Field guides are slim volumes one sticks into a pocket to accompany a bushwalk or larger volumes the serious naturalist puts into the backpack or keeps in the glove box. They are not really books one sits down and reads. Until now the only Australian exception has been the delightful "Mammals of South Australia" written in 1923 by Wood Jones. That book is still in print, and still in use because it contains many observations by the author and snippets of information that simply cannot be found anywhere else. Denise Goodfellow has produced a book in a similar style which is highly likely to last as long as Wood Jones. Probably longer, as it is a much larger book and contains an even wider variety of fascinating details; even the occasional very short story, often showing a connection between her Aboriginal relatives and the bird in focus.

The core of any guide is of course the detail needed to make an easy and positive identification. That detail is here, helped by original
illustrations by the author.

This is an accurate, useful and remarkable, readable book. Before long "Goodfellow" will be the most widely used bird guide in the Top End.

Birds of Australia`s Top End by Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow with Michael Stott published by Scrubfowl Press, PO Box 1023, Parap, Northern Territory, Australia 0804. ISBN 0957884907 Nov 2001.