Noted with interest

It was tempting to fill this review with eloquent, insightful, and enlightening quotes from one of the most engaging science books this reviewer has read in a long time.The author bought a derelict house on the west coast of Ireland, inspired largely by finding a pine marten scat in the garden (the book focusses mainly on Martes martes, but also compares close relatives).Since then, martens dominated Bagur's life, to judge from the many insights he brings from his own observations plus 209 of his fascinating photos.His writing is accurate, yet inspirational.After centuries of persecution, he describes how martens "clung on the edge, hanging from the precipice [of extermination] by a single claw they stared back at humanity and they survived."In a key quote, he argues that "[the] common misconception that Pine Martens are killers cannot be held by those [who] understand ecology [They] do of course kill, but they also create the conditions required for an explosive abundance of life."Although the chapter on predators and threats focusses on Britain and Ireland, the other chapters, covering the marten's life and behavior, are relevant throughout the species' range.Some observations are revelatory, like Bagur's discovery that their main retreats are in "marten maze" tunnel systems built in dense vegetation-and many hours of watching martens defecate must have informed his explanation of what he calls their "scat wiggle."The book will appeal to anyone interested in a species described as being "full of personality, courage and inquisitive charm."