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| View Larger Image | The Dangerous World of Butterflies: The Startling Subculture of Criminals, Collectors, and Conservationists | Hardcoverby Peter Laufer (Author)
| List Price: | $24.95 | | Price: | $16.47 | | You Save: | $8.48 (34%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Hardcover | | Publisher: | The Lyons Press | | Edition: | 1st Edition | | Page Count: | 288 Pages | | Publication Date: | May 05, 2009 | | Sales Rank: | 103,514rd |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781599215556
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
- Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
A true tale of beauty and obsession, smugglers and scientists, and nature’s most enigmatic creature. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 23 reviews)
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What could be dangerous about butterflies? by Maggie Brasted (Maryland, USA)  4 Stars
October 28, 2009
Investigative journalist Peter Laufer shows us there's a lot more to butterflies than just looking pretty.
This book is not about science. Nor is this book about the cultural symbolism of butterflies. It's not even mostly about butterflies. It's about people. How and why people care so much about and do such outlandish thing with and for the most beautiful insects in creation. If you believe in creation, which also gets chewed over a little.
Laufer made a casual remark that he needed a break from heavy topics like war, immigration policy, and prisons. So, what's his next book? Butterflies and flowers! But when a butterfly entrepreneur challenged him to really investigate the world of butterflies, starting with a jaunt down to Nicaragua, he bites.
And what does he find? Why, danger and controversy, of course, and secrets and obsessions. And people with very strongly held but opposed views on butterflies and so much else.
There's lots of "who knew?" facts and plenty of "who thought this up?" schemes. I doubt many readers will already be familiar with the role of butterflies across the wide range of issues covered--conservation, small businesses, human relationships with animals and the environment, law enforcement, national security, art, and religion.
This light survey of these topics for interested, but not expert, readers is a worthwhile read for a wide audience of people. You don't have to love butterflies to find something interesting here. And who doesn't love butterflies? Laufer even digs up a few who don't.
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Fascinating by Beverly Leach (Ozark, AL)  5 Stars
August 08, 2009
I heard an interview on NPR with the author Peter Laufer and felt I had to read this book. Since my childhood I have been amazed by the beauty of butterflies. This book is very well written and draws you into the world of butterfly appreciation on many different levels. Mr. Laufer covers much ground and is entertaining in his writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and highly recommend it for anyone interested in the beauty, the science, the politics, and the art of one of natures most intriguing creature, the butterfly.
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my best airport layover ever by M. king (Washington/California) 5 Stars
August 07, 2009
This book turned what would have been many unpleasant airport hours into a very enjoyable and memorable evening. I was transported from California to Nicaragua, from a federal prison to Florida's "Butterfly World". This is an enthralling tale of butterfly huggers vs breeders, of butterfly artists, and, of course, of these beautiful insects and their remarkable life cycle. Yes, my world is a bit changed. I now see butterflies everywhere...on greeting cards, T-shirts, billboards, and even a few living individuals, fluttering around the scattered flowers at my worksite. When recommending this book to my mother, she told me of having nearly joined a butterfly group once, but was completely put off by the instructions to obtain specimen jars for collecting, thus placing herself firmly in the camp of "huggers". I am now impatiently waiting to learn the topic of Peter Laufer's next book!
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A key acquisition for both general lending libraries and those interested in science issues by Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) 5 Stars
July 11, 2009
THE DANGEROUS WORLD OF BUTTERFLIES: THE STARTLING SUBCULTURE OF CRIMINALS, COLLECTORS, AND CONSERVATIONISTS comes from the author's visit to a butterfly preserve in Nicaragua, where he discovered an underground world of collectors and cops obsessed with butterflies. From the natural history and ecology of the butterfly to the very real threat of butterfly extinction, the world of museum collections, and more, this social, political and natural history is a key acquisition for both general lending libraries and those interested in science issues.
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Captivating world by S.Williams (Oregon) 5 Stars
July 07, 2009
Once you start reading into the chapters, the more you notice butterflies fluttering around as you walk or drive that otherwise would not even register. The book makes you appreciate the dedication and patience of scientists and workers involved in the protection and propagation of threatened species. There are so many fascinating facts about butterflies mentioned, I think the fact that butterfly colors never fade regardless of how many years they have been preserved is just astonishing. Since I'm known to read a lot of books, I often get asked what I'm reading 'now' and when I talk about the Butterfly book, everyone is anxious to read it. As I read the last page, tears were just rolling down and when you read the book, you'll know why. I have the Kindle version, so I don't know if the hardback has photos. Well, if this book goes into second printing, it would be marvelous with not only photos of the butterflies mentioned but also the farms and scientists. Peter Laufer brings his documentary skills to create a wonderful book.
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