Curator and Crusader The Life and Work of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer Mike Bruton

A mystery egg (is it a dodos?), a wandering hippo, an enigmatic human skull, a secret visit by a famous aviator, a fafi stone, the fossil of an extinct animal, the most famous fish in the world (coelacanth), ancient human footprints, a Blinkwater Monster, the German settler centenary, amaXhosa customs, innovative dioramas, a museum ghost and rugged expeditions into remote parts of southern Africa to collect specimens for her beloved museum.
These were just some of the ingredients in the colourful life of pioneering museum curator, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer. From humble beginnings, and with no formal post-school education, she developed from a child prodigy into a world famous figure whose inspiring life is a classic example of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Her name lives on in the names of the coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae, a flowering plant, Lachenalia latimerae and a hunter snail, Gulella latimerae.

2019. Softcover, 270 pages. Very good condition, neat and clean.