Ebook344 pages13 hours
A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud
By Karl Sabbagh and Adam Nicholson
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this ebook
A true story of a Scottish isle, an eminent professor, a lie, and an amateur botanist who saw the truth, by the author of Antisemitism Wars.
In the 1940s, the eminent British botanist John Heslop Harrison proposed a controversial theory: that vegetation on the islands off the west coast of Scotland had survived the last Ice Age. His premise flew in the face of what most botanists believed—that no plants had survived the 10,000-year period of extreme cold. But Heslop Harrison had proof: the plants and grasses found on the isle of Rum. Harrison didn’t anticipate, however, an amateur botanist called John Raven, who boldly questioned whether these grasses were truly indigenous to the area, or whether they had been transported there. This is the story of what happened when a tenacious amateur set out to find out the truth, and how he uncovered a most extraordinary fraud.
Praise for A Rum Affair
“A breezy ride . . . informative and amusing.” —Washington Post Book World
“An exciting scientific detective story.” —Times Literary Supplement
In the 1940s, the eminent British botanist John Heslop Harrison proposed a controversial theory: that vegetation on the islands off the west coast of Scotland had survived the last Ice Age. His premise flew in the face of what most botanists believed—that no plants had survived the 10,000-year period of extreme cold. But Heslop Harrison had proof: the plants and grasses found on the isle of Rum. Harrison didn’t anticipate, however, an amateur botanist called John Raven, who boldly questioned whether these grasses were truly indigenous to the area, or whether they had been transported there. This is the story of what happened when a tenacious amateur set out to find out the truth, and how he uncovered a most extraordinary fraud.
Praise for A Rum Affair
“A breezy ride . . . informative and amusing.” —Washington Post Book World
“An exciting scientific detective story.” —Times Literary Supplement
Read more from Karl Sabbagh
Palestine: History of a Lost Nation Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Modest Proposal...: .. to solve the Palestine-Israel Conflict Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to A Rum Affair
Related ebooks
The Grail Bird: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Picnic and Suchlike Pandemonium Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fauna and Family: More Durrell Family Adventures on Corfu Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Snoring Bird: My Family's Journey Through a Century of Biology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Menagerie Manor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Peatlands: A Journey through the Moorland Year Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Sixpence House Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hive: The Story of the Honeybee and Us Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Aye-Aye and I Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Zombie Birds, Astronaut Fish, and Other Weird Animals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSmall Claims Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Magpie's Nest: A Treasury of Bird Folk Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stand Facing the Stove: The Story of the Women Who Gave America The Joy of Cooking Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rust: A Memoir of Steel and Grit Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBizarre London: Discover the Capital's Secrets & Surprises Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Birds, Beasts and Relatives Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gods of the Morning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Worst Journey in the World (Illustrated Edition): Memoirs: The 1910–1913 British Antarctic Expedition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFox Tossing: And Other Forgotten and Dangerous Sports, Pastimes, and Games Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Kingbird Highway: The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Singles to Adventure Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Woman's Place Is at the Top: A Biography of Annie Smith Peck, Queen of the Climbers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Tangled Bank: In Which Our Author Ventures Outdoors to Consider the British in Nature Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Nature For You
Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hunt for the Skinwalker: Science Confronts the Unexplained at a Remote Ranch in Utah Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Silent Spring Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beyond Coffee: A Sustainable Guide to Nootropics, Adaptogens, and Mushrooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The God Delusion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Family and Other Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lucky Dog Lessons: From Renowned Expert Dog Trainer and Host of Lucky Dog: Reunions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5H Is for Hawk Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs & 100 Seasonal Recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Edible Wild Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Solace of Open Spaces: Essays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Honeybee Democracy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fantastic Fungi: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness, and Save the Planet Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Corfu Trilogy: My Family and Other Animals; Birds, Beasts and Relatives; and The Garden of the Gods Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Foraging for Survival: Edible Wild Plants of North America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shelter: A Love Letter to Trees Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arthur: The Dog who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond with Forests and Nature Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Related categories
Reviews for A Rum Affair
Rating: 3.8043478826086954 out of 5 stars
4/5
23 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A gripping tale of botanical fraud, and one which prompted me to make a three-day trip to the island described, which was one of the most fascinating experiences I've had in my life. Sabbagh does a remarkable job outlining this complicated story.
Book preview
A Rum Affair - Karl Sabbagh
e book_preview_excerpt.html }ɒ$Gݯ8/ { RP0 H92wGz|ɨ)?78\WGKS5sp923[tyTO>!O>Oޫ>
~|ox_?}S.%aSMXL]qS6u}3Vivs!0USCh0E\Cj{}*=aMwi8M=Y6yûյ)qԫBI}po}f[x)4
x[3ױ0C:WuWMTMbcդ0{:5io2n8* G,ƔW^KB~JWx>H^aCG`t69vaSqk]hm_0"?F"tHfa9)w^c*]cʁAraDi>9=Jc 4> Vl|tҶ0찱Xb=Ʒ)sMFBT߆ihǶ{l1=F/6ڃÝiH^0JOܷӅK_2<wL:t>Q_t!CP#.{JC:>@f*HKuއ9:^C}YN¤1Pa(?ϱR1mndja}K8PsmʼnLz&`J*6`$)}@/50:L,l\\ap٧z
5ŨǺuRZMLZrU˚zsXm_|S[voYSeO?҂9`,u`Sg C2_47ƣ]4W
q?QoQ\X}W 'z0rי`aEf;:O \s8&X9.8.]Cjm2x3Kne3NCp".0ms6"3Qڵp/"g|wd6>)H߅ 4 |-D+z9QC%;o 3A=&%r
< Oovo~Ė/p︗ښ(rOP)p;2pAkos4`E=b5q2I K©R 5Tc9ݷ "r:;(i.fbP89>KpsboAq:Œ`i^ujwh#18NxQ;ȏɶ;i&}} ÛrRXuO1@'gC Lɑk6%5Ԝ`si' sf4J5x, -bE\yNng(:fp zP' T
T0U(c'O;HAlY뚖,"z*c_sO1+9Ƕ@K0bh3{]ewB5b<~?W/2fSmIրYڂV0wc~w+ C#N/I.#]AS k//wN
elb qBޛ:B/"ptlڬ
z0'[[:Ii¡nw:1hŦVXq2}2::&qӔ{
#!CpYhEFE푳k@,0O$D֕tgta6NܶH̄pJ-5;]}`!;pp=ȯT72,} O\d C)7pxՈdg:_܈GZYck2Ýxs y 7yPˀ_M!!i+amE>ȃF`mS,N/u퀏G[N;겇_:if"zvGޘkbߙtt9=vY6KevCAd' pXkI8½TvgLſ(z8t&XLLr_}С0WPalz
.;ƃM\I˴pvPbq0+dԚSߠd
@0Vh@-
fNe( Tq(,QWۦ|{b0PФmr?
|#ccW$"YHEWasŢo%_ G岸/+C\yQQ
k|]`A~oHcОJ\5Lj+ntюL-#St3ٌP n2Y(^*JHrHZ /G u=lyrsU<