Synopses & Reviews
A rare and exhilarating combination of first-rank science and top-notch storytelling, this superb translation brings to an English-speaking audience for the first time writings that are remarkable in their richness, their wit, and their penetrating insight.
Vojtech Novotny is no ordinary scientist. A world-class researcher and a brilliant writer, he works not in a pristine lab but on location in one of the toughest regions of the world — not only is New Guinea a high-risk locale in terms of tropical diseases and venomous wildlife, but it is also one of the most lawless places on Earth, with a very high homicide rate. Moreover, Novotny works closely with the indigenous peoples — natives who still hunt food with spear and arrow — involving them in his research and profiting from their deep familiarity with this rugged landscape. As a result, he has many a fascinating tale to tell, and he is a marvelous storyteller. Indeed, this is an unusual and fascinating collection of almost one hundred brief vignettes, adventurous tales, and reflections that illuminate life in the rainforest, the workings of science, and the native peoples of New Guinea. The pieces are amusing, thoughtful, evocative, and sage. The short pieces are separated here and there by "intermezzi," in which Novotny recounts his many bouts of malaria — extraordinary short passages that strikingly capture the experience of jungle life. And placed, jewel-like, at key points in the text, are the extraordinary drawings of Benson Avea Bego, a self-taught Papuan artist from a remote village.
Ably translated by David Short, this delightfully engaging collection of notes and reflections brings to life — with warmth and wisdom — the place, the people, and the pursuit of knowledge deep in the jungles of New Guinea.
Review
"In contemplating a single word to use in describing this work, this reviewer had come up with "amazing," only to discover on the book's back cover that eminent biologist E. O. Wilson had used the same adjective. Highly recommended."--Choice
"When not busy with his researches (and these are recounted with a winningly light touch), Novotny has found time to explore this unique culture. The results are spectacular: an exercise in witty and whimsical amateur anthropology that puts the professionals to shame."--Geographical
"What is striking about Notebooks is how there is a perfect balance between the academic and the literary. This is a very intriguing book with thoughtful and intelligent analysis and conclusions, and yet one does not feel as though they are reading a stuffy academic publication. Czech author Vojtech Novotny (translated by David Short) has provided a very interesting tale of travels, broadening horizons and insight unto the human condition." -- Sacramento Book Review
"Novotny's enthusiam for a country where he has worked for many years, his humor, and his ability to convey the fascination of scientific research make this book a perfect answer to anyone who thinks that everything has been catalogued and scanned, an unorthodox travel book that restores our faith in the weirdness of the world."--Benjamin Moser, Harper's Magazine
"Focusing on the people and their way of living, little escapes Novotny's attention; he examines the base-13 number system, myths about dwarfs, the price of brides (£5,000), and other idiosyncrasies..."--Publishers Weekly
"[Novotny's] wry remarks on the ease of his 'commute' to an outlying laboratory (featuring blocked bridges, a bandit attack, several flat tires, and attempts at climbing muddy hills) and tips for the field biologist (expect malaria; whatever happens, don't panic) will intrigue both armchair travelers and lovers of popular science."--Booklist
"I hugely enjoyed reading Notebooks from New Guinea, partly because I have visited PNG and experienced firsthand some of the issues discussed, but also for its exploration of many cultural issues that visiting scientists often overlook. Anyone planning to visit PNG should definitely read this book, and not just research biologists. It will also generate a deep respect for the scientists who manage to carry out top-quality groundbreaking research in this most challenging environment." -- Alan J.A. Stewart, Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Review
"Novotny's enthusiasm for a country where he has worked for many years, his humor...and his ability to convey the fascination of scientific research make this book a perfect answer to anyone who thinks that everything had been catalogued and scanned, an unorthodox travel book that restores our faith in the weirdness of the world." Benjamin Moser, Harper's Magazine (read the entire )
Synopsis
This is a unique and delightfully engaging account by a leading tropical biologist of doing science at one of the last wild frontiers in the world. Vojtech Novotny is a highly respected Czech scientist. His widely cited work, of profound importance to ecology and evolution, is not done, like much modern science, in a lab full of gleaming apparatus. Instead, he chose as his 'laboratory' the remotest parts of Papua New Guinea, where he has established a research station. Supported by a team of Papuans whom he has trained up so that they can combine their wide and intimate knowledge of the plants and animals of their tropical forest with the knowledge of modern science, Novotny studies the ecological interactions of butterflies and plants.
Clearly this is no ordinary scientist. Combined with his intrepid courage (PNG is one of the most dangerous places on Earth, with a very high homicide rate), he is a shrewd observer of human nature. In the richly varied notes and reflections of this very individual volume are not only descriptions of natural history and scientific research in the rainforest, but accounts of the local peoples and their culture, the challenges of working across very different cultures, and amusing portraits of the antics of Western tourists, separated by a few 'intermezzi' - episodes when the author fought bouts of malaria.
Novotny is that rare combination of excellent scientist and superb storyteller. The faithful translations by David Short bring these notes and reflections on science, nature, and human beings to a wide audience, without any loss to their richness, warmth, humility, and wisdom. The volume is illustrated with beautiful drawings by a self-taught Papuan artist, Benson Avea Bego, who lives in a remote village.
Synopsis
Hailed by Edward O. Wilson as "one of the most amazing books I have ever read," this exhilarating volume offers a rare combination of first-rank science and top-notch storytelling. Vojtech Novotny, a world-class researcher and a brilliant writer, works on location in one of the toughest regions of the world--a high-risk locale rife with tropical diseases and venomous wildlife. Moreover, Novotny works closely with the indigenous peoples--natives who still hunt food with spear and arrow--involving them in his research and profiting from their deep familiarity with this rugged landscape. As a result, he has many a fascinating tale to tell, and he is a marvelous storyteller. Indeed, this is an unusual and fascinating collection of almost one hundred brief vignettes, adventurous tales, and reflections that illuminate the native culture and what the West can learn from it. Ably translated by David Short, this delightfully engaging book brings to life--with warmth and wisdom--the place, the people, and the pursuit of knowledge deep in the jungles of New Guinea.
About the Author
Vojtech Novotny is Professor of Ecology at the University of South Bohemia and the Head of the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences in the Czech Republic. Novotny is currently directing the New Guinea Binatang Research Center, in Papua New Guinea, where an international team of scientists is studying the relationships between plants and insects in tropical rainforests.
David Short is Senior Teaching Fellow in Czech and Slovak at University College London. He is a noted teacher, interpreter, and translator of the Czech language.