The Naming of the Shrew: A Curious History of Latin Names by John Wright (Englis

Description: The Naming of the Shrew by John Wright Latin names - frequently unpronounceable, all too often wrong and always a tiny puzzle to unravel - have been annoying the layman since they first became formalised as scientific terms in the eighteenth century. Why on earth has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named Scalopus aquaticus, or the Oxford Ragwort been called Senecio squalidus - dirty old man? What were naturalists thinking when they called a beetle Agra katewinsletae, a genus of fish Batman, and a Trilobite Han solo? Why is zoology replete with names such as Chloris chloris chloris (the greenfinch), and Gorilla gorilla gorilla (a species of, well gorilla)? The Naming of the Shrew will unveil these mysteries, exploring the history, celebrating their poetic nature and revealing how naturalists sometimes get things so terribly wrong. With wonderfully witty style and captivating narrative, this book will make you see Latin names in a whole new light. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Latin names – frequently unpronounceable, all too often wrong and always a tiny puzzle to unravel – have been annoying the layman since they first became formalised as scientific terms in the eighteenth century.Why on earth has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named Scalopus aquaticus, or the Oxford Ragwort been called Senecio squalidus – dirty old man? What were naturalists thinking when they called a beetle Agra katewinsletae, a genus of fish Batman, and a Trilobite Han solo? Why is zoology replete with names such as Chloris chloris chloris (the greenfinch), and Gorilla gorilla gorilla (a species of, well gorilla)?The Naming of the Shrew will unveil these mysteries, exploring the history, celebrating their poetic nature and revealing how naturalists sometimes get things so terribly wrong. With wonderfully witty style and captivating narrative, this book will make you see Latin names in a whole new light. Notes A witty tribute to the history, construction and joyousness of the Latin names that describe our natural world. For fans of QI. Author Biography John Wright is a passionate natural historian and the author of the River Cottage Handbooks Mushrooms, Edible Seashore, Hedgerow and Booze. As well as writing for national publications, he often appears on the River Cottage series for Channel 4. He gives lectures on natural history and every year he takes around fifty forays showing people how to collect food - plants from the hedgerow, seaweeds and shellfish from the shore and mushrooms from pasture and wood. Over a period of twenty years he has taken around five hundred such forays. Fungi are his greatest passion and he has thirty-five years experience in studying them. John Wright is a member of the British Mycological Society and a Fellow of the Linnaean Society. He lives in rural West Dorset with his wife and two teenage daughters.@johnmushroom / www.wild-food.net Review Who would have thought that a book about Latin names could be quite so compelling!! * Alan Titchmarsh *Brims with verbal curiosities * Nature *Nature writing at its best: insightful, entertaining and often very funny * British Wildlife *I have not fully recovered from the discovery that the proper Latin name of the western lowland gorilla is Gorilla gorilla gorilla * Independent on Sunday *Weird and wonderful * Sunday Telegraph *Charming * The Lady *The pleasure of Wrights book is the contrast between the rigour required for giving names and the careless minds and mischievous humour of those who devise them * The Times *Fascinating and funny * BBC Countrylife *Erudite but whimsical ... a book as charming as it is wise * Irish Examiner *A great read * Grow Your Own * Promotional A witty tribute to the history, construction and joyousness of the Latin names that describe our natural world Promotional "Headline" A witty tribute to the history, construction and joyousness of the Latin names that describe our natural world Feature The first book on the market that offers a humorous take on the fascinating stories behind Latin names Details ISBN1408865556 Year 2015 ISBN-10 1408865556 ISBN-13 9781408865552 Format Paperback Author John Wright Pages 320 Media Book Publication Date 2015-10-08 Short Title The Naming of the Shrew Language English Subtitle A Curious History of Latin Names UK Release Date 2015-10-08 Imprint Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom Illustrations B&W AU Release Date 2015-10-08 NZ Release Date 2015-10-08 Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC DEWEY 472 Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:95449061;

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