helpful tool.
     The book concludes with a guide to further resources, including internet websites frequently consulted.
     As a single source reference on dragonflies and damselflies it is as good as I have seen, presenting a first rate account of the natural history of these organisms, and in addition many details normally found in a field guide. For novice and veteran odonatologist alike this is a work to be consulted for many years to come.

Dragonflies and Damselflies: A Natural History
Dennis Paulson
Hardcover - $29.95 - 9780691180366 - 224 pages - 8 1/4" x 9 1/4" - 150 colour illustrations.
Publication date:  26 March 2019
     
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

34 comments:

  1. It looks like a interesting book, David. I have dragonflies in my garden. I have a little pond, and they flies around in the garden every summer. They are very beautiful.

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  2. This is a timely post. I've seen my first damselflies and dragonflies of the season, and was thinking that I needed to make an effort to learn more about them. This clearly would be an excellent next purchase when a new book is in the budget.

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  3. The photos look beautifully detailed. A book devoted to dragonflies in itself seems magical. Having not considered what a dragonfly likes to eat before, I have since learned some dine on flies and mosquitoes, and a little sad to discover also butterflies and bees.

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  4. Hello, David! Great book review. I could use some help with the Damselflies and Dragonflies. Thanks for linking up and sharing your post today. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend. PS, thanks also for visiting my blog.

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  5. This looks like a great book to have around. Dragonflies are so beautiful. We are looking forward to seeing them flying about again with the temperatures warming up!

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  6. Think that is what I need, I struggle to identify these beasts! Have a good Sunday, Diane

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  7. David, you wrote as usual a wonderful book review. The book is amazing with great pictures which are very detailed and wonderfully colorful. I don't know much about dragonflies. They are wonderful creatures.

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  8. Interestin book, David. The photos are pretty impressive, I know I would never be so lucky to see them up close like they are displayed in the book.
    Enjoy the weekend!

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  9. Finns det något bättre än när man vet att det ligger en välskriven och intressant bok som bara väntar på sin läsare vid sängbordet? Det enda problemet jag ser med böcker är att bokhyllorna är överfulla och hur löser man det när alla böcker i bokhyllan är värda sin plats?

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  10. Dragonflies skimming over the water is a sight to remember. Childhood memories mostly, but I remember the awe I felt.

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  11. Por las explicaciones dadas amigo David es un gran libro y con muy buen detalle fotográfico. Al parecer es una obra sumamente interesante de consulta. ¡Que pena no saber ingles!
    Imagino no estará traducida, o tardaran algún tiempo en traducir. Estaremos al acecho por si se traduce.
    Un fuerte abrazo querido amigo y buen fin de semana.

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  12. Thanks for pointing this one out, David.

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  13. This must be a very beautiful and interesting book, David. I have got a passion for the Art Nouveau Style and I find that the artists of this movement paid a fair tribute to the beauty of this insect.

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  14. Reading it in bed is a sure sign it is a winner. The photos look amazing too.

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  15. Hi David - these Princeton books look to be so professionally produced, and as you've said ... easy to read, yet contain sufficient scientific information to apparently please both lay and professional person ... I'd love to have them all! Thanks for another great review - cheers Hilary

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    1. For anyone with even a passing interest in odonates this would be a great book to have, Hilary.

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  16. What wonderful images of dragonflies in this book. Taken by someone with a lot of patience.

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    1. Dragonflies are really difficult subjects to photograph in my experience. Some species hardly ever land.

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  17. how nice that you enjoyed the book so much. i am all for an easy read and beautiful pictures. you gave a great review!!

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  18. What a lovely review. I love them, we have so many different ones.
    (ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

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  19. Se ve muy interesante el libro. Besitos.

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  20. A very interesting book, the world of liberties and other insects has always seemed fascinating to me and with these data and photos it can be a way to learn more about them.
    A hug.

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  21. I'll go put that book on my wish list! I would love to sit with it and learn more about these interesting insects. We see a lot here...all different colors. And I saw a tiny one this week. I thought it was a tiny Dragonfly but now I think it's something else! I used to fly fish...years ago. I should know some of this! lol Enjoy your week!

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  22. It is so nice that you have the book. The photos are very beautiful, David.

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  23. Lovely photos, the book looks interesting.

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  24. When I was a kid, I used to catch dragonflies and try to keep them but they all died. There are many different types of dragonflies and they are beautiful.

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  25. That looks like a great book. Dragons and Damsels still confuse me here - it was so much easier in the UK, with its far more restricted fauna! I wish I could get books just for Victoria. At times I consider marking up the guides I have with a colour code - basically saying 'not in Vic' or similar!

    Hope all is well.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  26. David, I see you liked this book and it will very useful for you for years.
    I love dragonflies, I often see them coming out my garden pond water, then they open thier wings and start flying around.
    Hugs!

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  27. an excellent book and excellent review. I should have the book.
    have a great day

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  28. Read your review, and have now ordered the book for Lindsay to give me for my birthday - just means I have to wait for a couple of months or so to read it!

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  29. This looks lovely, David. I wish I knew the right person to buy it for!

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  30. Hello David, this seems a great book to me for determination. I looks beautyful with wonderful photos.
    Regards,
    Roos

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