Reviews for Magical thought in creative writing

The average rating for Magical thought in creative writing based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2013-01-09 00:00:00 Brian Fitzpatrick I thought this was a good book for several reasons; the way the research was conducted, the presentation of the research, the organisation of the book and the tone and writing of the author all made it a pleasant read. The first thing I liked about the book was that the research had a good cause and a practical purpose (by this I mean the results were to be used in real life conservation efforts). It didn't claim to be an ultimate guide on everything you need to know about lions (even though there was a lot of information on them) like many other books on animals, instead it focused on answering a specific question (and in the process discussed in detail the lives of the lions in the area): "Mr. John Owen, director of the Tanzania National Parks, invited me to join the Serengeti Research Institute to study lions in the Serengeti National Park […] The park administration was interested in maintaining the lion population while preserving the million or so hoofed animals that frequent the region […] As the major predator in the park, lions were thought to influence the dynamics of various prey species, and my task was to find out to what extent they did so." In a clear and scientific way, the author presents his research topics, his data (often organised in charts, tables and illustrations) and gives his interpretation of the results. Lions are discussed in great detail - their group structure and movements, group behaviour (social structure, daily activity patterns, mating behaviour, relationships, etc.), population dynamics (size, composition, mortality, reproduction, etc.), food habits, hunting, etc. Although these were interesting topics to get to know more about lions, they were all also relevant to what effect lions have on prey species populations. There are also brief sections on prey species (in terms of their reactions to lion predation) and other predators in the area. The author stresses that while some of his findings can be applied to lions in general, his conclusions are often specific to the lions that he studied, and that various factors can affect lion behavioural differences elsewhere or at different times - this emphasis contributed to the overall modest and scientific tone of the book. Similar or relevant studies were often mentioned and findings were compared to the author's, sometimes complementing each other, other times revealing very different results. When the results differed, the author didn't adopt a dismissive or arrogant tone but stated that his own research found no evidence to support the others' findings. In this style, the author debunks several axioms about lions. To give an example of one of my own misconceptions about lions (formed by Disney and nature shows :) ), the idea of lionesses as the doting, over-protective, careful mothers was shown to not be a very accurate description of reality. Lionesses were shown to have a "conflict between self-indulgence and parental care", behave carelessly with cubs, not feed them sufficiently, etc. - these were not conclusions based on a few freak events the author happened to witness, but were supported by quantitative data such as the mortality rate of cubs in prides and the recorded reasons of mortality in different stages of the cubs' lives. Despite some of the more dry sections of the book (for example sections describing the land, etc.) that could sometimes get a bit boring, I enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-09-19 00:00:00 Victor Klujsza This was not an impulse purchase. I can't remember when i became obsessed with the lions behaviours. I realised that they are more than just a treat to my eyes.Not a MAJESTIC LION but ya THE majestic lion with its life to live and survive.Its really fascinating to read about different aspects of a lion's life.Its behaviour,its needs.Do they have any wants? or it is just its version of primal and bare needs.The book spoke a depth about its behaviour patterns. Interesting lives.Interesting facts. This book was an early work. Time spent on the field search had proved its worthiness. Detailed analysis were done to get to the bottom. I can't imagine the patience shown by the research people. Its marvelling.It would be like an adventure with passion for them,to show this much of patience. I feel sympathy for the lions now.With them being too vulnerable.There is more to preserve.Especially against some human's inhumane actions. I have seen many people taking efforts in preserving the lions population.I can't do any but I really appreciate and thankful for them with my whole heart.