Below the jump, I mention the books that I received recently. They are gifts, review copies that arrived in the mail, or books that I purchased during my recent visit to London. These are the books that I may review in more depth later, either here or in print somewhere in the world.

When I get new books, I like to share them with people. Unfortunately, you all are so far away, so I cannot host a book party in my crib where you can look over them, so I'll do the next best thing. I'll host a book party on my blog each Friday of the week when I either purchase books or when they arrive in the mail. In this New Books Party, I will try to be your eyes by presenting my quick "first impression" -- almost as if we are browsing the shelves in a bookstore together -- and I'll also provide relevant videos about the book and links so you can get a copy of your own.

Books that arrived recently:

A Message from Martha: The Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon and its Relevance Today by Mark Avery [Bloomsbury Natural History, 2014; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis September 1st, 2014 sees the centenary of one of the best-documented extinctions in history -- the demise of the Passenger Pigeon. From being the commonest bird on the planet 50 years earlier, the species became extinct when Martha, the last of her kind, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. This book marks the centenary of that tragic event. Built around the framework of a visit to Cincinnati and the pigeon's former haunts in North America's east coast, by author Mark Avery, it tells the tale of the pigeon, and of Martha, and explores the largely untold story of the ecological annihilation of this part of America in the years between the end of the US Civil War and 1900 -- an unprecedented loss of natural beauty and richness, as the prairies were ploughed, swiftly to be replaced by a dustbowl, while the population of Bison plummeted from around 30 million to just 1,000, the victim of habitat destruction and indiscriminate slaughter.
Written engagingly and with an element of travelog as well as historical detective work, this book is more than another depressing tale of human greed and ecological stupidity. It contains an underlying message -- that we need to re-forge our relationship with the natural world on which we depend, and plan a more sustainable future. Otherwise the tipping point will be crossed and more species will go the way of the Passenger Pigeon. We should listen to the message from Martha.
My first impression: This book begins by telling the story of the passenger pigeon, but ends by focusing on human behaviours and how, in roughly 100 years' time, we not only destroyed the pigeon, but also drove to extinction the Carolina parakeet, eskimo curlew, Rocky Mountain locust and almost lost the American bison (some would argue that we have lost the bison since modern day animals are descended from hybrids with domesticated cattle). Since this book is written by an Englishman, the last few chapters consider pressing conservation concerns facing his British readers, particularly the rapid decline of the turtle-dove.

A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon's Flight to Extinction by Joel Greenberg [Bloomsbury USA, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK/audio download UK; Amazon US/kindle US/Audible audio US]
Publisher's synopsis In the early nineteenth century 25 to 40 percent of North America's birds were passenger pigeons, traveling in flocks so massive as to block out the sun for hours or even days. The down beats of their wings would chill the air beneath and create a thundering roar that would drown out all other sound. Feeding flocks would appear as "a blue wave four or five feet high rolling toward you."
John James Audubon, impressed by their speed and agility, said a lone passenger pigeon streaking through the forest "passes like a thought." How prophetic -- for although a billion pigeons crossed the skies 80 miles from Toronto in May of 1860, little more than fifty years later passenger pigeons were extinct. The last of the species, Martha, died in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo on September 1, 1914.
As naturalist Joel Greenberg relates in gripping detail, the pigeons' propensity to nest, roost, and fly together in vast numbers made them vulnerable to unremitting market and recreational hunting. The spread of railroads and telegraph lines created national markets that allowed the birds to be pursued relentlessly. Passenger pigeons inspired awe in the likes of Audubon, Henry David Thoreau, James Fenimore Cooper, and others, but no serious effort was made to protect the species until it was way too late. Greenberg's beautifully written story of the passenger pigeon provides a cautionary tale of what happens when species and natural resources are not harvested sustainably.
My first impression: This is a scholarly history of the passenger pigeon, from when white men first saw them until shortly after this species became extinct. It documents the birds' behaviours and habits, the relationship with native Americans, captive-breeding efforts carried out by several aviculturists, David Whittaker and Charles Otis Whitman, and the astonishing array of cruelties employed by humans hell-bent on destroying them. Numerous photographs, paintings, postage stamps and drawings of these birds are reproduced in a special full-colour inset whilst black-and-white maps and photographs of the birds' persecutors are embedded throughout the book itself.

The Amazing World of Flyingfish by Steve N. G. Howell [Princeton University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US]
Publisher's synopsis If you travel the open ocean anywhere in the tropics, you are very likely to see flyingfish. These beautifully colored "ocean butterflies" shoot out of the water and sail on majestic, winglike pectoral fins to escape from predators such as dolphins, swordfish, and tuna. Some can travel for more than six hundred feet per flight. Yet despite their prevalence in warm ocean waters and their vital role in the tropical food chain, surprisingly little is known about flyingfish -- more than 60 species are said to exist, but nobody is sure of the number. This beautifully illustrated book presents flyingfish as you've never seen them before. It features more than 90 stunning color photos by renowned naturalist Steve Howell, as well as a concise and accessible text that explores the natural history of flyingfish, where they can be found, how and why they fly, what colors they are, what they eat and what eats them, and more.
The ideal gift for fish lovers, seasoned travelers, and armchair naturalists alike, this first-of-its-kind book provides a rare and incomparable look at these spectacular marine creatures.

• Presents flyingfish like you've never seen them before
• Features more than 90 stunning color images
• Explores the natural history of flyingfish, where to see them, how they fly, and more
• The ideal gift book for fish lovers, ecotravelers, birders, and armchair naturalists

My first impression: Just, wow! As an ornithologist and lifelong fishkeeper, I've long been enchanted by flyingfish, but weirdly, I know almost nothing about them. Further, I've never even seen a book about them -- have you? This fascinating and unique book is crammed with many dozens of stunning photographs of several species of these fishes (no one knows how many species there are), and includes more natural history information about flyingfish than I've seen anywhere before.

Philosophy at 3:AM: Questions and Answers with 25 Top Philosophers by Richard Marshall [Oxford University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis The appeal of philosophy has always been its willingness to speak to those pressing questions that haunt us as we make our way through life. What is truth? Could we think without language? Is materialism everything? But in recent years, philosophy has been largely absent from mainstream cultural commentary. Many have come to believe that the field is excessively technical and inward-looking and that it has little to offer outsiders.
The 25 interviews collected in this volume, all taken from a series of online interviews with leading philosophers published by the cultural magazine 3ammagazine.com, were carried out with the aim of confronting widespread ignorance about contemporary philosophy. Interviewer Richard Marshall's informed and enthusiastic questions help his subjects explain the meaning of their work in a way that is accessible to non-specialists. Contemporary philosophical issues are presented through engaging but serious dialogues that, taken together, offer a glimpse into key debates across the discipline.
Alongside metaphysics, philosophy of mind, epistemology, logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of language, political philosophy and ethics, discussed here are feminist philosophy, continental philosophy, pragmatism, philosophy of religion, experimental philosophy, bioethics, animal rights, and legal philosophy. Connections between philosophy and fields such as psychology, cognitive science, and theology are likewise examined. Marshall interviews philosophers both established and up-and coming.
Engaging, thoughtful and thought-provoking, inviting anyone with a hunger for philosophical questions and answers to join in, Philosophy at 3:AM shows that contemporary philosophy can be relevant -- and even fun.
My first impression: This is an interesting book because it consists of conversations with a number of philosophers about "the big questions" that keep many of us awake on some nights. I've read two chapters so far; the interview with philosopher Mark Rowlands (chapter 4), who reflects on his relationship with his companion, a wolf-dog hybrid, Brenin; and the interview with philosopher-neuroscientist Patricia Churchland (chapter 9), who discusses the relationship between the brain and the mind and the nature of free will.

Faith and Wisdom in Science by Tom McLeish [Oxford University Press, 2014; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis "Can you Count the Clouds?" asks the voice of God from the whirlwind in the stunningly beautiful catalogue of nature -- questions from the Old Testament Book of Job. Tom McLeish takes a scientist's reading of this ancient text as a centrepiece to make the case for science as a deeply human and ancient activity, embedded in some of the oldest stories told about human desire to understand the natural world. Drawing on stories from the modern science of chaos and uncertainty alongside medieval, patristic, classical and Biblical sources, Faith and Wisdom in Science challenges much of the current 'science and religion' debate as operating with the wrong assumptions and in the wrong space. Its narrative approach develops a natural critique of the cultural separation of sciences and humanities, suggesting an approach to science, or in its more ancient form natural philosophy -- the 'love of wisdom of natural things' -- that can draw on theological and cultural roots. Following the theme of pain in human confrontation with nature, it develops a 'Theology of Science,' recognising that both scientific and theological worldviews must be 'of' each other, not holding separate domains. Science finds its place within an old story of participative reconciliation with a nature, of which we start ignorant and fearful, but learn to perceive and work with in wisdom. Surprisingly, science becomes a deeply religious activity. There are urgent lessons for education, the political process of decision-making on science and technology, our relationship with the global environment, and the way that both religious and secular communities alike celebrate and govern science.
My first impression: The central question posed by the author is where can we find wisdom and the book juxtaposes science and theology to discover the answer. I've not had much time to think about this particular book's message, so I have no opinion about it yet, but the proximity of science and theology in the book and the author's careful examination of them both make me profoundly uncomfortable -- which of course means I must finish reading this book.

What book(s) are you reading? How far are you along in the book? What do you think of it so far? Do you think your book is worth recommending to others?

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When she's not reading a book, GrrlScientist can also be found here: Maniraptora. She's very active on twitter @GrrlScientist and sometimes lurks on social media: facebook, G+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.