Book Description

Reviews (8)

I would give all of his books more than 5 stars if I could!
If you want a book that will take you back to the country life and its people with all their foibles and admirable qualities and love animals then his books will be pure enjoyment! I love the way he tells his stories. In his stories, he doesn't ever claim to be the best veterinarian around (I think he underrated himself), but you know he is a wonderful, kind, animal and people loving person. The way he speaks about the people and animals he comes in contact with, come to life and you feel you are right there with him. You will laugh, maybe cry, and cheer him on as you read. If you have animals, or raise them, you will love his books, although you don't have to own any to appreciate them.

A Gem!
My first experience with the late James Herriot's inspirational books took place in a bookstore in Singapore, in the 80's. I was barely 14 & had not heard of this writer/vet. But as soon as I started reading All Things Wise and Wonderful - my very first JH book, I knew I had to get the rest of the series.
Through his poignant, funny, sensitive and Yorkshire-accented writing, I relived his world as a practising vet. His was a world where decent, civic minded people lived with much love & respect for their pets and farm animals. A world where I wanted/want to be in.
It is true how one book reviewer put it: every chapter will have you either laughing out loud or shedding a quiet tear. To this day, I still remember some of his stories that touched my heart. The courtship years when a young JH was trying to impress Helen (who eventually became his very supportive wife); the timid little black stray cat, who with her last breath, would placed her one surviving kitten into the hands of a caring family; the endearing 'beggar' dog; the bored, pampered & misunderstood pet dog of a wealthy spinster...I could almost touch and see JH's characters through his vivid writing. I even felt his pride when his daughter also became a vet, & his son a doctor.
I am sorry that there were not more of his wonderful tales.

The Unabridged Audio Set Is Wonderful!
The reading on the audio cassettes is done by Christopher Timothy, the actor who plays James Herriot on the BBC series "All Creatures Great And Small". He does a magnificent job of Sigfried, Tristan and all the dales farmers. It is truly a delight to listen to this series of tapes - it takes you into another world.

(Note: there appears to be an error above, listing Edmund Stoiber as the reader.)

In this set, James has joined the RAF to support the war effort, though fate has other plans for him. We follow his attempts to get in shape and become a pilot, as events and people remind him of his many experiences back in his vet practice.

Perhaps because of the War Years, some of these stories are slightly more edgy, such as a rash of dog-poisonings and an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that is uncomfortably reminiscent of recent events. But overall there is that sweetness of tone that pervades all of Herriot's work.

I think my favorite story was the old farmer fetching two gallons of the local pub's best beer in a milk bucket in order to warm a mother pig to her new family. Of course he saved a "drop" for himself and his mates. The amazing thing about these books is that there is never a repeated story throughout the whole series.

Another favorite
James Harriot has that amazing ability to transport you into his world, take you into his confidence, and offer you his friendship.....all through a series of heartwarming stories taken from his life as a Yorkshire vet. It's so refreshing to read books that are not strewn with violence and sex...yet which captivate your attention. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants some good wholesome entertainment and an occasional chuckle.

A wonderful end to a fabulous series of books!
I have read each of James Herriot's books many times (including this one) and still enjoy them every time I read them! This book is one of my favorite books of the series, and is highly recommended by me. If you have read the other books you will love this one just as much if not more! If you have not read any of the other books, this book would also be a good one to start off with. After reading it I can assure you that you will want to read all the others. NOTE: I also have all five of these books on audio tape (by Christopher Timothy) and would recommend these as well! It is great to listen to them while you do hobbies since you can actually do two things at the same time, and Christopher Timothy (who played James Herriot in the BBC series) really brings the characters to life, using different voices and accents. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

bang for your buck
There are so many bad books on the market trying to do what this book does so simply and so well. ...few are written with the same authority and attention to detail that Janzen brings to this text. It could be the best money you spend all trip. And I agree with the other reviewers on the book, "Costa Rica the last Country the Gods Made." It's without question a close second to Janzen's masterpiece on the physical world.

Jam-packed!
I found this hyper-detailed book to be absolutely invaluable while I was in Costa Rica!

A book I found equally indispensable, which I read BEFORE I got there, was "Costa Rica: The Last Country the Gods Made." Both books should more than adequately prepare you for a trip around 1 - 3 weeks.

COMPENDIUM
At a hefty 800 plus pages (with 174 contributors, no less!), this collection has something for everyone--and manages not to skimp on the essentials or pad itself with filler. Though it would serve well as an introduction, "Costa Rican Natural History" is even better as a companion (especially to my favorite book on the country, "Costa Rica: The Last Country The Gods Made").

An example for this kind of book.
I wish every book about the natural history of a country were as thorughly compiled as this one. The only drawback is that it's too hefty and too slack to read in bed or in the hammock - you have to sit upright, but that's a small sacrifice for the great amount of easy accessible information. It's hard to stop reading this fascinating book.

A comprehensive overview of Costa Rican flora and fauna
In this biological bible of Costa Rica, Janzen leaves no stone unturned. From evolutionary history to weather patterns to animals and trees, he covers all facets of basic natural science. This book is a must for anyone pursuing biological study or ecolgical interest in Costa Rica or anywhere in the New World tropics ... Read more

Book Description

Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southwestern States belongs in the home of every resident of the Southwest and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor.This compact volume contains:

An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;

A complete overview of the southwestern region's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns, and the night sky;

An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, mountains, forests, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.

The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 9 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as more than 100 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

For everyone who lives or spends time in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, or Utah, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southwestern States. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

If you can only take one field guide on your vacation...
this is the one to take! Like carrying a park ranger in your backpack to help you know what you are looking at. Trees and wildflowers, animals of the land, sky and water, minerals, stars of the night sky. Increase your knowledge and understanding of the beautiful places you visit and your own backyard. Check out the Audubon Field Guides to Florida and other regions as well. Well worth the money. Lots of color photographs and well organized for easy use.

Nice Field Guide For Your Travels!
The field guide was very handy in learning the specific animals and plants I encountered in Arizona.

It is handy to go back and look up an plant or animal in the field guide after a trip - ie. many of my travels were difficult backpack trips and the field guide was left in the car to save weight!!

all in one little book
This is a delight to come home to after a walk or a trip to the river. I try to bring a wildflower home to check out in the book, and am never let down.

While it seems almost an impossible undertaking to include four very large states in one book, in fact the Range guide helps focus the book quite a bit.

As an artifact, the book is well made and should last some time.

National Audubon Society Field Guide To The Southwestern St.
As with all Audubon Field Guides,I Have, I'm VERY pleased with the "Colored" Pictures and Related Information!!!

Great overviews of natural history
I love this series! I've singled out Southwestern just because I've been there recently and will be there again soon, but my comments here are more directed to the series as a whole.

These books are a wonderful introduction to natural history and identification. The information, though very condensed, is much more enjoyably presented here than it was in many a dull college "-ology" course. Overall, I agree with the New England guide publisher's comments about the series as a beginning to a more in-depth appreciation of natural history.

My gripes--and they are very small in comparison to the general usefulness and many great aspects of the guides--are actually with the comprehensiveness, which in some cases may lead to misidentification or confusion. It seems that the most common, conspicuous, and obvious species are generally included (good!), but there are some additions which might better have been excluded, or at least qualified: is the average person really going to be able to correctly identify, say, blue or skipper butterflies (only a couple of species included) or Brewer's and winter Chipping sparrows with the information in this book? The tougher ID's involved here take more skill and experience than the average person is likely to have, and the guide usually doesn't even caution the reader that this is so. I think it would have been better to at least alert the reader (in the proper places) that not all ID's are easy and that even experts sometimes have trouble, et cetera, just to clear things up. The only place I've yet noticed anything like this caution is the gulls ("confusing array of plumages").

Also there is the typical Audubon focus on adult males of species, while neglecting females and immatures, although this is more forgivable here than in the more specific guides--there just isn't room to cover everything here.

So, while I think it's marvelous that these guides will help so many people develop an understanding of, interest in, and love for the natural world, perhaps even more written emphasis on the variety and complexity of nature would have been better as an alert that, while the common and easier-to-ID species are included, many more species are out there to challenge us after we've acquired more in-depth knowledge.

I can't wait to return to the Southwest and use this great guide to help acquaint me with its wonders. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Pacific Northwest is a cornucopia of extraordinary outdoor diversity. Pocket- and purse-friendly, this field guide covers habitats (subalpine meadows to rain forests to desert shrub to salt marshes) in addition to topography and geology (with explanations of the Oregon Dunes, Columbia Plateau Basalts, Mount St. Helens volcano, and a variety of minerals). Flora and fauna, however, make up the bulk of the book, with 1,000 of the most common species found in the Pacific Northwest. From mushrooms and algae to trees and wildflowers, fishes, frogs, flies, birds, and mammals, each species is identified with a color picture, short description, and notes on the habitat and season in which you'd encounter it. There's also an excellent chapter on Northwesterners' favorite topic of conversation--the weather--plus a guide to constellations and the night sky, for those evenings when it's clear. It behooves anyone who likes nature and lives in or visits the Pacific Northwest to carry the easy-to-use and beautifully put-together Audubon Society Field Guide at all times. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Thorough, Compact, and Easy to Use
I highly recommend this field guide to anyone who is interested in the species found in the Pacific Northwest. It is especially great for beginners because it is easy to use and contains sections that cover diverse forms of life. If you're an expert and like to precicely identify mushrooms, for example, get a mushroom guidebook. Otherwise this is great for a quick reference to an amazing number of a variety of species in this area. I've had a lot of fun with it!

A nice gift for a newcomer (or yourself!)
In attempts to find the 'perfect' gift for an active, outdoorsy newcomer to the Pacific Northwest, I stumbled across this guide. Considering the National Audubon Society's reputation for quality material, along with the recommendations and details provided by preceding Amazon reviewers, I took the plunge and bought copies for both of us!

(Since I currently reside in the desert southwest; I definitely needed assistance!)

After retrieving his package from the front porch and opening it at the end of a long day at work, my friend wrote, "The Audubon Field Guide is WAY cool. I spent about 15 minutes thumbing through it last night before I even took off my coat."

Soon thereafter, I opened this addition to my own library. At 15-16 oz, this is a serious weight to consider carrying on a long backpacking trip -- but not so frivolous if you relish identifying everything you're seeing! Its compact size makes it a perfect picnic basket/day pack addition for day trips, and when you're not out exploring, it's a handy kitchen/coffee table reference when you gaze out the window. This is a great all-around first guide for a casual/budding naturalist!

I can't wait to use it on my next trip!

Good All Around Guide
I used this guide while on a hiking vacation through the Olympic Peninsula (Washington). Kept it in my backpack and found myself grabbing for it so much I eventually had it tucked in my back pocket. It is nice and compact. The pages have a glossy sheen so the occasional misting from coastal waters or common shower will not ruin it. It has everything in it (animals, trees, mushrooms, lichens, flowers, shrubs, insects...) and nice info on nature preserves, landscape and the weather. It was a great way to not just appreciate the beuaty of the hike, but learn about what I was seeing (a nice diversion on a 10 mile hike). Don't expect a lot of subject depth. Remember, it can fit into your pocket (sticking out the top).

Good easy reference book
As a newcomer to the state of Washington, this book has been very helpful in identifying the flora and fauna of the area. Combining the plants and animals in one easy reference source is helpful. The photographs are very nice.

A Handy Reference Guide
I picked up this book after I knew I would be moving to Seattle. It is a great introduction to the geology, plant life, animals, and recreational areas of WA and OR. Done well, in typical Audubon fashion - I refer to it often. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive presentation of groundwater hydrology that integrates chemistry, physics, geology, and calculus while applying theory to real-world geology.Provides quantitative methods of calculation in groundwater hydrology. Contains sections on transport processes, ground water contamination, well hydraulics, and aquifer yield — including analog and numerical modeling. Covers mathematical derivations in appendices. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Groundwater
Overall a very good book. This is the text our Hydrogeology professor, Dr.J.Toth used in the 80's. It covers a great deal of information on facies,flow nets, hydrologic cycle, chemical evolution, groundwater resource evaluation, contamination, groundwater processes and a really good section on chemical principles and mass action. This is not a quantitative text, the discussions on finite difference and finite element methods include very little math. I would have also liked to have seen a better discussion of well hydraulics. I still turn to it for a reference as it is a very useful book.

A rigorous and quantitative basic reference
This is a good complement to "Groundwater Hydrology" by Todd. Freeze and Cherry is more detailed, rigorous, and quantitative than Todd, but it doesn't communicate the big picture quite as well. As well as an undergraduate textbook, this book is an essential resource for anyone working in the field.

The "bible" of groundwater
Despite the fact that this book was written almost twenty years ago, it is still considered the definitive work on groundwater geology. A must-have for hydrogeologists and groundwater engineers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's better to travel to Mongolia in summer than in winter. In summer the temperatures can hit 115 degrees Fahrenheit, but that's easier to survive than the -40 of January. Both are preferable to spring, though, when, John Man writes in this vivid story of wilderness adventure, "brutal cold gives way to sand-blasting gales that can flay exposed skin and strip the paint from a car."

Man has seen these Mongolian weathers up close, wandering around this vast country in search of its peculiar wildlife--a menagerie that includes rare wild camels and horses, mountain sheep, wolves, desert bears, and the elusive snow leopard. With the fall of Communism in the early 1990s, Man writes, Mongolia's economy had collapsed. Mongolians had responded, as always in times of stress, by leaving their cities and returning to the countryside to live off the land. In the late 1990s, with the economy improving, Mongolians were going back to their offices and shops, but with a new determination to protect the backcountry from the excesses of development that had ravaged neighboring China and Russia. As a result, the Mongolian government had taken an unusual step: not only would it encourage preservation by creating huge national parks and wilderness preserves, but it would also declare the entire, vast nation a special biosphere reserve, attracting both ecotourism and funding from international wildlife organizations.

The plan worked. And, Man is happy to report, Mongolia's wildlife seems to be thriving in a time when wild nature is in decline around the world.Armchair travelers and conservationists alike will find his book to be inspiring reading. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Window to a surprising corner of the world
The author's somewhat standard travelogue visit to Mongolia is escalated to excellence through two key things: the detail he provides about a little-documented country, and the insight that bridges Western concepts of society and natural beauty with those of Mongolia.

It may help a great deal to be interested in Mongolia or Central Asia before you pick up this book, but if you have even the slightest interest in the area Man will draw you in completely. While at first you might consider reading the book to learn about Mongolia without going there, Man paints in this blank corner of most people'e world view so well that you wish for much more contact with the country and its people. ... Read more

Back Cover Copy

Evidence that the North Carolina shore is changing is never hard to find, but recently the devastation wrought by Hurricane Fran and the perilous situation of the historic lighthouse at Cape Hatteras have reminded all concerned of the fragility of this coast. Arguing for a policy of intelligent development, one in which residential and commercial structures meet rather than confront the changing nature of the shore, the authors have included practical information on hazards of many kinds--storms, tides, floods, erosion, island migration, and earthquakes.

Diagrams and photographs clearly illustrate coastal processes and aid in understanding the impact of hurricanes and northeasters, wave and current dynamics, as well as pollution and other environmental destruction due to overdevelopment. A chapter on estuaries provides related information on the shores of back barrier areas that are growing in popularity for recreational residences. Risk maps focus on the natural hazards of each island and, together with construction guidelines, provide a basis for informed island management. Finally, the dynamics of coastal politics and management are reviewed through an analysis of the controversies over the decision to move the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and a proposed effort to stabilize Oregon inlet. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Unique and inspiring
This book can be useful to people of any religion. As a Christian, I was not offended, although I agree that the author definitely does not share my spiritual beliefs. We can all benefit from connecting to nature and developing a greater level of understanding/awareness/respect of the beauty that surrounds us... especially as children. Do not pass by this wonderful book because of a religious bias. Remove the wheat from the chaff, absorb the good information and ignore the rest.

Not for Christians
You'll probably love the book if you are not an evangelical or charasmatic Christian. For those of us that are conservative Christians, however, it's too bad that Brown just can't help but include such gems as "peace, love, joy and a higher purpose...can only be found within ourselves" (They're a gift of the Holy Spirit and absolutely cannot be found within ourselves.) and "Refer frequently to water as earth mother's blood." ("Earth mother" is a diety worshipped by various cults.) That's just two that I found right now. When we first opened this book, it seemed there was something on every other page that was in contradiction to the Bible. Basically, Brown worships the creation rather than the Creator.

I like it
I present Stone Age technology in school programs. I find Brown's information quite useful.

You, and your kids, can learn to pay attention to nature.
An excellent resource for parents, teachers, etc. I even found many of the suggestions useful for myself and other adult friends. I used many of the exercises with 3rd through 6th graders as a Girl Scout leader.

Be surprised at how little of the natural world you appreciate on a daily basis. Learn to really see and hear.

Also good for general awareness building and personal security issues for kids in urban environments. A good read.

hope-inspiring
finally, a good reason to have kids. this is everything y'd expect from tom brown, excellent.. ... Read more

Book Description

Although a lot has been written in recent years about nature spirits, Nature Spirits and Elemental Beings by Slovenian author Marko Pogacnik is remarkable in that almost everything described in the book is based on his own practical experiences in communicating with these beings through meditation and tuning in to plants, trees, animals and the landscape. He describes in detail the various elemental beings and their roles in maintaining the web of life, and also gives insights into related topics, such as the flow of energies within the landscape and the long-suppressed Goddess culture.

His evocative images of the nature spirits draw our attention to the lost harmony of the natural world which has been disrupted by the impact of human culture. It is a tragic situation but one which can be redeemed if we rediscover our long-lost sensitivity to these realms and, as the author demonstrates, learn to heal the disturbed elemental world. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An impressive view into the world of nature beings
The book is written by a lithopuncturist from eastern Europe. The book has been translated into English and what an amazing treat!!! The book is a patchwork of experiences had by Pogacnik while on many of his lithopuncture projects and conferences in Europe. This makes it a bit unorganized, almost like reading journal entries, and I believe that because of it being a translated work at some points it was difficult to directly translate parts which resulted in some ideas being very difficult to communicate, so you may have to read a paragraph a few times to get the gist of it. However, if one is willing to put these issues aside it is defiantly worth it. A very comprehensive view of different types of elementals and the structure or hierarchy which exists. Pogacnik's experiences and insights are profound into the workings of the natural world and I found the material to be invaluable, especially seen through someone form a different culture. He claims in this book that what he 'perceives' is tainted in a way by his own consciousness of his culture and upbringing and that though the technical aspects of the nature beings he communicated with are universal the actual appearance will vary from country to country. Parts of the book can get a bit too heavy, such as the chapter on ones personal elemental, but I recommend it for the core material. Pogacnik is able to illuminate the reasons and background as to why a place may feel so special or sacred and portrays the complex interactions of these nature spirits and how they maintain these scared places. If you feel connected to nature in anyway and wish to learn about furthering your experience more, this book is for you!!!

Comprehensive book about elementals
This book contains a comprehensive education about elemental beings. Call them what you will: elementals, fae folk, or the devic realm, this book introduces the various beings in connection with the author's work in earth healing. Truly fascinating. Since the author's native language is not English, and this is such a comprehensive tome, this may not be the best book for an introduction to elementals (Try 'Summer with the Leprechauns' first.) But don't forget about Pogacnik's books for further study.

One of the best books about working with the Devic realm
Other than Machaelle Small Wright's books, this is one of the very best descriptions of one person's insight into the elemental world that surrounds and supports us. I had the great privilege of working with Marko Pogacnik at Findhorn last August and can say with complete confidence that he is a very clear and humble being. Fluent in Slovenian and German, English is not his first language. That, and the fact that the dimensions of realities he describes do not lend themselves easily to words, may be why some reviewers feel his language seems unclear at times. I had exactly the opposite reaction! Here, at last, is an author who is putting into words some of the experiences I have had and didn't know quite how to describe. For those of you who are interested in connecting with the devic realm, read this book. Those interested in Earth Healing should read Marko's latest book, Earth Changes, Human Destiny. For those sensitive individuals on our planet who are already sensing enormous shifts, it will explain a lot and offers suggestions as to how we each, as individuals, may participate consciouly in the transformational process now under way.

A Pretentious and Poorly Written Book
I had a strange reaction to "Nature Spirits & Elemental Beings", almost a kind of irritation. This book grated on my mind in the same way that an out-of-tune musical instrument grates on the ear. The author's impressions of the elemental world struck me as a disorganized patchwork of truth and nonsense. For example Pogacnik's theory of how airplanes work was a bit startling.

"Once, while flying from London to Belfast, I watched some sylphs who accompanied the plane, and in my opinion it was they who made it possible for the plane to move through space at all."

I was trained in engineering and I can well imagine the look of astonishment on the face of my old professor of aeronautical engineering if I had told him that aircraft were kept aloft by legions of little magickal beings!

Undoubtedly some of my irritation was due to frustration because so much of the text was difficult to understand. For example, consider the following from chapter 7:

"I understood that the elementals who are associated with animals try to educate the animals in the coordination of their emotionally polarised consciousness of individuality with impulses from the group soul."

This is an example of what might be called "occulti-babble." I can almost imagine the author composing such a sentence by throwing darts at the pages of a new-age dictionary. It is an example of the kind of pretentious, nearly meaningless prose that any good copy editor would "blue pencil" out of a first draft. The editorial staff at Findhorn Press should be ashamed of themselves.

In summary I am sad to say that I wasted time and money on this book. I would not recommend it to anyone under any circumstances.

Nature Spirits and elementals
I doubt this man believes in these beings himself,for he is just reciting folklore.I have met them myself.In John Keel's book "Why Ufo's" and Major Jack Downings writings,the describe some strange encounters with them. This is St. George,out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're already familiar with Finn and Sawyer, perhaps this collection of fragments, short stories, and essays--assembled posthumously some few decades ago now, but still fresh--will enhance your sense of Twain's true range. A particular favorite: his essay "The Damned Human Race," wherein he proves, rather convincingly, that an anaconda snake is a higher form of life than an English Earl. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Bitter, but funny, on-the-nose cynicism
Mark Twain shows his dark side in this book of short stories that was not published until years after his death. It was thought by his family that his fans would be disturbed by the absolute departure from the usual topics and flavor of his work. It is definitely worth reading. "Letters From the Earth", the title story, (and my favorite) is witty and observant but disturbing in it's darkness. If Mark Twain was alive now he would have a field day with the current social moral standards and hypocrisy.

A Mixed bag
This book is probably not what you are expecting. If you are looking for a free-wheelin' adventure story along the lines of Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn, you will not only be disappointed, but most probably shocked. However, if you are looking for an entire book of irrevent writings - as I was - then that's not what you're getting, either. Something less than half of the book (say, roughly, 1/3) consists of deliciously irrevent writings, drained from Mark Twain's pen of bitter ink. The best among these is the title section, "Letters From The Earth", in which Satan writes back to archangels Gabriel and Michael about his visit to earth and the "human race experiment", after his banishment from heaven. In these letters, Mark Twain points out various absurtities and illogical assertions and beliefs about human religions, and unflinchingly describes the vanity and hypocrisy of many of its adherents. I was under the impression that the entire book consisted of these letters; however, I was wrong. It is merely the first section of the book, occupying some 30-50 pages. For people who are highly into this kind of writing, however - as I am - it is worth the price of admission alone. There are several other pieces in the book along this line - including the famous essays Was The World Made For Man? and The Lowest Animal - which display not only Mark Twain's essential pessimism, but his very rational mind and hilarous wit. These pieces are an absolutely essential read for the lover of satire: few better examples are to be found anywhere in literature. The rest of the book, however, is a mixed bag. It consits of various pieces from the "Mark Twain Papers" - a collection of his writings (mostly unfinished) the he decreed to have published sometime after his death. Among these are a few interesting pieces (most of them various satires, several on religious topics), while others are more broadly ranging: everything from a completely improvised tale that he used to put his two children to bed to an unfinished fantasy piece that the editor seems to attach rather a lot of importance to, but whose actual virtue is somewhat more questionable. These pieces range from vaguely interesting to mildly funny to downright boring. Several would've probably been better served by being included in other volumes, while several should probably have been left unpublished. Still, there are definitely some essential writings in this volume that any fan of Mark Twain - or satire, or irrevent writings, for that matter - will want to read.

Satan's side of the story
Letters from the Earth is an assortment of unpublished-for-60-years writings by Mark Twain. They cover a wide span of subject matter ranging from critiques of the prose style of another writer to the author's construction of the Old Testament and God from the perspective of Satan. In addition to Letters From Earth (Satan's), the contents includes Papers of the Adam Family, The Damned Human Race, Something About Repentance, Was the World Made For Man, In the Animal's Court, The Intelligence of God, The Lowest Animal and others.

Readers who are offended by careful examinations of the meaning and implications of holy or sacred writings of the Old Testiment will not enjoy this book. The author, whatever his actual religious beliefs, probably wasn't an Old Testiment Christian. In this series of short writings he takes specific stories from the OT and holds them into the light away from the long traditions that accompany them in most of our minds. He examines the evidence of the stories for hints of what sort of creature God must be if the OT is true. He extropolates what Satan might be.

I'm an admirer of this author and I believe everything he ever wrote is worth reading and digesting. I put this book alongside his best. But I also admit that if I harbored a microbe of religious fanatic somewhere inside me I'd be hard-pressed to enjoy reading Letters From the Earth.

Way ahead of his time
As much as I enjoyed his more famous books, it is actually this work that makes him even more genius to me. I was totally taken aback. His opinions on religion and the hypocrosy of it all were almost exactly as mine as I read along. I thought that no one was like that... let alone back then... but indeed he was. To know that such a great man felt the same way as I did regarding the Bible and human behavior brings me great comfort.

I only wish he were alive so I could personally thank him.

I can't believe no one has reviewed this book.
I'm a big Twain fan but I'll keep it simple.

This book, a collection really, is short and sweet. If you have any interest in: sociology (particularly American), religion (particularly American), cultural commentary (particularly American), trying to explain the human condition (not particularly American) or comedy, this is a very good selection. And it will take you only a matter of hours to dip into some of Twain's funniest--and prickly--thoughts.

I mean it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Good Natured Frans de Waal, ethologist and primatologist, asks us to reconsider human morality in light of moral aspects that can be identified in animals. Within the complex negotiations of human society, a moral action may involve thoughts and feelings of guilt, reciprocity, obligation, expectations, rules, or community concern.De Waal finds these aspects of morality prevalent in other animal societies, mostly primate, and suggests that the two philosophical camps supporting nature and nurture may have to be disbanded in order to adequately understand human morality. A theoretician, de Waal is meticulous in his research, cautious not to extrapolate too much from his findings, and logically sound in his arguments.He also writes with precision and a flair for the dramatic, carrying readers along with graceful ease and vivid examples. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Compelling, thought-provoking study of primate behavior
Frans de Waal is one of the best known primatologists in the United States, and GOOD NATURED shows why. This careful study of primate behavior, both non-human and human, explores the issue of morality and the complex emotions that give rise to it. De Waal's topics range from empathy to social rules to diplomacy as he describes specific examples across primate species.

The black and white pictures illustrate his points, but they are by no means the highlight of this book. De Waal's insights, which never read too much into specific behaviors, walk the fine line between objective scientific reporting and an acknowledgment of the kinship between all primates. Seeing primates through his expert eyes is an enlightening experience.

This is truly an extraordinary book. I recommend it to readers who have a keen interest in primatology, sociology, and/or the kinship between humans and other species.

Fascinating topic, but poorly written
I teach graduate level courses on violence and was hoping that this book would give me some much-need background on roots of altruism and violence among primates. I must say that I am used to reading Richard Dawkins and Steven Jay Gould.
Despite the fact that the topic is fascinating, I find that De Waal is generally a poor writer. The message is lost on run-on sentences and chapters that seem to go on for ever.
I liked the pictures, though.

perfect for comparative social psychology
i concur with the previous reviewer's thoughts about this wonderful book. as someone who studies human organisations, i believe that de waal's book (and probably to my forthcoming delight a lot more of ethological psychology) sparks some interesting ideas about how human social control and organisation work. particularly topical are the links to evolution and its role in how we and our fellow higher-order primates organise ourselves.

A thoughtful consideration of ethical origins
A colleague and I chose this book as our "science selection" for our freshman studies classes at a small private college in the midwest. It's been a great choice. De Waal's approach is careful and considered; he is able to talk about ethics among non-human primates without anthropomorphizing. Even better, unlike some of his predecessors in what he calls "classical sociobiology," De Waal does not leap primate species in a single bound. Rather, he considers such issues as altruism and hierarchy in the bonobo, chimp and monkey universes on their own terms. This book is post-sociobiology and post-ethology without succumbing to glib anti-science perspectives.

De Waal is a superb writer. His style has absolutely captivated two classrooms full of bright college freshmen. The subject matter is fascinating. This book is a marvelous mix of natural and social sciences.

I envy De Waal's Emory office with the window view of Yerkes Center chimp life. What an amazing way to live! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Foxfire books are excellent
Years ago we owned all the Foxfire books, and then we donated them to the library so others could glean the wisdom they had, and we have slowly begun to but copies for our home library and this is one that I wanted first. Simply because it had information on burial customs and I make plain pine burial boxes. And because it has excellent information on wild plants that are edible in the spring and we love to forage for wild plants for food like stinging nettle, fiddle fern and dandelion. The section on bee keeping is also informative. Then there is the wonderful section on midwives which is of personal interest to me, as well as the wonderful section on how to wash clothes in an iron pot, because being vagbond-homestead-mountain mode people we like good clean clothes washed in an environmentally sound manner using the least amount of soap possible.

The Foxfire series is one that comes up on various simple living, homestead, frugal websites and web boards. So I know that millions of people have over the years found the series of books to be invaluable.

I love the series of these books
The series of Foxfire books takes you back in time when life was hard physically but simplier mentally. While reading these books I fell like I am in a time capsule being transported back in time ninety or so years. I enjoy past history and anything to do with mountain country around the Smokies. These peope lived off the land and took the time to enjoy life and their families. These books provide tips for things that are still done the same way, such as tanning hides. Norma Doyle, Florida ... Read more

Book Description

This is the only book by Cleve Backster himself, describing 36 years of research in biocommunication, observed electrical responses in plant life and other living organisms. All life forms have the capability of responding to one another, from plants and bacteria to foods and animal cells. Most amazing is his work with human leukocytes. These discoveries have opened up a new paradigm in science, ecology and healing. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Science / controls
fair warning
before you spend your money read at

http://skepdic.com/plants.html

a one paragraph quote from a long article follows

Backster's claims were refuted by Horowitz, Lewis, and Gasteiger (1975) and Kmetz (1977). Kmetz summarized the case against Backster in an article for the Skeptical Inquirer in 1978. Backster had not used proper controls in doing his study. When controls were used, no detection of plant reaction to thoughts or threats could be found. These researchers found that the cause of the polygraph contours could have been due to a number of factors, including static electricity, movement in the room, changes in humidity, etc.

I have not read the book

Book Description
Backster's tireless years of research in the laboratory have resulted in a giant leap forward to prove scientifically what others have only conjectured about the nature of consciousness.

Backster's work offers demonstrable proof of a subtle, yet real, mind/body communication--the concept that captured the public's attention when Norman Cousins published many years ago his famous account of the role of laughter in the cure of his near-fatal illness.

Primary Perception details Backster's astounding discovery that the cells of our body--even when removed and observed at a distance--somehow receive the "messages" of our thoughts. As science pushes the limits of wireless communication, not so hard to believe!

This book is a must-read for anyone intrigued by the "mind/body connection" and the amazing potential it offers for all of us in this new millenium.

The Deep Knowingness in All Living Things
Once you've read PRIMARY PERCEPTION, chances are you'll never see the world the same way again. Cleve Backster's research into the concept of "primary perception," the way in which even the smallest living organisms demonstrate real-time reactions to their environments, will completely transform the way you think about consciousness of cells, plants, and living foods. Not only do your potted plants know precisely the moment you might spontaneously decide to return home, but they also know when living organisms (such as bacteria in your sink) are suddenly killed in their vicinity. Your own human cells that have been separated from your body and monitored will show immediate reactions to strong stimuli that you are exposed to -- even when they are located in a screen cage about fifteen feet away from you!

Cleve Backster is my favorite kind of scientist -- rich in imagination, full of questions, and ever-prepared to take note of the unexpected. These rare and dynamic qualities establish Backster as the most likely candidate for the "Father of Biocommunication" title, as he so clearly leads the way for future scientists to reevaluate their assumptions and methods for studying all living things.

PRIMARY PERCEPTION is destined to become a beloved classic because it so clearly describes Cleve Backster's nearly four decades of meticulous cutting-edge research in the field of consciousness research. Written in down-to-Earth language and packed with fascinating photographs and charts, PRIMARY PERCEPTION is guaranteed to alter your perception for good!

-- Cynthia Sue Larson, author of "AURA ADVANTAGE: How the Colors in Your Aura Can Help You Attain What You Desire and Attract Success"

Communication With Everthing !
Cleve Backster's astounding experiments communicating with plants, bacteria, and our own cells is a paradigm shift in the way many scientists now view the nature of reality. From the beginning of his first communication with plants on a polygraph to today, 38 years later, this book describes Cleve's exciting adventure to the frontier of science. Anyone who can build a simple electronic circuit can prove that plants are tuning into our thoughts. We have done it and are convinced that consciousness extends to the plant and animal worlds. ... Read more

Book Description

Reissue of this immortal, hilarious, and heartwarming classic about working a chicken farm in the Northwest. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

The Egg and I is a terrific read
Betty MacDonald's account of chicken-farming in the Pacific Northwest is an excellent book, good for a laugh. It's filled with wonderful characters like the Kettle family and Maxwell Jefferson the Moonshiner, and it's got a lot of laughs, a lot of heart, and a lot of wonderful scenery in it. If you read it, you'll want to read Mrs. MacDonald's other books: Onions In The Stew and (yes, even) The Plague and I. Mrs. MacDonald writes about real life, with all its tribulations, with humour and insight. The Egg and I is a good investment of your time and money

Funny, Funny, Funny
I have loved Betty MacDonald since I was digging for her out-of-prints in old bookstores. Her writing style is easy to read, conversational - and her humor is fantastic. It's hard to believe her books were written 60 or so years ago - they are fresh and funny and familiar. She is not afraid to laugh at herself, and be very irreverent (politically incorrect, these days) about people and places in her life. She also gives a descriptive picture of the Pacific Northwest during her era, post-war, internment camps (though not in this book), housing markets, all very fascinating. A Great Read, as are all her books.

Lots of laughs...
This book had me howling with laughter. It's the basis for the 1947 film, "The Egg and I," which stars Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray as the young city couple who take to chicken farming. It was written in 1945, and the portrayals of the neighbors and the locality are the highlights of the book, as the young couple struggles to raise chickens, produce, and a baby, while having to deal with the elements, primative living conditions (no electricity or running water), the stove that has a mind of its own, and the neighbors, including the infamous Kettle family (who later appeared in an entire series of films themselves). It's one of those books that had me laughing on nearly every page!

One of the funniest books ever
I love this book and can read it over and over and still laugh outloud. The most mundane and tedious tasks end up being delighfully funny. I would love to see a good movie made of this book not the horrible one with Cluadette Clobert and Fred Macmurray. Her other books are also very good.

the real Ma and Pa Kettle
After watching all the Ma and Pa Kettle movies with my daughters, I bought this book so we could learn where the stories came from. My daughters enjoyed comparing the characters and scenes from the movies to what was in the book. Betty MacDonald, whom I knew nothing about, amazed me with her sense of humor. My 10-year-old commented on the unexpected twists that often changed a sentence into something totally hilarious. The only negative, other than the unkind portrayal of some characters, is that some sections of description were long and boring. In general, this was a hilarious book, and I'm glad we found it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At the age of 37, bestselling author and journalist Bill McKibben stepped out of the ordinary routine of his life to spend a year in "real training" as a cross-country skier. With the help of a trainer-slash-guru, McKibben took on a regimen equivalent to that of an Olympic endurance athlete's, running and skiing for hours every day in preparation for a series of grueling long-distance ski races. What prompted this successful writer with an admitted aversion to competitive sports to push himself so hard, for so long?

Partly it was pure selfishness; after a decade as an environmental writer and activist, I needed a break from failing to save the world. But mostly it was curiosity that drove me. By year's end I hoped I'd have more sense of what life lived through the body felt like.

If Long Distance begins as a story about the transformation of the body and what it means to challenge one's physical limits, it evolves into a thoughtful lesson about a wholly different kind of endurance.Halfway through McKibben's training, his father was diagnosed with the most virulent form of brain cancer. As McKibben was reaching peak condition, his father's life lurched toward an end, forcing McKibben to snap out of his self-inflicted self-absorption. He had tried to think of endurance as "the ability to fight through the drama of pain. But now I understood it, too, as a kind of elegance, a lightness that could only come from such deep comfort with yourself that you began to forget about yourself." And the elegance of Long Distance is in its ultimate lesson that each of us has a mind, a body, and a spirit, and we must find our strength in all three realms. --Svenja Soldovieri ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A powerful book that goes beyond endurance training
As a skiing enthusiast, I found that Bill McKibben's Long Distance revealed the world of physical and mental training that i never fully grasped existed. Even with all his training it was amazing to see that so much rested squarely on genetics, to see that after his many hours of training he could only become so much. The mental aspect was a plus to the book, as a past ski racer it was nice to see someone put into words how it feels out on the course:

"Except that the minute a race is done, you start trying to make it all add up, turn the thousand things that happen even in a three hour ski race in to some kind of coherent storay with a morale at the end: 'I couldn't focus,' or 'I bonked,' or 'Everything came together.'" -Bill McKibben.

To sum it all up, Mr. McKibben has written up an endurance trainer's dream and how he copes with the mental and physical pressures are fascinating to read. I would recommend this book to anyone that is remotely interested in cross-country skiing or how the elite athletes train.

For the armchair athlete; Competitors need not apply
This book is disappointing. It purports to chronicle a year of high performance endurance training for a not quite elite athlete. It also, surprisingly, chronicles his father's death from cancer. Neither topic has anything much to do with the science and psychology of world class level compeition in endurance sports. There is no training data, only anecdote; there is no bibliography, but many references to other books which sound like they are better; there are almost no racing experiences in this book - believe it or not, the author only races 8 times in a year. (Why doesn't he enter a few running races in the skiing off season or during the snow drought he whines about ad nauseam?) If nothing else, this book demonstrates that training without competitive drive equates to zero racing results. (If his point is that serious training can only augment genetic capabilities in small ways, serious athletes already know that.) This is really a personal account of the loneliness of the long distance runner - why does the author train for 2-4 hours a day if he isn't really a racer? I don't know what he is looking for, but he is never going to find it on a race course of any kind.

a mortal's perspective on endurance sport
Using a casual tone, the author allows the non-elite athlete to vicariously live the "what-if" scenario we all think of -- what if I REALLY trained...? A good, casual read that offers no answers, but plenty to think about.

Journel of Strenght and Sorrow
This slim volume actually deals with 2 subjects: 1)endurance conditioning with its emotional, psychological and physical components 2) the demise of the author's father. The training portion with all its equipment and conditioning minutia is better suited to a magazine article. The reader gains an insight into the heroic efforts that world class endurance athletes must generate to be competitive. On one hand their fortitude and courage demand our admiration, on the other hand one may suspect a certain compusive obsessiveness that borders on the fanatical. Let the reader judge.

The more compelling portion of the book describes the months in which the author's much loved father engages the process of physical degeneration leading to death. This becomes a profound meditation on mortality and the spititual imnplications of life's last opportunity for self education. Moving and thoughtful, it is the soul of the book.

More than just on ode to skiing
In turns, this account of his incredibly strenuous year is funny, heartbreaking, introspective and irreverent. I'm surprised how modest the author is about his ability to even perform some of the workouts -- a 3 hour and 55 minute run or ski! I'm an exercise fanatic myself, but I don't see any 4 hour workouts on my horizon. The chapters on the origin and development of cross country skiing are fascinating -- I used to hear about Koch and Caldwell when I taught at the Putney school. Our Olympic program hasn't really done much to produce skiiers since that time. You'll also gain a tremendous respect for the Norwegians, Swedes and Finns whose reverence for this grueling sport makes them the finest in the world. This book went well beyond just sports -- although his father's illness was introduced abruptly, it does serve as an anchor for much of hte second half of the book. His dignity to the end made it inspiring rather than depressing. My only small criticism is that since the book is so personal I would have liked to hear more from his wife and daughter's reactions to his training. He alludes to them, but it sounds like they lived on another planet for that year which I'm sure was not the case! Very rewarding and inspiring read, well written. ... Read more

Book Description

In an era of escalating food politics, many believe organic farming to be the agrarian answer. In this first comprehensive study of organic farming in California, Julie Guthman casts doubt on the current wisdom about organic food and agriculture, at least as it has evolved in the Golden State. Refuting popular portrayals of organic agriculture as a small-scale family farm endeavor in opposition to "industrial" agriculture, Guthman explains how organic farming has replicated what it set out to oppose. Illustrations: 2 maps, 15 tables ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Allowing our Natural Perfection to be here now!
I have the audio cassette version of the book in my car, and have listened to it five times so far. I am finding the book extremely useful, for many reasons, some of which follow below: Lama Surya Das is an authentic Tibetan Lama, born and raised in the West - he understands the complexities of one of Tibetan Buddhism profoundest teachings - Dzogchen, but is able to convey it in a contemporary and often humourous form. A number of guided meditations accompany the discussion, and some "non-meditations", such as the 'sky gazing' technique are well explained. I would recommend the book, and other books by the author such as "Awaken the Buddha Within" which I have also read with much benefit. A humble debt of gratitude to Surya Das from me.

redundant, kept waiting for practical training, too "hip"
I found the speaker's voice quite irritating after awhile. I kept waiting to hear more than "wake up"-"enjoy". I was looking for more actual meditation instruction, rather than his pleas to enjoy life daily. I say instead buy the "Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche for a real, honest, wonderful look at Tibetan Buddhism and life in general. This selection strives to be a little too hip, too 90's for me, which is what I am tired of and want to get away from. I am interested in the serenity of the Tibetan people and Buddhist beliefs and how to apply it to my life, not American rhetoric over and over. I was disappounted by what the cover said and what was inside. ... Read more

Book Description

A Publishers Weekly best book of 1995!

Dr. Michael Guillen, known to millions as the science editor of ABC's Good Morning America, tells the fascinating stories behind five mathematical equations.

As a regular contributor to daytime's most popular morning news show and an instructor at Harvard University, Dr. Michael Guillen has earned the respect of millions as a clear and entertaining guide to the exhilarating world of science and mathematics.

Now Dr. Guillen unravels the equations that have led to the inventions and events that characterize the modern world, one of which -- Albert Einstein's famous energy equation, E=mc2 -- enabled the creation of the nuclear bomb.Also revealed are the mathematical foundations for the moon landing, airplane travel, the electric generator -- and even life itself.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as "a wholly accessible, beautifully written exploration of the potent mathematical imagination," and named a Best Nonfiction Book of 1995, the stories behind The Five Equations That Changed the World, as told by Dr. Guillen, are not only chronicles of science, but also gripping dramas of jealousy, fame, war, and discovery.

Dr. Michael Guillen is Instructor of Physics and Mathematics in the Core Curriculum Program at Harvard University. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A powerful story teller making the complicated simple.
It's obvious from the start that Dr. Guillen purpose in writing the book was not to bog the reader down with mathematical minutia that is an all too common weakness when writing abstract notions such as t