Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Book Review - Crabs - Princeton University Press

 


     I first got interested in crabs, I suppose, when as a very young boy I visited the seashore a couple of times, and was immediately fascinated by probing in tide pools, always being astonished at the myriad life forms I found there. On occasion the most visible, and the most active organisms, were crabs. They walked funny, had pincers and looked prehistoric!
     Later in life as a dedicated birder I was quick to recognize the extent to which crabs were an important component of the diet of many species. I spent countless hours watching gulls, egrets, ibises, loons and others, capture and dismember crabs before consuming them.
     Throughout many years I have been privileged to travel the world and experience the amazing diversity of crabs, from the smallest to the very large. And many is the fine meal of crab I have enjoyed too, never without thinking that it was a brave fellow who first decided to eat one!
     Nothing prepared me, however, for the stunning diversity revealed in this outstanding, richly illustrated book. If ever the value of digital photography was on display, it is in this work. Crabs of every size, shape, colour and habitat are shown in glorious full colour pictures throughout. Even before you read a word of text, the pages are a visual feast.
     But read the text you must. Whether you are a complete novice to the realm of crustaceans, or a seasoned scientist, there is surely much to be learned. The book is delightfully laid out, filled with information, each section following logically from the attention-getting section that preceded it. Beginning with a first rate introduction, the chapters are organized by topic: Evolutionary Pathways, Anatomy and Physiology, Crab Ecology, Reproduction, Cognition and Behaviour, Exploitation and Conservation. Along the way numerous species are examined in detail and range maps accompany a glorious picture.
     I can barely begin to tell you how much new knowledge I have gained already, and how much is to be gleaned from subsequent readings. Each page is a compendium of facts but always presented in a lively fashion, at times with even a touch of the poetic. Let me give you an example. In describing the habitat of the Christmas Island Blind Cave Crab (totally new to me, by the way), the following eloquent words are used, "It lives in pitch-black underwater caves that intrude into the ancient limestone reefs that surround Christmas Island." There's a line worthy of a well-crafted novel. I was immediately transported to a far off place to observe one of nature's fascinating creatures.
     In addition to the colour pictures, superb coloured illustrations are used where appropriate, in the pages covering anatomy, for example.
     Before starting to write this review I took a look at the Princeton University Press web site, just to remind myself of the sheer diversity covered by so many titles over so many years. It is nothing short of meritorious.
     This book is part of a fine tradition of the exploration of natural history in all its exquisite diversity. I will enjoy it for many years to come.

Crabs: A Global Natural History
Author: Peter J.F. Davie
Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691201719
224 pages - 190+ colour photos and illustrations
8 1/4 x 9 1/5 inches (20.625 x 23 cm)
Publication date: 7 December 2021
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

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

44 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    I find crabs as fascinating as spiders; you've given another to be added to the wish list!!! YAM xx

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  2. The cover picture is fabulous. Crabs and spiders freak me out! Although I have enjoyed crab meat from time to time! Have a wonderful day, hugs, Valerie

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  3. It sounds wonderful. There is sooooo much to learn - and to marvel at. Don't get me started on the atrocities our government is using Christmas Island for though.

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    1. Yes, Australia does not have a proud record there.

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  4. Love to watch them and love to eat them. Actually just reading that sentence back I feel I shouldn't be mentioning their place on the dinner plate.

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  5. I started off reading your review of this book, David, with the view that this definitely would not be one for me as (as I have said a few times before!) you can not get much further from the sea in UK than we are. However, I have found a crab half way up a mountain in the Peloponnisos, Greece. By the end of the review I found myself thinking that maybe this was one for me! I shall give it some thought.

    Best wishes - - - Richard

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    1. The great thing though, Richard, is that in your country you are nowhere especially far from the sea. For me it is about a seventeen hour drive. If if were to live in Manitoba in the centre of the country it would be a three day journey in any direction.

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    2. Yes, David. However, your Great Lakes are nearly as big as our seas and probably closer. They also make our larger lakes look like village duck ponds!

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    3. It's true Richard, they are by any standards inland seas. I can be at Lake Ontario in less than an hour and at Lake Erie or Lake Huron in about two. No crabs there though!

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  6. I wouldn't have thought there was a book on crabs. Cover, as usual, high class.

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  7. Good review, David. Great cover on the book too. Enjoy!

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  8. I've always loved watching crabs walk sideways. Especially they quickly hide if they see danger. Great review of your new book. Nice cover shot, David.

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  9. I agree that PUP does publish a wonderful diversity of natural science books and they are all, at least in my experience, quality books. This book about crabs sounds like it is in that tradition.

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  10. It's fascinating the roll that crabs and other crustaceans have in the environment. I can't image how many species their are and this sounds like a great book. Hope you're not in the path of any of these major storms moving east across the continent. Hugs-Erika

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  11. I love crabs...particularly mud crabs. Our mother used to go fishing and crabbing when my now late brother and I were kids. In the meantime, while Mum was fishing and crabbing, our Nana took us out collecting oysters!! Delicious!!! :)

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  12. Crabs are fascinating animals sometimes victims, unfortunately, of the so-called bucket torture.

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  13. I only like CraBS as in Craft Beer Braunschweig ;-)
    When I was 4 an older cousin collected crabs and ran after me.... I was scared!

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  14. I like looking at crabs as crustaceans especially the blue sea crabs, but I am very allergic to eating them and have been hospitalised a few times. The blue in the claws on the cover crab with the brown body is very attractive. I am sure the illustrations are just as attractive.

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  15. Nice review. So much to learn about so many things!

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  16. Hi David - I always love your reviews especially as they're always so enticing - I still would like to get the dinosaur one, but then of course up cometh 'crabs' ... it looks a wonderful book - continue to enjoy your read through. Cheers Hilary

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  17. Gran reseña amigo mío, la portada ya habla por si sola, es maravillosa.
    Un gran abrazo profesor David de tu siempre amigo y compadre español Juan.

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  18. I love all the different crabs here and have enjoyed learning about them. So many birds seem to like them and amazingly they come in all sizes for the different birds. It amazes me how quick they are to nab them because if you’ve ever tried to catch one yourself, well it’s nearly impossible. I will look for this book — although I doubt our pathetic library will have it!

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  19. Hermit crabs, sand crabs, land crabs -- we have so many here, and I know so little about them. (Except that they are very tasty!) I recently found one sitting in a mud flat puddle, blowing bubbles, just like a child with bubble solution. I still haven't figured that one out, but I'm sure this book would give me the answer.

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    1. You are fortunate to have so many crabs around you, Linda.

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  20. Nice review! I have never seen a crab in real life, except you know, those condemned to the dinner plate. Your post just reminded me of crawfish. Alex and I used to go fishing and we'd search for crawfish in the lakes and streams.

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  21. I really enjoyed this review, David. I've never seen a real crab and the meat they call crab in a crab salad isn't really crab. I thought this was a great reminder of how important crabs are in the environment, too.

    I also LOVED your post on the bald eagle. I've only seen one at our zoo, a place they should never be.

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  22. A hole book about crabs... I love people going all in. The photo on the book is beautiful.

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  23. El libro tiene que ser precioso. Gracias y abrazos.

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  24. The cover is so beautifully striking! David, you have a way of describing books that make me want to read them, even if it's a subject I never thought I would have found interesting!

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  25. WOW!
    The cover is STUNNING.

    All the best Jan

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  26. Growing up on Florida's Gulf coast we often caught crabs for fish bait as well as for eating. As kids, we caught fiddler and hermit crabs. As you mention, David, traveling opened out eyes to the incredible diversity of crabs in the world.

    This book looks incredibly fascinating!

    Full confession. The cover illustration has me planning for crab gumbo.

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