{"product_id":"9781408816981","title":"The Naming of the Shrew : A Curious History of Latin Names","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe Naming of the Shrew\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): John Wright\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eLatin names--frequently unpronounceable, all too often wrong and always a tiny puzzle to unravel--have been annoying the layman since they first became formalized as scientific terms in the eighteenth century. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy on earth has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named \u003ci\u003eScalopus aquaticus\u003c\/i\u003e, or the Oxford Ragwort been called \u003ci\u003eSenecio squalidus\u003c\/i\u003e--'dirty old man'? What were naturalists thinking when they called a beetle \u003ci\u003eAgra katewinsletae\u003c\/i\u003e, a genus of fish \u003ci\u003eBatman\u003c\/i\u003e, and a Trilobite \u003ci\u003eHan solo\u003c\/i\u003e? Why is zoology replete with names such as \u003ci\u003eChloris chloris chloris\u003c\/i\u003e (the greenfinch), and \u003ci\u003eGorilla gorilla gorilla\u003c\/i\u003e (a species of, well gorilla)?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Naming of the Shrew\u003c\/i\u003e will unveil these mysteries, exploring the history, celebrating their poetic nature and revealing how naturalists sometimes get things so terribly wrong. With wonderfully witty style and captivating narrative, this book will make you see Latin names in a whole new light.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Who would have thought that a book about Latin names could be quite so compelling!!\" —Alan Titchmarsh\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Brims with verbal curiosities.\" —\u003ci\u003eNature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Nature writing at its best: insightful, entertaining and often very funny.\" —\u003ci\u003eBritish Wildlife\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I have not fully recovered from the discovery that the proper Latin name of the western lowland gorilla is Gorilla gorilla gorilla.\" —\u003ci\u003eIndependent on Sunday\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Weird and wonderful.\" —\u003ci\u003eSunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Charming.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Lady\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The pleasure of Wright’s book is the contrast between the rigour required for giving names and the careless minds and mischievous humour of those who devise them.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Fascinating and funny.\" —\u003ci\u003eBBC Countrylife\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Erudite but whimsical . . . a book as charming as it is wise.\" —\u003ci\u003eIrish Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A great read.\" —\u003ci\u003eGrow Your Own\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781408816981\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40596708327630,"sku":"9781408816981","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_9916ce7c-4ad0-49bd-b905-86bc1e5ab2fc.jpg?v=1637864744","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781408816981","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}