Professor Gerald W. Esch is one of the world's leading ecological parasitologists. Here, he presents a series of essays on classic examples of field parasitology. The essays focus on the significance of the work and its contribution to the field but also on the people and particularly the sites at which the work took place. Taken together, the essays represent a beautifully written account of the development of an entire field of scientific endeavour spanning a period of 50 years or more. The essays are not meant to be academic in a scientific sense, but there is a great deal of science in them. The book will be of great value to all parasitologists and ecologists, but also to anyone interested in how biological field work is carried out and how it contributes to greater understanding of the natural world.