PRESS RELEASE

publication date: Aug 29, 2008
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Latest Publication from the

IBRA Bookshop

 

 

 

On the first anniversary of her death, 6 September 2008, IBRA is proud to honour Dr Eva Crane with a new book. 

Founder, and for 35 years Director, of the International Bee Research Association she was, for half a century, a towering figure in the world of bees and beekeeping. Her name must certainly go down in the apicultural annals alongside Langstroth and Dzierzon for like them her contribution to the body of beekeeping knowledge truly straddled the globe. The legacy of her written work has been, and will continue to be, a beacon to guide and inspire for many years to come.


Yet, in spite of her international stature, she was a reserved and private person. This book respectfully sets out to give some personal glimpses of her work, her character and her life. There is a major contribution by Penny Walker who, for 34 years was a respected colleague, and much-loved friend. Penny gives some wonderful insights into the phenomenal intellectual and physical energy Eva put into her work. Her ability to take an overview, assess a situation, analyse the detail, plan a project and see it to fruition were quite astounding. The skills and mental stamina required for such output were developed in Eva’s childhood and formative years and again Penny, with discretion and respect, reveals previously unknown detail of these formative years.

IBRA was Eva Crane’s creation and Richard Jones, the present director, gives new glimpses into the development of this institution not forgetting to pay heartfelt tribute to Eva’s husband Jim Crane whose generosity of spirit, encouragement and support were vital to Eva’s work and important factors in IBRA’s history.
 

The world’s “First Lady of Bees” may, at first, seem a trite remark but it is clearly true and can be seen time and time again in the book through personal contributions from the following:

 
Octaaf Van Laere (Belgium)
    Hachiro Shimanuki, Anita Collins (USA)
Peter Paterson (Kenya)
Vladimír Veselý (Czech Republic)
Jerzy Woyke (Poland)
Randall Hepburn (South Africa)
    Francis G. Smith (Australia)
Siriwat Wongsiri (Thailand)
Wolf Engels (Germany)
Mitsuo Matsuka (Japan)
David Smith, Betty and Karl Showler (UK)
 
In a productive life that resulted in over 300 publications no tribute would be complete with out a contribution from the Grand Dame herself. It was a difficult task for the editors to select the most important or most memorable work to reprint but certainly the one chosen represents a major theme in all Eva’s writings:
Beekeeping as a sustainable practice: past, present and future
 

There is also the treat of two original papers previously unpublished and the hint there may be further posthumous publication of material prepared by this remarkable woman. The book concludes with a complete list of all her publications to-date. This makes it an immensely useful reference book as well as giving a fine human touch to the life and times of a lady whose contribution to the world history of beekeeping was as enormous as it was unique. The book is well illustrated with photographs, many in colour, most of which have not been published before.

To purchase a copy visit our online shop

IBRA, 16 North Road, Cardiff, CF10 3DY, Wales, U.K.

Email: bookshop@ibra.org.uk

Tel: +44 (0)29 2037 2409    
Fax: +44 (0)56 01 13 56 40