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Published Jul 2018
368 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
From the author of Bird Sense, a biography of Francis Willughby, the man who pulled the study of birds out of the dark ages and formed the foundations of modern ornithology.
Francis Willughby lived and thrived in the midst of the rapidly accelerating scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. Traveling with his Cambridge tutor John Ray, they decided to overhaul the whole of natural history by imposing order on its messiness and complexity. It was exhilarating, exacting, and exhausting work. Yet before their first book, Ornithology, could be completed, Willughby died in 1672. Since then, Ray's reputation has grown, obscuring that of his collaborator. Now, for the first time, Willughby's story and genius are given the attention they deserve.
In his too-short life, Francis Willughby helped found the Royal Society, differentiated birds through identification of their distinguishing features, and asked questions that were, in some cases, centuries ahead of their time. His discoveries and his approach to his work continue to be relevant - and revelatory - today. Tim Birkhead describes and celebrates how Willughby's endeavors set a standard for the way birds - and indeed the whole of natural history - should be studied. Rich with glorious detail, The Wonderful Mr Willughby is at once a fascinating insight into a thrilling period of scientific history and an authoritative, lively biography of one of its legendary pioneers.
"Starred Review. Bird lovers and fans of well-written science history will love this revelatory and intoxicating biography." - Kirkus
"Though at times the details become a bit dense, Birkhead has produced an enjoyable and informative piece of scholarship, with ample appeal for bird-watching or nature-enthusiast layreaders as well." - Publishers Weekly
"In spite of Willughby's short life, Birkhead ably constructs a full time line of his influence on modern science. For readers, especially ornithologists, with deep interests in natural history and the history of science." - Library Journal
This information about The Wonderful Mr Willughby was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tim Birkhead is a professor at the University of Sheffield where he teaches animal behavior and the history of science. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and his research has taken him all over the world in the quest to understand the lives of birds. He has written for the Independent, New Scientist, BBC Wildlife, and is author of several books, most recently Bird Sense and The Most Perfect Thing. He is married with three children and lives in Sheffield, England.
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