Amerca's Other Audubon was chosen for the Ohioana Book Award!

I am so excited to be sharing this special day (October 11) with my family and with the daughter and son-in-law of the Seiberlings whom I dedicated my book to.

Here is my interview on the Doug Dangler show, Craft.

http://wcbe.org/post/ohioana-book-award-winner-tells-story-bird-family

http://wamuanimalhouse.org

Today at noon Animal House will air an interview about my book.

And only four days to go until the book launch in the Smithsonian!

Notable books of 2012: mid-year roundup

The editors of BirdWatching magazine describe Steve N.G. Howell's guide to petrels, albatrosses, and storm-petrels, Julie Zickefoose's new collection of essays, John Marzluff's latest book about crows, Derek Lovitch's guide to becoming a better birder, David Sibley's backyard birding flashcards, and 10 other new books about birds and birdwatching.

Published: April 20, 2012

America's Other Audubon by Joy M. Kiser, Princeton Architectural Press, 2012, 144 pages, $45, hardcover.

A treasure trove of nest art
Before she died of typhoid fever at age 32 in 1879, naturalist and artist Genevieve “Gennie” Jones had been hard at work on her book Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of Birds of Ohio. From childhood, Jones had collected nests and eggs with her father, and they often discussed the need for a book that would identify each bird’s nests and eggs. Years later, after seeing handcolored engravings from Audubon’s The Birds of America, Jones decided, with the support of her parents, brother, and best friend, to create her book.

After her death, her family labored for seven years to finish the project in her memory. In 1886, 90 copies were published. Today, fewer than 25 copies remain in institutions and private collections. Fortunately, Joy M. Kiser, a former librarian with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, recognized the importance of telling the story of Gennie Jones, her family, and their remarkable book. In America’s Other Audubon, Kiser features reproductions of their original art, as well as archival photographs of the family and Gennie’s field notes about the birds she knew so well. A treasure.

Finally!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a day away!

I found out on Saturday that the Deputy Director of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries will join us in the Natural History Rare Book Library tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. to see America's Other Audubon for the first time.

The advance copy of my book is here! We are going to open the package in the Smithsonian on Tuesday.

My book arrived at the PAP today and my copy will be here by the end of the week! I am organizing a joint package opening event with Smithsonian Natural History Rare Book Curator Leslie K. Overstreet and Steve Jonnes some day next week. (If it suits everyone's schedule.)