swan_tower: (academia)
swan_tower ([personal profile] swan_tower) wrote2011-04-05 01:29 pm

Natural History research

So, I mentioned before that I have a new series.

It will surprise nobody who's been around for the Onyx Court books that I intend to do a bit of research. :-)

NOT AS MUCH AS BEFORE. (Thank god.) But there are some things I want to read about, to get some good material for compost into my head, so this is the first of a couple of posts asking for recommendations.

The first topic up is, of course, the discipline of natural history. Can anybody recommend a good biography of Darwin, something that focuses on the fieldwork end of things? His education, the voyage of the Beagle, that kind of thing; I'm less concerned with what happened after he published his theories. Or books on other natural historians, or the development of the field. I've got a few things to read already, but knowing the internets, it's entirely possible that somebody reading this post has a random love for the topic of nineteenth-century natural history, and knows exactly what I ought to be reading to understand it. If that's you -- or if it isn't, but you know a couple of things you'd recommend -- speak up in the comments.

If you're not familiar with this topic at all, stay tuned; there will be other requests to come.

[identity profile] tltrent.livejournal.com 2011-04-06 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Um...how much do you want? I went to research Darwin and his rival Richard Owen for my Darwin YA a couple years ago, so I have lots of stuff. Do you know of Mary Anning? She may be a fun model, if you've not already discovered her. (I suspect you have).

[identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com 2011-04-06 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
As much as you want to give me! I have not in fact discovered Mary Anning yet, so clearly I am ripe for all kinds of pointers.

[identity profile] tltrent.livejournal.com 2011-04-06 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll email you directly with a list when I can. Still recovering from spinal surgery, so not at the computer much (or when I am, doing dayjobbery or revision). Keep a weather eye! Absolutely adore this concept!!

[identity profile] swan-tower.livejournal.com 2011-04-11 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Yowch. I wish you a speedy recovery.