The Curious Mister Catesby: A “Truly Ingenious” Naturalist Explores New Worlds

Mark Catesby, the English naturalist and artist, as well as his considerable accomplishments, is given new life in this well-written, multiauthored account. Emphasis is placed on Catesby's travels in North America that led to his monumental volumes on the flora and fauna of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahamas. The book is an important addition to the library of the history of natural history of colonial America. The Curious Mister Catesby is an absorbing blend of early colonial history in the American Southeast and the Bahamas, with the rich fauna and flora the settlers freshly contained. Catesby emerges as one of the first true naturalists of the New World. A landmark book filled with introspective and concise essays, each developed with a richness of detail, revealing the absorbing portrait of a self-taught artist from Suffolk who had an insatiable curiosity about nature. Wonderfully readable, this classic is an engaging introduction to Catesby's timeless illustrations and to his keen observation of the natural world. Like an investigation by forensic scientists the contemplative and thorough scholarship of these authors reveals new insight into Catesby, his journeys, his peers, and the inexhaustible pursuit of botanical and zoological specimens in an eighteenth-century world. This comprehensive, lavishly illustrated work . . . will stand for many years as the best critical analysis of [Catesby's] work, and of the groundbreaking natural science that his curiosity inspired. * Nature * This remarkable commemorative publication represents the perspectives of two dozen learned contributors representative of a broad spectrum of disciplines, including historians, botanists, zoologists, ornithologists, anthropologists, landscape architects, fine arts authorities, museum specialists and associated fields. Each of the 22 chapters is an essay revealing another of the many layers of Catesby's genius. * The Post and Courier * As if one of Catesby's ivory-billed woodpeckers swooped down before your eyes, this work draws the once-mysterious Catesby out of the shadows and, fittingly, displays him in vibrant living color. * Charleston Mercury * The Curious Mr. Catesby is important for the history of natural history as it offers so much to know and understand about this interesting man and his contributions to natural history. * Huntia * For the book’s top-notch construction and amazing array of colored maps and illustrations, The University of Georgia Press should be commended, reminding us why the physical book is so worthy of praise. This book should find a deserved place on the shelf of both general and academic readers. * The Journal for Southern Literature * With this prolific, informative, and superbly illustrated volume, Nelson and Elliott have re-established Catesby's reputation and secured a place for him in the pantheon of early naturalists. Advancing knowledge of Catesby's explorations, collections, artwork, and publications while introducing new audiences to the historical and scientific significance of his work, The Curious Mister Catesby is an unquestioned success. * South Carolina Historical Magazine * I remember learning about Catesby’s work... [through] a book by the University of Georgia Press called The Curious Mister Catesby. I had had the chance to look through this beautiful volume and can report this is one book you will most definitely appreciate holding and leafing through rather than reading electronically. * Director of the Crosby Arboretum *