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Penguins are perhaps the most beloved birds. On land, their behaviour appears so humorous and expressive that we can be excused for attributing to them moods and foibles similar to our own. Few realize how complex and mysterious their private lives truly are, as most of their existence takes place far from our prying eyes, hidden beneath the ocean waves. Now in a new, updated edition, this stunningly illustrated book provides a unique look at these extraordinary creatures and the cutting-edge science that is helping us to better understand them. Featuring more than 400 breathtaking photos, this is the ultimate guide to all 18 species of penguins, including those with retiring personalities or nocturnal habits that tend to be overlooked and rarely photographed. This revised second edition features updated scientific information and some spectacular new photographs.
Penguins is the most ambitious book to date of Tui De Roy, Mark Jones, and Julie Cornthwaite. Their travels, spanning more than two decades, have seen them crisscross the southern hemisphere to virtually everywhere that penguins are found, from the sun-baked lava shores of the Galápagos to some of the remotest subantarctic islands, as well as all around the Antarctic continent, where Emperor penguins breed on the deep-frozen sea.
A book that no bird enthusiast or armchair naturalist should do without, Penguins includes discussions of penguin conservation, informative species profiles, fascinating penguin facts, and tips on where to see penguins in the wild.
Tui De Roy is a world-renowned wildlife photographer, writer, and conservationist. Her many books include Galápagos: Islands Born of Fire and A Lifetime in Galápagos. Mark Jones and Julie Cornthwaite are partners with De Roy at The Roving Tortoise, a New Zealand-based photographic agency and book publisher.
Reviews of the first edition:
"De Roy has swum, walked and slept amid penguins wherever they can be found [...] This beautiful book can only fuel readers' passion to preserve these astonishing birds, and for that, the authors must be lauded."
– Wall Street Journal
"For those who love these iconic, oddly endearing birds – and who doesn't? – this book is almost as good as an expedition to see them in the flesh."
– Natural History
"A beautiful book [...] It is also authoritative."
– Minneapolis Star Tribune
"This book is a singular, magnificent step forward, a supernova for the eyes and minds of all penguin-lovers, and indeed penguin researchers everywhere."
– The Condor
"[...] This book, providing both excellent photographs and useful summary text, should be an essential purchase for the world’s many penguinophiles. With its amazingly low price and unrivalled blend of information and images, I also highly recommend it to anyone interested in seabirds and in nature photography. Along with their matching albatross volume, these authors have established a unique new format combining summaries of rigorous information with exceptional photography."
– Alan E. Burger, Marine Ornithology 44
"[...] I thought the book could use a better conclusion to tie all its sections together, but as a whole I found it informative and enjoyable to read. I would recommend the book to anyone as an introductory text and as a beautiful present for someone interested in penguins or the natural world in general."
– Tom Hart, Ibis 157, 2015
"[...] At first glance, this new book may look like another coffee-table book, with its large format and glossy photographs. But that idea is quickly dispelled. [...] If you like penguins, and who doesn’t, you will find this beautiful book a fascinating read."
– Derek Toomer, BTO book reviews
