Disclaimer! Princeton Publishing provided the copies for review!
Cover: Wandering Glider
These are two totally separate books, but they're also two sides to the same coin. Why not double the bang for your buck - and see my reviews for each below?!
Cover: Roseate Skimmer above a Carmine Skimmer.
Dragonflies and Damselflies (of the East) (of the West)
The skinny:
East -
Price listed on book - US $29.95
Author - Dennis PaulsonPages - 538
Size - 8.5"x5.5" - and over an inch thick, they're pretty solid little books.
Species covered - ALL 336 eastern species!!!!!!
Range maps for every species!
Photographs - 675!!!
West -
Price listed on book - US $29.95
Author - Dennis Paulson
Pages - 535Size - 8.5"x5.5" - and over an inch thick, they're pretty solid little books.
Species covered - ALL 348 western species!!!!!!
Range maps for every species!
Photographs - 896!!!
I had heard nothing but good things about these new ode books. I thought I'd give them a look over. Long story short - they're AMAZING.
(small sample images/text)
Here we have it folks... THEE definitive guide(s) for North American Odonata. The back cover says it all:
"Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East/West are the first fully illustrated field guide to all 336/348 species of dragonflies and damselflies in eastern/western North America. Dragonflies and Damselflies are large, stunningly beautiful insects, as readily observable as birds and butterflies"
Odes (Odonata - dragons and damsels) are pretty freakin awesome -and a major source of enjoyment for me when I'm out and about in the warmer months. I love'em! But they're also a fairly new group on the natural history scene in North America. A major problem has always been a lack of information available to those interested. In recent times there have been some MASSIVE improvements on that front - with stunning guides like the Algonquin Ode Guide - or Ed Lam's damsels of the northeast (which is freakin amazing)... But they have always been limited in scope.
These two bad boys I'm detailing here are an INCREDIBLE source of information that was poorly available to all odes in Canada and the USA. Future generations - who have these guides available at a young age - will be lightyears ahead of naturalists today who enjoy odes as a casual hobby.
Who should buy this book? - Every naturalist out there...
I often include this segment in my book reviews. I would highly recommend this book(s) to any naturalist anywhere in North America. Odes are awesome creatures. Both visually - and life history. The photographs alone are stunning - but the comprehensive nature of the book will really tickle your fancy.
Cinnamon Shadowdragon?
Acuminate Snaketail?
Cherry Bluet?
Amazon Darner?
Metallic Pennant?
Antillean Skimmer?
Hyacinth Glider?
Aztec Dancer?
Belle's Sanddragon?
Tropical Sprite?
You could have this book(s) in your posession right now! You don't even have to be an active ode person - you could leave it at your desk - or bathroom - or wherever you may casually flip through a few pages of a book. Ode's are freakin amazing, and this is very much a book you will want to have in your collection. The material online to sell the book is pretty limited, so instead I'll dip into my own photo collection - just to remind you how beautiful and awesome odes are:
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If you end up getting hooked on odes after picking up this awesome guide, don't forget there is a small but excited bunch of us who have joined "Ont-Odes" - a provincial google group for anyone and everyone who enjoys odes in Ontario! (Mainly a sightings board, but all discussion on odes is welcome).
Things are slow in the winter, but are poised to pick up soon! - check it out here:
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