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“Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge.” – Stephen Hawking
Chamber’s Dictionary defines science as “knowledge ascertained by observation and experiment, critically tested, systematised and brought under general principals…” The written or printed word has been the vehicle of scientific theory since man first started delving into the wonders of the universe and Country House Library is rightly proud of our extensive collection of science books covering a multitude of scientific disciplines. Whether you’re a practicing scientist or an interested hobbyist, we have something for all levels of understanding and budgets.
The ‘David Attenborough’ of his day, author of this wartime publication, Harold Munro Fox, was a noted British zoologist, Fellow of the Royal Society, and winner of the Darwin medal in 1966. Studies in personality in animals often examine traits such as aggressiveness, wariness of anything new, courage, inquisitiveness and tendency to socialise. Many of us will have recognised different personality types even among our pets. This vintage book on animal behaviour will make an attractive and educating addition to any home scientific library.
The author of this 1938 publication from Pelican, James William Navin Sullivan (1886 – 1937) was a well-known science writer and literary journalist who counted among his many 1920’s, erudite writing friends the likes of Aldous Huxley, Wyndham Lewis and T. S. Eliot. As Sullivan’s mathematical ability was on a similar level to Einstein’s, together with this journalistic training, he was able to communicate the principals of relatively in non-technical language. As editor of the leading literary magazine of the time, The Athenaeum, Sullivan was also quick to recognise the philosophical implications of the new physical sciences. This book examines some of those deep existentialist questions that still perplex humanity to this day.
The ‘excursion’ in the title of this comprehensive book on British flora refers particularly to the requirements of upper school and university students taking botany as degree subject, and the flora they are most likely to encounter on an educational ‘excursion’ in lowland areas and field centres. Ideal not only for the student, but for all the amateur botanists out there, or for anyone who loves to lose themselves in the minutiae of the natural sciences.
This was the third book in the Conservation series, 727, and the first book in the series to feature the newly designed illustration and cover style. It was one of only two books to be written (or co-written) by Ladybird’s editorial director Douglas Keen. Creatively illustrated by Pat Oakley, these books were ahead of their time with their focus on the dangers of neglecting our environment - a topic close to the heart of Keen. Filled with warnings about the need to take action on the environment, the series came out at the time of his retirement, determined as he was that this message be emphasised before he left.
Chambers Concise 20th Century Dictionary defines physiology as “the science of the processes of life in animals and plants,” so, in the 1950’s, author Kenneth Walker, consultant surgeon and writer in philosophy, religion and sociology, would have been a natural choice for publishers Pelican, on the delicate subject of sex. The front cover proclaims, ‘A clear manual of sex, written without sentimentality, complete and dispassionate.’ Of fascinating interest, both as a book of science and history, this attractive publication will grace the home library collection.
This visually stunning 1893 publication dedicated entirely as a ‘monograph’ to the ivy plant is an unclaimed treasure from the shelves of Country House Library. The author (James) Shirley Hibberd (1825 – 1920) was the doyen of gardening writing in the Victorian years and credited with founding the huge consumer industry in amateur gardening we know today. He was also decades ahead of his time in championing environmental conservation. The book on offer is a collector’s piece offering beautiful artwork, coloured plates, wood engravings, decorative bordered pages and gilt text-block.
Another publishing ‘gem’ from the science section at Country House Library. Publishers of this 1917 work on scientific inventions, Seeley, Service & Co, were established in 1744 and ceased trading over two centuries later in 1979. During the 20th century they were second only to Longmans as the oldest surviving publishing house and enjoyed a reputation of being tasteful and refined. In 1911 the firm's offerings were described as "high-class works of art, religious, educational, and general". The decorative cover and spine of this book on offer would complement any vintage book collection.
First published in 1965, this was the 14th in the series of hardbound books produced for the American publishing conglomerate ‘Time Life’. Each of the 26 volumes explored a single aspect of the natural sciences and followed the same pattern of eight chapters of text, with each chapter followed by an illustrated picture essay. The author of this edition, René Dubos (1901 – 82) was a Pulitzer Prize winning microbiologist, pathologist and environmentalist, who’s credited with the maxim, “think globally, act locally”. After the half century since the series was first produced, much of human understanding has of course changed. In terms of this edition, there are now new strains of disease and medical advances to tackle them, but as a modern historical look at the natural sciences, this is a wonderful series for any collector.
In layman’s terms, Geomorphology is the scientific study of the shape of the Earth’s crust, and seeks to understand why landscapes look as they do, taking into account the physical, chemical or biological processes which, over the billions of years since Earth was formed, have sculpted the planet we live on. Mountains, canyons, hills, deltas, plains, swamps, glaciers, cliffs, dunes, volcanos, earthquakes etc, are all grist to the geomorphologist’s mill. The author, Armin Kohl Lobeck (1886 – 1958) was a noted American geomorphologist. He drew maps of the North African deserts in preparedness for the Allied invasion during the Second World War. This is a fascinating area of science for the expert and layman alike, with this vintage book making an ideal browsing companion.
Alongside Einstein’s theory of relativity, Charles Robert Darwin’s (1809 – 1882) theory of evolution must be one of the two most famous works in the history of science, but unlike Einstein’s discovery, understandable to some degree by the lay-person. First published in 1859, The Origin of Species convinced the scientific community and most educated members of the public (although not all) that evolution, and not divine creation, was the source of all lifeforms on Earth. This edition published in 1975 was one in the Pelican Classics series of books on the great works of science and the humanities.
Covering a wide spread of everything scientific, written by some of history’s finest enquiring minds, this selection of vintage publications represents a small specimen from the shelves of Country House Library’s science department. For the published history of man’s exploration of the world around us, just clock the link below.
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