It's easy to dismiss taxidermy as a kitschy or morbid sideline, the realm of trophy fish and jackalopes or an anachronistic throwback to the dusty ...
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Jul 30, 2010
I had assumed taxidermy would irresistibly appeal to the Brooklyn hipster through its combination of painstaking labor and massive ironic potential. But although the author certainly lives in the proper borough and appears to be of the proper background, she works hard to approximate the kind of unmediated emotion -- shivery fear, creeped-out-ness, abandon -- in which she evidently finds true beauty.
There are sizeable historical loops here, but the two biggest storylines concern two v More...
There are sizeable historical loops here, but the two biggest storylines concern two v More...
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Jul 28, 2010
Imitation of life
A tour of the hidden subculture of taxidermy — with recipes
By Ethan Gilsdorf | Boston Globe, March 14, 2010
When the Parisian taxidermy shop Deyrolle went up in flames two years ago 90 percent of the inventory was lost to the fire and smoke — thousands of specimens, from fossils to beetles, rabbits to polar bears, some reaching back to the store’s 1831 origins.
The loss touched not only natural history buffs, but casual window shoppers lik More...
A tour of the hidden subculture of taxidermy — with recipes
By Ethan Gilsdorf | Boston Globe, March 14, 2010
When the Parisian taxidermy shop Deyrolle went up in flames two years ago 90 percent of the inventory was lost to the fire and smoke — thousands of specimens, from fossils to beetles, rabbits to polar bears, some reaching back to the store’s 1831 origins.
The loss touched not only natural history buffs, but casual window shoppers lik More...
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Jun 23, 2010
Robert
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Melissa Milgrom, Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009)
For some reason, I always seem to leave nonfiction to stew for quite a while before I review it. I finished this book close to two months ago (April 24th, and I'm writing the opening of this review on June 22nd) and still am not entirely sure what to say about it. I had the same problem with Bella Bathurst's The Wreckers, and while I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked that one, I still enjo More...
For some reason, I always seem to leave nonfiction to stew for quite a while before I review it. I finished this book close to two months ago (April 24th, and I'm writing the opening of this review on June 22nd) and still am not entirely sure what to say about it. I had the same problem with Bella Bathurst's The Wreckers, and while I didn't like this one quite as much as I liked that one, I still enjo More...
Mar 22, 2010
Misa
rated it:
Won from Goodreads
I had no previous interest in Taxidermy, yet how could I resist such a title if there was a chance I'd win it as a freebie. (If anything, it'd be a great gag gift for someone.)
After receiving it I read reviews of it to see if it would be worth my time reading or if it was so destined to be a gag gift...& it got some good reviews & I ended up intrigued by the subject matter so I decided to read it...& I really enjoyed it!
While I can't say this More...
I had no previous interest in Taxidermy, yet how could I resist such a title if there was a chance I'd win it as a freebie. (If anything, it'd be a great gag gift for someone.)
After receiving it I read reviews of it to see if it would be worth my time reading or if it was so destined to be a gag gift...& it got some good reviews & I ended up intrigued by the subject matter so I decided to read it...& I really enjoyed it!
While I can't say this More...
Jun 09, 2010
Az
rated it:
Still Life takes an unsettling topic, admits that it's unsettling, and moves on from there. I think Milgrom's writing works because she sounds like a regular person--sure, she has third generation Smithsonian taxidermists to show her around, but she isn't one herself. Nor does she strive to be. She views many of taxidermy's practices with a mix of wonder and revulsion.
I think taxidermy fits a discussion I once read about anatomical drawing--that it is intensely difficult because th More...
I think taxidermy fits a discussion I once read about anatomical drawing--that it is intensely difficult because th More...
Jul 15, 2011
Donna
rated it: 
While this book definitely has its moments, it's more about telling tales from the world of taxidermy and the author's time spent in it than providing a broader view of the subject. The writing style frequently got in the way of the content thanks to jumpy chapters, sentences that were sometimes unclear, and awkward transitions between the author's experiences and her research.
My biggest issue with the book was that the author didn't seem to care much about her subject. She brushed r More...
My biggest issue with the book was that the author didn't seem to care much about her subject. She brushed r More...
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Apr 16, 2011
Tiffany
rated it:
Right, so ... taxidermy. Why pick up a book on taxidermy, of all subjects? I'll read just about anything, frankly, and when I saw this book on the New book shelf at the library, I remembered that I'd also wanted to read "Stiff" by Mary Roach (who I've also recently read) and never got around to it. So I picked up "Still Life," and I was very pleasantly surprised through the entire course of the book. While Milgrom goes out of her way to clarify how taxidermists feel about the
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Apr 06, 2010
Bookmarks Magazine
rated it: 
Although some critics initially wondered if they would find the subject matter interesting, all seemed fascinated by Milgrom's look at the craft of taxidermy. Certainly, it's a quirky book, filled with bizarre, proud characters and gruesome details. Yet while most reviewers praised Milgrom's clear-eyed, compassionate reporting, a few quibbled over the uneven prose, the weak links between chapters, and the lack of personal insight into Milgrom's choice of topic. A couple also commented that the n
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Sep 13, 2011
Lee Anne
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Backstory: There's a new book out called The Authentic Animal: Inside the Odd and Obsessive World of Taxidermy by Dave Madden. When I read about that book in BookMaster (the in-house Barnes & Noble computer system), it mentioned Still Life. I vaguely remembered it, and I thought I'd get them both from the library, flip through them, and pick one to read. When I got them, I thought I'd just read both, starting with Milgrom's, since it came first and has a better cover, and see how two books o
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Apr 02, 2010
g
rated it:
Taxidermy came up in several books I read recently (Beatrice and Virgil and Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing), and I love places like the Bone Room and Paxton Gate, so after I saw this announced as an Amazon Best Book of the Month, I put my name on the library queue for it. It's a fun and easy read, and I like how the author moves back and forth between present day and historic taxidermists. The affection the author has for the art form is in most cases quite understated, though, and I go
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Aug 15, 2011
Laura
rated it:
For a peek into the world of taxidermy and the history of natural history museum exhibits, this isn't a bad place to start.
However, I'm losing patience with books where the writer is so busy inserting herself into the story that she becomes the focus instead of her subject. Milgrom's constantly creeped-out reaction was distracting to say the least. It's as if she wasn't quite comfortable with the fact that she was publishing a book on taxidermy and wants to make sure the readers More...
However, I'm losing patience with books where the writer is so busy inserting herself into the story that she becomes the focus instead of her subject. Milgrom's constantly creeped-out reaction was distracting to say the least. It's as if she wasn't quite comfortable with the fact that she was publishing a book on taxidermy and wants to make sure the readers More...
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Jul 19, 2010
Oana
rated it:
In the vein of Susan Orlean's Orchid Thief, this is one of those nonfiction books where the author is very visible. Which is to say, if you like your nonfiction authors keeping a distance, you might be irked. However, I did find Ms. Milgrom likeable and humble when her attempt at a taxidermied squirrel faced the judges at the taxidermy championship.
Aside from that, I left this book with a lot of questions I wished had been answered. I appreciated the author's postscript for the afte More...
Aside from that, I left this book with a lot of questions I wished had been answered. I appreciated the author's postscript for the afte More...
Feb 10, 2011
French Giant
rated it:
I've always had an odd fascination with taxidermied animals...Maybe it stems from my childhood crush on dinosaurs & my associated yearning to become a paleontologist, or perhaps it's because my dad was a somewhat avid hunter who had one of his deer heads mounted and placed directly above our living room TV. It used to stare down at us day after day and every Christmas we put a Santa hat on it. It did not seem amused.
With all of that said, I never acquired a taste for hunting and ne More...
With all of that said, I never acquired a taste for hunting and ne More...
Apr 22, 2010
Karen
rated it:
I read the first two sections in this fascinating look at the life of taxidermists and history of taxidermy. It's packed with information and the author recreates her subjects with the same respect and artistry that taxidermists use toward their animals.
The first story is about a father-son team of taxidermists, one of whom worked at the American Museum of Natural History in its diorama heyday. Even though I've been to the AMNH many times, I never thought about the exhibits and the More...
The first story is about a father-son team of taxidermists, one of whom worked at the American Museum of Natural History in its diorama heyday. Even though I've been to the AMNH many times, I never thought about the exhibits and the More...
Jul 26, 2011
Anna
rated it:
I picked this book up in the used book section of a book retailer. I had no idea how interesting it would be! I've never given much thought to taxidermy beyond the popular belief that hunters love to stuff their kills. And, growing up in a small town, there ARE definitely a few taxidermy shops run out of peoples' homes.
But what I didn't even consider before now was the rich (and sometimes dark) history of taxidermy, and the roles that it plays all over the place even today. Milgrom use More...
But what I didn't even consider before now was the rich (and sometimes dark) history of taxidermy, and the roles that it plays all over the place even today. Milgrom use More...
Apr 02, 2010
Nina
rated it:
I love taxidermy. I love the Museum of Natural History and always have. I collect animal skulls--have a small collection and am always looking for them. Therefore, I had to read this book. It was pretty good--probably not to someone as morbid as I, but I got a lot out of it. I'm kind of jealous that the author got to mount a New York City squirrel. I don't know any taxidermists and I guess it's unlikely that I'll ever meet one in Montclair and environs. But I would recommend this book as
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Jun 25, 2010
Leila
rated it:
Have I ever wished to know more about taxidermy? No, not really. But now I do and I have to say that Milgrom's crash course in the world of professional and competitive taxidermy was interesting to read. I picked this up because it was the first book picked for a book club that it now seems will not happen. The stories of the changing approach to museum taxidermy and exhibits were fascinating and the parts about the taxidermy competitions were entertaining. And now I know more than I ever wanted
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Feb 09, 2012
Danelle
rated it:
In Still Life: Aventures in Taxidermy, Melissa Milgrom takes us on a journey that's equal parts fascinating and disturbing. There's a journalistic feel to the writing; it's not a manual and it's not a history, but it is a little of both. Milgrom spent years researching this book; it's both informative and interesting - a 'behind the scenes' glimpse into a world you're typically not allowed to peek at, or perhaps, would even want to.
I am a huge museum geek - I love visiting museums. More...
I am a huge museum geek - I love visiting museums. More...
Jul 12, 2010
Carin
rated it:
Oh, I wanted to read this book from the minute I heard about it! What's not to love? A short nonfiction book about a random, bizarre hobby that is weird and strange. I was guaranteed to learn new useless facts, my favorite!
And Ms. Milgrom doesn't disappoint. The world of taxidermy is isolated and closed-off. Understandably so, since it's also really misunderstood, and the participants feel a little self-conscious about their world. Ms. Milgrom has managed to penetrate the insiders an More...
And Ms. Milgrom doesn't disappoint. The world of taxidermy is isolated and closed-off. Understandably so, since it's also really misunderstood, and the participants feel a little self-conscious about their world. Ms. Milgrom has managed to penetrate the insiders an More...
Jun 12, 2010
Brian
rated it:
Entertaining. A very interesting look into what the book self proscribes as a hidden underground industry. Not sure if the book had a thesis or what it intended, perhaps nothing more that an anthropological look at Taxidermy past, present, but not future.
I particularly liked the historical background on the Smithsonian and NYCs Museum of Natural History. Some back story on some of the specific items I've walked past a dozen times without even considering how they got there.
I particularly liked the historical background on the Smithsonian and NYCs Museum of Natural History. Some back story on some of the specific items I've walked past a dozen times without even considering how they got there.
Aug 31, 2010
Melody
rated it:
Oh, this was fun! Yep, a book about taxidermy was fun. Milgrom delves into the history of taxidermy, and takes us on a fascinating natural history adventure in the process. She also, at the end, mounts her own squirrel. There are journeys into reconstruction of extinct animals as well as forays into fine art. It's a delightful book, if you like that sort of thing. The writing is workmanlike, the storyline linear and clear. Nicely done.
Lisa V., you probably should steer clear.
Lisa V., you probably should steer clear.
Mar 23, 2010
Andie
rated it:
A fascinating read. I knew nothing about taxidermy, and through a series of portraits and lots of history and facts, I feel as though I am significantly more educated on the matter. As someone working in the contemporary art world, I particularly enjoyed the sections on Damien Hirst's taxidermist; as someone who found myself oddly intrigued by the whole concept of taxidermy, I also particularly enjoyed chapter 9, in which the author makes her own taxidermied squirrel.
Oct 23, 2010
Audacia
rated it: 
Favorite non-fiction book I've read so far in 2010!
I first learned of this book last fall at The Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest at Union Hall in Brooklyn, when the author Melissa Milgrom gave a short talk and then acted as a judge of the contest. I went right home and put it on my to-read queue and then patiently waited for the book to make its debut this spring.
I totally loved the book - the behind-the-scenes stuff about taxidermy shops, conventions, and natural histo More...
I first learned of this book last fall at The Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest at Union Hall in Brooklyn, when the author Melissa Milgrom gave a short talk and then acted as a judge of the contest. I went right home and put it on my to-read queue and then patiently waited for the book to make its debut this spring.
I totally loved the book - the behind-the-scenes stuff about taxidermy shops, conventions, and natural histo More...
May 14, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
the secret, clannish lives of taxidermists can be an interesting and fun read. if you've ever wondered about those mounted animals you see or are enthralled with damien hirsh, this is the book for you. an informational and curiosity satiating look into an art form that goes under the radar. and it is an art form that has a rich history. it's not all it's appears to be. it's more.
Feb 16, 2010
LolaJane
rated it:
Won on Goodreads- Firstreads
I was interested in this book as I am currently working on a Masters in Museum Studies. I'm familiar with museum displays using taxidermy models, the hazards associated with old specimens, and other technical and practical aspects. However, I had no understanding of the people behind these works of art. Milgrom's book fills in these gaps. Reading this I gained an appreciation for the artistry, dedication and the respect for nature of taxidermists. The book More...
I was interested in this book as I am currently working on a Masters in Museum Studies. I'm familiar with museum displays using taxidermy models, the hazards associated with old specimens, and other technical and practical aspects. However, I had no understanding of the people behind these works of art. Milgrom's book fills in these gaps. Reading this I gained an appreciation for the artistry, dedication and the respect for nature of taxidermists. The book More...
Nov 26, 2010
It was this bit of a review that hooked me into reading this...
"Our skilled reporter later attends the auction of a collection of Victorian anthropomorphic “curiosities’’ — ridiculous yet painstakingly crafted dioramas of 20 kittens in wedding dresses, or 98 birds reenacting the nursery rhyme “The Death and Burial of Cock Robin.’"
"Our skilled reporter later attends the auction of a collection of Victorian anthropomorphic “curiosities’’ — ridiculous yet painstakingly crafted dioramas of 20 kittens in wedding dresses, or 98 birds reenacting the nursery rhyme “The Death and Burial of Cock Robin.’"
Jul 30, 2011
Disappointing. A fascinating subject, but the author injects herself into the proceedings in completely irrelevant and boring ways. Why didn't an editor tell her that, for example, we didn't need to hear about the crummy motel she stayed at, when that space could be used to tell us more about the actual subject and the people she met?
Jun 14, 2010
Nick
rated it:
this is the kind of quirky exploration of an offbeat subject that attracts me when browsing the library shelves. It didn't disappoint me and I learned the story behind the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History that fascinated me as a child and keep drawing me back there whenever I am in New York.
Jul 26, 2011
Yes, it is the social history of taxidermy. From the eccentric Victorians, the politics of museum dioramas, the ethics of faking dead endangered species and the endless creepiness of silicone saliva to the good news that your child's desire to dissect dead things in the basement might not mean a future in serial killing.
Oct 27, 2011
Jane
rated it:
A well-done history of taxidermy, from 18th century cabinets of wonder right up to Damien Hirst. Loved reading about the American Museum of Natural History's dioramas and of course the Walter Potter Museum in England. Milgrom's chapter on her own taxidermy effort - a squirrel - is laugh-out-loud funny.
