The Wonderful Mr Willughby: The First True Ornithologist ~ Tim Birkhead

(2) N/F (epukapuka)

        I started this book with real interest and enjoyment, along with appreciating the photo of Willughby’s commonplace book handwriting – such enthusiastic illegibility.  The initial enjoyment was gradually smothered by writing that degenerated down into little better than dry fact sharing and the author promoting his own belief system and negating  Ray (& Willoughby’s) explaining of the natural world ‘as the result of God’s wisdom has the potential of being facile and teleological’ (& more of the same). The author is pro-natural selection and takes time to have a good thwack against today’s scientists who promote  ‘physico-theology and the centrality of ‘God’ in the form of ‘intelligent design’.’  I was really wanting a BIOGRAPHY about Mr.Willughby’s life and discoveries, not a book detailing Birkhead’s personally held ‘scientific argument’ refuting worldviews that are counterproductive to his own.  I’m so thankful this was a library loan and not a book I’d purchased.   Others may really enjoy this title, sadly, Tim Birkhead snuffed out any interest in my wanting to read on with his grandstanding.  I’m off to try and do my own research about the very interesting Frances Willughby.