A hive of bees

Neither a dry, boring scholarly text or a fluffy, detailess overview, this book takes you into the world of the honeybee. Like all of Crompton's naturalist books, there is no theory or moralising here, just engagingly written descriptions of the author's own observations. Even though he had no formal training (being an Imperial soldier by trade) in writing or natural history, Crompton's texts have stood the test of time far better than the works of the so-called "experts" of his day. I do not hesitate to recommend this book to readers of any age, regardless of whether they are disgusted or fascinated by insects.