A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud

Amazon.com

Take a garrulous old university professor with a knack for making extraordinary (and highly suspicious) botanical discoveries, a scientific community becoming increasingly skeptical of his claims, and an amateur botanist keen to find out the truth, and the stage is set for an absorbing tale of scientific chicanery and academic intrigue.

Professor John Heslop Harrison of Newcastle University was one of the most respected and knowledgeable botanists of the first half of the 20th century. His greatest passion was for the plants of the Hebridean islands off the west coast of Scotland. He came to believe that some of the islands' plants were survivors from a time before the last Ice Age, a theory bound to be controversial given that the last advance of the ice sheets extended well south of mainland Scotland. In support of his theory, Heslop Harrison began to report sightings of plants that no one had ever seen on the islands before, and the botanical community started to get suspicious. Were the plants really where Heslop Harrison claimed they were? If so, how did they get there? Could they really have survived on the islands since the last interglacial? Or had the wily old professor carried the specimens to the Hebrides from their sites of origin and planted them?

Karl Sabbagh relates the shady tale of John Heslop Harrison in his highly engaging book A Rum Affair (Rum is the name of the Hebridean island where Harrison made many of his most extraordinary--and suspicious--discoveries). Sabbagh examines the thoughts, actions, and motivation of Harrison and his academic enemies with great aplomb, and goes on to explore how some scientists are driven to the belief that fakery can be in the interest of science. Sabbagh's writing style is sometimes dry and detailed, as befits the treatment of a rather touchy subject, but the book is also laced with absorbing anecdotes and wry humor. It's a winner in a popular history of science genre that is becoming a bit overpopulated these days. --Chris Lavers, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

A Rum Affair is an absorbing tale of scientific chicanery and academic intrigue-critically acclaimed and a finalist for the Los Angeles TimesBook Prize. In the 1940s, the eminent British botanist John Heslop Harrison proposed a controversial theory: Species of plants on the islands off the west coast of Scotland, he said, had survived the last Ice Age. His premise flew in the face of evidence that the last advance of the ice sheets extended well south of mainland Scotland, but he said he had proof-the plants and grasses found on the Isle of Rum-that would make his name in the scientific world. Harrison didn't anticipate, however, the tenacious John Raven, an amateur botanist who boldly questioned whether these grasses were truly indigenous to the area, or whether they had been transported there and planted. What seems at first a minor infringement of academic honesty soon becomes an enthralling tale of rival scientists and fraudulent science, a skillful whodunit that, in the hands of the talented Sabbagh, joins the ranks of the best narrative nonfiction.

Customer Reviews:

clearly not for everyone.......2002-05-11

The merest possibility that a geographic botanist would actually falsify a discovery and violate the sanctity of the British scientific aristocracy is not only enough excitement for one book, but plenty for a sensational story. However, you might have to be an unabashed fan of all things Anglo like myself; also perhaps a talented amateur horticulturist who thrills to the details of the growing conditions necessary for the disputed "discoveries" of J. Heslop Harrison (the names of the characters alone make this a fun read). Sabbagh navigates the touchy territory of real peoples' reputations with great subtlety and renders a fascinating picture of the British universities, their scientists and personalities. Of course there is no silly confrontation scene! All the drama is handled with typical British restraint, which makes the book and this true story all the more enthralling for the right type of reader.

Who Cares?.......2002-01-31

Time was when you could ask three questions of science/nature writing: Is it important? Does it matter? Would anything change if the reverse conclusions were reached? The answer had better be "yes" to at least one question. Of course, the answers to those questions when asked about A Rum Affair are "No," "No," and "No.'
One thing was determined, however, and that was that a book can be written about anything---the spare change in your pocket, the color of dirt, whatever. It seems curiously reversed that I paid money to read this book when someone should have paid me a hefty sum to read it. Just awful.

a hatchet job.......2001-12-31

I am really quite puzzled as to just why the author wrote this book. By his own admission Sabbagh isn't a scientist, and by his writing it is apparent that he doesn't understand Botany, Botanists or Biogeography. In spite of this he has chosen to write about all three. The story is a rather sad little affair which could be interpreted in a number of ways. In one a botanist is suspected of fraud by members of the scientific establishment, the case is investigated, the suspect records are quietly dropped from publication, and everyone eventually retires and dies. It is clear that Sabbagh, for reasons that escape me, would rather that there had been a public trial, with any guilty parties being tarred, feathered & ridden on a rail. Since this DIDN'T happen when anyone involved was alive, Sabbagh sets out to do it to the dead. Starting by gaining access to a manuscript whose author had specifically requested should remain sealed (there are some weird aspects of class struggle throughout this book by the way, Sabbagh boasts that since he is "a Kingsman" -a graduate of King's College Cambridge- the widow of his hero is confident that the ms will be "in safe hands" -false hope as it turns out.) Sabbagh sets out to develop a case against his villain, John Harrison. This "case" is based in part on excerpts from the sealed manuscript by the book's hero, John Raven, in part on wild speculation, and in large part on every bit of gossip, hearsay and innuendo that Sabbagh seems to have dug up. It is clear from the outset that there were people -especially particularly well-connected people in the British scientific aristocracy- who didn't like John Harrison. It also seems likely that Harrison wasn't particularly likable in general. Whether this dislike could have engendered the sort of plot that Sabbagh suggests seems somewhat far-fetched, and is based here on second and third hand gossip & sometimes ludicrous "reading between the lines" of selected letters. While there is clearly the POSSIBILITY of fraud in the behaviour of "villain" Harrison, what also emerges is that both the "hero" John Raven and the author are what I was raised to call "cads". By Sabbagh's own account Raven gets access to Harrison's study sites on false pretexts, in spite of repeated sensible warnings that the study area is remote & inhospitable Raven shows up without food or camping supplies -and manages to burn down his tent! (Sabbagh has previously suggested that Harrison is being obnoxious by telling Raven to bring supplies, but he automatically forgives his hero when he fails to follow either courtesy or caution). Raven then spends less than three days on an island where the Villain has been working for many field seasons, decides that some specimens of rare plants have been literally "planted" and then leaves to write a report which goes nowhere. Another interpretation of the whole affair is that Harrison was hounded by people who didn't like him, investigated by a talented amateur (Raven may have been a cad, but he was certainly talented) who failed to turn up much serious evidence of fraud (Raven mis-identifies a key species of plant in the course of his investigation). Faced with at best a verdict of "not proven" the establishment does the sensible thing and drops the whole matter. There it would (and should) have remained except for the energies of Mr. Sabbagh. We read this sort of book for the same reason we slow down at car-wrecks or scan the front pages of the tabloids. This is a sick entertainment that ennobles nobody.

Botany - Not quite as exciting as Stamp Collecting.......2001-11-02

If this is the greatest excitement in the history of geographic botany, I pity every geographic botanist that is, was, or will be. Geographic botany is the study of the distribution of plant species. In practical terms, a geographic botanist spends her time looking for plant species in new locations.
The Rum Affair is the story of a well known botanist, Heslop Harrison, who supports his theory that ice age plants may have survived on Rum island in the UK by reporting unprecedented discoveries of plants on the island. Rum island is very isloated and Heslop Harrison indirectly controls all access to the island. Isnt that convenient ?
A ametuer with no offical standing as a botanist, but with considerable expertise, gains access to the island. He finds no evidence of any of the reported species in situ. In addition, he finds that the soil, climate and related plants indicate that it would be a virtual impossibility for some of the reported plants to have lived there.
The ametuer confronts Heslop Harrison who is unable to answer any of the accusations. When the findings are made public, the academic community, which didnt believe Heslop Harrison to begin with, is mostly mute. With time, Heslop Harrison's " discoveries " are dropped from offical texts and the incident is forgotten.
I wish there were more to it, but that is it. There is little mystery and no real suspense. A suspected fraud is uncovered and then quietly forgotten. There is no dramatic contfrontation between the rivals who primarily communicate via the post. Heslop Harrison is unable to refute the charges of fraud and primarily goes on about being betrayed. The muted reaction of the academic community to the uncovering of a suspected fraud is typical, even for today. The fraud is an embarrasment to the scientific community and everyone benefits from a quick and quiet end. Only when big money or big law suits are possible to academic frauds make headlines. Can you name the scientist at Texas A&M who " discovered " cold fusion a few years ago ? I can't either, and that was a potentially world altering discovery.
The Rum Affair would make an interesting article in Scientific American or a nice short story. There just isnt enough here to make a book. If you see it at the used book store, buy it, read the two middle chapters, and donate it back to library.

A promise unfulfilled.......2001-03-30

In this era of scientific research and breaking stories about falsification and ethical misconduct, the story of a botanical research mystery on a remote island in Scotland in the beginning of the 20th century sound very promising. Instead it is a gossip-ridden tale in which the author is so pleased with himself for pursing this that it LACKS all interest. BORING! I'd rather read the back of a cereral box.

A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud

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A Rum Affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0641515561

Product Description

From the Publisher The mysterious Isle of Rum is one of the Inner Hebrides situated off the west coast of Scotland. Rugged, mountainous, and largely deserted, the island's brooding beauty and natural diversity attracted an eminent British botanist, John Heslop Harrison of Newcastle University. In the 1940s the professor announced the discovery of several species of rare plants on the island. These unusual finds helped make Heslop Harrison's mark as one of Britain's outstanding scientists, but they were also the latest in a series of discoveries that many botanists were beginning to suspect had been fabricated in order to enhance the professor's reputation." "In the interest of settling the matter once and for all, a young Cambridge don named John Raven managed to infiltrate one of Heslop Harrison's expeditions to Rum. The report he produced after that visit was stark and shocking." "In A Rum Affair, Karl Sabbagh investigates for the first time Heslop Harrison's elaborate botanical hoax. Sabbagh interviews Raven's widow and unearths buried documents as he traces Raven's effort to uncover proof that the professor had transplanted the several species in question from his own garden. Along the way, Sabbagh explores the oddly congenial relationship between accuser and accused, detailing Raven's unusual attempts to keep his well-documented discoveries secret (the only public account of his investigation was a letter published in Nature in 1949 that does not directly implicate Heslop Harrison) and to protect Heslop Harrison's children from being damaged by the accusations.

Rum Affair: A True Story Of Botanical Fraud (P)

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Rum Affair: A True Story Of Botanical Fraud (P)
Karl Sabbagh
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSOB0S

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Perfect for weekend getaways, each In Your Pocket guidebook is divided into four sections. The Background sets the stage with information on region's history, culture and geography. The Exploring section details "must see" sights, classified according to Michelin's renowned star-rating system. A helpful calendar of holidays, shopping, entertainment, and nightlife suggestions as well as important hotel and restaurant information is described in Enjoying Your Visit. The A-Z Factfinder is a reference section, packed with useful information on what travelers need to know when visiting a destination.

Michelin in Your Pocket Escapada a Jerusalem (Michelin in Your Pocket Guides (English))

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Michelin in Your Pocket Escapada a Jerusalem (Michelin in Your Pocket Guides (English))

Manufacturer: Michelin Travel Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Faire connaissance avec Istanbul plante le décor : la géographie de la ville partagée par le Bosphore entre le côté européen et le côté asiatique, les faits marquants de son histoire mouvementée, comment Byzance se transforma en Constantinople puis Istanbul, la personnalité de Mustafa Kemal devenu Atatürk le père de la Turquie moderne, les peuples et la culture, l'art et l'architecture." Découvrir Istanbul " propose une sélection de sites à voir absolument. Des itinéraires à parcourir à pied vous guident à travers la ville. Istanbul ne se limite pas à la Mosquée Bleue ou au Grand Bazar, d'autres centres d'intérêt ont été répertoriés pour tous les âges et pour tous les goûts. " Vivre Istanbul " vous donne des adresses et de précieux conseils pour profiter pleinement de la ville et rendre votre séjour inoubliable : plaisirs de la table, achats, loisirs, vie nocturne, ainsi qu'un calendrier des principales manifestations locales

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Jerusalem in Your Pocket
Michelin Travel Publications
Manufacturer: Michelin Travel Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MC2PUE

Customer Reviews:

An excellent outdoors book by a former president.......1998-10-25

A book with interesting outdoor information much like a scout manual! Includes fun and informative information about the Carter family! I enjoyed it greatly!!

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An Outdoor Journal-Adventures and Reflections
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Manufacturer: Bantam, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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An Outdoor Journal-Adventures and Reflections

Manufacturer: Bantam, New York
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Binding: Hardcover

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An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections
Jimmy Carter
Manufacturer: New York Bantam 1988.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Uncommonly Insightful.......2000-07-26

James Evans' candid and clear testimonial about dealing with his ADD is an important story to be told. Autobiographically written, he manages to bring out his pain in the midst of struggling through ADD as well as his spiritual growth.

I never would've read the book had a dear friend not given it to me, just as I was learning about my own ADD. I thought it might be trite, but Evans' story of his life is filled with depth and passion. His life is far different from mine, but, boiled down, we have shared similar experiences.

Other books on ADD are out there, but for the spiritual person, especially Christians (Evans is a Presbyterian pastor), there are few sources for encouragement.

Balanced in his book, Evans shows his struggles were real, drawing him to question his gifts and wonder where God intended him to go. Through the help of a theater coach and a family who cared deeply for him, he learned how to manage his focus better.

Any person with ADD who can learn as Evans' learned to focus will see improvement in his or her job, relationships and internal life. Anyone with ADD or another LD issue knows the workplace is affected, but social (platonic) and romantic relationships are where the biggest hurts are felt. Jobs are easy to find. Friends and significant others are harder to replace. The pain of losing a job via ADD-related matters is minor when compared to losing a close friend.

The gift of this book didn't transform my life, but it did encourage me through the toughest diagnosis of my life. Like my friend realized, I needed to know other people could live successfully with ADD. Evans' shows it is a long road, but on the road is evidential growth.

I fully recommend this book.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

well-written summary of the struggles of LD.......1998-12-30

This is a well-written first person account of the LD experience. The author illustrates for the reader not only the academic difficulties experienced by the individual with LD, but also the effects of learning differently upon self-esteem, familial relationships and social relationships (often the pieces forgotten by us, the professionals). I feel that this book can be valuable for practicioners, parents and individuals with learning disabilities (particularly as they move throughout their lifespans and continuoulsy greet challenges unique to those with LD). Overall, this piece is well-written, difficult to put down and offers valuable insights that can benefit those who are LD and/or work with individuals with LD.

Brilliance: Uncommon Voices from Uncommon Women (The Gift of Inspiration Series)

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Brilliance: Uncommon Voices from Uncommon Women (The Gift of Inspiration Series)
Dan Zadra
Manufacturer: Compendium Publishing & Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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From Margaret Mead to Mother Teresa reveals the wit, wisdom, warmth, and uncommon thoughts that allowed nearly 200 fascinating women to survive and prevail. Beginning with young women's dreams and aspirations and moving forward through the entire life cycle of career decisions, setbacks, romance fame, and late-life introspections, quotes are drawn from the lives of hundreds of outstanding women. An ideal gift for the uncommon women in anyone's life.

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An Inspired Collection

The Book of Uncommon Prayer

Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Though spread across centuries, these "uncommon prayers"-from Chaucer, Alcott, Dostoyesvsky, C.S. Lewis and many others-express emotions common to us all. The artists' gift of phrase, rhythm, and insight quicken our intellects and innermost feelings back to the Source of their inspiration.

Customer Reviews:

An Inspired Collection.......2003-02-18

The prayers are beautifully written. A brief description of the author's life and concerns is included at the back, and that gives these prayers a context that makes them more real. It is the power and/or beauty of these collected prayers that reveal how we have flung out our hearts to God. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a 'voice' with which to pray.

The Stained Glass Pickup: Glimpses of God's Uncommon Wisdom

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What a wonderful message
The Stained Glass Pickup
AN ECLECTIC MIX OF HOPE AND WISDOM
The perfect start to every morning
A "pickup" for your soul!

The Stained Glass Pickup: Glimpses of God's Uncommon Wisdom
Cathy Messecar
Manufacturer: Leafwood Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 097677903X

Book Description

In Cathy Messecarrsquo;s The Stained Glass Pickup discover God waiting for you in unpredictable places. A denimclad rancher an orphan train adoptee and a wedding dress become road signs pointing to Godrsquo;s wisdom. Encounter the Almighty in a Houston theater a cross and a ldquo;grace shaker.rdquo; Through poignant stories Cathy points you to the One who created you ndash; the One who is waiting for you in the details and chaos of every day life.

Customer Reviews:

What a wonderful message.......2007-08-29

When a book grabs your attention and touches your heart, it makes a lasting impression on your life.

This is exactly what Cathy Messecar's book, The Stained Glass Pickup_ does. The author has an incredible talent of showing how God touches everyday people in the most remarkable ways.

In one of my personal favorites, titled, "Ya'll Come," this short devotional recounts a day when the author's best-laid plans went slightly awry. The author had invited a group of women and their children to come to her farm and pick blueberries and then to enjoy a nice homemade lunch afterward. However, one by one, each of the families called and cancelled. But when her daughter called to see how the preparations were coming along, the author recounted her predicament: too much food and no one to enjoy it. Her daughter immediately suggested that the secretaries in her office come over for lunch. Open to the idea, the author soon found her home filled with her daughter's office staff. Everyone enjoyed the delicious impromptu luncheon as well as the new friendships being formed.

What originally looked like a wasted effort turned out to be a true blessing. In fact, she recounts, "One woman eventually began a Bible study with us and later became a Christian." Wow! What an opportunity God had given her to show hospitality and His love. Sure the first group cancelled but because the author was willing to host others whom she did not know, the blessings expounded.

With every devotional I read, The Stained Glass Pickup reminded me that God isn't found only in Sunday school or in a church social, God is everywhere, waiting to pour His love out into my life and yours, in the most unsuspecting moments.

Armchair Interviews says: Nice message in this special book.

The Stained Glass Pickup.......2007-03-17

Cathy Messecar catches a stained glass view of every day life in God's creations. Her insight is shown in short, two-page stories, which enlighten us to look at the world with
awe and wonderment. I had planned to read this 127-page book in one evening yet the stories capture your heart, soul, and mind. They make you think using parts of your brain never tapped until now. You must take time to ponder about the cowboy in his stained glass pickup and his prayer for his daughter, or the grandpa's worn and frayed work coat, or the trust of a four year old and her parents. Cathy Messecar ties these every day happenings, which most of us take for granted, with the passages of the Bible with such ease. Each story ends with a prayer to remind us He is our provider, our strength, and our creator. Thanks Cathy for writing a book that inspires us to be His in every way every day a blessing in His Name.

AN ECLECTIC MIX OF HOPE AND WISDOM.......2007-01-26

Newspaper columnist Cathy Messecar shares a collection of stories that will deepen the faith of every woman. The title comes from the first devotional in the book, about a rancher who prays aloud for his high school age daughter while he drives her to school in his truck. I can certainly relate to praying in extremely humble places.

The book contains an eclectic mix of uncommon wisdom gleaned from the Bible and the author's daily life as a grandmother in Texas. Each devotional begins with a short scripture and concludes with a heart-felt prayer.

This would make a wonderful gift to help someone start the new year with an inspiring mentor to lead the way.

-- Christian Women Online Book Buzz

The perfect start to every morning.......2006-10-20

As a busy mom, I like books from which I can grab snack-sized wisdom based upon biblical principles conveyed through every day events. The Stained Glass Pickup is a like a special truffle with morning coffee that I look forward to and savor each day. Snippets of scripture set the tone for each small story which ends with prayer. Story sets comprise themed chapters. I marvel at Cathy Messecar's unique insight in every day occurences to the point that one short passage causes me to look for God throughout the day. Highly recommended.

A "pickup" for your soul!.......2006-07-21

A heavenly light shines through the windows of
Cathy Messecar's Stained Glass Pickup. She shares
enlightened perspectives through stories and reflections
from her Bible study, home life, time with friends and
special memories. Choose one of the selections to
read in a few quiet moments and you'll carry rays of
inspiration, praise and hope throughout your day.

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An Uncommon Gift
James S. Evans
Manufacturer: The Westminster Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PAYWF4

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Captures the essence of life with Learning Disabilities.

An Uncommon Gift
James S. Evans
Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Captures the essence of life with Learning Disabilities........1999-03-09

If you have learning disabilities or you have a family memember with learning disabilities, then you will be inspired by this book. This is the story of Evans' personal struggles in a family context as he strives for social acceptance and high education. He finds motivation in his Christianity and with his family. I strongly recommend. I read my life in this book.

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Brilliance - Uncommon Voices from Uncommon Women: Thoughts to Celebrate Your Life and Work (Gift of Inspirations)
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