- Description
- About the Author
-
John (Kay) Corner left home in 1960, aged 19. He would never see his father, E. J. H. Corner, again.
Edred John Henry Corner was one of the most colourful and productive biologists and mycologists of the 20th century. His career began in 1929 as Assistant Director of the Straits Settlements Singapore Botanic Gardens, where he trained monkeys to collect specimens from the treetops of the rainforest, and published Wayside Trees of Malaya, a classic field guide interspersed with his delightful and idiosyncratic observations on plant life. He was key in the creation of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, a 163- hectare plot that contains more tree species than the whole of North America.
When war came, he considered it his responsibilty to safeguard the scientific and cultural collections of Singapore during the Japanese Occupation, but was branded by some as a collaborator.
Post-war, after heading the ambitious UNESCO Hylean Amazon Project, he returned to Cambridge University and was appointed Professor of Tropical Botany in 1965. There he propounded his theory that the Durian represented an ancestral type of angiosperm tree. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society, where he promoted the conservation of tropical forests and led expeditions to the British Solomon Islands and Mount Kinabalu. For the latter, he proposed Kinabalu Park which led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After 46 years, John Corner faces his estranged father in a suitcase marked: ‘For Kay, wherever he might be.’ The letters, pictures and other memorabilia that spill out led him to search for the father he hardly knew, resulting in an engaging and frank biography of an eminent scientist who put science above all, including his family.
-
John Corner was born in Singapore a year before the Japanese Occupation. He received training as a pilot with the RAF and carved a career in Wedgwood before establishing his own company bringing fine china and crystal to the Far East. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Quick Shipping and Professional Packaging
We offer a wide range of shipping options thanks to our long-standing relationships with UPS, FedEx and DHL. Our warehouse staff are highly trained and will pack your products in accordance with our exact and exact specifications. Your products will go through a thorough inspection and be adequately secured before being delivered. We ship to thousands clients every day in a variety of countries. This is an indication of our commitment to be the largest online retailer globally. The warehouses and centers of distribution are situated in Europe, as well as the USA.
Note: Orders that contain more than one item are assigned a processing period depending on the item.
We will carefully examine all items ordered before shipping. The majority of orders are shipped within 48 hours. The time to deliver varies from 3-7 days.
Returns
Due to multiple parties which include the factory as well as the warehouse, we're unable to fully manage stock. Stock levels can fluctuate at any given time. It is possible that you will not receive your order after it has been placed.
Our policy is valid for 30 days. If you don't receive the product within the 30 days period, we're unable to offer a refund or an exchange.
To be eligible for a refund the item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. The item must be in the original packaging.
Related products
Books
