Penguin

Description

From the Linux logo to The March of the Penguins, a certain tuxedo-adorned member of the animal kingdom has perpetually captured our hearts and imaginations. Stephen Martin regales us here with the cultural history of the penguin, revealing many fascinating and little-known facts about this beloved bird. Over twenty species of penguins can be found in the Galapagos Islands and New Zealand as well as in Antarctica, and range from the Little Bee Penguin at about 1 kg to the imposing Emperor Penguin, which can weigh in at over 34 kgs. Martin details the biological facts and natural history of each species, including their evolution, habitats, diet and behaviour, but he also combs through cultural history to chronicle the role of penguins in popular culture and thought from children's literature such as "Mr Popper's Penguins" to "Batman"'s nemesis to films and television shows including "Happy Feet" and 'Pingu". Over one hundred images of penguins enrich Martin's engaging text as well. A captivating and readable natural history, "Penguin" will be an essential addition to the bookshelves of penguin fans everywhere.

Stephen Martin is currently a Senior Project Officer at the State Library of New South Wales, Australia. He has published many books and articles on Australian and Antarctic history, including A History of Antarctica (1996)and The Whales' Journey: A Year in the Life of a Humpback Whale and A Century in the History of Whaling (2001).

'early explorers killed penguins for food and oil, but now penguins are regarded with protective interest and affection. Penguin [is] a high-quality, fully illustrated paperback by Stephen Martin. He considers both the natural and the cultural history' - Church Times 'a welcome addition to the expanding catalog of penguin products ... Martin shows us just how old and enduring our fascination with the birds really is.' - The Quarterly Review of Biology 'Penguin is a book for all penguin people - it covers much ground and provides a background explanation of the anthropomorphic view of penguins held by most people - even by some who work with them' - Emu-Austral Ornithology