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player ready...“The Darwinian Tourist: Viewing the World through Evolutionary Eyes”
Oxford University Press, $34.95
Exploring like Darwin
The publication of this book coincides with the International Year for Biodiversity coordinated by the United Nations. Here author Christopher Wills, a professor at the University of California San Diego, looks at the world from an evolutionary point of view — that is, through a Darwinian perspective. He believes that when we lose a species or an ecosystem, ecological diversity not only is reduced, but “we lose many millions of years of history.” He also is concerned with the preservation of what he calls genetic variability, which “has a direct bearing” on our own survival as a species.
Among his many journeys, Wills examines the underwater life of Indonesia, and he visits a valley in Israel to try to understand what drives evolution.
Along the way he discusses how natural disasters shape evolution in unexpected ways. He also explores the origin of rain forests and travels to Africa to walk in the footsteps of the earliest peoples, who later fanned out across the globe in the Great Migration. In addition, he offers theories as to how domesticated animals, such as dogs, changed the world.
“100 Countries 5,000 Ideas”
National Geographic, $26.95
Sometimes too much information can be a bad thing, such as when you’re surfing the Internet to look for the perfect destination. For those who don’t have time to read all the guidebooks or visit all the websites, the staff of National Geographic has put together an elaborate list of 5,000 destination ideas of where and when to go, what to see and what to do in 100 countries.
The best way to use the book, the editors maintain, is to know yourself — and to have an idea of where you want to go. The text is divided into themes that discuss the right trip for your interests and lifestyle as well as destination ideas, from spa vacations to adventure travel. Another chart helps readers determine whether it is the right trip to take based on such factors as cost and timing of the peak season. But the bulk of the content consists of descriptions of the individual countries, from Argentina to Zimbabwe.
The book also includes a useful travelers notebook for each country, providing background on such subjects as travel documents, language, currency, population, and health and safety issues.
“Italy Dish by Dish”
Little Bookroom, $24.95
Divided by region, this compact but remarkably detailed guide describes more than 3,000 menu items, from antipasti and pasta to soups and vegetables to cheeses and wines, along with a discussion of ingredients and numerous recipes.
A discussion of what makes each region unique precedes the actual descriptions. Tuscany, for example, is known partly for cured meats, especially salami; cheeses; olive oil and bread. Calabria is known for pork, eggplant and mushrooms. Many dishes are unique to a particular region: The Venetian baccala mantecato, for example, is made with softened dry cod with olive oil, garlic and parsley.
The guide comes with a detailed glossary of fish, meat and vegetable terms.