John Latham books in order
English physician, naturalist and author
- Lived
- 1740–1837
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 3
John Latham published 3 books, beginning with A General Synopsis of Birds (1781). The best-known is A General History of Birds (1821).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with John Latham
Start here
A General History of Birds
John Latham's most-read book.
Other books in order
A General Synopsis of Birds (1781)
Supplement to the General Synopsis of Birds (1787)
A General History of Birds (1821)
About John Latham
John Latham was an English medical doctor, naturalist and author. His main works were A General Synopsis of Birds (1781–1801) and A General History of Birds (1821–1828). He was able to examine specimens of Australian birds that reached England in the final twenty years of the 18th century, and was responsible for providing English names for many of them. He named some of Australia's most famous birds, including the emu, sulphur-crested cockatoo, wedge-tailed eagle, superb lyrebird, Australian magpie, magpie-lark, white-throated needletail and pheasant coucal. Latham has been called the "grandfather" of Australian ornithology. He was also the first to describe the hyacinth macaw from South America.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
John Latham FAQ
- How many books has John Latham written?
- John Latham published 3 books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read John Latham's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with A General History of Birds.
- What is John Latham's last book?
- A General History of Birds (1821).
- What is John Latham's most famous book?
- A General History of Birds (1821) is John Latham's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.