Too short, and far too dated. This entire book is irresponsible to publish at a time when we're more eco-conscious. With advice like the use of wax foundation, keeping drone populations low and the clipping of queen bees wings, this book should be left on the 'out-of-print' pile, to be replaced by more modern methods that actually keep bee populations healthy and thriving.

This book is a reprint of a book published 100 years ago. Very detailed and informative, with interesting pictures and graphics.

First Lessons in Beekeeping by Camille Dadant (link is to the Dadant family wiki) is a classic book which keeps resurfacing in new editions every decade or so. The information and illustrations in this edition are cleaned up somewhat, but largely unchanged as far as I can tell. The introduction and preface for example are reprinted from the 1916/17 version of the book.

The book is meticulously written and while not up-to-the-minute (some things have changed), contains a world of good info for the beekeeper for historical and depth purposes.

There isn't anything which can really replace the help of a mentor or bee club for the aspiring apiarist, but this book provides a window into a valuable portion of the last couple hundred years of apiary history. It isn't intended to serve as a primary instruction manual for the uninitiated potential beekeeper.

I have a very early copy of this book in my beekeeping library and it's so well used and marked up that I fully intend to buy another copy in this release in order to have one which isn't in danger of falling apart in my hands.

194 pages, hardback, paperback, trade and ebook formats. Published by Dover, champions and archivists of the obscure, the esoteric and the delightful.

Highly recommend this as supplementary reading, but not to replace a mentor or bee-buddy.

Four stars.

Everything you wanted to know about bee keeping all in one handy book. I recommend this book for aspiring bee keepers or just those of us who are armchair fantasy bee keepers.

A great, quick read full of tips and advice that appears to span the spectrum of the beekeeper's duties. It's not a modern book, so be prepared for some old-school advice, but I wouldn't consider that detriment to the reader's point to learn through reading.

I'm in year 2 of my beekeeping hobby, and I use "hobby" loosely---I'm just doing my best to not be a hindrance to my wife, who is the mastermind of this endeavor, and our kind bee mentor who is patiently guiding us to the point to where we can manage freely. This book, from beginning to end, has a ton of information one needs to know, some information you'll likely never, ever use, and a bit that, while maybe not so integral to the health of the bee, the beekeeper, or the beekeeper's wallet, it would prove well to take heed and consider, especially since said suggestions are coming from those who have found the easiest methods to do basically everything that's worth doing regarding this field of work.

As someone who didn't know a great deal about bees (or beekeeping) prior to reading, I can attest that I'm a more knowledgeable person about bees, their predilections, and how to help them thrive. It'll be a good reference point to come back to from time to time.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.

Complete with excellent photos, this is a good resource for the beginning beekeeper. It covers everything the basics - types of bees, how bee society works, and the parts of a hive - to the more intricate. I recently took a class on this very thing, and this book covers everything that was in that full-day class. If you're unable to get into a hands-on course, this book would be a good substitute.