It is hardly possible to open a newspaper these days without coming across a listing of the richest people in the UK, in the world, in the solar system...not to mention the endless profiling of Internet millionaires and the obscenely wealthy of all types - from Posh and Becks to Bill Gates. In the footsteps of David Attenborough, Richard Conniff sets out to try to understand the peculiar behaviours of this strange species, setting them in the context of the behaviour of other animals, from mice to flies to baboons.

A Natural History of the Rich

Politics & Social Sciences

Conniff, Richard

Social Sciences

Arrow

How scientists saved humanity from the deadliest infectious diseases--and what we can do to prepare ourselves for future epidemics. After the unprecedented events of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be hard to imagine a time not so long ago when deadly diseases were a routine part of life. It is harder still to fathom that the best medical thinking at that time blamed these diseases on noxious miasmas, bodily humors, and divine dyspepsia. This all began to change on a day in April 1676, when a little-known Dutch merchant described bacteria for the first time. Beginning on that day in Delft and ending on the day in 1978 when the smallpox virus claimed its last known victim, Ending Epidemics explains how we came to understand and prevent many of our worst infectious diseases--and double average life expectancy. &nbsp; Ending Epidemics tells the story behind "the mortality revolution," the dramatic transformation not just in our longevity, but in the character of childhood, family life, and human society. Richard Conniff recounts the moments of inspiration and innovation, decades of dogged persistence, and, of course, periods of terrible suffering that stir individuals, institutions, and governments to act in the name of public health. Stars of medical science feature in this drama, but lesser-known figures also play a critical role. And while the history of germ theory is central to this story, Ending Epidemics also describes the importance of everything from sanitation improvements and the discovery of antibiotics to the development of the microscope and the syringe--technologies we now take for granted.

Ending Epidemics: A History of Escape from Contagion

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Diseases & Physical Ailments

The MIT Press

Spineless Wonders: the Joys of Formication

Science & Math

Biological Sciences

FIRST

A gripping tale of 150 years of scientific adventure, research, and discovery at the Yale Peabody Museum This fascinating book tells the story of how one museum changed ideas about dinosaurs, dynasties, and even the story of life on earth. The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, now celebrating its 150th anniversary, has remade the way we see the world. Delving into the museum’s storied and colorful past, award-winning author Richard Conniff introduces a cast of bold explorers, roughneck bone hunters, and visionary scientists. Some became famous for wresting Brontosaurus, Triceratops, and other dinosaurs from the earth, others pioneered the introduction of science education in North America, and still others rediscovered the long-buried glory of Machu Picchu. In this lively tale of events, achievements, and scandals from throughout the museum’s history. Readers will encounter renowned paleontologist O. C. Marsh who engaged in ferocious combat with his “Bone Wars” rival Edward Drinker Cope, as well as dozens of other intriguing characters. Nearly 100 color images portray important figures in the Peabody’s history and special objects from the museum’s 13-million-item collections. For anyone with an interest in exploring, understanding, and protecting the natural world, this book will deliver abundant delights.

House of Lost Worlds: Dinosaurs, Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth

Business & Money

Industries

Yale University Press

The next time you see a rat you should give it a round of applause. Consider the facts: rats can gnaw through lead, wriggle through a hole the size of a quarter, and survive high doses of nuclear radiation. Rats have also managed to exploit us humans for all we’re worth–we’ve unintentionally provided them with food, shelter, and transportation. And contrary to popular belief, rats are quite clean. Some people keep them as pets. Some even worship them. Armed with wit and scientific fact, award-winning natural history writer Richard Conniff gleefully delves into the fascinating and impressive world of the rat–one of the most successful animals on earth.

Rats! The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Children's Books

Animals

Crown Books for Young Readers

Rats!: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Natural History of the Rich: A Field Guide

A naturalist presents a tongue-in-cheek study of the wealthy, noting their pecking orders and mating practices; drawing comparisons between the actions of the rich and animals in the wild; and offering examples about noted wealthy figures.

History

W.W. Norton & Co., Inc.

The story of bold adventurers who risked death to discover strange life forms in the farthest corners of planet Earth. Beginning with Linnaeus, a colorful band of explorers made it their mission to travel to the most perilous corners of the planet and bring back astonishing new life forms. They attracted followers ranging from Thomas Jefferson, who laid out mastodon bones on the White House floor, to twentieth-century doctors who used their knowledge of new species to conquer epidemic diseases. Acclaimed science writer Richard Conniff brings these daredevil "species seekers" to vivid life. Alongside their globe-spanning tales of adventure, he recounts some of the most dramatic shifts in the history of human thought. At the start, everyone accepted that the Earth had been created for our benefit. We weren't sure where vegetable ended and animal began, we couldn't classify species, and we didn't understand the causes of disease. But all that changed as the species seekers introduced us to the pantheon of life on Earth―and our place within it. 36 black-and-white illustrations

The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools, and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth

W.W.Norton&Company

An award-winning nature writer takes us on a thrilling journey deep into the domains of strange―and often dangerous―animals. Field journalist Richard Conniff examines the lives of two-, four-, six-, and eight-legged creatures from around the globe, providing adventure-packed accounts of his many ill advised forays into the animal kingdom. He pulls a 90-pound snapping turtle out of a Louisiana bayou, tracks leopards with !Kung San hunters in the Namibian desert, and travels through the Himalayas in pursuit of tigers and the mythical migur. All in a day’s work, he flings chicken carcasses into piranha-infested waters to clock how quickly they disappear before diving in himself, and then encounters a man stung by 120 different species of insects, ranking their pain the way Robert Parker ranks wine. Again and again, Conniff courts the most dangerous animals and lives to tell the tale. This collection offers a rare chance to accompany him on death defying treks and see life through the lens of a bona-fide field naturalist.

Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time: My Life Doing Dumb Stuff with Animals

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

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Books by Conniff, Richard