The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Book Description

The bestselling author of The Botany of Desire explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century

"What should we have for dinner?" To one degree or another this simple question assails any creature faced with a wide choice of things to eat. Anthropologists call it the omnivore's dilemma. Choosing from among the countless potential foods nature offers, humans have had to learn what is safe, and what isn't-which mushrooms should be avoided, for example, and which berries we can enjoy. Today, as America confronts what can only be described as a national eating disorder, the omnivore's dilemma has returned with an atavistic vengeance. The cornucopia of the modern American supermarket and fast-food outlet has thrown us back on a bewildering landscape where we once again have to worry about which of those tasty-looking morsels might kill us. At the same time we're realizing that our food choices also have profound implications for the health of our environment. The Omnivore's Dilemma is bestselling author Michael Pollan's brilliant and eye-opening exploration of these little-known but vitally important dimensions of eating in America.

Pollan has divided The Omnivore's Dilemma into three parts, one for each of the food chains that sustain us: industrialized food, alternative or "organic" food, and food people obtain by dint of their own hunting, gathering, or gardening. Pollan follows each food chain literally from the ground up to the table, emphasizing our dynamic coevolutionary relationship with the species we depend on. He concludes each section by sitting down to a meal--at McDonald's, at home with his family sharing a dinner from Whole Foods, and in a revolutionary "beyond organic" farm in Virginia. For each meal he traces the provenance of everything consumed, revealing the hidden components we unwittingly ingest and explaining how our taste for particular foods reflects our environmental and biological inheritance.

We are indeed what we eat-and what we eat remakes the world. A society of voracious and increasingly confused omnivores, we are just beginning to recognize the profound consequences of the simplest everyday food choices, both for ourselves and for the natural world. The Omnivore's Dilemma is a long-overdue book and one that will become known for bringing a completely fresh perspective to a question as ordinary and yet momentous as What shall we have for dinner?

Customer Reviews:

Gives you substantial "food for thought".......2007-10-11

This is a well-written, detailed book about the sources of various agricutural products and foods in the USA. The audiobook made it easier to get through some rather heavy and over-descriptive material. But that is the beauty of Pollan's style. I have certainly become more informed about mass ("industrial") food production in the USA. Pollan has made me just a bit cynical about the "organic" foods avaialable on supermarket shelves.
If only a few politicians would read (or listen to) this book, we may see some meaningful changes to the US farm subsidy programs!

Dense, but eye-opening.......2007-10-11

The first "meal" of this book will change how you think about food. I've never realized just how much our food supply is affected by not just politics, but wars, global markets, historic events, science, etc. I've also never realized how much corn I was eating.

I have two faults with this book. One, it's a little too dense and sometimes boring to read, especially the middle two meals. Two, it provides no great answer to our industrial agriculture problem. The book tells you, in great detail, what's wrong, but it fails to really guide you in how to eat right. In the end, when Pollan hunts and gathers his own meal, it sounds largely idealistic. But Pollan isn't shy to point out that our numbers can no longer support a hunting and gathering society. Therefore, our most natural and healthy food supply is really unavailable.

However, his book has helped me to at least make some better choices when I go to the supermarket. I'm no longer so easily swayed by "cage free" or "organic" as I used to be, and I'm more careful to choose the most local, cruelty-free option I can find.

One thing is for sure, you'll come away from reading this book much smarter about what you eat and where it comes from.

Rigo's review........2007-10-09

Testing the review. Looks like a good call to the conscience's health for eating habits.

Compelling reading!.......2007-10-09

Not only did I find this book incredibly informative and insightful, I found Pollan's style of writing effortless to read.

This book should be either compulsory reading in public high schools in America, or the key principles contained in it should be taught as a class. I'm sure it would go a long way to reducing American obesity and Type 2 diabetes, both of which have reached epidemic proportions and do not bode well for this country's future.

Whilst I am neither pro carnivorism, nor pro vegetarianism (I believe this is a matter of personal choice), I do believe this book presents an eye-opening account of the price paid by this blue planet in order to feed Mankind.

I have read this book more than once, and each time through, something new makes an impression on me. If you are an inhabitant of Earth, you owe it to yourself and the ground you stand on, to read this book.

Another Author Induges Himself in Unsustainable Musing.......2007-10-06

This book, which repeats so much already published, basically follows through to its initial premise: that food in america is unsustainable. Along the way, the author indulges himself in great celebrity and ego stroking wit. The segment on the boar hunting is quite hypocritical. The main thrust of the author's theory is that all systems, including alternative, are unsustainable. The conclusion he avoids, is that the failure to find a solution will result in many deaths, if not the extinction of human culture as we know it. Perhaps, all that anyone can learn here is that it is hopeless, go back home, accept your fat and your fate, and try to die quietly. So many other books are better than this one. Unless you are a total newbie to these debates, you will find little that is refreshing here. The author basically finishes where he begins, with nothing but personal insights, and no insight into a broader solution for "sustainable" food sources.

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before

Average customer rating:

Planet Earth.
Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
A Great Coffee Table Book
magnificent
Glorious

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
Alastair Fothergill
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series
The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
Planet Earth: The Making of an Epic Series
Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series [HD DVD]
Ocean

ASIN: 0520250540

Book Description

A visual odyssey that will change the way we see our planet, this remarkable book, companion to the acclaimed Discovery Channel/ BBC series, is an enduring and awe-inspiring record of one of the most ambitious natural history projects ever undertaken. Using the latest aerial surveillance, state-of-the-art cameras, and high definition technology, the creators of Planet Earth have assembled more than 400 stunning photographs of wondrous natural landscapes from around the globe, including incredible footage of the rarely spotted, almost mythical creatures that live in these habitats. Many of the images reveal inaccessible places that few have seen and record animal behavior that has never been filmed or photographed before. With the help of this highly advanced technology and the world's premier wildlife photographers, the book takes us on a spectacular journey from the world's greatest rivers and impressive gorges, to its mightiest mountains, hidden caves and caverns, and vast deserts. Planet Earth captures breathtaking sequences of predators and their prey, lush vistas of forests viewed from the tops of towering trees, the oceans and their mysterious creatures viewed from beneath the surface, and much more--in a magnificent adventure that brings unknown wonders of the natural world into our living rooms.
Copub: BBC Worldwide Americas

Customer Reviews:

Planet Earth........2007-08-14

Wow!!! my 8 year old loves this DVD. Very interesting to watch. Does have some parts that my 8 year old has a trouble watching, this is the section of life and death in the food chain. Otherwise highly recommended, in HD DVD is Awesome....

Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before.......2007-08-10

I have not had a chance to even break the seal on this new book as yet. I skimmed this book at a bookstore, and then decided to buy it. If you saw the mini-series on Discovery or Animal Planet, you will be impressed with this book as well. For those with children, this book is a must.

A Great Coffee Table Book.......2007-08-04

A great companion book to the dvd series.

magnificent.......2007-07-30

Amazing photos and wonderous facts regarding everything imaginable to the unusual. Our family has enjoyed this educational and spellbinding photography.

Glorious.......2007-07-27

Beautifully photographed and informational, this book should be on every nature lover's shelf. The "Planet Earth" series, which I watch weekly on Animal Planet, is even more jaw-dropping. I thank the generous and unbelievably courageous people who have the cojones to make this possible!

Julie Townsend
Metairie, LA

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
Unbelievable!
Hopefully, we will learn from our past
Eye Opening and Hard to Put Down
Fine story, good history, a little light on analysis

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
Timothy Egan
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
Suite Francaise
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
The Echo Maker: A Novel

ASIN: 0618773479

Book Description

The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, Egan does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, "the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect" (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, "The Worst Hard Time" is "arguably the best nonfiction book yet" (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-10-10

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl

This is an outstanding book! I had no idea how bad the Dust Bowl was. I was so impressed with the book that I bought a copy for each of my 3 siblings.

Unbelievable!.......2007-10-03

This book was fantastic. Although the majority of books I read are fiction, I'm not hesitant to read good non-fiction. This book was so well written that it reads like a taut novel. Along with Seabiscuit and The Devil in the White City, it is one of the best historical books I've read. Very well researched and thought out. You almost can't believe that this could have actually happened. You feel like you know the characters, and you certainly root for them even though you seemingly know how it will turn out. I would recommend this book to any avid reader - fiction or non-fiction.

Hopefully, we will learn from our past.......2007-10-02

This is an important event in US history that is so relevant today, supplying more fuel for both side of the ongoing debate on global warming.

I found it a bit difficult to stay connected to the characters. In spite of that, the story remained interesting, showing the plight and hardships endured by the generation before us, and bringing us an awareness of our fragile ecosystem.

Eye Opening and Hard to Put Down.......2007-09-25

A must read for history buffs and readers in general. Information places the midwest, its people, and past in an entirely different light of appreciation. (Absolutely Facinating)!

Fine story, good history, a little light on analysis.......2007-09-18

Egan's *Worst Hard Time* is intriguing and largely well done, if a bit relentless. Granted, he's writing about a phenomenon that dragged on for years, repeatedly raising and dashing ever-slimmer hopes; the people who lived the "Dust Bowl" years were literally worn out, but Egan needed to do something more with the material than recreate that sensation. Toward the last third of the book, in particular, a kind of sameness creeps into the narrative, as if Egan didn't really know what else to say -- which I suspect is connected to my sense that he relied too much on too few sources (including a diary that he overuses) -- and his slightly jerky style gets distracting (he's not a great one for writing transitions). For me, one failing is that Egan never explains, in any specific way, the origin and cause of the "black dusters" and other freakish weather phenomena of the "Dust Bowl" era. He tells us that the dust storms came because the topsoil had been carved off by overfarming (and then aggravated by the abandonment of unsuccessful farms), but a meteorological or ecological explanation - even a nontechnical one - wouldn't have been a bad idea. His description of the CCC efforts at re-grassing the plains left me with significant questions that he doesn't answer: Given that the dust storms continued unabated throughout the effort, what was the government's strategy for protecting the newly planted grass during the time it would have taken for it to mature enough to hold the soil? And how did they water it? In addition, I'd have appreciated a more substantive "bring us up to date" chapter at the end that explained more clearly what happened in the wake of the human and policy failures of the Dust Bowl. Nor would a little class analysis have hurt -- other than wagging a kind of general finger at get-rich schemes perpetrated both by private interests and by the government, he seems careful not to accuse anybody too directly of creating an ecological disaster, of maiming (psychologically and literally) and killing tens of thousands of people, or of engaging in a kind of class warfare that embodied the ferocious social Darwinism of Depression-era capitalism. Finally, I'd just point out that the book isn't really the story of "survivors" of the Dust Bowl; there are essentially no survivors, and this is no movie-of-the-week tale of grit, courage, and heroism that win out in the end. The people Egan follows are bleak and broken, and their desperation is palpable. *Worst Hard Time* begs the question: Is there any redemption? I think Egan knows there was none, but he seems loathe to say it in so many words.

Biological Anthropology: The Natural History of Humankind

Average customer rating:

A bit of family history revealed

Biological Anthropology: The Natural History of Humankind
Craig Stanford , John S. Allen , and Susan C. Anton
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Through a Window
Annual Editions: Physical Anthropology 07/08 (Annual Editions : Physical Anthropology)
The Human Evolution Coloring Book, 2e (HarperCollins Coloring Books (Not Childrens))
Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind
A Photographic Atlas for Physical Anthropology

ASIN: 0131828924

Book Description

The only book that integrates the foundations and the most current innovations in the field from the ground up . Over the past twenty years, this field has rapidly evolved from the study of physical anthropology into biological anthropology, incorporating the evolutionary biology of humankind based on information from the fossil record and the human skeleton, genetics of individuals and of populations, our primate relatives, human adaptation, and human behavior . Stanford combines the most up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of the foundations of the field with the modern innovations and discoveries.

Customer Reviews:

A bit of family history revealed .......2007-06-22

Although published as a textbook for university students, this volume is an excellent read for anybody wishing to understand the course of evolution. The authors have assembled a wealth of material, organised it in an effective manner and presented it with outstanding prose skill. Lead author Craig Stanford, whose books on primate behaviour are well-known, is joined by neurologist and geneticist John Allen and anthropologist Susan Anton. The trio brings many years of experience to the task of explaining human origins.

After a brief introduction explaining what is meant by "Biological Anthropology", the authors provide a fine survey of the basic mechanisms of natural selection - DNA and genetics. Their depiction of how the genome is formed and how that structure builds the elements needed for natural selection to operate is an outstanding brief summary. Using available chemicals, DNA's mechanisms to build cells are explained, supplemented by vivid graphic images. From the process of cell building, the authors move on to show how the completed organism must deal with its environment, which includes other creatures, plant life and climate conditions through adaptation down succeeding generations. The authors describe the various factors leading to producing new species, isolation, elapsed time and new conditions. They also address the issue of how fossils and conditions are recorded in time and how researchers use a variety of techniques to determine age and place.

The species of concern, of course, are the primates. The sudden demise of the great reptiles that had ruled the Earth for over 150 million years opened new vistas for the life that survived the catastrophe. Little, fur-bearing creatures moved into niches that allowed rapid change. Many varieties emerged, but noteworthy among them were shrew-sized omnivores. Spreading over the land and forests, some of them developed new traits that would ultimately lead to us. The origin of the primates is lost in the mists of time, compounded by the paucity of fossils and lack of agreement on what typifies a "primate". The earliest proposed species bears the ungainly name of "Plesiadapiforms". The authors describe the traits suggesting these were our earliest ancestors, while explaining what is lacking to establish a firm identity. Each of the points they introduce is enhanced by the contending researchers' arguments over lineage.

Once past the vague beginnings, the team offers insights into how ape transformed into human. The physiological trends, such as jaw structure and teeth are outlined. Each of the fossil examples of pre-human hominids is examined critically with the important elements indicating its lineage in the human story assessed. From a lonely skull in a desert to remote caves, creatures that one day would lead to you and me are revealed. At some point, one or more of the ape-like animals stood upright. Demonstrating what a major step this was, with changes in spinal column, head position and posture, the new form proved to be even more adaptable than its predecessors. Not the least of the advantages gained, they note, is the ability to travel long distances with minimal energy expenditure. As much as we've learned, the authors remind us of the many questions remaining. The actual number of species, where and how they lived, and how many lineages did the ape ancestor lead to over the millennia?

Emerging "modern" forms bring new challenges in understanding. Although early apes sent offshoots out of Africa, it was the hominids that proved to be the most ambitious travellers. Homo erectus spent over a million years traversing Asia, leaving fossils in far-flung sites across the continent and in the islands southeast of the mainland. Their remains have been dated to as recently as 25 to 50 thousand years old. The recent find on the island of Flores suggest an even more recent descendant. A new species, Homo sapiens, and its own diaspora out of Africa follows. Its most significant aspect, the development of intelligence and language is thoroughly examined. A major change took place leading to the one species with the highest proportion of brain size to body weight. Coupled with changes in physiology, our species created a new form of intricate communication abilities. The brain also went through changes in organisation. Which factor made the greatest contribution to human behaviour patterns is the concluding segment of the book. It is that aspect of our history that remains most contentious and the authors examine the various views surrounding that issue. It's a fitting conclusion to this in-depth and comprehensive study. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)

Average customer rating:

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail (Official Guides to the Appalachian Trail)
Bill Bryson
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Mountain Climbing | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

In a Sunburned Country
A Short History of Nearly Everything
I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir
Notes from a Small Island

ASIN: 0767902521
Release Date: 1999-05-04

Amazon.com

Bill Bryson has made a living out of traveling and then writing about it. In The Lost Continent he re-created the road trips of his childhood; in Neither Here nor There he retraced the route he followed as a young backpacker traversing Europe. When this American transplant to Britain decided to return home, he made a farewell walking tour of the British countryside and produced Notes from a Small Island. Once back on American soil and safely settled in New Hampshire, Bryson once again hears the siren call of the open road--only this time it's a trail. The Appalachian Trail, to be exact. In A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson tackles what is, for him, an entirely new subject: the American wilderness. Accompanied only by his old college buddy Stephen Katz, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, intending to walk the entire 2,100 miles to trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin.

If nothing else, A Walk in the Woods is proof positive that the journey is the destination. As Bryson and Katz haul their out-of-shape, middle-aged butts over hill and dale, the reader is treated to both a very funny personal memoir and a delightful chronicle of the trail, the people who created it, and the places it passes through. Whether you plan to make a trip like this one yourself one day or only care to read about it, A Walk in the Woods is a great way to spend an afternoon. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes--and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature.

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History

Average customer rating:

NO PICTURES
Erik Larson is Quickly Becoming a Favorite
Book is a Category 4
BEATS READING THE BOOK
Issacc's Storm

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Erik Larson
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Thunderstruck
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
Lethal Passage: The Story of a Gun
The Johnstown Flood
The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

ASIN: 0375708278
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Amazon.com

On September 8, 1900, a massive hurricane slammed into Galveston, Texas. A tidal surge of some four feet in as many seconds inundated the city, while the wind destroyed thousands of buildings. By the time the water and winds subsided, entire streets had disappeared and as many as 10,000 were dead--making this the worst natural disaster in America's history.

In Isaac's Storm, Erik Larson blends science and history to tell the story of Galveston, its people, and the hurricane that devastated them. Drawing on hundreds of personal reminiscences of the storm, Larson follows individuals through the fateful day and the storm's aftermath. There's Louisa Rollfing, who begged her husband, August, not to go into town the morning of the storm; the Ursuline Sisters at St. Mary's orphanage who tied their charges to lengths of clothesline to keep them together; Judson Palmer, who huddled in his bathroom with his family and neighbors, hoping to ride out the storm. At the center of it all is Isaac Cline, employee of the nascent Weather Bureau, and his younger brother--and rival weatherman--Joseph. Larson does an excellent job of piecing together Isaac's life and reveals that Isaac was not the quick-thinking hero he claimed to be after the storm ended. The storm itself, however, is the book's true protagonist--and Larson describes its nuances in horrific detail.

At times the prose is a bit too purple, but Larson is engaging and keeps the book's tempo rising in pace with the wind and waves. Overall, Isaac's Storm recaptures at a time when, standing in the first year of the century, Americans felt like they ruled the world--and that even the weather was no real threat to their supremacy. Nature proved them wrong. --Sunny Delaney

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Reading in his signature dispassionate style, narrator Edward Herrmann brings an eerie calm to this powerful chronicle of the deadliest storm ever to hit the United States--a huge and terribly destructive hurricane that struck land near Galveston, Texas in September of 1900. Author Erik Larson re-creates the events leading up to the disaster in astonishing detail, tracing the thoughts and actions of Isaac Cline, a scientist with America's burgeoning U.S. Weather Bureau. Cline's unwavering confidence--"In an age of scientific certainty one could not allow one's judgment to be clouded..."--blinds the meteorologist to the deadly onslaught about to be unleashed. Herrmann's calculated performance reflects the impending doom and dangers inherent to an unquestioned and absolute faith in science. (Running time: 5 hours, 3 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history--and Isaac Cline found himself the victim of a devestating personal tragedy.

Using Cline's own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Riveting, powerful, and unbearably suspenseful, Isaac's Storm is the story of what can happen when human arrogance meets the great uncontrollable force of nature.

Customer Reviews:

NO PICTURES.......2007-09-30

My first thoughts after finishing Isaac's storm was, that for such a big and devastating storm, it didn't seem do it justice. I wanted understanding (why didn't people leave?). I wanted some PICTURES!!.
As luck had it, someone who checked out the book before me had tucked a newspaper clipping pic in the inside flap, of the Bishops Palace and surrounding survivors w/ tons of lumber stacked up against them. THANK YOU whoever you are. I returned the picture to the flap.

Whatever happened to Dr. Samuel O.Young the amateur meteorologist? Sam kept a diary. And it seems was the only proactive person in town, in that he telegraphed his wife and children warning them not to come to Galveston because in his opinion, a big storm was coming.

One reviewer here claims Cline is a hero in Galveston but "Cline gave his official meteorological opinion that the thought of a hurricane ever doing any serious harm to Galveston was "An absurd delusion". Many residents had called for a seawall to protect the city, but Cline's statement helped to prevent its construction."
"Local legend has it that Cline took it upon himself to travel along the beach and other low-lying areas warning people personally of the storm's approach. This is based on Cline's own reports and has been called into question in recent years.
Cline did issue a hurricane warning without permission from the Bureau's central office in Washington, D.C. but by that point the city was already under water. I don't recall reading that Cline actually told anyone to get off the island..

I enjoyed the book but minus one star for lack of pictures.

I hear that John Edward Weems' book 'A Weekend in September' is also recommended reading on the 1900 storm.

Erik Larson is Quickly Becoming a Favorite.......2007-09-10

"Isaac's Storm" is a fictionalized telling of a real-time tragedy. It tells the story of the hurricane that devastated Galveston and provides impressive details on the history and science of meteorology. For the story-telling aspect of the novel, Mr. Larson uses Isaac Cline, Galveston's weather observer at the time.

Erik Larson's committment to research and detail is impeccable. I wish he had been my history teacher in high school!

Book is a Category 4.......2007-09-10

I enjoyed the book. It reminded me of a hurricane, starting slow but building as it went along.

BEATS READING THE BOOK.......2007-09-05

THIS DEFINATELY BEATS READING THE BOOK, BUT TAKE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE ABRIDGED VERSION!!!

Issacc's Storm.......2007-07-23

Again, another book by a great author, Erik Larson. I couldn't put it down, but then again I live in Florida and Hurricanes are of special interest to me. I'm not sure if you didn't live in a hurricane area, example Alaska, that this book would strike you the way it did me.

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Average customer rating:

river of doubt
A Gripping Tale of Men of Character
Awesome
They Don't Make Presidents Like this Anymore...
Real-life adventure

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
Candice Millard
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Expeditions & Discoveries | World | History | Subjects | Books

Rain Forests | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
Team of Rivals
Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus

ASIN: 0385507968
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Book Description

At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.

The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.

After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.

Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.

Customer Reviews:

river of doubt.......2007-10-06

This book was great, if you like adventure, exploration, or teddy roosevelt this is the book for you.
not boaring at all this book is awsome

A Gripping Tale of Men of Character.......2007-09-21

Oh, for a President who had even one tenth of the character and integrity of the Teddy Roosevelt portrayed in this book. This is a real-life version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but the central figure never loses his sense of dedication and honor. Although there is plenty of suspense, even horror, in the story, I found it to be ultimately quite inspiring.

Awesome.......2007-09-20

This book went into so much detail about TR's expedition in Brazil that is hardly mentioned in other books on his life. And what a story it is! I heartily recommend it to anyone.

They Don't Make Presidents Like this Anymore..........2007-09-20

And that's not a statement of partisan politics, but it does say a lot about leadership. Volumes have been written about Theodore Roosevelt, the soldier, the statesman, the adventurer, and the president, but if there is a single book that captures the vitality, the determination, and the indomitable spirit of this great American, it is "The River of Doubt." Former National Geographic writer and editor Candice Miller pulls no punches and leaves no stone unturned in spinning this vibrant and suspense-packed tale of risk and discovery cutting through the heart of the Amazonian jungle on an uncharted Brazilian river. Miller brings the Amazon to life in all its bloody glory, an unfathomably dangerous place where even the frogs are deadly, where schools of piranhas can turn an ox - or a man - to a skeleton in minutes, a place where, despite caymans and poison dart-wielding natives, it is the insects - insects of all types and descriptions - that pose the greatest risk.

This is an epic journey facing not only the challenges of a wild river cascading over rapids and waterfalls through an impenetrable jungle, but also treachery and even murder. Roosevelt and expedition co-lead Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, an officer of the Brazilian military and renowned Amazon explorer, find themselves surprisingly ill-equipped for their voyage through one of the planets most inhospitable regions, and ironically are soon near starvation in a green hell that while teaming with life, food is stubbornly unattainable. Meanwhile, it is a poignant tale of the bond between father and son, as Roosevelt and second son Kermit alternately sacrifice and suffer for each other while proudly denying emotion. This is one of those stories that, after weeks of terror, when Roosevelt and the tattered remains of his party emerge feverish from malaria and near starvation, you'll ask, "why haven't I heard about this before now."

Were this fiction, it would strain the bounds of credibility. But that this is the story of a former President of the United States is truly staggering. A remarkable achievement, "The River of Doubt" is a must read, illuminating a fascinating slice of world history in the twilight of the age of exploration while providing an intimate peak into the unparalleled character of Theodore Roosevelt. Bully!

Real-life adventure.......2007-09-20

River of Doubt is a cominbation of very interesting history and great adventure. This is the first book I have read about TR and as a result I plan to read more. Candice Millard does an outstanding job of presenting a grand adventure, while at the same time, letting you into the personal and interesting lives of the explorers. Ms. Millard has renewed my interest in historical books.

Average customer rating:

Simple yet wonderful
AWESOME
One of my child's very favorites
Awesome Children's Book
Discard it!

The Important Book
Margaret Wise Brown
Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Another Important Book
Nothing Ever Happens On 90th Street
Fortunately
All the Places to Love
Voices in the Park

ASIN: 0064432270

Amazon.com

"The important thing about rain is/ that it is wet./ It falls out of the sky,/ and it sounds like rain,/ and makes things shiny,/ and it does not taste like anything,/ and is the color of air./ But the important thing about rain is that it is wet."

Goodnight Moon creator Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book is a deceptively simple exercise--taking familiar things like an apple, spoon, or shoe, and finding the most basic association with those things. The most important thing about an apple? It is round. A spoon? You eat with it. A shoe? You put your foot in it. But why, according to Brown, is the most important thing about grass "that it is green," while the most important thing about an apple is "that it is round"? Why is "that it is white" the most important thing about snow and a daisy? Whether or not you'd distill these things in the same way that the author does, Brown makes us think about the essence of everyday entities in new ways. The illustrations, by Caldecott Medal winner Leonard Weisgard (The Little Island), perform the same function--capturing the spoonness of spoons, the roundness of an apple, the motion of wind.

Happily, Brown went on to create the companion Another Important Book, about the importance of being one, two, three, four, five, and six years old--published for the first time in 1999 with fabulous artwork by Caldecott Honor artist Chris Raschka (Yo! Yes?). Both of Brown's "important books" will endure the test of time as fresh, thought-provoking ways to examine the world around us. (Click to see a sample spread. Text copyright renewed 1977 by Roberta Brown Rauch. Illustrations copyright renewed 1977 by Leonard Weisgard. Permission from HarperCollins Publishers.) (Preschool and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

The important thing about The Important Book -- is that you let your child tell you what is important about the sun and the moon and the wind and the rain and a bug and a bee and a chair and a table and a pencil and a bear and a rainbow and a cat (if he wants to). For the important thing about The Important Book is that the book goes on long after it is closed.What is most important about many familiar things -- like rain and wind, apples and daisies -- is suggested in rhythmic words and vivid pictures. 'A perfect book . . . the text establishes a word game which tiny children will accept with glee.' -- K.

Customer Reviews:

Simple yet wonderful.......2007-09-09

I used this book in my 5th grade classroom as a get-to-know-you activity the first week of school. We read the book and then talked about the pattern that the book has for each page. Then I had them create an important book page for themselves using the pattern from the book. Later that week, I had them make an important for school based on things related to school. They put them all together for their own personal books that parents read during open house.

AWESOME.......2007-09-03

This is a cute book. I read it to my first graders but they really didnt get it. Yet, I read it again and they totally got it! Personally, I love this book.... Every child should read and/or have this book read to him/her.

One of my child's very favorites.......2007-07-24

The important thing about "The Important Book" is that my 2-year-old son loves it.

It is true that it made of paper, and is beautifully illustrated, and tells about wind and grass and snow and more, and sometimes makes Daddy-the-ex-English-teacher cringe a bit when it uses "has a grassy smell" to describe grass, and my little boy quotes from it liberally, six times a day, and that when we lost it, we had to buy another copy the next day because he missed it so.

But the important thing about "The Important Book" is that my 2-year-old son loves it!

Awesome Children's Book.......2007-05-30

Everybody needs this book. It is a great addition to your collection. There are so many writing activities that you can incorporate into this book for young children. I love it. Thanks so much.

Discard it!.......2007-04-23

This is one of the worst books I have ever read. Its title deceives us. We expect to see things like "kittens are cuddly," or "mothers love us." Instead we read "snow is white," and "rain is wet." We are led to believe there is something important in "whiteness" and "wetness," but these are merely descriptions of the world about us. In giving such bland descriptions, the author attempts to derive values from facts, in effect deadening our senses to what should be depicted for children as a wonderful world. The fact of the matter is, there's nothing important about this book at all. Discard it!

Cabinet of Natural Curiosities: The Complete Plates in Colour, 1734-1765

Average customer rating:

A fabulous visual treat
lots and lots of drawings of snakes
quality artwork from a time gone by
Science and Art
Beautiful Edition of Cabinet of Natural Curiosities

Cabinet of Natural Curiosities: The Complete Plates in Colour, 1734-1765
Irmgard Musch
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

French | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Arts & Photography | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Nonfiction | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Arts & Photography | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Art Forms From The Ocean: The Radiolarian Atlas Of 1862
Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel (Monographs)
Art Forms in Nature (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Haeckel's Art Forms from Nature CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art)
Cabinets of Curiosities

ASIN: 3822847941

Book Description

Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities is one of the 18th century's greatest natural history achievements and remains one of the most prized natural history books of all time.Though it was common for men of his profession to collect natural specimens for research purposes, Amsterdambased pharmacist Albertus Seba (1665-1736) had a passion that led him far beyond the call of duty. His amazing, unprecedented collection of animals, plants and insects from all around the world gained international fame during his lifetime. In 1731, after decades of collecting, Seba commissioned illustrations of each and every specimen and arranged the publication of a four-volume catalog detailing his entire collection—from strange and exotic plants to snakes, frogs, crocodiles, shellfish, corals, insects, butterflies and more, as well as fantastic beasts, such as a hydra and a dragon. Seba's scenic illustrations, often mixing plants and animals in a single plate, were unusual even for the time. Many of the stranger and more peculiar creatures from Seba's collection, some of which are now extinct, were as curious to those in Seba's day as they are to us now.

This reproduction is taken from a rare, hand-colored original. The introduction offers background information about the fascinating tradition of the cabinet of curiosities to which Seba's curiosities belonged.

Customer Reviews:

A fabulous visual treat.......2007-07-26

I'm not a biologist or scientist of any kind. But I am a fan of Taschen's publications and admire his goal of publishing high-quality photo/art books at reasonable prices. I happened to come across this book while browsing in the bookshop, was attracted by the Taschen name on the cover, took a peek inside and bought it on the spot. It was only afterwards that I discovered the history and historical significance of this collection. It's a beautiful book, filled with brilliantly colored illustrations of reptiles, butterflies, plants and animals. Great stuff and a real education for a layman like me.

lots and lots of drawings of snakes.......2007-07-10

snakes, bugs, plants, birds and all manner of living creatures. It is really an overwhelming collection. Worth getting a larger coffee table.

quality artwork from a time gone by.......2006-11-11

The old prints are just beautiful. Before photographs, books like these had hand painted reproductions of the animals. The detail is amazing. One can only imagine how long it must have taken to prepare these works.And collect the specimens.Check out the 7 headed hydra! And cheers to Taschen for another beautiful art book.

Science and Art.......2006-11-06

As a biologist, this book is for me the the marriage between science and art. A great collection of specimens drawn into a catalog from so long ago, it's a beautiful thing that it was saved and published. Just be warned, this book is BIG.

Beautiful Edition of Cabinet of Natural Curiosities.......2006-08-09

Beautiful book...I'd been waiting for a more palatable ($) edition of this book for quite awhile and was happily surprised at the quality.

Average customer rating:

Don't shoot the dog. Shoot the author for publishing this book and charging people for it.
Don't Shoot the Dog
Not at all what I was expecting
Great book for anyone involved in teaching/training - which is everyone!
"Don't Shoot the Dog" is a must read

Don't Shoot the Dog!
Karen Pryor
Manufacturer: Ringpress Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Home & Garden | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs
The Other End of the Leash
Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs (Getting Started)
How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have Your Dog Love You For It. ("How to" booklets from Dog's Best Friend)
On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals

ASIN: 1860542387

Product Description

Karen Pryor's clear and accessible explanation of reinforcement-based teaching and training has made Don't Shoot The Dog! a worldwide, bestselling classic. The book has been translated into 15 languages, with over 300,000 copies in print. Whether you are dealing with a pet or a person, it tells you how and why you can get better results with positive methods instead of punishment. Don't Shoot the Dog! is a popular college text on learing and behavior; the "bible" for humane, gentle animal care in zoos and shelters; and a beloved resource on using positive reinforcement effectively for pet owners everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Don't shoot the dog. Shoot the author for publishing this book and charging people for it........2007-08-14

Do NOT waste your money. This book is written like a novel, but it is very, very dry and repetitive. I found nothing in this book that I don't already know, not that I'm a know it all. All the examples are human scenarios, nothing related to dogs and there's nothing in this book that actually says, "ok, this is how you can train your dog." No specifics or useful tools to help you, the dog owner, help your dog. Bad, bad book, if there was a negative rating, I'd rate this book a "-2 stars"

Don't Shoot the Dog.......2007-06-27

Excellent descriptions and explanations of using positive reinforcement. You will learn it's easier and you'll get better results than punishment. Works for animals and people alike.

Not at all what I was expecting.......2007-05-12

I was hoping for some clear, bullet sort of points. This was not found in this book. It was a boring read. I can usually zip through a book in no time but this one seemed to be longer than War and Peace. There are far better books on the subject out there.

Great book for anyone involved in teaching/training - which is everyone!.......2007-05-12

Although I think I'm reviewing the previous edition, I can't imagine enough has changed that this review will be obsolete!

Kare Pryor presents the science of behavior in an easy-to-read, layman's format. No more huge textbooks, the general public now has a shorter, fun-to-read (full of amusing anecdotes!) book that will give them accurate information. Although gently promoting positive reinforcement training methods, Karen gives the science behind her reasoning. Great book for anyone who wants to change behavior, from pet dogs to spouses to children.

"Don't Shoot the Dog" is a must read.......2007-04-03

Karen Pryor explains why punishment so often fails and why positive reinforcement
does(on people as well as dogs). The book is clear and easy to read. I found
it thoroughly enjoyable and very helpful.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books