I am very proud of CFZ Press, but I shall go to my grave disappointed. Because we have been pipped at the post by the RSPB for the award (which I have just made up) of `best title of the year`. How can we beat this? I wish we had published a book with this magnificent title.
It is a sad fact of life these days that most undergraduate practical lessons have a large component of the carefully rigged to make sure it works element in them. Indeed, I have known lab technicians to over-collect animals like sea anemones then spend hours before the lesson auditioning these animals to make sure they all behave in textbook perfect ways (conversely there is the spoof exhibit a marine biologist by the name of Dr John Fish uses in his undergrad lessons, to keep the students awake, if not alert).
ReplyDeleteIn the realm of these experiments, the humble woodlouse stands head and shoulders above all competition in that it ALWAYS behaves like the textbooks say it should. For this reason said small but magnificent crustaceans will forever have a small but vital role in biology education.
Don't be downhearted about it Jon. You must remember that in the CFZ there is one (possibly underpaid) person for every dozen jobs that need doing, including dreaning up book titles. On the other hand, the RSPB (like most charities) they will have a dozen overpaid staff to do each job.
ReplyDeleteI gave up my RSPB membership many years ago, when I found out how they waste members subscriptions.