Very pleased to be second

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I’ve got a lovely certificate to hang on the office wall: Inglorious was the second choice in the BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year for 2015.  Woohoo!

I notice that the judges say ‘Not all will agree with the conclusion…’, although my thought is ‘give it time and they will!’, but I was, of course delighted to note that they went on ‘…but few will fail to be impressed with the lucidity and erudition of the case being made.’. I’m sure the Moorland Association are impressed beyond expression by Inglorious!

Coming second to one of my favourite books of the year makes it even better. Congratulations to Prof Nick Davies FRS for winning this title with Cuckoo – cheating by nature. Now that really is a place to find lucidity and erudition.

The third, fourth and fifth books in the list have all been reviewed here too – but you should find out what they were by subscribing to BB.

 

 

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6 Replies to “Very pleased to be second”

  1. Congratulations.
    Also by Davies is ‘Dunnock Behaviour and Social Evolution’ This monograph is very well written and illustrated. It is a breathtakingly detailed study using an astonishing amount of experimental and field observations.
    Amongst its many revelations is one that has caught the imagination across the birdwatching world: the dunnock is probably the most promiscuous of all British birds.
    I’ve not read his Cuckoo book but if the above is anything to go by, it will be another academic masterpiece.

  2. Well done Mark! Given the very high standard of many wildlife orientated books coming out now (and I have to say they are much better than some of the old ‘classics’) absolutely brilliant it came second. I’ve read Inglorious of course which encourages me to read ‘Cuckoo – Cheating by Nature’, it must be awesome.

  3. Many congratulations Mark. Very hard and slightly unfair comparison for a tremendously worthy award. “Inglorious” is a masterful presentation of the case for the Hen Harrier, but I have to say I consider Nick Davies’ “Cuckoo…” to be a veritable masterpiece representing a lifetime of meticulous study.

  4. I must read the cuckoo and dunnock books now. This is a great joy of life — finding out new stuff. INGLORIOUS contained science but was more. It was also a well-argued political tract and no counter arguments have yet surfaced. Is a grouse-shooter, suitably qualified with a degree in biology, currently working on a book called GLORIOUS?

    Is there a grouse-shooter anywhere with a degree in biology? Or a degree?

    Marvellous to hear it has an award. Old Birder

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