UBC Press Penguins in the Desert book Paperback 256 pages

Penguins in the Desert chronicles a season in the lives of the Magellanic penguins of Punta Tombo and the scientists who track their every move. Biologist Dee Boersma confronts some of the most pressing issues facing penguins and people today. In a tale that is as much about life in the field as it is about one of the most charismatic creatures on earth, Wagner brings humor, warmth and hard-won insight as he tries to find the answer to the most pressing question of all: What does it mean to know an animal, and to grapple with the consequences of that knowing?

Eric Wagner lives in Seattle with his family. He is the author of Once and Future River, and his essays and journalism have appeared in Orion, Audubon, Smithsonian, and High Country News, among other places.