The Unburnt Egg – More stories of a Museum Curator
By Brian GIll
In his new book The Unburnt Egg – More stories of a museum curator, Brian Gill delves further into the mysteries of the natural history collections he has worked with over three decades. Gill is a gifted storyteller who enriches the book with engaging scientific information, from the ever-evolving explanations for the dying out of the huia to the reason so many seal bones are found in certain sand dunes, and why the shining cuckoo leaves its young to be raised by other birds.
Sequel to the widely praised The Owl that Fell from the Sky.
Reviews, interviews, author events
Interviews:
Listen to RadioLive interview with Brian Gill about The Unburnt Egg
Listen to RNZ Nine to Noon podcast of Brian Gill on The Unburnt Egg
Praise for The Unburnt Egg:
“[Brian Gill’s] undimmed passion for uncovering the truth of how our natural world functions, which shines from every page, makes the book both a hugely entertaining read and a compelling case for the value of our museums and the science they foster.”
JIM EAGLES, Weekend Herald, 13 August 2016
“Rich in scientific and historic detail — a true pleasure for the armchair explorer.”
UNITY BOOKS, Spring 2016
“This book is a pleasure to read and provides a valuable insight into our natural and scientific history and into the pioneering scientists who people that history.”
LEILANI WALKER, New Zealand Ecological Society Newsletter, September 2016
“…A comprehensive account of the role of museums and curators… there are many great stories here: and there is a wry, accurate and entertaining raconteur to tell them.”
KEITH WOODLEY, Pukorokoro Miranda News, August 2016
Praise for The Owl that Fell from the Sky:
Brian Gill’s Owl that Fell from the Sky takes the reader on a riveting journey into the rarefied world of a natural history museum. What makes The Owl that Fell from the Sky such a lively read is that Brian Gill invites his reader to witness and participate in the work of his museum; Like the collections he describes, Gill’s prose is filled with wondrous and surprising detail.
JULIA ZARANKIN, American Birding Association blog, May 30, 2013
I was entirely captivated by The Owl That Fell from the Sky… Far from being simple stories of museum objects, these are detailed, rich tales that are captivating, contemporary (in their writing), upbeat and at times very funny… definitely a book to write home about.
EMMA McCLEARY, Booksellers NZ and Good Reads
Category: History, Popular Science
