“O, the gallant fishers life, it is the best of any”

For 368 years (and counting) The Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton has been influential in the world of angling and conservation. Today there are dozens of organizations that bear his name, including the “Izaak Walton League of America” with 330 chapters across the country and hundreds of parks, nature preserves, and even inns named after […]

Goddess Diana Cosplay and Italian Stag Hunting

Over the past few months I have been fortunate enough to spend more time in the F. Ambrose Clark Rare Book Room for tour research. One of my favorite pieces to show on tour is a commemorative hunting book called La Venaria Reale, Palazzo Di Piacere, e di Caccia, Ideato Dall’ Altezza Reale di Carlo […]

Men, Horses, and a Big Ball

Horse racing, polo, and coaching are just a few examples of exhilarating competitive equestrian sports. Get ready though to add another fascinating equestrian pursuit to your repertoire – horseback pushball! To play horseback pushball you need a few things: horses, riders, a field, and a huge ball. The origins of horseback pushball lie in the […]

Just read me a picture book, please!

I am an avid reader and always have been, my parents have joked that I was born with a book in my hand. I consume books, from science fiction to historical biographies and everything in between. I have to admit though, I find no greater reading pleasure than diving into the world of children’s books. […]

The “Fish from Hell” is delicious

The “killer fish,” “X-Files Fish”, “frankenfish,” “fish from hell” or, as some Korean anglers have dubbed it, the “fresh water tyrant” is actually called a channa argus – the Northern Snakehead. If you look up images of the Northern Snakehead you will quickly see why it has the nickname the “fish from hell”. It is […]

A Horse for a Tour Guide

Dr. Seuss (Ted Geisel), is arguably the most prolific and popular children’s book author and illustrator. He is a household name, with many of us growing up with a love and fascination for his imaginative worlds and creative characters. Geisel had a way of creating books that sparked a passion for reading and creativity for […]

Black Horsemen: From the Library Collection

Hello everyone and welcome to my first blog post as the Clarice & Robert H. Smith Educator here at NSLM. I started in late June and it has been a (pleasant) whirlwind. I have many goals as the educator, one of them being to build a strong relationship between the education department (i.e. me) and […]