Despite appearing to prove that readers can now only cope with information presented in bite-sized pieces, The Nature Magpie is billed as a"‘cornucopia", so it fulfils that function admirably, being packed with fascinating snippets about nature.
Daniel Allen is a writer, scholar and fellow of the Royal Geographic Society so he knows his stuff and has compiled an eclectic mix of humorous and historical, scientific and anecdotal, facts and fiction presented, to my mind, in no particular order. This is not a criticism once you resign yourself to going with the flow.
The Nature Magpie trips merrily between the financial implications of introducing "alien" species to exploring the ways different creatures react to danger. From showing how to correctly identify the footprints of a diverse selection of creatures to presenting the numbers of earthquake casualties around the world.
This is not a work of reference, simply an engaging and entertaining book that you can dip in and out of. Invaluable to those who squirrel away scraps of information to amaze at dinner parties, it’s also ideal for parents to share with inquisitive children. If these children are then prompted to wish to learn more about the world around them, The Nature Magpie has achieved a vital objective. Or, you can simply choose to be entertained and amazed for a brief period in the company of otters, Charles Darwin, courageous pets, consumers of roadkill and others.
PWT rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Published by Icon Books, The Nature Magpie: A Cornucopia of Facts, Anecdotes, Folklore and Literature from the Natural World