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Year: 2010


Editor: Kate Jackson


Publisher: Harvard University Press

ISBN: 9780674048423

Pages: 336 (soft cover)


Price: $18.50 USD


To order: <http://www.hup.harvard.edu>

Who doesn’t love fieldwork? Not only does it provide us access to turtles, but it also generally involves travel and excitement, and often is the basis of many of our favorite stories or memories. That said, fieldwork can also be challenging logistically, physically, and even emotionally. This book by Kate Jackson, describes several exciting yet challenging herpetological research field trips she has made to the Republic of Congo. The stories are presented in the first person, and it makes one feel as if you are reading Kate’s personal journals, which she apparently mined when writing the book. Thus we learn not only about the things she found enjoyable or vexing, but also why she felt that way. For example, Jackson admits she is unenthused about being required to help train two Congolese students during her trip to Impongui, in northeastern Congo, and describes in many instances how the students irritated her. I found it completely engrossing, even though had I been in her place, I don’t think I would have made all the same decisions. Overall, her steadfast self-assuredness is quite amazing, and likely contributes in part to her success in field-collecting. That said, I should reveal that this book does not feature any sea turtles; instead the focus is mainly on snakes. However, the stories are not really about the study animals, but rather they are about the people who are trying to study them. Various relationships, both positive and negative, are interwoven into the narrative, and the reader comes away with the impression that personalities and politics have as much to do with the outcomes of biological fieldwork as the geography or the animals of interest. One of the clear lessons I took away from this book is the importance of a visiting researcher’s relationship to the person or organization that facilitates access to the study site or population (also known as a gatekeeper). When I finished the book, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences and relationships with the gatekeepers who have facilitated my research. It didn’t take long to realize that much of my own research would have been impossible without their help. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been, currently is, or will be involved in fieldwork, as it will serve to reinforce the idea that fieldwork is rarely conducted in a vacuum, no matter how isolated a field site may feel. Also, it serves as a good reminder to always carry a snake-bite kit when going into remote locations to study snakes!

Reviewed by: Matthew H Godfrey, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, Beaufort, NC, 28516 USA (E-mail: mgodfrey@seaturtle.org)