Donald Joyce Borror (1907–1988)

An excellent, comprehensive little powerhouse of etymology. Superlatively useful for students of biology, fairly helpful for students of any other science; positively beautiful for anyone interested in the Classical influence over modern language. I would recommend this book for anyone who attends university (for education, not beer). Language nerds--particularly DEAD language nerds, like me--will swoon over it. My copy is slim and small, practically petite enough for a pocket. I carry it show more with me everywhere I go on campus, right next to my planner. show less

I'd never think to actually review a field manual until this week. I found a random bug in my yard and had a burning desire to identify it before by turtle ate it. I immediatly pulled this book off the shelf and in less than an hour, had it identified (it was a click beetle). While not the friendliest of books (and one I despised back in Entomology), it is useful and is the standard.

Used this book a lot for a summer entomology course and often when hiking. Then grandsons 'came along' and wanted morning breakfast pancakes in the shapes of insects.... book was lots of use for making the shapes correctly

I particularly like how Borror's collections include multiple versions of songs and notes, along with being organized by the sound of songs, so that birding "by ear" is made easier.