Book Description

Constructed wetlands are man-made marshes—gravel beds filled with growing plants—that function as natural wastewater treatment plants. Due to their more pleasing aesthetics and their cost effectiveness, they are being chosen over traditional processing plants around the world. While other books have outlined how to build constructed wetlands, this book goes the next step as well, outlining the design and planning techniques to make these wetlands attractive and natural looking as well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great All-around Guide for Constructed Wetlands
This book has become an invaluable reference around our office...for the engineers, landscape architect and directors. The book covers a range of useful topics, from design basics (including relevant modeling formulas), pricing estimates, integration information for planners, citizens and regulators, wetland ecology background notes, landscaping ideas and wonderful examples of systems that the authors themselves have designed and installed.

The book highlights the benefits of wetlands often overlooked or undervalued in other engineering-oriented texts - wildlife habitat creation, aesthetics, water recharge, etc.

Since the book was writen by a landscape architect and an engineer, two visionary pioneers in their fields, it covers a lot of useful ground. ... Read more

Book Description

With carefully chosen topics presented in a logical order, this book provides an excellent introduction to the object-oriented features of C++ programming and the Standard C++ library. Clearly written and easy to understand, it provides examples and applications along with problem solving techniques, enabling the reader to learn this powerful language quickly and easily.This book covers such topics as the 5-step approach to problem solving; object-based features of C++ and the fundamentals of programming; engineering examples and applications; and an integrated introduction to function templates and classes defined in the Standard C++ library.For professional engineers who want to learn C++ programming language about its object-oriented features. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent problem solving book!
As a computer science student who changed majors to computer engineering, this was one of the best programming books that I've read in college. It actually teaches you problem solving in a very straightforward manner.Not without flaws though, since there are quite a few typos and errors in the code of the programs in the book; however, everyone with at least some basic understanding of computer programming should be able to figure out what is wrong and fix them quite easily.

With the help of this book I was able to apply C++ to a lot of common problems encountered throughout all engineering fields; from statistics to simple physics and math problems.After taking the class, in which this book was used, this book has become one of my main references.

A disappointment
What should have been a definitive work on classical C programming is seriously flawed by the presence of dozens and dozens of errors.The basic idea is excellent: that is, to relate the learning of C to real life engineering applications.A good editor could have made this an excellent text.

An Enlightening Book with C!
The book presents many ready-to-use problem solving methodologiesusingthe C language. This is a great book for those who would like to write theclassical engineering or scientific applications. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The BEST freshwater fish photo book available.
I see a lot of reviews about this book. One of the most popular gripes is, "but there's no text". Yes, it's true: it's a photo atlas of freshwater aquarium fishes. The most comprehensive I've found anywhere. This book works great for coffee tables, aquarium planning, window shopping, daydreaming, identification of fishes, etc.

Most importantly, you know the names of the fishes you are looking at. Once you have the names, you can search for more information on the internet, in other (text) books, in the library, or anyplace else. And besides, can you imagine how big this book would be (and how expensive!) if each photo had a bunch of text with it?

Dr. Axelrod's Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes
I was disappointed in this book since I already had the Mini Atlas and expected the full sized atlas to have the same features (such as text, and helpful information) as the Mini Atlas, just more of them. Instead it is nothing but photos from cover to cover.
This book just sits on the bookshelf untouched since the Mini Atlas more than covers most of the fish available out there - for a much more reasonable cost.

There are also some inaccuracies in the fish species.

You could buy a few better books for the cost of just this one, or just spend one-fourth of the price and buy the Mini Atlas.

Excellent Pictorial Reference
I think the strength of this book is its encyclopaedic approach to fish species: a picture of each fish together with basic (but essential) information. It's probably more for the serious hobbyist/scientist who already has aquaria and is interested in fish indentification (rather than setting up aquaria & maintenance). Well worth the price - especially here in Amazon.com. For me (a hobbyist), it's excellent reference especially when I buy new fish because it tells me about the fish's basic facts such as aggressiveness, water conditions etc. With this mind, it's probably unfair when other readers say there are "no words in the book" etc. because that's probably the "database" intention anyway.

high priced but has its value
anyone looking for information such as location and habitat of a fish species will not want this book. it is just a book of pictures that will allow you to find and indentify a species you may have trouble locating elsewhere. this book is most handy for me after i have visited the pet shop and saw something that i have never seen before and don't trust the labeling in the store. my atlas is then my reference. for further information i will look it up on the web. to lookup information i need to know what i'm looking for and this is where this book becomes very important. no other single book that i know of covers as many species. the latest edition may have more photos than earlier editions but it may have the same number of species as earlier editions. however newer editions will have the latest scientific names (you can still use older names most of the times when searching as it takes some time for everyone to get used to the change). there are no common names used in this book (sometimes in the index next to the scietific) and there is no introduction to water chemistry, tank setup and the like that you may see in other books. it's greatest use is as a pictorial refernce with basic information (pH, dh, size, recommended tank size, agressivesness and sociabilty) on all the fish included. ...however i recommend the earlier editions at a much reduced price giving the same information (i believe the 6th edition and up are all pretty much the same- i could be wrong). i have the 7th edition ...and i'm more than happy. you may want to purchase the mini-atlas that has a lttle of everything before looking into the larger volume to satisfy your needs. i used this book as a quick refernce more than any other i have.

Not an Atlas - No Information - lots of pretty pictures.
Don't make the same mistake I did. Look at all of the pages and ask yourself "A thosand pages of this?" Yep, that's it.

Example:

The book has thirty two pages of Discus, none of the new red or orange breeds and not a single paragraph of information on any of them ... Read more

Book Description

This introduction to oceanography text uses an interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing the discipline's connection with astronomy, physics, chemistry, meteorology, geology, biology, ecology, history, and economics. Written in a clear and compelling narrative voice, the author conveys his enthusiasm for the subject as well as presenting objective scientific fact. This text provides students with a basic understanding of the scientific questions, complexities, and uncertainties involved in ocean use and the role and importance of oceans in nurturing and sustaining life on the planet. It further enhances students' natural enthusiasm for the ocean with a stunning visual program. Oceanography: An Invitation to Marine Science is the number one best-selling oceanography text. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

One of Tom Garrison's Students
I took Tom Garrison's class at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA. Wonderful class! He taught along with the book and every session was both insightful and interesting. Dr. Garrison is without a match in instructional etiquette and eloquence. Indeed, this book showcases his best work on the subject. Read the book... Be educated by the diagrams and charts... Be taken back at the amazing realms of life under the ocean... And most of all, be in awe of a marvelous earth (or "Oceanus") that is in great need of our consideration right now. Otherwise we end up dead like the aliens... Oops.. I hope I did't give a way the ending! If you have few bucks, come and take the class at OCC. You will be so glad you did. Just don't come in late through one of the side doors, or leave your cell phone on. He can't STAND those things! It drives him CRAZY!

Best textbook I've ever read.
This textbook is very well written. It is ubnderstandible to students and others of all ages and interests. It contains intersting color pictures and graphics about the subject material for each chapter. Each chapter also contains web links to a homepage that accompanies the book. The book is full of intersting personal stories, history, theory, and facts. Dr. Garrison and all who have contributed to this book have set the standard for textbooks and integrated learning for the next decade. ... Read more

Book Description

Not since the early 1970s has there been an attempt to describe and illustrate the anatomy of the developing mouse embryo. More than ever such material is needed by biologists as they begin to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying development and differentiation. After more than ten years of painstaking work, Matt Kaufman has completed The Atlas of Mouse Development--the definitive account of mouse embryology and development.
For all those researching or studying mammalian development, The Atlas of Mouse Development will be the standard reference work for many years to come.

Key Features
* Provides a comprehensive sequential account of the development of the mouse from pre-implantation to term
* Contains clear and concise descriptions of the anatomical features relevant to each stage of development
* Large format for easy use
* Contains explanatory notes and legends, and more than 180 meticulously labeled plates, 1,300 photographs of individual histological sections, and 200 electron micrographs, illustrating:
* Intermittent serial histological sections through embryos throughout embryogenesis and organogenesis
* Differentiation of specific organs and organ systems, including the spinal cord, eyes, gonads, kidneys, lungs and skeletal system
* External appearance of intact embryos throughout development ... Read more

Book Description

With 129 runnings to choose from, these and five other Kentucky Derbys made the cut as the all-time greatest as complied by a panel of horse racing experts. ... Read more

Book Description

Do Dogs Go To Heaven? is a question the author's Mom asked a number of ministers. Hearing each one give different "shallow" answers, Jean Holmes felt this question deserved a better answer. The Bible does answer her Mom's question with an emphatic "YES!"Long held theology that animals lack souls and spirits is soundly refuted with numerous Bible texts.This book addresses hard questions, like why God required animal sacrifices, in loving truth.The role of animals and the relationship Jesus Christ had with animals is illuminating.This book presents a brilliant tapestry of Bible verses, interwoven with animal behavior and intelligence studies, and anecdotal evidence of animals as intelligent, caring companions here and in the hereafter.Bible accounts of animals as healers, helpers and rescuers are laid against modern narratives.Do Dogs Go to Heaven is very readable, yet crafted with scholarly precision.It is already providing comfort to those who have lost loved animal friends. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Exceptionally good book
Well I've got something to shout about and praise God for after reading this wonderful book! There is wonderful teaching and some great preaching and some real important scriptures regarding animal afterlife! I loved the stories about miraculous divine healings and the teaching about why animals were sacrificed in the O.T. Scriptures that show how God loves and restores ALL His creation. And as Jean says "We must explore, prayerfully, what it means to 'preach the gospel to all creation.' If we don't, we may miss God's will, His best." Mark 16:15

I also let Jean speak for herself her when she says "How very poor in joy are those who have never been friends with an animal. Those who become friends with animals are the richest people I know. They have been blessed." And "When I listen to the heart of each animal, I see my Lord." And I also agree with her when she says "For animal lovers, heaven just wouldn't be heaven without their animal friends." Thank you Jean for all your hard work and research to make this book available to us who will appreciate it.

Inspirational, comforting and informative
This book is a must read for all pet owners, and future pet owners. It is inspirational, first and foremost. Then, it offers comfort and solace to the pain of grief. And, there is much information to be had, as well. Worth a try, and you will read and re-read it, as a source of reference and comfort.

Arlene Millman
author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY
(The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier)

Just Short of Five Stars
As a Universalist pastor and animal rights activist of many years, I have to say that this is an excellent book. The cover is absolutely adorable and worth the cost of the book alone. Much of the material presented regarding the souls and spirits of animals is very similiar to my own, which has been posted on the internet for a number of years, however, to Jean Holmes credit, she presents it in a much less confrontational manner than I usually do.

So, if I like this book so much and love the cover, why have I only given it four stars instead of five? Well, I feel that the author fell short of presenting, of what could have been, one of the most important books of our time. She is knowledgeable enough to discuss "apokatastasis" in her book, which indeed offers evidence of animals and all of creation being eventually being restored, however, I feel she has greatly missed the full understanding of this teaching, as she seems to hold a more traditional view of hell, by stating it is eternal. Of course hell can not be eternal if, as scripture says, it will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. Such an oversight is, to me, unfortunate.

Jean Holmes, like myself, has spent a lot of time researching the original Hebrew words of various texts involving animals, I just wish she had done the same for the Greek word "aion", and other Greek words, which are mistakenly translated in English as "Eternal" and not as a "Period of Time", as they should truly be rendered... and perhaps she could have seen the truth of "apokatastasis". Of course if those reading this review also believe in eternal hell and are animal lovers as well, then I am sure that "Do Dogs Go To Heaven?" will be a five star book to them....

A Comfort
After the loss of my cat I was happy to find a book that told about God's plan for the animals. It is reassuring to know that we will be with them in heaven someday.

Comforting Book
I recently lost both my dogs...one to Cancer,the other to Renal failure. I found this book advertised on the website,Pet Loss.com so I thought I would investigate....I borrowed it from a friend and could not put it down as it was informative and comforting to me in my grief.I firmly believe,despite what friends and relatives say,that someday my pets and I shall be reunited in Heaven! This book only reenforces this idea.It is even more interesting and applicable since the authoress lives in my home state of Oklahoma. ... Read more

Book Description

From the oilfields of Saudi Arabia to the Nile delta, from the shipping lanes of the South China Sea to the pipelines of Central Asia, Resource Wars looks at the growing impact of resource scarcity on the military policies of nations.

International security expert Michael T. Klare argues that in the early decades of the new millennium, wars will be fought not over ideology but over access to dwindling supplies of precious natural commodities. The political divisions of the Cold War, Klare asserts, have given way to a global scramble for oil, natural gas, minerals, and water. And as armies throughout the world define resource security as a primary objective, widespread instability is bound to follow, especially in those areas where competition for essential materials overlaps with long-standing territorial and religious disputes. In this clarifying view, the recent explosive conflict between the United States and Islamic extremism stands revealed as the predictable consequence of consumer nations seeking to protect the vital resources they depend on.

A much-needed assessment of a changed world, Resource Wars is a compelling look at warfare in an era of rampant globalization and intense economic competition.
... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Great Resource
This book was particularly helpful because it filled an information gap, especially in regards to entertaining feuds over the rather esoteric, tiny Spratley Islands, as well as the importance of water rights. There are sections concerning water rights disputes in Israel, Iraq, and Pakistan vs. India. Of course, plenty of space is given to various oil and gas reserves, including the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus region. The maps were clear and very helpful. Readers will also enjoy the tables that include the innumerable purchases of US military equipment by Saudi Arabia. This book will continue to be valuable as countries vie for the resources of inner Eurasia.

Self-inflicted wounds
Michael Klare, I would argue, has a better claim to being able to predict tomorrow's headlines than self-proclaimed "futurists" who absurdly forecast that computers are going to surpass human intelligence and take over the world in 30 years. That's assuming our civilization can still generate electricity reliably, of course, which I suspect will become increasingly problematic as the parts of the world with projectable militaries fight over the remaining fossil fuels supplies and waterways suitable for hydroelectric damming. Already North America faces the prospect of our pilot lights going out this winter because of a severe natural gas shortage, which portends even worse resource crises to come.

I came away from this book feeling really bad about the human prospect. The neo-con junta running the U.S. thinks it can solve America's problems by occupying the oil reserves in Southwest Asia, without any Plan B for dealing with the oil supply's eventual exhaustion. Meanwhile, people in the less developed, dry countries of the Nile Valley, the Tigris-Euphrates region and the Indus River have been mindlessly pumping out babies for generations well in excess of their death rates, and now find themselves facing catastrophic water shortages. In many rain-forested tropical countries, corrupt dictators and warlords have been stripping out their natural resources to sell to Western companies so they can buy the guns and supplies they need to keep their soldiers' loyalty and stay in power. I found this last part of Klare's account especially striking in light of all the free-market propaganda about the wonders of globalization. Despite the fiction that trade requires noncoercive, mutually consensual transactions all along the line from the producer to the eventual consumer, in the real world the "producers" of many luxury goods like diamonds and fine tropical woods use armed force (including private military companies, which Klare names) to extract these resources at the expense of local populations who want to keep their environments intact because their traditional livelihoods depend on them. Once these goods enter the global market, however, whatever blood spilled in producing them conveniently falls down the memory hole.

I would have given this book a 4-star rating, but Klare failed to show what's really going to happen if we don't deal with these resource problems rationally, especially the shrinking supplies of oil and gas. Since the Industrial Revolution we have been living on an artificial energy subsidy from fossil fuels that has allowed us to cheat environmental constraints on the human population by a factor of four to six. We face the likelihood of a massive Malthusian die-off once this subsidy is exhausted.

Brilliant book
It is amazingly good book, the best book of this sort. In very dynamic and in the meantime precise manner author addresses perhaps the most important, complicated and troubling political matter of nova times. My congratulations to author.

Correspondent for Russian daily newspaper "Russian Courier" in the USA Sergey L. Lopatnikov

Chilling glimpse of near future
Out of oil by 2050, or 2040 , or 2080 and shortages long before then. Potable water.. scarce now and getting scarcer (one of the roots of the 67 Arab-Israeli War was water rights). The facts roll over the reader, dispassionate and almost mindnumbing in detail. Population growing far beyond any capacity to maintain (The population of Ethiopia in 1950 was 18 million, the projected population in 2050 will be 212 million!)Civil wars, wars by proxy, the depletion and devastation of irreplacable old growth forests, rainforests, whole fragile ecosystems gone in a decade. And these are facts....facts no reputable scientist will argue other then exactly WHEN the resources will be finally depleted. The feeling I got at the end of the book was that we are all 'fiddling' as our world starts to burn.

A sober warning going unheeded
This is a clear and lucid account of the perils facing oil addicted societies, and those facing other shortages of water and other minerals. While the Middle East smolders, and while the burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming, the US and its policy "leaders" increase our dependence on a resource that will increasingly provoke conflict and put coming generations in harm's way. This book also, intentionally or no, helps answer that post-9/11 question: Why do they hate us? In short, to satisfy the needs of our own economy and wastrel practices, we have helped repress and impoverish millions of innocents to our benefit. Our freedom, our prosperity have come in large measure at their expense, and this book clearly lays out the future venues where the bill from our policies will likely and finally come due and payable. This is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and this book's contents, very strait laced, have the potential to create the outrage for a change of national direction. Must reading. ... Read more

Book Description

With this Third Edition, the authors and contributors set a new standard for textbooks in the field by tailoring the study of plant physiology to virtually every student—providing the basics for introductory courses without sacrificing the more challenging material sought by upper-division and graduate-level students.

Key pedagogical changes to the text will result in a shorter book. Material typically considered prerequisite for plant physiology courses, as well as advanced material from the Second Edition, will be removed and posted at an affiliated Web site, while many new or revised figures and photographs (now in full color), study questions, and a glossary of key terms will be added. Despite the streamlining of the text, the new edition incorporates all the important new developments in plant physiology, especially in cell, molecular, and developmental biology.

The Third Edition's interactive Web component is keyed to textbook chapters and referenced from the book. It includes WebTopics (elaborating on selected topics discussed in the text), WebEssays (discussions of cutting-edge research topics, written by those who did the work), additional study questions (by chapter), additional references, and suggestions for further reading. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

an excellent review on plant physiology for students
I teach plant physiology at the University of paris. I have bought the first edition of this boor five years ago and I have bought the new one about one month ago. It was a concise, clear and well up to date documented review. I appreciate particularly all the section on bioenergetic and transport in solutes in relation with morphology and development of the plant. I appreciate also very much the part on the influence of the light either for the classical phytochrome or to the appartition of the effect on the blue light. Scheme are simple, but precise and well descibed. This book was a very good intermediate between books of pure biochemistry or pure morphology.All information is integrated and well discussed. In the domain of the plant physiology I think really on my knowledge that this book was actually, in the domain of the plant physiology, one of the best review, and perhaps the better.

It is a useful tool for understanding plant physiology.
I teach plant physiology for biological sciences students in Bogotá, Colombia. I think this book is excelent. Also, it is written in a comprehensive English, and explains clearly the principles of plant physiology for everyboby including Spanish speakers. It is a very good way to motivate undergraduate students with the knowledge in plant physiology. I would liKe to congratulate the authors.

New Edition
The Second Edition of Plant Physiology builds on the strengths of the First Edition by integrating modern, state-of-the-art approaches to the study of plant function, particularly in the areas of gene regulation and molecular genetics, cell biology and signal transduction, and bioenergetics, into the framework of traditional plant physiology. The Second Edition also reflects the growing importance and prominence of biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology in the field of plant physiology. Each chapter has been thoroughly revised to reflect new developments in the field. In addition, several new chapters have been added, including chapters on "Cell Walls," "Growth, Development and Differentiation," and "Blue Light Responses." A new chapter entitled "Gene Expression and Signal Transduction" provides a summary of current models for the control of gene expression and cell signaling pathways in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, parti! cularly those topics relevant to plants. As in the First Edition, expert contributing authors provide authoritative accounts that include important recent advances in their fields. These contributions are integrated into the unified style that made the First Edition a benchmark in the teaching of Plant Physiology. The Second Edition is extensively illustrated and will be published in two colors.

Excelent. Very clearly written. Good figures.
Nothing else to say. Is there a new edition? ... Read more

Book Description

This book is the most authoritative encyclopedia ever prepared on dinosaurs and dinosaur science. In addition to entries on specific animals such as Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, and Velociraptor, the Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs covers reproduction, behavior, physiology, and extinction. The book is generously illustrated with many detailed drawings and photographs, and includes color pictures and illustrations that feature interpretations of the best known and most important animals. All alphabetical entries are cross-referenced internally, as well as at the end of each entry. The Encyclopedia includes up-to-date references that encourage the reader to investigate personal interests.

Key Features
*The most authoritative encyclopedia ever prepared on dinosaurs
*Includes many detailed drawings, photographs and illustrations in both color and black-and-white
*Contains comprehensively cross-referenced alphabetical entries with internal references, as well as references at the conclusion of each entry
*Provides in-depth references, allowing readers to pursue independent interests
*Includes sixteen plates and 35 color illustrations ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great Book
This is a great book, considering how huge it is. Being written in 1998, this book has all the current knowledge. There's more info on the actual era and the technical asspects of dinosaurs than the actual dinosaurs. Despite the price, this book is worth it.

Questions about dinosaurs that go deeper than the surface?
If so, then this is the book for you! The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs is a wonderful, up-to-date book that covers most, if not all, topics concerned with dinosaurs. Well put-together, beautifully illustrated, and written by today's top paleontologists, the Encyclopedia is well worth the price. Although it doesn't get too technical, this book is not for the uninformed. A must have for any serious dino-enthusiast - believe me, it will answer your questions, and lead you to ask more! 5 stars may not be enough for this one! (Plus it's massive enough to knock some sense into the not-so-dino-loving loved one or associate in your life!)

This definitely belongs on the shelf of any dino-lover.
When I first received this book for Christmas, I was shocked! The book was the size and weight of a telephone book! It's packed with skeletal drawings, cladograms, paintings... You name it, it's in the text.

Nice work!
This is really a good book, with much nice information and artwork (although more art plates may have been a good idea). The numerous articles are written by specialists and that makes the book more up-to-date and interesting than many others. However, articles are very short, so that people will quickly become interested to get more informations. This is possible with references given at the end of each entry.

However, I think this book is a bit too technical for the basal concepts it describes; the style *The Complete Dinosaur* is, I think, more approprite.

Finally, up to date information on dinosaurs!
We've all read the bylines: the public loves dinosaurs. And it's true. But we're also not all that discriminating. As a result, many dinosaur books are very out of date. The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs is a notable exception to this. Each topic is written not only by a paleontologist, but by a dinosaur paleontologist who specializes in that particular subject. The result? A compendium of information that could otherwise be obtained only by attending perfessional meetings for years. And of course, at professional meetings technical laguage is the norm. Anyone want to decipher "the relevance of the arctometatarsilian pes to the phylogenetic analysis of coelurosaurian theropods"..? The Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs is written plainly and clearly. Any interested adult or teenager could master the knowledge within much easier than, say, highschool algerbra. As a student of paleontology, and someone who has attended numerous professional meetings, I can say with confidence that this book will equip any aspiring paleontologist with the knowledge needed to reach the "next leve" of understanding of the dinosaurs. ... Read more

Book Description

Successful horsepeople know the secrets of the horse's mind. All horses share 10 common character traits that affect every move they make. These traits are embedded deep within the horse's DNA and are shared by every horse. Dr. Miller explains how to predict what your horse will do, get the proper response and fix unwanted behavior. He shows how you can unknowingly teach your horse how to misbehave. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Better than the flashy title
I found this book to be much better than its flashy, "whisperer-trendy" title would indicate. It is a well-written, logically built collection of key "psychological" characteristics of horses. Not directly useful as a problem-solving guide, but still a must-read, because it explains quite clearly what every horse lover should deeply absorb.

Considering Ancient Secrets of the Horses Mind.
While this book contains valuable information, it is not by any means a thorough text on the horses mind. It contains some controversial advice. Too many stories and too much personal information for my taste. The Ancient Secrets of the Horses Mind is big on promises but falls short on delivery. Recommended as a training supplement only, not as the only book you get on training the horse.

Ancient Secrets of the Horses's Mind
This book is so good I have already sent 3 copies as gifts to friends. What more can I say. It is the best book about basic horse instints I have ever read. If one wants to understand why horses do what they do, then read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

All the wild trees, shrubs, and woody vines in the area north to Newfoundland, south to North Carolina and Tennessee, and west to the Dakotas and Kansas are described in detail. Accounts of 646 species include shape and arrangement of leaves, height, color, bark texture, flowering season, and fruit. Clear, accurate drawings illustrate leaves, flowers, buds, tree silhouettes, and other characteristics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

the one
No mere Peterson field guide, this scholarly work is a concise encyclopedia of all the trees native to the northeastern United States, with descriptions that can truly be used to tell them apart (a unique feat). Belongs in the backpack of any hiker who wants to learn trees. Fits in a half-gallon Ziploc. Remember you need a magnifying glass and a sharp knife to use the book properly.

Best for field work
As a wetland delineator in PA, this book proves invaluable for field identification of trees, shrubs, and vines. Especially useful is are the keys for identification of these plants in winter when leaves and fruiting bodies are non-existant. I have several other tree books for reference, but they rarely are worth carting along in the field now that I have this book. I highly recommend it.

Worthy of the Name
Follows the fine tradition of Peterson Field Guides. Enough said.

Definitive work for identification
Petrides' work is the most accurate I have found in tree identification. Color pictures are no substitute for a close-up examination of the stems, leaves and fruit of trees and shrubs. It is considered the definitive source for the John Burroughs Naturalist Award bestowed by the Buckeye Council of the Boy Scouts of America only upon those capable of sight identification of approximately 600 trees, shrubs and wildflowers. ... Read more

Book Description

Classic of the back-to-the-land movement is packed with solid, timeless information and will teach new converts how to make their land self-sufficient. Appendices. 95 figures.
... Read more

Reviews (13)

I'd love to see a new edition
This book was one of my father's favorites, even though he never took up farming. For those considering a rural lifestyle, perhapse even self-suffiency, this has to be the starting point. However, it is the pre-war, 1940 edition. I literally cringed when I read about lining the cistern with sheet lead, or using mercuric chloride to sterilize wounds on fruit trees (it's a wonder our ancestors lived long enough to have children). I'm sure this book has a lot of good advice, but if this city boy ever moves to the farm my father never had I'll try to check all facts with a second or third source. Is there anyone who's qualified to write the 21st Century edition?

Read this book before you buy a small farm
This is a classic text covering all of the areas of the small farm. He provides very good advice about everything from where to put your buildings to what to put in them. He provides very practical advice about plants, animals and capital expenses. For example, his comments on raising chickens for meat is very pointed, if you can't kill a chicken, don't raise them for meat. But he also goes on to describe how to house them. He advises not to be too cheap as it will cost you in the end. This practical thorough description of every aspect of a working small farm is a must for every small farmer's library. Don't be fooled by the copy right date, this book is a classic!

wonderful
this book is great,very informative,the misses and i own 6 acres and are planning a return to basics,had enough of city life,this book and others i have found on amazon will enable us to build a better wholesome spritial life...amen!!

out of date
I expected something more applicable to the present. This book is written for those in the 1930's.
While parts of it are interesting, there are better books out there that are more current.

A Let Down
I was looking for a book that could give me the ins and outs of a country property today and how to make it productive. This book, however, is more of a look back at farming in the 1940s and did little to educate me on what to do with our small farm.

If you are looking for a period piece, this might be an interesting title to read. On the other hand, if you are looking for modern advice, there must be better books out there. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not long before she died in 1964, the noted environmental writer Rachel Carson wrote an essay for Woman's Home Companion magazine called "Helping Your Child to Wonder." In that essay--reprinted here, with photographs of natural subjects by Nick Kelsh--Carson urged parents to take their children to wild places in order to introduce them to the astonishing variety of life that exists all around us: to study birds, listen to the winds, and observe the stars. Too much of the child's subsequent education, she warns, will be devoted to dimming that "clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring" with which children are born; it is the parent's task to be an adult guide who can in turn rediscover the "excitement and mystery of the world we live in." Carson's words are timely, and this beautifully illustrated edition makes a fine gift for new and prospective mothers and fathers. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Renew your Sense of Wonder
I loved this book. Not only was Carson's essay wonderfully thought-provoking, but it was poetic as well. Her message is simple, if you love nature, share that love with a young person...so that they, too, might one day pass it along. By sharing your love of nature, you help carry hope that we will begin to take a little better care of our mother earth.

The book includes photographs which compliment Carson's words. Thank you for reminding us to share our love of the natural world.

This would be a wonderful gift for a new parent or new grandparent.

Wonder, marvel, admire, dream
I'm a 78 year old grandmother. This book opens doors to nature and humanity in a gently subtle magical, mystical way. It's a book to read, and to EXPERIENCE. If you are fortunate enough to be living with children it is a chance to open new doors of wonder. All of you will be enchanted! What a joy. A great gift book!!!

A treasure of a book
This book was recommended to me by a friend some years ago. She told me that she had read this book in her youth and it had changed her life. At the time, the book was still out of print, but I managed to find a well-read copy through inter-library loan. After reading it, I can well understand how this little book can transform a person's way of thinking. In a very personal and lyrical remembrance, Rachel Carson shares her vision of the natural world and the wonder it inspires. "A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood," Rachel Carson writes. And this book, filled with its sage and poetic insight, and illustrated with luscious photographs of the natural world is a first step toward rediscovering that amazing sense of wonder within. I particularly love her thoughts about one starry summer night when she muses, "if this (the starry sky) were a sight that could be seen only once in a century...this little headland would be thronged with spectators. But it can be seen many scores of nights in any year, and so the lights burned in the cottages and the inhabitants probably gave not a thought to the beauty overhead; and because they could see it almost any night, perhaps they will never see it." This wisdom is both a gift to the young and the old alike. I only wish I had read it sooner. When I found the book in print again, I promptly bought it, and have read it over and over. It is a treasure that will be enjoyed for years.

This essay is a gift for the future, for the next generation
Few people in English speaking countries do not know the name, Rachel Carson, the author of "Silent Spring", which shocked the world and made her a pioneer of environmental protection in the 1960's.@You may find her name on the White House official home page, where vice-president Gore warns of environmental crisis, quoting extracts from Carson, and notes her important contributions in this connection.@ She already knew of her coming death from cancer while writing the book.@"The Sense of Wonder" is an unfinished essay dedicated to her orphaned nephew Roger, and written while struggling with her deadly illness.@In contrast to Silent Spring, which has been translated into many languages and is a best seller throughout the world, this essay has been out of print for a long time, even in the United States. I think it is meaningful to publish this essay again at this point in history.@More than 35 years have passed since "Silent Spring", however, I wonder if we've listened to her warnings.@There has been a massive increase in the effects of garbage, air pollution, global warming, and chemicals which markedly affect our eco-system, including the human beings.@ This essay is a gift for the future, for the next generation of people who will have to discover their human nature in a world where nature has been diminished and degraded. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a dichotomous key to the American aquatic insects
While designed for the generalist working in the area of macrobenthic taxonomy, "An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America" stands as one of the classics in its field.Nine orders of aquatic insects are classified, generally to the level of genus.Some information is provided about collection, preservation, phylogeny, ecology, respiration, and developmental biology in the introductory chapters.Each key to the individual Orders contains additional information specific to that Order.All of the keys are extensively referenced to illustrations.Each section is supported by an extensive bibliography. The section on the Diptera is subdivided to cover the major families individually.The spiral binding allows the book to lie flat while the usermanipulates specimens under the microscope - an under-appreciated bonus. Some of the keys are a little buggy, but this is a 'must have' for aquatic entomologists of all levels of expertise. ... Read more

Book Description

Biomimicry is a revolutionary new science that analyzes nature's best ideas -- spider silk and prairie grass, seashells and brain cells -- and adapts them for human use. Science writer and lecturer Janine Benyus takes us into the lab and out in the field with the maverick researchers who are applying nature's ingenious solutions to the problem of human survival: stirring vats of proteins to unleash their signaling power in computers; analyzing how spiders manufacture a waterproof fiber five times stronger than steel; studying how electrons in a leaf cell convert sunlight to fuel in trillionths of a second; discovering miracle drugs by observing what animals eat -- and much more.

The products of biomimicry are things we can all use -- medicines, "smart" computers, super-strong materials, profitable and earth-friendly business. Biomimicry eloquently shows that the answers are all around us. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Inspires us to look to nature for solutions to our problems
Where can we find the best solutions to the many technical, environmental, social and economic problems that beset us?

In this wonderful book Benyus shows us that nature can teach us valuable lessons. "In the 3.8 billion years since the first bacteria, life has learned to fly, circumnavigate the globe, live in the depths of the ocean and atop the highest peaks, craft miracle materials, light up the night, lassoo the sun's energy, and build a self-reflective brain...living things have done everything we want to do, without guzzling fossil fuel, polluting the planet, or mortgaging their future. What better models could there be?"

By adopting a little humility and treating nature as a model, a measure, and a mentor, she argues, we can catch up on the lessons nature has had millions of years to learn. Benyus writes like an angel, her prose conjuring vivid images as she takes us with her on a journey to explore what Biomimics are doing in material science, medicine, computing, energy, agriculture, and business. Her journalistic style does not shrink from the intricacies of photosynthesis and relishes the wonders of mussel tethering techniques, but always keeps the wider picture in view.

I found myself wanting to push the fast-forward button - to the time when prarie-style agriculture is widely adopted; materials are made at room-temperature in life-friendly conditions with no toxicity; and our economy is modelled on a rainforest, not a ragweed. Readers of this book could be those who will help get us there faster. Enjoy!

Realistic, innovative solutions for a sustainable world
With the eloquence of an angel, Janine Benyus captures and describes the rapidly emerging field of biomimicry. In this beautifully written "seed of hope", Janine reveals how Nature--in her complexity and intricacy--can provide the innovative solutions we as a society desperately seek as we strive for sustainability. Through clear, clever, and enjoyable writing, Janine tackles difficult scientific information and presents it in a manner digestible to even those that fear science! The book is full of wonderful examples ranging from biomimetic materials to agricultural systems to pharmaceuticals to industrial ecology. After reading this book, I can no longer look at the natural world in the same way. With over 3.8 billion years of research and at least 30 million case studies, Nature probably has the answer we are looking for. Every roadblock presented to me is now countered with the following question: "What would Nature do if she had to tackle the same problem?" As a biologist and a business person, I'm finding that the two have more in common that I previously thought. This book is on my number one list for life. I find myself carrying my page worn copy everywhere I go just so I can recommend it to everyone, including strangers! This book gives me hope for our society. If we can learn to look towards Nature as model, measure, and mentor, we might just stand a chance.

Learning from the Genius of Nature
Before even reviewing the book, it seems as though I must explain its raison de'etre; for some negative reviews disclaim the very import of looking to nature as a model for life. For starters, nature runs on sunlight and creates no waste. To me, this alone is reason enough to mimic nature, since our profligate energy use has caused a global eco-crisis. Not only does the combustion of fossil fuels pollute the air breathe (leading to some 3 million deaths from air pollution annually according to the WHO), but it also floods the atmosphere with CO2, leading culprit in the greenhouse effect. Moreover, being that the supply of crude oil is finite, the very foundation of our economy will one day run dry. Nature, on the other hand, runs on the unlimited bounty of sunlight. Unlimited clean energy is just one example of the genius of nature which author Benyus points out in this book.

Nature does many other wonderful things we would do well to learn from. Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage. Black bears hibernate all winter without poisoning themselves on their urea, while their polar cousins stay active with a coat of transparent hollow hairs covering their skins like the panes of a greenhouse. Chameleons and cuttlefish hide without moving, changing the pattern of their skin to instantly blend with their surroundings. Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, while whales and penguins dive without scuba gear. How do they do it? How do dragonflies outmaneuver our best helicopters? How do hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than one tenth of an ounce of fuel? How do ants carry the equivalent of hundreds of pounds in a dead heat through the jungle? How do muscles attach to rock in a wet environment? The answers to these questions may seem like trivia to non-expert, but "The difference between what life needs to do and what we need to do is another one of those boundaries that doesn't exist. Beyond mattes of scale, the differences dissolve."

Like every other creature, humans cause a lot of commotion in the biosphere: creating, moving, and consuming. But our species is the only one that creates more waste than nature can safely and efficiently recycle. Ours is only one that ignores ecological limits, exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, and consumes more energy than nature can provide. The ideology that allowed us to expand beyond our limits was that the world -- never-ending in its bounty -- was put here exclusively for our use. But after the topsoil blows away, the oceans go lifeless, the oil wells go dry, and the air and water we depend on are utterly fouled, what will we do? Will we be able to survive? Unlike the impact of a car, is crisis is cumulative. The mounting effects of this ideology are rising temperatures, decreasing grain yields, rising cancer rates, falling fish harvests, dwindling forests, worsening air pollution, and rising oil and water prices. A most resilient creature, I believe we (or some of us) will survive this ecololgical "bottle-neck" squeeze, to use Harvard scientist E.O. Wilson's phrase. But the questions this book seeks to answer is, can we flourish?

As mentioned by other reviewers, some parts were overly technical. However, much of it is written with the layperson in mind. Moreover, the book is rich in philosophy, like that of Wes Jackson, Bill Mollison, Masanobu Fukuoka, and writers Thomas and Wendell Berry (unrelated). And the main point of the book is simple enough for a child to understand. Does it run on sunlight? Does it use only the energy it needs? Does it fit form to function? Does it recycle everything? Does it reward cooperation? Does it bank on diversity? Does it utilize local expertise? Does it curb excess from within? Does it tap the power of limits? And is it beautiful? In order to right our wasteful and dangerously dysfunctional relationship with nature, these ten questions should serve as guiding principles for design and human interaction.

Although some of the science is now dated (e.g., hydrogen fuel cells are now a reality), this book will remain pregnant with philosophical and practical insights for years to come. It is far, far ahead of the times. My only criticism is that, much of the scientific history and intrastructure this book depends on actually helped create the eco-predicament we currently find ourselves in. The labratories she visits (not to mention the cars she uses to visit them) are not exactly eco-friendly. In other words, the author supposes more technology and "progres" will eventually help us out of this predicament.

This book is a landmark - and one hell of a good read. Dssential for anyone interested business, philosophy, ecology, science or engineering. And when combined with other books, like Lester Brown's ECO-ECONOMY, David Korten's WHEN CORPORATIONS RULE THE WORLD, Paul Hawkins' NATURAL CAPITALSIM, Hildur Jackson and Karen Svensson's ECOVILLAGE LIVING, and perhaps something on eco-education, it would fit well into my dream eco-philosophy course. Unfortunately, I'm not a teacher and very few universities have funding for such programs anyway.

Good subject but poor content
This book deals with an interesting concept which is 'biomimicry'. In summary, it says that Mother Earth offers many models on which we can base our innovation/creation. But the book is not so easy to read and not so well planned. I skip many parts which in my sense go to deep in details and some parts are a bit repeatitive. The book is quite large but offers only few interesting ideas that are then developed and so detailed to an end which you don't remember the purpose. Some parts don't have a conclusion so you finish the chapter quite frustrated because you have read a big technical part and uoi don't see what was the point the author wanted to demonstrate. If you are interested in technical sciences then you might like it but otherwise, the ideas on biomimicry in this book could be summarize in a more compact book.

nonsensical environmental manifesto
A book that purports to be about taking inspiration from nature for our inventions sounds like a scientific book about genetic engineering or nanotechnology. It's not. This book is really an environmental manifesto, taking "nature is good" as an axiom and going from there, to explain unpromising technologies that will allow us to be more like nature and live in harmony with the Earth. The pseudo-religious arguments presented for why we should do this are vacuous. It's just sort of assumed we all would rather make the required sacrifices to "be in harmony with mother earth". If that's your thing, this book is for you. Just don't make the mistake I did and buy something that you think has some scientific validity. ... Read more

Book Description

The fourth edition of this best-selling field guide has been completely revised and updated to include the latest information from leading astronomical sources. All the time-sensitive material is new and valid through 2010: solar eclipses, phases of the moon, positions of the planets, and more. Twenty-four Monthly Sky Maps, all newly revised and in color, show exactly what you'll see when facing north or south in the night sky. Fifty-two Atlas Charts, also revised and in color, cover the entire sky, including close-ups of areas of special interest such as the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula. The hundreds of thousands of devoted users of the previous editions of this guide have been eagerly awaiting this new volume so they can continue to enjoy their hobby in the coming decades. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great reference but poor for use in the field
This review is for the softcover version. I feel almost bad to give this great guide 3 stars. The book contains a lot of very good information - more so than many books several times larger. As such, it's an excellent reference for beginner and more advanced user alike. However, the book fails miserably for field use, which, ironically, it is supposed to be designed for.

The cover frays and acquires "dog-ears" in a relatively short time of field use. In contrast, the Audubon field guides use a much more resilient plastic softcover. The pages smude easily from finger oils - remember, this is a guide you should be able to use for 8 years or so (until the next edition) so these are unacceptable shortcomings IMHO. By far the biggest gripe I have with this book, however, is the the choice of red to identify galaxies, star clusters etc in the atlas charts. These marks completely disappear under red light(!!!), making the charts useless for finding deep sky objects in the field. Finally, how are you supposed to operate equipment and keep the book open? Because it lacks spiral binding, the only way to use it hands-off is to put a weight on the page you're referencing.

If you're looking for a great reference to use at home, this guide is hard to beat - in fact, I highly recommend it. However, look elsewhere for more useful star charts with deep sky objects to use in the field.

Great sky maps - and much more!
First, its great monthly sky charts - for both the southern and northern hemispheres, and its many detailed charts and diagrams (all in colors) will help you find almost any visible star, galaxy, nebula, consolation or planet. For the planets there are charts and diagrams about their trajectories and positions in the sky that are valid till 2010.
But beyond that, there's plenty of valuable info about most of the "popular" objects and consolations, accompanied by excellent pictures. And there are some other astronomy related tips for newcomers, such as on purchasing a telescope or binocular, or photographing the stars. All in all, it's an enjoyable and valuable reading book in addition to it being a great field guide.

Supreme writing and wonderful pictures
This was a great astronomy book that i used countless times with my telescope. without this book i would not be able to know where almost half the stars in the sky are. Wonderful writing that is easy for a amaueter astronomer like myself and many others. The pictures are the best part. The mind bending images of stars nebulaes and solar eclipses are enough. Wonderful book!!!

This is one of my "desert island" books.
If I had to choose a small number of books to take with me into exile on some deserted island somewhere, this would definitely be one of them (and offhand I'm not sure I can name any others).

An entire astronomy library packed into a single portable field guide, Jay Pasachoff's entry in the Peterson Field Guide series is a delightful introduction to, and reference for, the universe revealed in the night sky.

If you have any interest in astronomy at all, you can always find something in here to look at or just to sit and ponder about.

Besides the obvious things like monthly star charts for both northern and southern hemispheres, the book contains a complete 52 chart atlas of the sky put together by Wil Tirion with notes on objects in each chart, clever finder charts and tables for the planets for a ten year period, history and lore of the naming of the constallations, many, many photographs of astronomical objects taken by Hubble and other telescopes, an atlas of the moon, and many enlightening charts and tables of things like details of the brightest/nearest stars, the planets and their moons, and so on.

There's a section on each of the planets, and of course lots of coverage of the sun and eclipses of the sun and moon.

It always surprises me that this book doesn't seem to get as much respect in astronomical circles as I think it deserves. While you can certainly fill a library with astronomical books and atlases that are better than this field guide in any one area, you will not do better than this book in stuffing all of that information together in one "to go" package.

An excellent gift for a child starting to get interested in science and the world at large.

I could go on, but you should just buy the book and see for yourself :-)

G.

For those serious about learning astronomy
For the very new to star charts and guides, this was a bit daunting at first. It is not a quickie guide. But after reading through it and learning the terminology it has lived up the "Peterson field guides" tradition. The maps and charts are very clear and it is chock full of interesting facts. It even has a small section on telescopes and binoculars that was helpful.
This guide if full of wonderful pictures and charts, it has become one of the more dog eared field guides in the house right after my Petersons bird books!
I would defiantly recommend this book to any one who is serious about astronomy. ... Read more

Book Description

A volume in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine series, this second edition has over 40% new material, including the addition of six new topics and many others that are completely rewritten. The book comprehensively covers the biological and disease aspects of laboratory animal medicine while examining other aspects such as the biohazards associated with the use of animal experimentation and factors complicating the bioethics of animal research. ... Read more

Book Description

The generation of mutant mice raises many questions about the best means of phenotypic analysis, breeding, and maintenance. The answers are now available from two experts with a wealth of detailed knowledge never previously assembled in one volume. Informal and highly practical, this handbook provides step–by–step methods for troubleshooting experiments, from the basics of gene targeting through the analysis of postnatal effects. ... Read more