One of the common reactions to the book reviews I publish here on my blog is the wish that the work was available in translation; not everyone can read English well, especially a book dealing with a technical subject.
I am happy to report that some of the works of Dr. Jürgen Tautz, a remarkable expert on bees, and a writer who is capable of conveying complex information in a very readable style, have been made available in French and Polish. I hold Jürgen in the highest esteem and it pleases me greatly that wider access to his books is now available.
I say without hyperbole that one of the most important works I have reviewed - ever (Communication Between Honeybees) - is now available in both French and Polish.
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Furthermore, an earlier collaboration between Ingo Arndt and Jürgen Tautz (Wild Honey Bees - An Intimate Portrait) is now accessible to a French audience.
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The photographs alone in this book will stun you! Their complex beauty is an admission ticket to the inner workings of the life of wild bees, in details never before revealed.
A couple of other works are available to a French audience too, but these are works that I have not reviewed. A Tautz book, however, is an imprimatur of excellence; I have no doubts about making that assertion sight unseen.
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As the world plunges headlong into war after war, and political expediency and deceit cause our stomachs to churn, it is good to acknowledge that there remains some sanity in the world. Books are being translated and widely disseminated, not banned.
Imagine that!
Querido David me encantaría poder leer este libro, nosotros tenemos alguna colmena y nos encantan las abejas, son insectos maravillosos. Un enorme abrazo para ti y para Miriam.
ReplyDeleteAnd imagine that those books are about bees. :) Mine are still holding on. It's been too chilly to open the hive, but yesterday I could hear the buzzing inside. :) Of course, we haven't had really cold weather yet either. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteYou would enjoy the works of Dr. Tautz, Erika, and learn a great deal too.
DeleteI wonder what we English speakers in North America are missing because we generally read only one language fluently! Clearly, English has taken over science as its international language, but perhaps that's too narrow a view. Technical papers with a limited audience of fellow-reserachers are all in English now (or they go unnoticed) but works for interested and committed citizens might be worth knowing about.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I am not sure that your statement about technical and scientific papers not in English go unnoticed is true. Jürgen Tautz, for example, is an internationally acclaimed bee scientist and his papers are all initially written and published in German, and are subsequently translated. From my personal experience I know of one French scientist who always writes his paper in his own language, and would be uncomfortable doing otherwise. Doubtless, there are many others.
DeleteMaybe the English-mainly situation is limited to the STEM fields that I’m more familiar with, rather than biology and ecology, which I only know in popularizations. Interesting.
Delete...life would be bleak without bees.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Tom. And would also add life would be bleak without books. Insupportably bleak in both cases.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking for myself, life without books would barely be life at all.
DeleteThe cover of Abeille is stunning. Is Dr. Jürgen Tautz a German?
ReplyDeleteDr. Tautz is a German, yes.
DeleteWe do need bees and how wonderful that books are being translated more and more into other languages..so helpful.
ReplyDeleteWe do need bees and that simple should never be underestimated, but we also need to recognize (and cherish) that they are part of life on Earth, no less than us, and deserve our admiration and respect based on that premise alone.
DeleteI think this is a good book.
ReplyDeleteMy English is not good, but neither is French or Polish.
So I can't read those books.
I wish you a beautiful Sunday.
Greetings Irma
the photo of the bee in the middle of the hive is amazing and I could not stop staring at it. wow! one of my long time blog friends is a bee keeper, she and her DIL. I have learned a lot about bees from her blog. you are right about the photos being enough. my brother is just like you, he made the walls of his dining room into a library because his 3rd BR library was full. he travels in books, while you travel and travel in books.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know your brother, but I like him already!
DeleteExcellent! So important to share information as widely as possible. And yes, making more books more accessible to more people is definitely the way to go.
ReplyDeleteTranslation into other languages is such an admirable thing, especially when one considers the international crisis that the insect population is suffering. However, I cannot help but ponder how accurate that translation process might be when the proof-reading process of a book in the native language of the author is so imperfect in many cases.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard
One can only hope for accuracy, Richard, but the wider that information is disemminated the better, and concern for bees perhaps reaches a wider audience.
DeleteEnglish is not so easy to read for me either. Norwegian is a very small language, so it is not expected that so many
ReplyDeletebooks are translated into it. I have a book about bees in English and I gave up after reading half the book. In any case, it is important to focus on bees, and what we must do for them to survive, David. Hugs and kisses, Marit
I am sure that the small market for books in Norwegian means that many good works are not available, Marit. Kudos to you for trying to wade through a book in English.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to have this book, providing more information about bees. Thanks for sharing!
Have a great new week!
Hi David - I too travel via books now ... vicarious living very happily ... but I remember the Waggle Dance hitting the airwaves and tv screens back 15 years ago. So glad to know about the translations ... we're so lucky to be brought up as English/ American/ Canadian/ Australian speakers ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI hope Erika sees this post! Isn't it wonderful to know that this is now available for other languages?
ReplyDeleteI borrowed Wild Honey Bees last night. Ebook format. I was ready to get the French version, but it seems TPL doesn't have it yet. I will have to go to a branch and get more info. The Toronto Public Library system has been having a lot of problems since November due to a "ransomware attack".
ReplyDeleteKudos to you, Catarina.
DeleteBees are so important to us. It is great that this book is published in different languages so more people will have access.
ReplyDeleteBees deserve to be loved and also to have dedicated books.
ReplyDeleteHello David :=)
ReplyDeleteJust the book covers are works of art and catch our attention immediately. That the content written by such an eminent scientist can now reach a wider audience is wonderful news. Communication via reading is a pleasure I enjoy especially now I'm on my own. One is never alone reading a good book, and "Communication Between Honey Bees will make fascinating reading. and is now on my Christmas list.
Thank you for your excellent review David.
Hugs and xxxxxx
The book cover photo is absolutely stunning! Thank you for sharing the information on this book. I found it very interesting.
ReplyDeleteBees are important and so too are books :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Mal nos iría si las abejas desaparecieran, dependemos de ellas. Gracias a su polinización son muchos alimentos que podemos consumir. Esperemos poder seguir viéndolas.
ReplyDeleteOs deseo una buena semana.
Un abrazo.
It looks like a very interesting book!...I love bees!.......Abrazotes, Marcela
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteBooks must be disseminated widely, because they are knowledge for everyone.
I follow your blog.
greetings from Indonesia
Bees are indeed very crucial and even if I will not read this book, it is good that it will be available for others. Every time I have a cup of tea with a honey, I must remember to thank a bee.
ReplyDeleteFantástico libro, me encantaría que lo pudieran publicar en algún otro idioma más y así aprender del maravilloso mundo de las abejas.
ReplyDeleteMuchos besos y abrazos.
Well, after all, life as we know it would not exist without bees. They are the essential element.
ReplyDeleteMy step daughter has bee hives..I will point her in the direction of this book..
ReplyDeleteToday I ordered this book, as soon as I read it, I will write a few words with great pleasure.
ReplyDeleteUna pena que no esté en español. El libro me parece precioso. Besos.
ReplyDelete