Wildlife of the Concho Valley by Terry C. Maxwell | 2013 | Texas A&M University Press | Hardcover $30
The Concho Valley, named from the abundant mussel shells found in its principal river by seventeenth-century Spanish explorers, occupies a transitional position between the Chihuahuan Desert to the west and the Balcones Canyonlands to the east. As veteran field biologist and educator Terry C. Maxwell notes, the region has experienced wide-ranging changes in the makeup of its vertebrate populations, especially in the decades since farming and ranching began here in earnest, in the mid- to late 1800s.
The author of this book was one of my professors in college (one of the better ones for sure)… and my mother taught at that same school when I was growing up, so actually we’ve been acquainted since I was a child. This book wasn’t a freebie, though; I bought it, proudly and enthusiastically, and it was well worth the money.
Dr. Maxwell’s classes were certainly interesting. He was a good lecturer and an even better field trip guide, and his depth of knowledge combined with his talent for teaching shines through in this book. What’s more, several of the chalkboards in the biology department were decorated with his detailed, lifelike drawings of native animals — and, again, his talent for this particular art is evident in this book as well.
I hesitate to recommend this particular bookto just anyone. It is, after all, focused on a very local and subject-specific topic. But I do think that if you have any interest at all in the animal life of Central and West Texas, you’ll find it engaging, informative, and generally a pleasure to read.
Links:
- Full book summary and reviews from Texas A&M University Press
- Info about the Concho Valley from Angelo State University
- Naturally Texas columns by Terry Maxwell in the San Angelo Standard-Times
Publication information: Maxwell, Terry Wildlife of the Concho Valley. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 2013. Print.
Source: Purchased for home library.
Disclaimer: I am not compensated, monetarily or otherwise, for reviews of books or other products.
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