"Pedia" Books
A fun, pocket-size A–Z treasury about sharks, featuring fascinating, little-known facts and captivating illustrations
Sharkpedia is an entertaining and enlightening celebration of sharks featuring close to 100 entries, based on the latest knowledge and enriched by original illustrations. Avoiding tired factoids, shark authority Daniel Abel gives new bite to essential information about sharks, including their adaptations as top predators, 450-million-year evolution, behavioral complexity, ecological importance, existential threats, and often sensationalized appearances in popular culture, from Jaws to Shark Week.
The notion that sharks are insatiable killing machines is a toothless myth—yet the fear of shark attacks still holds on to many people like a set of locked jaws. Sharkpedia reveals that sharks are much less to be feared—and much more interesting, complicated, and important—than many realize. Filled with compelling stories, Sharkpedia debunks shark myths (for example, that sharks are large and coastal when in fact most are small and inhabit the deep sea), describes their lives (where and how long they live, how many offspring they have, what they eat, and how their bodies function), introduces a variety of iconic and obscure species (such as the Happy Eddie Shyshark), explores our love/hate relationship with sharks, and much more.
With charming drawings by leading shark artist Marc Dando, Sharkpedia is a scientific and cultural treasure trove that will leave you with new insights about these remarkable animals. Dive in!
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
An illustrated mini-encyclopedia about the weird and wonderful world of lichens
Lichenpedia is a delightfully entertaining and beautifully illustrated A–Z treasury about the strange, obscure, and remarkable world of lichens, from their unique and essential roles in nature and the ways they are used in dyeing, brewing, and drug-making to how they have inspired writers and artists, from Henry David Thoreau to modern painters.
In 100 brief entries written in a vivid, lively style, Kay Hurley introduces key aspects of lichen biology, environmental roles, emerging uses, scientific history, and myth. She describes the variety of forms that lichens take, from leafy to filamentous to things reminiscent of skin diseases, with imaginative names like witch’s hair. She explains the surprising ways that birds and beasts—from reindeer and moose down to tiny tardigrades—use lichens, and how lichens survive in extreme environments, from deserts to Antarctica to outer space. Hurley also introduces some of the innovators who have advanced the knowledge of lichens, from the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus to today’s professional lichenologists.
With charming drawings by Susan Adele Edwards, Lichenpedia promises to put you in touch with the natural world in a new way by opening your eyes to these vital organisms, which are all around us, hidden in plain sight.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
An enchanting, fact-filled treasury for the dog lover in all of us, from A to Z
Dogpedia is your gateway into the astonishing world of dogs. Featuring dozens of alphabetical entries on topics ranging from the wonders of dog evolution to the intricate ways dogs communicate with humans and each other, this enticing, pocket-friendly collection helps you to see dogs with new eyes and celebrate the amazing tapestry of our shared existence.
Explore the remarkable interplay between humans and dogs with every turn of the page and discover how dogs have played starring roles in history, literature, and art. Immerse yourself in fun facts about dog biology and behavior, from appeasement signals and barking to counter surfing, dominance, growling, scent marking, and zoomies. Learn what fossilized poop can tell us about the history of dog domestication, how dogs in Siberia evolved adaptations to help them thrive in a frigid climate, how dogs have been weaponized for war and colonization, and why we refer to dogs as curs, mutts, and hounds. Meet famous dogs such as Argos, Balto, Boji, and Laika, and marvel at the interwoven destinies of our species and the profound impact dogs have had on our evolution, culture, and everyday lives.
With captivating drawings that bring the entries to life, Dogpedia uncovers the enigma of dogs, revealing hidden treasures behind every wagging tail.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
A fun and fact-filled A–Z treasury for the insect lover in all of us
Insectpedia introduces you to the wonders of the insect world while inviting you to make discoveries of your own. Featuring dozens of entries on topics ranging from murder hornets and the “insect apocalypse” to pioneering entomologists such as Margaret James Strickland Collins and Douglas Tallamy, this beautifully illustrated, pocket-friendly encyclopedia dispels many common myths about insects while offering new perspectives on the vital relationships we share with these incredible creatures.
This entertaining collection celebrates the long and storied history of entomology, highlights our dependence on insects for food and ecosystem services, and explains the meaning behind various entomological terms. With Eric Eaton as your guide, you will circle the globe in search of African Toktokkies and Australian beer bottle beetles, and witness the peculiar spectacle of cricket fighting in Asia. Profiles of influential figures in entomology provide insights into the curious minds that animate this extraordinarily broad field of scientific inquiry, while the book’s portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own entomological adventures may lead you.
With captivating illustrations by Amy Jean Porter, Insectpedia is an engaging blend of insect facts and folklore that will inspire anyone who delights in the marvels of nature.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
A fun and fact-filled A–Z treasury for anyone with a head on their shoulders
Neuropedia journeys into the mysteries and marvels of the three pounds of tissue between your ears—the brain. Eric Chudler takes you on a breathtaking tour of the nervous system with dozens of entries that explore the structure and function of the brain and cover topics such as the spinal cord and nerve cells, the methods of neuroscientific research, and the visionary scientists who have dedicated their lives to understanding what makes each of us who we are.
The brain has fascinated and puzzled researchers, physicians, and philosophers for thousands of years and captivated us with each new discovery. This compendium of neuroscientific wonders is brimming with facts and insights, helping us to make sense of our current understanding of the nervous system while identifying the frontiers in our knowledge that remain unexplored. Chudler guides readers through a variety of rare and common neurological disorders such as alien hand disorder, Capgras syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke, and discusses the latest brain-imaging methods used to diagnose them. He discusses neurochemicals, neurotoxins, and lifesaving drugs, and offers bold perspectives on human consciousness that enable us to better appreciate our place in nature.
With marvelous illustrations by Kelly Chudler, Neuropedia is an informative and entertaining trip into the inner world of the brain.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
A garden of geologic delights for all Earthlings
Geopedia is a trove of geologic wonders and the evocative terms that humans have devised to describe them. Featuring dozens of entries—from Acasta gneiss to Zircon—this illustrated compendium is brimming with lapidary and lexical insights that will delight rockhounds and word lovers alike.
Geoscientists are magpies for words, and with good reason. The sheer profusion of minerals, landforms, and geologic events produced by our creative planet demands an immense vocabulary to match. Marcia Bjornerud shows how this lexicon reflects not only the diversity of rocks and geologic processes but also the long history of human interactions with them.
With wit and warmth, she invites all readers to celebrate the geologic glossary—a gallimaufry of allusions to mythology, imports from diverse languages, embarrassing anachronisms, and recent neologisms. This captivating book includes cross-references at the end of each entry, inviting you to leave the alphabetic trail and meander through it like a river. Its pocket-friendly size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own geologic forays may lead you.
With whimsical illustrations by Haley Hagerman, Geopedia is a mix of engaging and entertaining facts about how the earth works, how it has coevolved with life over billions of years, and how our understanding of the planet has deepened over time.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
An illuminating and entertaining collection of dinosaur facts, from A to Z
Dinopedia is an illustrated, pocket-friendly encyclopedia of all things dinosaurian. Featuring dozens of entries on topics ranging from hadrosaur nesting colonies to modern fossil hunters and paleontologists such as Halszka Osmólska and Paul Sereno, this amazing A–Z compendium is brimming with facts about these thrilling, complex, and sophisticated animals.
Almost everything we know about dinosaurs has changed in recent decades. A scientific revolution, kick-started in the late 1960s by astounding new discoveries and a succession of new ideas, has shown that these magnificent creatures were marvels of evolution that surpassed modern reptiles and mammals in size, athletic abilities, and more. Darren Naish sheds invaluable light on our current, fast-changing understanding of dinosaur diversity and evolutionary history, and discusses the cultural impacts of dinosaurs through books, magazines, and movies. Naish also shows how our emerging view of these animals is very much a human story about ambition and competing egos, revealing that controversy and disagreement are commonplace in the vigorous field of dinosaur studies.
With a wealth of original illustrations by the author, Dinopedia is an informative and entertaining collection of lore for the dinosaur lover in all of us.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
A captivating A–Z treasury about birds and birding
Birdpedia is an engaging illustrated compendium of bird facts and birding lore. Featuring nearly 200 entries—on topics ranging from plumage and migration to birds in art, literature, and folklore—this enticing collection is brimming with wisdom and wit about all things avian.
Christopher Leahy sheds light on "hawk-watching," "twitching," and other rituals from the sometimes mystifying world of birding that entail a good deal more than their names imply. He explains what kind of bird's nests you can eat, why mocking birds mock, and many other curiosities that have induced otherwise sane people to peer into treetops using outrageously expensive optical equipment. Leahy shares illuminating insights about pioneering ornithologists such as John James Audubon and Florence Bailey, and describes unique bird behaviors such as anting, caching, duetting, and mobbing. He discusses avian fossils, the colloquial naming of birds, the science and history of ornithology, and more. The book's convenient size makes it the perfect traveling companion to take along on your own avian adventures.
With charming illustrations by Abby McBride, Birdpedia is a marvelous mix of fact and fancy that is certain to delight seasoned birders and armchair naturalists alike.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
A delightful illustrated treasury of botanical facts and fancy
Florapedia is an eclectic A–Z compendium of botanical lore. With more than 100 enticing entries—on topics ranging from achlorophyllous plants that use a fungus as an intermediary to obtain nutrients from other plants to zygomorphic flowers that admit only the most select pollinators—this collection is a captivating journey into the realm of botany.
Writing in her incomparably engaging style, Carol Gracie discusses remarkable plants from around the globe, botanical art and artists, early botanical explorers, ethnobotanical uses of plants, botanical classification and terminology, the role of plants in history, and more. She shares illuminating facts about van Gogh's sunflowers and reveals how a hallucinogenic weed left its enduring mark on the early history of the Jamestown colony. Gracie describes the travels of John and William Bartram—father and son botanists and explorers who roamed widely in early America in search of plants—and delves into the miniature ecosystems entangled in Spanish moss. The book's convenient size allows for it to be tucked into a pocket or bag, making it the perfect companion on your own travels.
With charming drawings by Amy Jean Porter, Florapedia is the ideal gift book for the plant enthusiast in your life and a rare pleasure for anyone interested in botanical art, history, medicine, or exploration.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
"This little book is big fun."—Michael Pollan
An illustrated mini-encyclopedia of fungal lore, from John Cage and Terence McKenna to mushroom sex and fairy rings
Fungipedia presents a delightful A–Z treasury of mushroom lore. With more than 180 entries—on topics as varied as Alice in Wonderland, chestnut blight, medicinal mushrooms, poisonings, Santa Claus, and waxy caps—this collection will transport both general readers and specialists into the remarkable universe of fungi.
Combining ecological, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary knowledge, author and mycologist Lawrence Millman discusses how mushrooms are much more closely related to humans than to plants, how they engage in sex, how insects farm them, and how certain species happily dine on leftover radiation, cockroach antennae, and dung. He explores the lives of individuals like African American scientist George Washington Carver, who specialized in crop diseases caused by fungi; Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit, who was prevented from becoming a professional mycologist because she was a woman; and Gordon Wasson, a J. P. Morgan vice-president who almost single-handedly introduced the world to magic mushrooms. Millman considers why fungi are among the most significant organisms on our planet and how they are currently being affected by destructive human behavior, including climate change.
With charming drawings by artist and illustrator Amy Jean Porter, Fungipedia offers a treasure trove of scientific and cultural information. The world of mushrooms lies right at your door—be amazed!
A captivating A–Z treasury for the tree hugger in all of us
Treepedia is an entertaining and fact-filled illustrated compendium of tree lore. Featuring nearly 100 entries—on topics ranging from tree ecology and conservation to the role of trees in religion, literature, art, and movies—this enticing collection is a celebration of all things arboreal.
In this charming book, Joan Maloof explains the difference between a cedar and a cypress, and reveals where to find the most remarkable trees on the planet. She tells the story behind the venerable Bodhi Tree, and describes peculiar species like baobabs and Fitzroya. Maloof profiles legendary conservationists such as Julia "Butterfly" Hill, John Muir, Wangari Maathai, and Ken Wu. She discusses reforestation, proforestation, emerald ash borers, the ents from The Lord of the Rings, culturally modified trees, the ill-fated and controversial Redwood Summer, and much more. The book's portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your love of the forest may lead you.
With enchanting illustrations by Maren Westfall, Treepedia is a fun and informative book that is guaranteed to inspire anyone who has ever enjoyed a walk in the woods.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
- Uses 100 percent recycled, uncoated, wood-free paper
An eclectic collection of strange and amazing stories about body parts you never knew you had, from acetabulum to zygomaticus major
Bodypedia is a lively, fact-filled romp through your body, from A to Z. Featuring almost 100 stories on topics ranging from the beastly origins of goosebumps to the definitive answer to the Motown classic “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” these fascinating tales from your entrails explore the wonders of anatomy, one body part at a time.
With a keen scalpel, Adam Taor peels away the layers to bring your underappreciated insides to light. What distinguishes crocodile tears from yours? What possessed Isaac Newton to stick a needle into his eye socket? How does brain glue thwart self-improvement gurus? Why did one of the world’s most influential surgeons steal a giant? Providing insights into these and other curiosities, Taor illuminates the ingenuity, mystery, and eccentric history of your anatomy like never before. Along the way, you will meet the geniuses, mavericks, and monsters (sometimes all the above) who got their hands bloody discovering, dissecting, and naming your parts.
With beautiful drawings by Nathalie Garcia, Bodypedia celebrates what makes you tick, and reveals why the best stories are hidden inside you.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
An enchanting, fact-filled treasury for the bee lover in all of us
Beepedia is a one-of-a-kind celebration of bees, from A to Z. Featuring dozens of alphabetical entries on topics ranging from pollination and beekeeping to the peculiar lifestyles of cuckoo bees and carrion-eating vulture bees, this enticing, pocket-sized compendium takes you on an unforgettable journey into the remarkable world of bees.
Explore the many wonders of bee morphology, behavior, and ecology, and learn about the role of bees in agriculture, art, literature, and religion. With more than 20,000 described species, bees can be found anywhere on the planet where flowering plants are pollinated by insects. With Laurence Packer as your guide, you will meet some of the most inquisitive and prolific bee experts who ever lived and marvel at the astonishing variety of wild bees and the creative methods scientists use to study them. Discover why bees have intrigued us for millennia, why Napoleon Bonaparte chose the bee as his emblem when he became emperor, where the expression “the bee’s knees” comes from, and much more.
With captivating drawings by Ann Sanderson, Beepedia is an informative and entertaining blend of fact, folklore, and fancy that will captivate anyone who has ever been curious about these amazing insects.
- Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design
