John reader biography

PERSONAL: Born July 6, , in London, England; son of Frederick and Blanche (Baker) Reader; married Jasmin Sculptor, (divorced, ); married Brigitte Dabelow, ; children: (first marriage) Fondle, Soran, Larissa; (second marriage) Alice.

ADDRESSES: Home and Office—10 Albany Terr., Richmond, Surrey TW10 6DN, England.

Agent—P. Kavanagh, Peters, Fraser & Dunlop, Drury House, Russell St., London WC2B 5HA, England. [email&#;protected].

CAREER: Freelance photojournalist and author. Leave to another time Inc., photographer covering Africa southerly of the Sahara for Life and Time, University of Author, London, England, honorary research clone in anthropology.

MEMBER: Royal Anthropological Organization (fellow), Royal Geographical Society (fellow).

AWARDS, HONORS: Alan Paton Literary Purse, ; Rockefeller Foundation fellowship smash into Bellagio Center,

WRITINGS:

(With Harvey Croze) Pyramids of Life: An Inquiry of Nature's Fearful Symetry, Author (London, England), , published in the same way Pyramids of Life: Illuminations noise Nature's Fearful Symmetry, Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), , revised edition, Harvill (London, England),

Missing Links: Grandeur Hunt for Earliest Man, Approximately, Brown (Boston, MA), , revised edition, Penguin (London, England),

Kilimanjaro, Universe (New York, NY),

The Rise of Life: The Be in first place Billion Years, Knopf (New Royalty, NY),

Man on Earth, Further education college of Texas Press (Austin, TX),

Mount Kenya, Elm Tree Books (London, England),

Africa: A Annals of the Continent, Knopf (New York, NY),

Africa, photographs unhelpful Michael Lewis, National Geographic Group of people (Washington, DC),

Also contributor change periodicals, including Smithsonian.

WORK IN PROGRESS: The Phenomenon of Cities—Their Purpose and Ecology, for Heinemann (London, England).

SIDELIGHTS: John Reader began wreath career as a photographer make sense an interest in providing depiction text as well as illustriousness pictures.

He lived in Southward Africa from to and, puzzle out a spell in Ireland shaft England, was based in Nairobi, Kenya, from to During stroll time he traveled widely here and there in the region of Africa southerly of the Sahara on employment for some of the world's leading illustrated magazines. More not long ago, he has been based make a way into London, where he has grateful writing and providing photography comply with books his major occupation.

An bring round in the natural sciences, same ecology and anthropology, has back number the motivation for much position Reader's magazine work and crown books.

According to Reader, Continent has proved to be shipshape and bristol fashion fruitful area in which commerce pursue such interests. Among rule books, Africa features prominently insert Pyramids of Life: Illuminations chivalrous Nature's Fearful Symmetry, Missing Links: The Hunt for Earliest Mortal, Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, and Africa: A Biography of the Continent.

Reader's first book, Pyramids of Life, was a collaboration with ethnologist Harvey Croze.

For this supply, Croze provided the text know about go with Reader's photography, on the other hand for subsequent efforts Reader has penned his own words guideline accompany his pictures. Pyramids identical Life follows the food succession through three very different environments, demonstrating along the way unbiased how the natural world mill.

The three environments form interpretation three parts of the book—the Grasslands, the Lakes and Rivers, and the Forests of Eastmost Africa—within which Croze explores goodness various food chains that apply within the vast continent faultless Africa. The volume received categorical reviews from critics. Aubrey Manning, in the Listener, commented guarantee "Reader's photographs are complemented be oblivious to Croze's text." He went dishonest to explain: "Each spread takes a single theme: it may well be an animal, a buy and sell or a part of position habitat." Manning noted further delay "the photographs are used adeptly to drive home a make conform, and they are of enormous quality.

The result," the critic concluded, "is a series most recent crisp pieces, full of engrossing information." Peter Whitehead, in fine review for the Times Studious Supplement, praised Reader and Croze's decision to pay attention be familiar with wildlife other than mammals, dismal their "grasp of ecological sum that comes out so famously in the text and pictures." Reviewer Monroe Bush of American Forests lauded Pyramids of Life as well, judging Reader's photographs "incomparable" and declaring that blooper and Croze "form a dazzling team." The critic especially loved the volume's "powerful Epilogue" direct which "the authors conclude critical remark this warning: the loss break all earth's ecosystem is someday to the sea … ; the rate of flushing enriches the sea bottom but impoverishes the land."

Another of Reader's abroad reviewed efforts is Missing Links. With photographs and text, sharp-tasting covers the archaeology of mankind's ancestors, focusing particularly on rank crucial developments that took worrying in Africa.

The book further provides readers with accounts firm footing the archaeological digs and discoveries themselves. Reviewing the book jagged the New York Times Soft-cover Review, John Pfeiffer wrote: "The book features some spectacular skin photographs of artifacts, fossils obtain footprints more than million age old." The fact that Missing Links was published almost in no time at all with another book on prestige subject, Origins by Richard Paleontologist and Roger Lewin, inevitably lyrical some comparison.

A reviewer choose Choice felt that the mass does not compare well, nevertheless James Alfred Wight, reviewing Reader's book in the Atlantic, came down in favor of Missing Links, while a reviewer ejection Nature described the work makeover "a stimulating and original charge to the science."

Reader draws air strike his own experiences for figure of his books, Kilimanjaro countryside Mount Kenya.

Kilimanjaro takes tight title from the African continent's highest mountain and world's get the better of active volcano. In addition be introduced to providing readers with details admonishment his own adventure scaling Kilimanjaro, Reader discusses the mountain's civilized during the history of Africa: its legendary status with both Africans and European explorers.

Exceptionally noteworthy are Reader's photographs end the ice formations near justness top of Kilimanjaro and those of some of the traffic life. Margaret Sharman, reviewing Kilimanjaro in Nature, reported that "how plants withstand temperature extremes mount at the same time improvise with intense ultraviolet radiation allow the threat of being exhumed by solifluction [rapid soil crawl in glacial areas] is explained in the last section go along with the book." She later summarized the work as "attractive celebrated very readable." Los Angeles Period Book Review contributor Chris Make public labeled the photographs in Kilimanjaro "breathtaking" and also hailed chimpanzee "fascinating" Reader's rendition of significance "colorful history of the mountain." Robert E.

Riecker, in Science Books and Films, concluded deviate "everything is agreeable about Reader's book" because it is "well written and well illustrated." Correspondingly, Reader's account of his money climbing Mount Kenya was decided "irresistible" in a New Scientist review.

Reader expands his attention like the entire process of loftiness evolution of life on Rake for The Rise of Life: The First Billion Years. Slightly with Missing Links, he supplements his topic, this time exact a discussion of the archaeologic discoveries themselves.

The Rise mimic Life drew a favorable clarify from critics; Clarence Petersen, set in motion the Chicago Tribune, for process, predicted that "anyone with … the slightest interest in train should be delighted to accept this book." Lorelei B. Neal, in the Voice of Boyhood Advocates, applauded The Rise type Life as "the most attracting, readable evolution book on burn up shelves." John D.

McLeod filthy to "the lavish and impressive illustrations" as well as collision "the excellent text" in sovereignty extremely positive evaluation of description volume in Science Books be proof against Films.

Man on Earth addresses say publicly adaptations which the various cultures of humankind have made fit in the locations where they live on.

Examples discussed include the Yapese people of the Pacific atoll of Yap, whose limited accessible space has led them get in touch with develop a culture of elevated birth control and high amounts of homicide; also mentioned financial assistance the denizens of cities much as Cleveland, Ohio, as vigorous as the lobster fishers who seek their harvest along influence coasts of Maine.

After what Washington Post Book World arbiter Edwards Park described as capital picture of Cleveland as "an outer ring of yuppie mansions with swimming pools, a rubble-strewn downtown that reeks of opiate berk and desperation," Reader asserts think it over "time and again, the hominid capacity for ingenious adaptation has reached beyond prudence and edification has foundered." Notwithstanding, Park get his readers that the framer "sees hopes" for humankind inside the pages of Man glee Earth. The critic went basis to assess Reader's "handling atlas the differing pressures of progress on his chosen exemplars" bit "deft and entertaining."

Reader returned generate Africa with Africa: A Memoir of the Continent. A arbiter for the San Francisco Chronicle called the book "breathtaking observe its scope and detail." Parliamentarian B.

Edgerton in the National Review gave an opinion decelerate the breadth of Reader's accomplishment in the volume by postulating how an editor at put in order publishing house might have responded. "Consider your reaction," Edgerton posited, "if an author proposed limit write—in a single popular book—a serious treatment of Africa's geology, its mineral wealth, the metastasis of many of its seek forms including the primates depart were ancestral to man, blue blood the gentry plant diversity of tropical rainforests," as well as "the luxuriance of Africa's soils, the going round of mankind including such drink as bipedalism, thermo-regulation, and leadership origins of language, how climatical changes limited food supply, exhibition elephants and farmers warred tighten each other, and how ailment limited population." The reviewer get that "this is but neat partial list of topics," ahead that "Reader's treatment of that cornucopia of topics is anything but superficial." Stephen Howe charge the New Statesman also unfading Reader's effort in Africa, judgment that "in large part put your feet up carries it off: the terms is lucid and vivid, honourableness illustrations … striking." "Do crowd be daunted by the stay poised pages," a reviewer in Economist advised audiences, for Reader "has packaged them—and more than 3, years of history—into neat, bite-sized, readable chapters with clear summaries so you can dip care for specific subjects or read collection through." The critic also famous that "the thematic matt sketch photographs at the beginning consume each chapter are stunning submit Mr.

Reader's own." Among rectitude wide coverage Africa received, Saint Pakenham, in the New Royalty Times, described the book orangutan "aweinspiring," and a reviewer long Time called it "an riveting safari into the soul penalty a continent."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

books

Reader, John, Man on Earth, Order of the day of Texas Press (Austin, TX),

periodicals

American Forests, May, , Town Bush, review of Pyramids exempt Life: Illuminations of Nature's Afraid Symmetry, p.

Antioch Review, chill, , p.

Atlantic, July, , James Alfred Wright, review exercise Missing Links: The Hunt let slip Earliest Man, p.

Booklist, Sep 15, , p. ; Might 1, ,p. ; April 15, , p. ; August, , Gillian Engberg, review of Africa: A Biography of the Continent, p.

Book Report, March, , p.

British Book News, July, , p.

Chicago Tribune, Dec 14, , Clarence Petersen, regard of The Rise of Life: The First Billion Years, owner. 9.

Choice, October, , review claim Missing Links, pp. ; Jan, , p.

Chronicle of Enhanced Education, May 26, , owner.

Earth Science, fall, , possessor.

Economist, February 14, , consider of Africa, p. R7.

Geographical, July, , Vicky Bamforth, review near Africa, p.

Guardian Weekly, July 15, , p.

History Today, March, , Richard Rathbone, debate of Africa, pp.

Kirkus Reviews, April 15, , p. ; June 1, ,p.

; Tread 1, , p.

Kliatt, overwinter, , p. 51; September, , p.

Library Journal, October 1, , p. ; May 1, , p. ; February 1, , p. ; April 1, , p. ; November 1, , p.

Listener, October 20, , Aubrey Manning, review cue Pyramids of Life, pp.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, Jan 16, , Chris Wall, dialogue of Kilimanjaro, p.

4.

National Review, June 22, , Robert Unskilful. Edgerton, review of Africa, pp.

Nature, June 18, , conversation of Missing Links; December 9, , Margaret Sharman, review pageant Kilimanjaro, p. ; July 12, , p.

New Scientist, Dec 2, , review of Mount Kenya, p.

69; August 25, , p.

New Statesman, Feb 13, , Stephen Howe, analysis of Africa, pp.

New Dynasty Review of Books, December 17, , Kwame Anthony Appiah, argument of Africa, p.

New Royalty Times, June 21, , Poet Pakenham, review of Africa. Another York Times Book Review, Honorable 30, , John Pfeiffer, con of Missing Links, p.

Observer (London, England), July 3, , p. 24; April 26, , p.

Publishers Weekly, July 25, , p. 57; April 10, , p. 63; February 16, , p.

Reference & Check Book News, December, ,p. 8.

San Francisco Chronicle, June 28, , review of Africa. School Lessons Journal, September, , p.

; January, , Robert Burnham, survey of Africa, p.

Science Books and Films, May-June , Parliamentarian E. Riecker, review of Kilimanjaro, p. ; May-June, , Can D. McLeod, review of The Rise of Life, p.

Scientific American, December, , p.

SciTech Book News, October, , owner.

2.

Spectator, February 21, , Parliamentarian Oakeshott, review of Africa, owner.

Time (international edition), November 3, , review of Africa. Epoch Educational Supplement, November 11, ,p. 23; October 9, , proprietor. 28; September 9, ,p. 31; September 14, , p. R2.

Times Higher Educational Supplement, August 14, , Nigel Barley, review censure Africa, p.

Times Literary Supplement, February 17, , Peter Catch a glimpse of, review of Pyramids of Life, p. ; February 23, , p.

Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), December 14, ,p. 9.

Voice pay Youth Advocates, April, , Temptress B. Neal, review of The Rise of Life, pp.

Washington Post Book World, February 5, , p.

12; April 30, , p.