Book Description

A comprehensive field guide for aquarists, divers and naturalists, with detailed full color photographs of hundreds of species, encompassing the majority of coral genera one is likely to encounter on reefs around the world, This book defines corals and distinguishes them form similar hydrozoans, zoanthids, and corallimorpharia. The corals are described and compared to similar looking species, and their range and the correct pronunciation of the Latin name is given.

In addition, for aquarists who grow corals in reef aquariums, information is provided in quick reference charts concerning each coral's requirements for light, water movement, and food, hardiness in captivity, aggressiveness toward other corals, and proper positioning in the aquarium. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Excellent
An excellent reference. Information is not as detailed as some other recent publications, but the pictures are excellent for identification. Use it as it is.... a "quick" reference. A definate must buy.

Thanks
Fast delivery. Book is in great shape.. :)

A must have book !
This is one of the best illustrated books I've used. Each coral has a food charts with symbols that represent the various sources corals utilize for their nutrition, a chart indicating the range of the physical parameters required and a placement chart indicating proper postioning of the coral in an aquarium, assuming overhead lighting.

This works...
Sure, it would also have been possible to include all the thousands of corals known worldwide in this book, instead of restricting to those held in aquaria. But then you wouldn't succeeed in bringing the book with you to the aquarium retailer in order to identify corals in the dealer's tank before you buy. With this book that works...

A Welcome Addition to My Library
What a great start to the series! You can't ask for a more easy to use format. Very informative and staight to the point. And the pictures! This thing is a coffee table took and a reference guide! If you keep a reef aquarium you need to own this book. ... Read more

Book Description

State-of-the-arthandbook of community water supplies.

The leading source of informationon water quality, water treatment, and quality control for 60 years is now available in an up-to-the-minute new edition. The American Water Works Association's Water Quality & Treatment, Fifth Edition fully covers the field, bringing you the expertise of 20 distinguished specialists whoprovide the latest information on everything from aeration and coagulation processes, to chemical oxidation and water plant waste management. At least 90% of the material in this new edition has been revised and updated. Among the areas of special concern covered are:

*Cutting-edge membrane processes
*U.S. regulatory changes, including new rulings on disinfection by-products
*Current concerns with preventing cryptosporidium and e. coli outbreaks
*Enhanced removal of total organic carbon
*Much, much more ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Handbook of Hydrology
The book covers everything from the hydrologic cycle, climatology and precipitation to hydrologic design for groudnwater pollution control. This is a great book to use for reference material. I keep going back to this text when ever I am looking for a quick reference.

The must have book for hydrology
The handbook of hydrology is the bible for engineers and scientists in the field of hydrology. The text covers all facets of the topic with the most knowledgable perspectives from current research. My most referenced Handbook of Hydrology chapter is Ch. 18 on the frequency analysis of extreme events. Don't practice in the field without this text on your shelf. ... Read more

Book Description

From the acclaimed author of Life and Trilobite!, a fascinating geological exploration of the earth's distant history as revealed by its natural wonders.

The face of the earth, crisscrossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed and changed again over billions of years, and the testament of the remote past is all around us. In this book Richard Fortey teaches us how to read its character, laying out the dominions of the world before us. He shows how human culture and natural history-even the shape of cities-are rooted in this deep geological past.

In search of this past, Fortey takes us through the Alps, into Icelandic hot springs, down to the ocean floor, over the barren rocks of Newfoundland, into the lush ecosystems of Hawai'i, across the salt flats of Oman, and along the San Andreas Fault. On the slopes of Vesuvius, he tracks the history of the region down through the centuries?to volcanic eruptions seen by fifteenth-century Italians, the Romans, and, from striking geological evidence, even Neolithic man. As story adds to story, the recent past connects with forgotten ages long ago, then much longer ago, as he describes the movement of plates and the development of ancient continents and seas. Nothing in this book is at rest. The surface of the earth dilates and collapses; seas and mountains rise and fall; continents move.

Fortey again proves himself the ideal guide, with his superb descriptions of natural beauty, his gripping narratives, and his crystal-clear, always fascinating scientific explanations.
Here is a book to change the way we see the world. ... Read more

Book Description

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places shows readers how to find and prepare more than five hundred different plants for nutrition and better health, including such common plants as mullein (a tea made from the leaves and flowers suppresses a cough), stinging nettle (steam the leaves and you have a tasty dish rich in iron), cattail (cooked stalks taste similar to corn and are rich in protein), and wild apricots (an infusion made with the leaves is good for stomach aches and disgestive disorders).

More than 260 detailed line drawings help readers identify a wide range of plants -- many of which are suited for cooking by following the more than thirty recipes included in this book. There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.

Reviews (15)

This one's the best of the 20 I've read so far on this topic
This book mentions about 100 of the most likely medicinal and/or edible plants that you will encounter, whether in the woods, at a park, or along the sidewalk. The drawings are superb, and the information on the chemical and nutritional components of why the plant works as food or medicine is clear and thorough. The recipes are easy to follow ( I hate to cook). Best of all, the author has a great sense of humor making this one of the most readable books of its kind. I can't reccommend this one highly enough: it's become something of a "bible" for me.

Get this book now!
This is a fantastic book. Very thorough information about finding, identifying, harvesting, preparing, and uses of edible wild plants. The plant drawings are fantastic and much easier to use than color photos. I enjoy his emphasis on finding edibles in your lawn or other "not so wild" places. Also includes lots of invaluable information on poisonous plants to avoid and poisonous "look-alikes" to beware of. He has a great sense of humor and an entertaining style. I bought the book and then had to immediately by another as a gift. I just got lunch by weeding my driveway...

Slightly Disappointed
On the whole, this book is interesting and informative, but I was slightly disappointed with the logical layout. The information in the book is fairly detailed and interesting, but is presented in a narrative manner. The book takes a season/habitat based approach... I guess I was expecting a more trait-based heirarchical listing system. Something that would facilitate taking an unknown plant and quickly looking up the answers to "what is it? is it edible? is it medicinal? if so, what are the details"

The approach also tends to give details on a few interesting / especially good flavored or nutricious plants and then gives a names-only grocery list of "Edible and medicinal plants" and then one of "For Observation only"

So, in summary, if you know a bit about general plant identification and your focus is on what's available for the season and habitat, this book is a valuable resource, but if you're looking for a field identification and classification tool, this is probably not the best choice.

great book!
OUT OF THE 4 BOOKS THAT I OWN ON THE SUBJECT. THIS IS THE BEST GUIDE ON EDIBLE WILD PLANTS THAT I HAVE READ.DON'T LET THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO PHOTOS IN THE BOOK BE A CONCERN. THE DRAWINGS ARE EXCELLENT! EVERYTHING IS IN DETAIL WITH SIDE NOTES POINTING TO SPECIFIC PARTS, POISONIOUS LOOK A LIKES ARE MENTIONED AS WELL AS DETAILED DRAWINGS OF THEM. AT THE END, THERE ARE MANY GREAT RECIPES! BY THE WAY, CHECK OUT ONE OF THE HIKES IF YOUR IN THE TRI-STATE AREA (CONN NY NJ) WILDMAN HIMSELF GIVES A WALK AND A LECTURE FROM MAR-DEC. CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/
HAPPY FORAGING!

Excellent -- but could we have color illustrations?
This book was recommended to me by a friend when I mentioned an interest in wildcrafting -- the only problem is, my friend is much more nature-literate than I -- and while the information in this book far surpasses any other I've seen, the illustrations are (beautiful) pencil drawings devoid of color.

Otherwise an excellent resource. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Resource for Landscape Architects
Booth and Hiss describe in much detail the design process for residential landscapes. They strike a proper balance between basic design concepts and essential business knowledge. Landscape design students would do well to internalize the process described here, since the book's practical focus is unlikely to be duplicated in their Landscape Architecture curriculum.

Excellent
This book is truly a gem -- it clearly and concisely explains every imaginable aspect of residential landscape design using very straigtforward and easy to understand text and diagrams.

Ignore the fact that this seems to have been written as some sort of textbook for a beginer's course for professional landscape architects. I am an ordinary homeowner and I found the book to be easy and enjoyable to read, and quite educational. I now feel like I understand enough to design a professional quality landscape for my own home.

In case it matters, I own the second edition (Amazon is now selling the third edition). I can only assume that this latest edition is even better than the edition I have.

designing with ease!
what an outstanding book! i discovered this book during a course in garden planning that i'm taking this semester( i'm a student at the faculty of agriculture at the uni of jerusalem, in isreal) and it practically has all that you need to plan a super garden: the illustations are clear to understand, are varriable and give plenty of examples and of course ideas. the solutions to a lot of problems i encountered while trying to plan different spaces and gardens during my course, were solved with ease after looking through this easy to understand book. i dearly recommend any one with even the slightest love or nearness to gardening , design or just plain old mother nature to go out and get this book - it will surely help you get your house and garden design going in the right direction. ... Read more

Book Description

Written from a sustainable perspective, this readable, yetrigorous, book provides comprehensive coverage of a variety of local, regional, national, and global resource and environmental issues from population growth to wetlands to agriculture to global air pollution. It emphasizes practical, cost-effective, sustainable solutions to these problems that make sense from social, economic, and environmental perspectives.Overall increased emphasis on international and global issues (includes many examples from Canada). New information on Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing—integrated GIS Remote Sensing boxed information appears throughout, including 12 case studies. Expanded coverage of ecosystem management and watershed management, global climate change, ozone depletion, wetlands protection, and policy—including new international treaties, new federal laws, and more.The friendly, approachable writing style makes the book accessible to a wide range of readers—from those who want an introduction in natural resource conservation and natural resource management to professionals in this field. ... Read more

Book Description

There are two kinds of math: the hard kind and the easy kind. The easy kind, practiced by ants, shrimp, Welsh corgis—and us—is innate.

What innate calculating skills do we humans have? Leaving aside built-in mathematics, such as the visual system, ordinary people do just fine when faced with mathematical tasks in the course of the day. Yet when they are confronted with the same tasks presented as "math," their accuracy often drops.

But if we have innate mathematical ability, why do we have to teach math and why do most of us find it so hard to learn? Are there tricks or strategies that the ordinary person can do to improve mathematical ability? Can we improve our math skills by learning from dogs, cats, and other creatures that "do math"? The answer to each of these questions is a qualified yes. All these examples of animal math suggest that if we want to do better in the formal kind of math, we should see how it arises from natural mathematics.

From NPR’s "Math Guy"—The Math Instinct will provide even the most number-phobic among us with confidence in our own mathematical abilities. ... Read more

Book Description

The Ponder's Bible is the compleat guide to building and maintaining your very own pond. It has it all from digging the hole to the towering waterfall, including costs.

It is "Fun and easy to read and most importantly ... Informative."

"Just incredible. I'll bet you have no idea how inspiring it is for average ponders to read this."

"Wow! When I read your book, I though 'WOW! We could do that!... And we were right."

"... a very good job! I'm sick of reading books using language only a biologist could understand."

"A virtual treasure trove of information."

"Your simplicity in guidelines has made my pond building a pleasure." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The BEST book out there on the subject of ponds!
When I decided to build a big pond, I got such conflicting information about how to filter the pond. I found this book and it not only explained everything I needed to know about filtration but showed me how to build it myself and save a fortune. I now have a great pond!

Wisdom begins in wonder
Considering how much time I spend thinking about nothing I thought this would be an interesting read, which it was.
Yet, I'm still left to ponder what this book has to do with pondering. It's ponderous to say the least.

Down to earth Ponding 101
I had already started a small ABS plastic pond before I bought the book. The author has a much larger pond and explains everything about it. He covers it from A to Z.
I am a do it yourselfer and really enjoyed his explanations and innovative ideas.
Eventhough the construction part did not apply to my situation there is plently of other things that do apply.
The author makes no secret that he is giving you his opinion on how to do things and what he likes and doesn't like. For example, he does not like UV clarifiers and prefers to balance the ecosytem to take care of the water borne algae. He states that if the clarifier kills the algae, what elese does it kill but admits that it can kill parasites, etc. that can harm your fish.
Interesting stories of things he had done and mistakes he had made. Not techinical at all but yet it covers about everything.

Down home and folksy
Widely praised as 'easy to read' and common sense. Yes, it does appeal to 'horse sense' thinking, but it doesn't really get into the whys. I think some of the advice was not that good - especially the 'just throw a handful of food in there' one (disaster in a very small pond...even in mine with very good filtration). Otherwise I liked reading it and it was humorous and cute. I suggest finding the color one tho - the black and white one is pretty nasty - the pictures are murky and I would have liked to have seen the examples!

Down to Earth
Finally a really down to earth book by a great guy who really loves ponds and has done it all. He gives details way beyond the typical book on ponds. Its clear that he has been experimenting with techniques for a long long time. I own about 25 pond books and this one is absolutely the best and is indispensible. I have learned more from this book than all the others combined. Get this book if you want to do it right the first time, or if you want to learn how to keep a pond healthy. You cant go wrong with this book. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Darling!
This is based on a true story. Margarete, who considered herself a typical grandmother, ran across a downed baby bird in her flower patch. She tried to put the bird back in the nest as a helpful soul, but that didn't work. She tried several times, describing her attempts to reach the nest by roof and ladder like a gymnastics move - remember, this is a grandmother. Each time she completed the task only to find the bird back in the flower patch down below. When she decided to raise the bird herself, it was of course only going to be temporary.

This is a wonderful story of love and compassion, of companionship and triumph. Arnie the starling ended up being the thread that held many stories together in Margarete's life. A war bride from Munich, Margarete lived in Texas where she had run a pet clinic, among other things. She moved to Cape Cod with Arnie by the end of the tale, having had many adventures along the way. Margerete even shared the rejection letter from the Tonight Show. Maybe they didn't believe Arnie the starling could talk? "Good," was Arnie's reply.

Arnie never did return to the wild, preferring the company of Margarete and her other animals, human food to wild offerings, and, of course, there would be no one to talk to out there! This is a lovely story, a touching story, one for kids and adults.

Amazing!
It is the heartwarming story of a lady and her bird. Brings tears to the eyes! Superbly written! A great biography for any one who even remotely likes animals!

Bravo!
Heartwarming story about a remarkable woman and the wild bird that captivated her heart.

Heartwarming!
I found this charming book in a used bookstore when I visited my father in Texas. Sorry to see it out of print. A real treasure that is fun to read and very poignant. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Alternative View of Forests Based on Hard Science
Ever sense that television news is more about cosmetics, sound bites, and talk-show celebrity journalism than it is about digging for hard facts and verifying authentic sources? Misinformation about forests and forestry appears to be like that - superficial and unsubstantiated. The problem with lazy thinking like "where there's smoke, there's fire" is that any actual firefighter can tell you it is smoke that kills, almost never fire. Yet society sits in judgement amid great black clouds of speculation while never asking the experts about the true operating principles.

What is amazing is that Patrick Moore's highly educated and scientific position on forest management should be so widely assailed in the court of common knowledge and public opinion. There is very little examination of fact. Widespread untruths circulate freely, and every opposing viewpoint is demonized. Further reason to carefully consider Patrick Moore's contrarian view and verifyable science -- and note his incredible courage to put his personal reputation on the line, given the fact that his name is in the pantheon of great environmentalists of the 20th Century.

Eye-opening is an understatement. The facts presented in this book alone should warrant a careful reexamination of public opinion, government policy, and precipitate an audit of facts presented by various sides of environmental issues. Most people want to do the right thing to insure a vigorously healthy environment. What we don't need is to give over leadership of human destiny to extremist viewpoints which are founded on a belief that humans are a cancer on the face of the Earth, that technology and science are evil, and that the only solution is rolling back the clock 500 years to a pre-Columbian Garden of Eden.

Green Spirit has the courage to look at the environmental movement in a constructive way and say, "The Emperor Has No Clothes." On the issue of forests, it is as if some crazy Theodore Kaczynski is head environmental activist, public opinion trendsetter, and public policy oracle. Who can deny that the show is being run based on some kind of anti-human, anti-technology Unibomber manifesto? ... Read more

Book Description

Based on the author's life-long practical experiences both in the industry and in research, this best-selling, state-of-the-art guide to the operation of commercial flower and vegetable greenhouses presents coverage in the order in which decision-making concerns occur. Exceptionally comprehensive—yet accessible—it provides detailed, step-by-step instructions in layman's terms for ALL aspects of the business—from the physical facilities, to the day-to-day operations, to business management and marketing.Specific chapter topics cover greenhouse construction, heating, and cooling; environmental control systems; root substrate; root substrate pasteurization; watering; fertilization; alternative cropping system; carbon dioxide fertilization; light and temperature; chemical growth regulation; insect control; disease control; postproduction quality; marketing; and business management.For individuals entering the greenhouse business. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent textbook
Nelson's text is probably the most widely used on college campuses offering greenhouse management. It is up to date, full of technical information, and the chapters are well-ordered.

My only complaint is that it is VERY badly formatted and so, difficult to read. Like the Biblical book of Numbers, it will have you sawing logs if read at bedtime. The publisher could learn alot from Boodley's The Commercial Greenhouse, which is much more readable. ... Read more

Book Description

The gripping story of an epic prairie snowstorm that killed hundreds of newly arrived settlers and cast a shadow on the promise of the American frontier.

January 12, 1888, began as an unseasonably warm morning across Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota, the weather so mild that children walked to school without coats and gloves. But that afternoon, without warning, the atmosphere suddenly, violently changed. One moment the air was calm; the next the sky exploded in a raging chaos of horizontal snow and hurricane-force winds. Temperatures plunged as an unprecedented cold front ripped through the center of the continent.

By Friday morning, January 13, some five hundred people lay dead on the drifted prairie, many of them children who had perished on their way home from country schools. In a few terrifying hours, the hopes of the pioneers had been blasted by the bitter realities of their harsh environment. Recent immigrants from Germany, Norway, Denmark, and the Ukraine learned that their free homestead was not a paradise but a hard, unforgiving place governed by natural forces they neither understood nor controlled.

With the storm as its dramatic, heartbreaking focal point, The Children's Blizzard captures this pivotal moment in American history by tracing the stories of five families who were forever changed that day. Drawing on family interviews and memoirs, as well as hundreds of contemporary accounts, David Laskin creates an intimate picture of the men, women, and children who made choices they would regret as long as they lived. Here too is a meticulous account of the evolution of the storm and the vain struggle of government forecasters to track its progress.

The blizzard of January 12, 1888, is still remembered on the prairie. Children fled that day while their teachers screamed into the relentless roar. Husbands staggered into the blinding wind in search of wives. Fathers collapsed while trying to drag their children to safety. In telling the story of this meteorological catastrophe, the deadliest blizzard ever to hit the prairie states, David Laskin has produced a masterful portrait of a tragic crucible in the settlement of the American heartland.

Book Description

"Vernal Pools" is the most comprehensive and substantive book available on the natural history, ecology, and conservation of the myriad small, transient, biologically dynamic pools that appear in low-lying areas, especially in spring, and then typically disappear as the seasons progress."Vernal Pools" emphasizes the pools of the formerly glaciated region of eastern North America, but the information contained in the book also will be of great value to those readers wanting to recognize, understand, protect, or manage seasonally wet pools wherever they occur."Vernal Pools" is written in a style that is accessible, appealing, and informative to both general and advanced readers.

Increasingly, vernal pools and their habitats are being recognized as places of interest and importance to many students and stewards of freshwater resources and biological diversity, including:land owners, naturalists, teachers, researchers, conservationists, resource managers, planners, and policy makers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

OUTSTANDING - a MUST READ for anyone working in the outdoors
As a field geologist, Gulf War veteran and former EMT, I can say that this book is the most comprehensive text I have ever seen regarding outdoor dangers, survival and wilderness medicine. If you work outdoors or spend a lot of time recreating outside, this is a MUST HAVE book!

Wilderness Medicine
As an RN,Trauma Nurse Specialist, I found this book to be well written and highly informative. With the speed of modern travel it's also a great reference to have for injuries and illnesses that can occur in far away places that one doesn't see often, or ever in your "home" ED. ... Read more

Book Description

Perfect for mountain climbers and hikers, this valuable reference covers more rocks and minerals in North America than any other available guide. 794 full-color photographs depict all the important rocks, gems, and minerals -- in many variations of color and crystal form -- and the natural environments in which they occur; written descriptions provide information on field marks, similar rocks and minerals, environment, areas of occurrence, and derivation of names. Includes a guide to mineral collecting and a list of rock-forming minerals ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Rocks are fun if used properly
This is a very entertaining and informative book. It includes everything and more on what I need to know about the properties of various rocks.

As I am a big fan of communal stoning this book proves to be an invaluable resource. There is nothing more embarrassing than choosing the wrong type of rock at a stoning. I unwittingly chose a rock of very brittle consistency during a recent stoning I attended. You can imagine how foolish I looked when my stone merely disintegrated as it bounced off of my intended targets forehead. I still haven't lived that painful episode down, much to the amusement of my fellow stoners. My nickname is "Ole Softie" now.

Take a lesson from my faux pas; pick up this book before you are made to look the fool.

Rockhound's bible
This book is a must have for any experienced rockhound. The field guide sorts mineral specimens by color and then further subdivides them by crystal habit. The color plates are nicely photographed and direct the reader to the corresponding pages which contain all the mineralogic characteristics of the specimens. All the information a rockhound could possibly desire, including North American collecting locales is contained within.

This would not be a suitable book for a beginner in the field as the retrieval of information would not be easily done by a novice. As a long time serious collector, despite the approximately 800 pages, many popular minerals have been omitted.

A good fieldguide for geologists
This fieldguide is probably one of the best fieldguides out there on rocks and minerals. Being a geology student at Ohio State, I found this book very helpful in the identification of minerals and rocks. It contains an identification key according to hardness and cleavage for minerals, and a key pertaining to rock fabric and hardness for rocks. These keys are integeral to quick identification. One thing I don't like about this book is that the pictures and the text are in two seperate sections. That and the rock section of the book is somewhat lacking. But the main types of rocks are touched upon. However, the book is filled with information, and is very helpful. If you aren't a geologist of sorts, it is somewhat technical, but offers a good glossary of terms, and explains cleavage and other mineral properties well. Overall, an excellent fieldguide for identifying rocks and minerals.

Great keys
I think that the National Audubon Society Field Gude to North American Rocks and Minerals is a great guide for on the field. The visual key gives you great colored pictures to compare the rocks you find. Then, you look at the page number to the right of the name on the visual key, and you compare your rocks to that. I think that this is a great book for beginners and a great book for studying.

Not the best out there...
Most Audubon Field Guides that I have seen have greats amount of detal, as does this one, but a necesssity in identification of rocks and minerals is to be able to see the picture while you read the data to compare what you see, and as this book has them separte, it makes it very difficult to use when you need to reference material quick. A good book for details, though and the pictures ARE pretty, but as a student who really likes minerals, I'd have to say Simon and Schuster is a better book for the field or lab. ... Read more

Book Description

Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions.Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Salt as focus of world history
The book tells the story of salt throughout world history: how it was made, how it was traded, how it was used, and the effect the salt industry has had on villages, cities, and regions.

The book starts and ends in China, first describing the brine wells and the advanced drilling techniques the Chinese invented centuries ago. The text then moves to how salt was used in Roman times describing a sauce called garum made from pickled and fermented fish parts. Kurlansky then continues with Mediteranean fish industry. Salt's main use was in preserving fish. The next big change came when cod was found off the coast of Newfoundland. Cod's low fat meant more salt was needed.

Eventually, the American colonies developed their own salt and cod industries. Kurlansky describes the importance of salt in the American Civil War, how salt works led to the marketing of Tabasco sauce, how canals were dug through New York state to take salt from the Great Lakes to the coast.

After a quick recounting of how salt was used by Ghandi to spark India's revolution, the book ends back in China and how the salt industry there has moved into the modern age. The old traditional derricks are gone; no one wanted to pay to preserve even the most important ones as historical landmarks.

Kurlanski gives a good outline of how salt was taxed in various parts of the world. His description of how the salt tax was an important factor in both the French and Indian revolutions deserves special mention.

As he describes how salt was traded and produced, Kurlanky peppers his narrative (sorry...) with short recipes that illustrate how salt was used in different parts of the world and at different times of our history.

If you love food and history, you'll love this book. If you love one and only moderately like the other, you'll find the book bogs down a bit.

Taking a love of Salt to its logical extreme
Salt is one of those things that turned up all over the place in my high school studies. It turned up in chemisty (sodium chloride), in biology (the amount of salt in our bodies and what we do with it), in history and English (check out the root of the word: "salary"). So sure, salt's important. But does it merit its own entire book about its history? Turns out the answer is both yes and no...

I like these small, focused histories (as you've probably guessed if you've read any of the other reviews I've written). I've read many of them, including another one by Mark Kurlansky, Cod (which I rather enjoyed). So when I ran across Salt, I was certain I wanted to read it. I liked Kurlansky's style, and I already knew that the subject matter would be interesting.

And it was. In Salt, Kurlansky walks through both the history of salt and the influence of salt on history, presenting a wide and varied picture of one of the [now] most common elements in our modern world. And he does this in the same engaging fashion that he used in Cod; although, with fewer recipes. So why not give it five stars? Well, it has a couple of noticable flaws that tended to detract a bit from the overall presentation.

The first flaw was in the sheer number of historical snippets that were included. While I'm certain that salt has been important in the broad span of human history, there are a number of these historical anecdotes where he was clearly reaching to demonstrate the influence of salt. Salt may have been involved in these incidents, but it was peripheral at best, and the overall tone sounds too much like cheerleading. Cutting a few of these out would have shortened the book without detracting from the presentation at all.

The second flaw was the meandering path that he takes through the history of salt. He generally starts early in history, and his discussion moves along roughly as history does as well; however, he has a tendency to wander a bit both forward and backward without effectively tying all of this together. I'd have preferred to either walk straight through history while skipping around the world (effectively comparing the use and influence of salt around the world) or to have taken more time to discuss why we were rewinding (effectively following one thread to its conclusion and then picking up another parallel one). To me it made the presentation a little too choppy.

There have been other criticisms as well; for example, the chemistry is incorrect in a number of places, but if you're using this as a chemical reference, then you've got serious issues with your ability to library research. Of course, that begs the question of what errors are in there that we didn't catch. And it does tend to be a bit repetitive in parts; although, this could have been used to good effect if historical threads had been followed a bit more completely.

While I had a few dings on the book, overall I liked it. The fact that I read it end-to-end and enjoyed the last chapter as much as the first is a testament to my general enjoyment of it. It wasn't the best book I read last year, but I'll certainly keep it on my bookshelf. So, back to my original question: does salt merit its own book? Yes, it does, but perhaps in a somewhat shorter form.

A gem of a book
This is a gem of a book. It discusses and intertwines the history and importance of salt from prehistoric times until now in the context of the various types of salt, preserving and brining meat, fish and other foods, cooking, cheese making, health, geology, geography, place names, world trade, world history, warfare, art and investments, to name a few topics.

The descriptions of the role of salt in the American Civil War and the Caribbean islands were fascinating. Then there were the Romans, the Mayans, The Aztecs, the Chinese, the French, the Germans, the English, the Dutch, the Russians, the Scandinavians and others and their involvement with salt.

The recipes for cooking with salt are aptly chosen from about 4000 years of recorded history and are remarkably similar to those in use today. The colorful view and history of the San Francisco salt ponds from an airplane were always a bit of mystery to me, but no longer. The origin of towns and cities whose name ends in "wich" was enlightening, to say nothing of Salzburg and the many salt mines in the world.

In short, this book is a grand, well-written, informative and often amusing world panorama of salt filled with a host of pearls of learning. It is hard to put down and makes 449 pages pleasantly fly by, leaving you with a taste for more. If you have ever used salt, you really should read this book.

Definitely worth his salt . . .
It's become a party cliche to comment on our need for the results of combining a poisonous gas [chlorine] and a volatile metal [sodium]. Kurlansky passes quickly over such levity to seriously relate the role of sodium chloride in human society. While at first glance his account may seem overdone, a bit of reflection reveals that something so common in our lives is easily overlooked. Salt is essential to our existence. Our need is so strong and enduring that we tend to take its availability for granted. As a global history, this book is an ambitious attempt to re-introduce us to something we think common and uninteresting. It's immensely successful through Kurlansky's multi-faceted approach. He combines economics, politics, culinary practices, tradition and myth in making his presentation. About the only aspect ignored is the detailed biological one explaining why this compound is so necessary to our existence.

Because our need for salt is so fundamental, its history encompasses that of humanity. Salt was basic to many economies, Kurlansky notes. It's acted as the basis of exchange between traders, was the target of empire builders and even paid out to soldiers as a form of "salary" - hence the term. Venice, a coastal city tucked away from the main tracks of Mediterranean trade, bloomed into prominence when it discovered it could garner more profit by trading in salt than by manufacturing it. The Venetian empire and later renaissance was founded on the salt trade.

Empires may be built on salt, but can be felled by misguided policies on its trade and consumption. One element leading to the downfall of the French monarchy was the hated "gabelle", or salt tax, which imposed a heavier burden on farming peasants than it did on the aristocracy. The reputation of tax evasion borne by the French relates to the resentment expressed over the salt tax. A British regulation on salt resulted in similar reaction leading to the breakup up their own Empire. It was a "march to the sea" led by Mahatma Ghandi to collect salt that galvanised resistance to British rule. Over a century after the French Revolution, the British were displaced from India for similar reasons - greed.

While acknowledging the importance of salt in our lives, Kurlansky notes that determining how much is "too little" or "too much" is elusive. Many people today claim to have "salt-free" diets while remaining ignorant of how much salt is contained in our foods, both naturally and through processing. Yet, as Kurlansky records, salt has appeal beyond just the body's needs. He records numerous commentators from ancient Egypt, China and Rome who express their admiration for salt's flavour-adding qualities. Sauces based on various ingredients mixed with salt permeate the book. He notes that the salt dispenser is a modern innovation, supplementing the use of salt in cooking processes.

Salt's decline in conserving food, which changed the amount of salt we consume directly, came about due to increased world trade, displacement of rural populations into cities, and, of course, war. "The first blow" displacing salt as a preservative came from a Parisian cook; a man so obscure that his given name remains disputed. Nicolas [Francois?] Appert worked out how to preserve meat by "canning". Adopted by Napoleon's armies, the technique spread rapidly. The technology of the Industrial Revolution led to effective refrigeration. Kurlansky gives an account of Clarence Birdseye's efforts to found what became a major industry.

Although the topic seems overspecialised, the universal application and long historical view of this book establishes its importance. Kurlansky has successfully met an immense challenge in presenting a wealth of information. That he graces what might have been a dry pedantic exercise with recipes, anecdotes, photographs and maps grants this book wide appeal. He's to be congratulated for his worldly view and comprehensive presentation. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Tintinabulation?
Mr. Kurlansky had a great idea to wrap a world history around the discovery, usage and evolution of salt. There are many fascinating tales around this substance, but unfortunately you can't get away from the fact that you can only read the word "salt" so many times in one sentence or paragraph before you begin to yawn.

This, I think, leads to a certain desparation by the writer in attempting to find something - anything - to amuse the reader. One great example is a sentence containing the word "tintinabulation" which, if looked at carefully, is totally meaningless and serves only for the author to exercise his ego in being able to say that he used the word in a published sentence.

Another problem is the easy way that Mr. Kurlansky throws untruths into his story to back up some odd facts .. for example, he says that French is a language that "does not use apostrophes" during a store-naming story. Considering that the apostrophe is liberally used in French (c'est la vie!) these kinds of assertions cast doubt on the rest of the "facts" presented.

I felt the book was a way for Mr. Kurlansky to attempt to impress us with his perceived worldliness and culinary expertise - to the extent that the book wraps up with a recipe for butter cookies.

Sorry, don't bother, ego gets in the way of what may have been a good story. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

A 'must' for people interested in edible wild plants
My only regret about this book is that it isn't longer!

The plants are organized by season, and every plant has a small map to show what regions it grows in. There is a very nice, good sized picture of each plant, and most of them are in color. Information is also provided about harvesting, how to prepare the plant, and poisonous look alikes, if any.

The plants are listed by their common names, but the latin names are listed as well. Plants can be located by either name in the index.

If you are interested in edible wild plants, this book is a great value for a reasonable price.

This is a book that all who play outdoors ought to have.
I bought this book to use to gather wild plants for making homemade wines, but now it's a companion whenever I go hiking, fishing, camping, or merely sightseeing. It's that valuable!

The book is divided into an introductory section, guides to harvesting plants in each of the four seasons, the plants themselves (also presented seasonally), poisonous plants, a nutritional guide, and two great indices. The introduction includes great tips on how to prepare wild foods as drinks, snacks, entres, and condiments, along with recipes for 25 jellies, 20 jams and 17 fruit and berry pies. But the good part is yet to come.

Each plant is presented with a good-to-excellent photograph, a distribution map (so a person in the Pacific Northwest doesn't have to wonder whether he or she is looking at a squashberry or a hobblebush berry), a complete description, identification of the edible parts, harvest and preparation notes, related species, and poisonous look-alikes (if any). The presentations are just excellent. My only complaint is that the book isn't twice as thick.

Whether you just want to be prepared for emergencies or you want to collect wild edibles for making jams, jellies, pies, and wine, this book is one of the only two you'll probably need. The other is a good regional guide, because with over 20,000 species of plants to choose from north of the Rio Grande alone, a guide to regional edibles is a must.

Learning Edible Plants
This books shows, in an easy to understand format-in my opinion-a person how to identify wild edible plants that they can harvest (some even in their own backyard). It shows photos of the plants, tells you if there is a poisonous look alike plant, how to identify them, common locations of the plants, and how to prepare them for a meal. If someone wants to learn more about eating plants that grow in the wild, this book is the one I think should be in their library.

Only Fair for Identification
Identification of edible species is what I want, with emphasis on the first word. From my experience in identifying tree species and other plant ID handbooks, I'd call this one mediocre. The photos are often close-ups with no indication of scale, so size is unknown. Details are not included. Root structure and overall plant structure are seldom shown. ID often depends on flowers, present only for a few weeks of the year. Variation among species is so widespread that I'd recommend at least two good books, with better illustrations than those found here. Drawings, though not "natural", often provide better clues to identity by showing roots, structure, etc.

Good
Eating what you find in the wild can be a life saver. Learn about plants, not just N. American, but any place in the world that you might be called to serve. ... Read more

Book Description

"Unique among survival books...stunning...enthralling. Deep Survival makes compelling, and chilling, reading."—Penelope Purdy, Denver Post

After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out. A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What makes the difference?

Examining such stories of miraculous endurance and tragic death—how people get into trouble and how they get out again (or not)—Deep Survival takes us from the tops of snowy mountains and the depths of oceans to the workings of the brain that control our behavior. Through close analysis of case studies, Laurence Gonzales describes the "stages of survival" and reveals the essence of a survivor—truths that apply not only to surviving in the wild but also to surviving life-threatening illness, relationships, the death of a loved one, running a business during uncertain times, even war.

Fascinating for any reader, and absolutely essential for anyone who takes a hike in the woods, this book will change the way we understand ourselves and the great outdoors. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Restates The Obvious..
After reading many glowing reviews of this book by self-proclaimed survival experts and others, I was looking forward to my copy. Unfortunately, I don't think this book brings anything new or astounding to the survival literature genre.

Many critics have painstakingly noted that Deep Survival does not deal with the mechanics of 'how to' survive, but rather the psychological mindset of how successful survivors dealt with their situation - it's almost as if they believe this element hasn't been dealt with by others (nonsense, of course). Indeed, many people celebrating this book seem to ridicule the idea of actually acquiring survival skills or planning for unforseen situations, as Deep Survival doesn't focus on this aspect. Despite this, some of the book's own survival stories, such as Steve Callahan's lifeboat ordeal, pay testament to the importance of someone who not possessed the correct mental attitude, but ALSO pre-acquired survival knowledge such as knowledge of edible fish and improvised sea navigation AND carried emergency equipment (three solar stills) that proved to be instrumental in his survival.

In a nutshell, the book takes 300 pages to deliver what should be three very self-evident messages: Don't bite off more than you can chew, know when it's time to quit, and don't be afraid to call for help when you're in trouble. I think most mature people can understand and practice that advice. But if you're the type of person that needs repeated examples of survival stories for this to sink in, then you need this book. Otherwise, forget it.

Simply wonderful
Those who are focusing on whether or not Gonzales is actually instructing you on how to survive in the wild are completely missing the point of Deep Survival. As a totally urban chick who'd rather die than hike, I bought the book not because I wanted to learn about mountaineering, but to investigate why I've survived a blood disorder that has killed others. And thanks to this book, I've gotten my answer. Gonzales beautifully explains and explores the paradox that must be absorbed completely if one is to live through a catastrophe--which is that to survive something, you must surrender to it, basically fall into it, accepting all the pain and suffering, if you're ever going to get out of it. When you're able to quickly adapt to a new reality and make this new place--however frightening--your new home, you've a much better chance of surviving than the person who's in denial. For one thing, your sense of spirituality and wonder deepens, and this is a tremendous life force in and of itself. It helps you enjoy where you ARE, instead of frantically trying to get to where you think you should be. This is simply a great life lesson, whether you're lost in the woods, or just trying to live a happier existence.

He explains the paradox so well--that in order to survive, one must surrender, yet at the same time not give in. There must be a sheer raw determination to win the game, yet an acceptance of possibly losing it as well, which paradoxically, gives you an edge. And if you can muster a playful spirit on top of it all, well--then you're just golden. A *great* read.

The Most Important Book You Will Ever Read
As a person who spent 23 years in the military and many days in dangerous environments, I have to say, you must read this book slowly and memorize the lessons. Whether you are a city person or a country person, this book contains information you may need in an instant. This book explains many of the lessons I learned thought the great college of hard knocks. Had I read this book I would have been so much better prepared to face the many of the challenges I have survived. I made many decisions that lead to my survival. This book would have made that easier. Many times I was in for more danger than I understood. This book would have made my life safer. It will make your life safer. The first chapters are difficult. The end is exciting. The whole book is essential both to your knowledge and your library. Buy it here now.

Disappointing
I was very excited when I first started reading this book because the concept is so promising. I was expecting story after story of outdoor adventures gone bad along with an analysis of why the people did (or didn't) survive. Whatever this book is, it definitely isn't that.

I gave up on this book after four chapters, so maybe it gets better later on, but the parts I read were very haphazardly put together. Accounts from real life survival stories are intermixed with the author's philosophy on survival physiology. In addition, the author often makes back references to small facts from earlier scenarios, which is very disrupting to the rhythm of the story.

I would recommend reading the annual "Accidents in North American Mountaineering" series instead.

Survival skills for the wilderness and life.
Deep Survival Review

Last year my family visited the west (Sedona, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Lake Powel). Upon arrival at Bryce I walked from the lodge to the canyon. Despite warning signs and the fact that I had all the information I needed right before my eyes if it had not been for a lady sitting on a bench at the edge of the canyon I warning me I would have walked right off the edge of the canyon and fallen surely to my death. I was about thee inches from the edge when she spoke to me and I 'perceived' that I was about three inches from the edge and the next step would be my last.

I thought a lot about that experience as I read Deep Survival. The author's discussions about perception of danger and the lack of it leading to deep trouble in the wilderness, on you home street or in business was invaluable. This is a wonderful thought provoking book. It caused me to think back over several trips into the wilderness I have taken and I now view them quite differently. It will also affect future explorations. This book kind of reminds me to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

My recommendation: Get this book. I originally read a library copy but I have ordered my own copy so I can mark it up and highlight important passages. If you love the adventure of life get this book so adventure does not turn into tragedy. ... Read more