Stellers Island: Adventures of a Pioneer Naturalist in Alaska

---

Temporarily out of stock: About this book In , a Russian expedition ship captained by Vitus Bering carried the first scientist to set foot anywhere on the western half of North America. Write a review There are currently no reviews for this book. Be the first to review this book! Bestsellers in this subject. Supporting Conservation Your orders support book donation projects.

Amazing Experience We welcome the range and price of boxes available and have been delighted with the speedy service compared to other suppliers. Unique Product Range Search and browse over , wildlife and science products. Rapid Global Service Multi-currency.

See a Problem?

Natural History Experts Wildlife, science and conservation since Blog Twitter Unnatural Selection: An interview with Katrina van Grouw. Conservation Volunteering at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary. Order now to get your copy of Springw… https: The Autumn CLM is out now, covering reintroducing beavers , acoustic monitoring of bats, wetland creation and much more….

The end was about the history of fur bearing mammals in the North Pacific which wasn't the advertised topic. The most interesting part was about Bering's Island, not Kayak Island. A fascinating account of the early exploration of North America, specifically the land which became Alaska and the Bering Sea. Steller, a German naturalist, joined Bering on a Russian sponsored expedition to explore the lands between Russia and North America. The information Steller compiled and returned to the western world is priceless. A great historic read. Get lost in this story, I did.

Steller's Island Adventures of a pioneer by Dean Littlepage is a great read. Made me feel i was there in the place the story takes place.

Product details

I enjoyed every page. Hurrah for Steller's island Adventure of a Pioneer!!! Ever since the publication of Thomas Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions' science history has been preoccupied with changing paradigms and social influence upon scientific thought. This focus has offered many benefits, but a decided negative is that there are fewer traditional biographies of significant but forgotten scientists.

This short volume by Dean Littlepage is an exception to the rule. A throwback to an older style of historiography, it is an excellent account of the life and contributions of Georg Steller, the first naturalist to write an account of the Northwestern Pacific Coast. Georg Steller was a German naturalist, a predecessor of Linneaus, and a member of the early Russian expeditions to map the Pacific coast of North America.

Steller was a multi-talented product of the Enlightenment. He spoke several languages and received formal training in theology, medicine, and biology. After teaching in Germany for a short stint, he moved to Russia and joined the newly formed Russian Academy of Science.

973,18 RUB

He joined Captain Bering for whom the Bering strait is named and in a visit to Kayak Island began the first scientific exploration of the Northwest. But Steller was much more than just a talented naturalist he collected specimens in a mere 6 hours on Kayak Island. He was also an extraordinary physician who correctly hypothesized that a diet heavy in green vegetables would fend of scurvy centuries before the discovery of vitamin C.

His scientific background ultimately saved the crew of the St. Peter, Bering's ship, in the face of disaster. The challenges facing the crew shipwrecked for the winter are truly gripping and it is hard to put the book down as Littlepage recounts this period. This book makes a for a fascinating read.

The author not only notes the breadth of Steller's scientific discoveries, but traces the fates of the animals he wrote about in his best known work 'Beasts of the Sea. The Steller Sea Cow is now extinct and all that remains is Seller's description. In all, this makes for a wonderful book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading some traditional science history with profound implications for today's world. Georg Steller was a German scientist who eventually went to Russia and became a naturalist on Vitus Bering's second expedition to eastern Siberia and the eastern Arctic.

He identified hundreds of plant species in just a few hours of landfall on an Alaskan island. He also was the first European to closely examine animals such as the Steller's sea lion, Steller's sea cow now extinct and others. Unfortunately, many of his research samples didn't make it back to Russia. Peter, became separated from his other ship, St. Paul, on the way east to Alaska.

And, it didn't make it all the way back to Kamchatka. Eventually, after wintering on a sub-arctic island, the crew made a small hooker out of St. Peter's remains and completed the trip. The crew who were left, that is. Many died from scurvy, though Steller saved many others with his knowledge of plants, and observation of Siberian and Aleut customs.

Steller's Island: Adventures of a Pioneer Naturalist in Alaska

The remaining crew forced Steller to leave behind his specimen slides and his dissected sea cow, among other things. He wrote up what he could after getting back to European Russia, but his samples were lost forever. An excellent book on science, natural history, and Arctic exploration, all in one.

I was looking for a good adventure and found just a bit in this book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Apr 28, g-na rated it really liked it Shelves: I've heard of Steller's sea cow and I've seen Steller's jays and Steller's sea lions, but I knew nothing about the man Steller himself. Now, thanks to this meticulously researched book, I do. It turns out Steller was a prodigious natu I've heard of Steller's sea cow and I've seen Steller's jays and Steller's sea lions, but I knew nothing about the man Steller himself. It turns out Steller was a prodigious naturalist, collecting, cataloguing, and documenting whatever he could in the relatively short time he had to explore this "new world.

This is also an adventure tale of an ill-fated sea journey that resulted in the death of Bering and dozens of other sea men. It helps you realize just how difficult sailing and navigation on the sea was before the advent of motors.

Jul 19, Bill Leach rated it really liked it. A biography of Georg Steller, emphasizing his time spent in the northern Pacific. He was the first scientist to visit the northern Pacific. As part of Bering's second expedition in , Steller spent much time on both Kayak and Bering Islands. Steller left detailed accounts of many animals and the only scientific account of Steller's Sea Cow.

Many animals are named after him including a jay, a sea eagle, a sea lion and the sea cow. He also left detailed accounts of the plants, insects and the n A biography of Georg Steller, emphasizing his time spent in the northern Pacific. He also left detailed accounts of the plants, insects and the native people. The author provides interesting information from modern research. It appears that the sea cow derived from manatees moving north and settling into a nich were kelp became there primary food source. It appears that they were always a niche animal, never reaching substantial populations.

Feb 12, Sarah rated it really liked it. Part natural history, part adventure, Steller's Island is an excellent read on the early 18th century history of Alaska exploration.

Write a review

Shipwrecked and forced to spend winter on an uninhabited island, the members of this exploratory expedition would not have survived without the knowledge of Georg Steller. Often marginalized along the journey because of his interest in the natural world, Steller ultimately earned the respect of his shipmates when his knowledge of plants and animals got them throu Part natural history, part adventure, Steller's Island is an excellent read on the early 18th century history of Alaska exploration. Often marginalized along the journey because of his interest in the natural world, Steller ultimately earned the respect of his shipmates when his knowledge of plants and animals got them through the difficult winter.

He studied and catalogued the behavior of previously undiscovered animal species and native peoples along the way. Steller's Island is a beautifully written book about a courageous and fascinating man.

Jan 19, Betsy rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was an amazing book in which I learned SO much about the history of Bering's voyage and the exploration of Alaska before Lewis and Clark were born , as well as the amazing naturalist Georg Steller and his study of Alaska's marine mammals.

• The Once and Future New York: Historic Preservation and the Modern City
• The Elephant’s Trump (GUNK Aliens, Book 2)
• Reisen im Skriptorium (German Edition)
• Charlie Burr and the Great Shed Invasion
• The Law of Attraction is Still a Secret
• Privacy Most Public