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Product Details
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Picador; First Edition edition (April 29, 2014)
Goulson writes well and clearly. His account of what we know about bumblebees is conversational and enlivened by lots of pleasant stories from his own life and that of his students and colleagues. An easy book to read. Plenty of advice, too, about how to help bumblebees survive and thrive in your garden or neighborhood.
A few small caveats: surprisingly, there are occasional inaccuracies in the science when topics other than bumblebees are mentioned. Secondly, there's a lot of great bumblebee research around the world but Goulson is very focused on studies done in the U.K. and Europe.
If you like books that mix nature, science, and good storytelling and give you the broader view of all the tens of thousands of bee species on the Earth, try Laurence Packer's "Keeping the Bees", which I think is even better written. Keeping Bees Laurence Packer
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The book took a while to arrive - coming from overseas- as one might expect. Was packed very well, almost too well. No damage at all what so ever to the book in shipping. I love the book. Very well written and informative! Some of his stories are very funny, they caought me off gurad! Am reading it now and actually taking notes and underlining in the book. I plan on including this book as a resource to teach others about our native bees. Well worth the wait. Terrific author!! Thank-you!!
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I just read this book and found it very interesting.
It is good to see a book that is not just parroting the party line on Colony Collapse Disorder etc. and shows that there are both pros and cons to introducing bees.
It is a pity the book is slightly marred by some inaccuracies that undermine the credibility of a scientist. For example, there are no foxes in New Zealand.
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An absolutely fantastic read, easy, informative and lots of fun - want to discover more and more about the World of Bees. It was a page-turner as much as any novel. Goulson has great ability to share technical knowledge with the less-informed in a way that is interesting, amusing and totally unpatronising. Great book!
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I received this book as part of the Goodreads first-reads program, for review purposes. Dave Goulson is the founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. This book, his first, is an indepth study of the life of bees, conservation and ecological impact of the many varieties of bees worldwide. Published by Picador, this book is a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize. Dave lives in the UK and is now a Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Stirling. He has won several awards for his work with bees and has a property in France where he is running further experiments on the ecological effect of native plants on bee habitats. There, the introduction is finished and I can rave about this book now. I didn't know what to expect with this book. I grew up on a farm, bees were everywhere I looked. One of my children is deadly allergic to them so we avoid them when possible. Perhaps the two points of views are, in retrospect, why I chose to try to get this book. It held my interest until the end. The tale of the decline of bees worldwide, the impact they have on our food supply, and the thoughts of a man hightailing it to chase a single bee just because it is a rare species was delightful. I have been given a rare, insightful glimpse into the world of the common and not so common bee. It will stick with me for a long time and I think this may be the author's intent. When we as consumers think about where our next meal comes from we then will be more mindful when we wander in our our gardens, along the hedgerows or in my case, the desert. How can we conserve these fine and unique, God created creatures.Read more ›
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This book tells the tale of a passionate scientist that embarked on a quest to save the little things of this world that are so very important, yet overlooked by so many. Professor Goulson has a brilliant mind that manages to translate expert scientific knowledge into an unescapably captivating story for absolutely anyone (you don’t need any previous knowledge on bees or science in general to enjoy this book)! ‘A Sting in the Tale’ is a delightful piece of literature with amazing stories that will make you laugh on multiple occasions! The author delivers a perfect composition of fascinating information about bumblebees, important messages on conservation issues, and personal experiences that depict the process of scientific research from an entertaining and adventurous perspective. It is not just a good read, but also helps to raise awareness of a range of problems that need to be addressed. Enthusiastic people like Dave Goulson who strive to save the beauty of the natural world should be supported in every possible way! In saying that, ‘A Sting in the Tale’ makes a great gift too if you want to help ‘spread the word’!
It is truly difficult to stop reading once you start - I absolutely loved this book and I cannot recommend it highly enough! Excitingly, I have heard that the sequel called ‘A Buzz in the Meadow’ will be released in September - I cannot wait to get my hands on it!
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This item: A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees
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