The Great Swamp is a unique and biologically interesting natural area amidst the highly developed communities of central New Jersey. It’s not an especially well-known place beyond the surrounding region, so the new photo book by Steven Richman, The Great Swamp: New Jersey’s Natural Treasure, is worth noting.
Photos are clearly the heart of this new book, and while there are no show-stoppers here, the book does offer a visual document of the Swamp’s natural history. It strikes me as a bit overdone, however—it would be better with about half the pictures omitted. Still, if you’re fond of this place, Richman’s book will remind you of what you love and enable you to share a sense of the place with others.
Unfortunately, The Great Swamp includes a little bit of writing, both in short chapters and in photo captions and the writing is terribly convoluted. Errors of grammar are rampant. Too many captions are just meaningless phrases. Language is often repeated verbatim between text and caption. Errors are widespread, if mostly minor (though an Eastern Phoebe identified as a “Tree Swallow” made me cringe). A number of the illustrated species aren’t identified. I can’t believe this publication was edited, and heaven knows it could have benefited from a heavy hand. Here are a few examples of text and caption:
“Color coded trail markings on trees reflect the human touch of the governing entities.”
“Gray squirrels nest in trees, which are visible in the winter.”
“New Jersey hosts two species of Canada Geese, one that migrates and the other that remains year round.”
“The non-avian dinosaurs that are extinct are just that.”
“It is a place of heart-stopping beauty and poignancy, a place where life is reaffirmed as it has been since the Wisconsin Glacier retreated over this area, leaving behind the placenta that nourished this wetland.”
“When we look at the tangle of vines and branches, perhaps we see the strong lines of a Pollock painting and abstract expressionism.”
“Because both amphibians and reptiles are ‘ectothermal’ in that their body temperature depends upon the eternal environment, although amphibians lack the scales that distinguish reptiles, a necessary behavior is basking.”
“Winter is also a time to notice the galls that mutilate trees.”
I found myself constantly saying, “Huh?” Here’s my advice: if the Great Swamp is a place of particular interest to you, enjoy the pictures and ignore the words.
Richman, Steven. The Great Swamp: New Jersey’s Natural Treasure. Atglen, PA, Schiffer Publishing Company, 2008. 112 pages softcover, $19.95. ISBN-13: 978-0-7643-2822-0.