We are asked ‘Have you ever wondered what entomologists do?‘ and I have, and I enjoyed finding out what this eminent entomologist (a vice-president of the Royal Entomological Society) has done. It seems to me, he has had a lot of fun and his enthusiasm is infectious.
But his main field of research has actually been spiders and he writes with enthusiasm about them too. In fact, he writes with enthusiasm about many things including eating insects as a sensible contribution to feeding the world and also about the people he has met, many of them fellow scientists, across many continents.
The first chapter is about butterflies and moths, and is well chosen to get many readers hooked on the author’s narrative through some familiar and not too weird creatures. Dragonflies are next and then it’s time to unleash the spiders before getting to flies, beetles, grasshoppers etc. Insects as food and insects and art have later chapters.
This book will appeal to a much greater audience than fellow invertebrate enthusiasts because it is so well and lightly written whilst carrying some important messages amidst some cracking stories.
The cover? Yes, I like it and it’s a good hint to what the book deals with. I’d give it 8/10.
Small Game Hunter by Paul Smithers is published by Brambleby Books.
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