A Field Guide to the Life and Times of Roger Conant

Conant, Roger. 1997. A Field Guide to the Life and Times of Roger Conant. Selva, Provo, UT, xx + 498 + 8 color plates. HB, Dj. $49.95

Here is the personal story of a remarkable man who pursued two careers simultaneously and won honors and accolades in both.

Roger Conant is best known for his Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, which was beautifully illustrated by the talented Isabelle Hunt Conant, Roger's late wife. It is the most widely used book in herpetology, and has influenced great numbers of young people, many of whom have gone on to become professionals. Conant also produced a long series of technical papers, including a monograph on the Water Snakes of Mexico and an exhaustive tome on the snakes of the genus Agkistrodon (The Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Cantil, and many Asian species), which he co-authored and finished for his close friend and colleague, the late Howard K. Gloyd.

His second career was in zoo management. After a valuable six-year training period in Ohio at the Toledo Zoo, he returned to his native Philadelphia, where, through hard work and a vivid imagination, he played a major role in rescuing its zoo from possible oblivion. He strove diligently to make it one of the nation's great zoological gardens, and during his last six professional years he served as its director.

This autobiography was written with the aide of the extensive diaries of both Roger and his late wife Isabelle Hunt Conant. As a result this autobiography contains an incredible amount of detail. In addition to detailing the life of one of the United States' most respected herpetologists of the 20th century, this book is a hist ory of 20th century herpetology- with personal vignettes about several herpetologists and zoo personalities who Roger knew. This book is also loaded with American history and folklore which will extend it's interest outside the biological community.

Reviews:

"I highly recommend this book for anyone who knows Conant, anyone who wants to know the man behind the famous "Conant field guide," anyone who wants to understand the herpetology and zoo science of the last 60 years, or just plain anyone. It is that good." -Larry David Wilson in Copeia 1998(3):802-803.

"The purpose of this review is simply to express my opinion that this is one of the most important milestones ever written in herpetology, in herpetoculture, and in zoo history. No one in those fields, or in conservation should miss reading it." - Hobart M. Smith in the Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 1998, 33(2):33.

"If you want to delve into how herpetology and zoo biology were conducted over the past eight decades, if you want to read adventure and travel stories, or if you simply want to read a well-written book, then buy this one. Every herpetologist and zoo curator would benefit from Roger's historical perspectives and insights into the personalities of our predecessors. This book would be a valuable addition to your library." - Joseph C. Mitchell in Herpetological Review 1998, 29(3):185-186.

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