Book Description
An irreverent, absorbing, and insightful tale of one man's adventures following the great 7,000-mile osprey migration across two continents
One September, after writing about ospreys on Cape Cod for years, David Gessner impulsively decided to follow the birds on their annual migration. Each fall these graceful raptors, with wingspans of up to six feet, cruise over the eastern United States, then soar over Cuba and winter in South America, returning north with the spring. In 2004, Gessner went along for the ride, traveling illegally into the mountains of Cuba and deep into Venezuela as he competed with the crew of a BBC documentary to be the first to follow the full migration, trailing the birds by car, boat, foot, and plane. He called his favorite osprey Fidel.
Soaring with Fidel is about the exhilaration of migration, but it is also a deeper meditation on the nature of human happiness. In describing the thrill of travel, the antics of these swashbuckling birds, and the cast of characters he meets (and drinks with) along the wayâincluding scientists, students, tour guides, and an online group of birdersâGessner gives us a profound lesson in the importance of following what you love.
"From the tidal marshes of Cape Cod to jungle lakes in Venezuela, David Gessner lets nothingânot language barriers, not empty pockets, not steely-eyed Cuban bureaucrats or American embargoesâstop him from following the migration of the osprey. Just reckless enough to be lucky, Gessner wins over everyone he meets. Soaring with Fidel has wings."
âScott Weidensaul, author of Living on the Wind
"Because of its robust passion and focus, Soaring with Fidel would have probably been a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt's. It's Gessner's finest book, unpredictable in the best way, and funny, too; an adventure book and much moreâa book of contact, written by a writer who quickly becomes an audible and visible presence. Soaring with Fidel demonstrates that you can 'pick up one thing and find the rest of the world hitched to it.' If you've experienced a passion that you failed to followâor that you did followâthen this is your book."
âClyde Edgerton, author of Solo
"Exhilarating, hilarious, tender, this is David Gessner at his best. Call it whatever you wantâosprey lust, wanderlust, migratory unrestâbut when Gessner decides to follow the birds he loves from Cape Cod to Cuba to Venezuela and back north, over thousands of miles of mountain, swamp, and sea, we all benefit."
âJames Campbell, author of The Final Frontiersman
"Equal doses of Jack Kerouac and Roger Tory Peterson promise to enshrine Soaring with Fidel in the pantheon of great travel writing and natural history."
âKeith L. Bildstein, author of Migrating Raptors of the World
"Gessner's account is filled with nitty-gritty details about the days and nights of an itinerant birder and beautifully detailed descriptions of ospreys in action. When actual observations were not possible, he imagined what the ospreys were doing and writes intelligentlyâ¦A grand adventure, not just for birders and nature lovers." âKirkus, review in the January 15th issue
"Soaring with Fidel is a grand and cheering journey on the wings of one of nature's most sociable predators. It's impossible to watch an osprey hovering above a crystal calm bay and not envy the great bird's freedom. Now, thanks to David Gessner, we are invited to follow."
âCarl Hiaasen, author of Nature Girl
"Gessner's travels are filled with small delights. He has a great gift for conveying reverence without sanctimony, and even at his most sardonic and self-deprecating, his sense of wonder at the osprey never falters. As he stands on a rock above Cuba's Sierra Maestra, watching ospreys rocket past, we wish we could be up there beside him, binoculars in one hand, a cold beer in the other." âOnEarth
"An engaging, lyrical guide to osprey migration, Cuba, and a common humanity. On his impulsive journey, Gessner meets other devotees of this magnificent raptor, and experiences the thrill of following what he loves."
âOrion Magazine
"Gessner seldom sets out deliberately to be funny, as Bill Bryson does, but his deadpan, self-deprecating humor ("I had vast experience in not seeing birds") makes him an ideal traveling companion and guide. Soaring With Fidel lets you hover for a while in the thermals of fine language, seeing the same old world from a fresh and invigorating altitude."
âWilmington (NC) Morning Star News
"This probing investigation of the migratory flight of the osprey embraced several unexpectedly, exciting adventures . . . I found Gessner's book a most interesting read."
âNH Union Leader
"He gives an occasional nod to Henry David Thoreau, perhaps to assure us that, yep, he's read the masters, but his styleâwell, imagine Hunter Tompson gone birding, pen in hand." âHartford Courant
David Gessner is the award-winning author of several books, including Return of the Osprey and The Prophet of Dry Hill (Beacon / 8568-5 / $19.95 hc). He is editor of the literary journal Ecotone and assistant professor of creative writing at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Each summer, Gessner migrates north to Cape Cod.
Customer Reviews:
Ospreymania .......2007-06-27
I wish the book had gone on longer. There just wasn't as much content as I like. The subject was great. We know so little about migration. I like his style but I just wanted more storyline. I like all animal books of any kind and especially birds. We just take them for granted and now they are disappearing. I would like another follow up book with Freddy coming to America to visit us again. He was such an interesting guy and you just wanted to climb that mountain with them.
This osprey season has been as sad and interesting as any I have ever experienced and I hope David had better luck in North Carolina. Osprey nests all over seemed to fail this year. Please travel some more and continue to write and I will read. Loyal fan, B. Kelley
Is Gessner the Indiana Jones of Birding?.......2007-05-13
Gessner ratchets up the action with this true-life adventure. He demonstrates that a very skilled writer on a shoestring budget is able to blend ornithology, international adventure, beer, smokes and derring-do into a terrific book that teaches the reader to devour life while pursuing knowledge. The combination is odd, but I found this page-turner exciting and informative. Both people and ospreys come under Gessner's neb as he breaks a few U.S. State Department rules about travel to Cuba to see for himself where thousands of Ospreys (and other birds) migrate. His interest focuses on a particular bird he follows from Cape Cod to Cuba's La Gran Piedra. Achieving this, he risks life and limb to travel to Venezuela where kidnappings and murders are not quite as numerous as the ospreys he so adores, and borrows money to consummate his passionate quests. I reluctantly set this book aside to run an errand that took me across the Megler Bridge over the Columbia River through an estuary near Astoria, Oregon. As if on cue, an Osprey plunged into a mud flat and arose with a small flounder less than 50 yards from the highway. Had I not been reading this book, I would have missed the event, but Gessner's memorable descriptions of Osprey behavior are enriching my life. I now see ospreys all the time. Gessner's books have given me my wings, my vision is sharpened and I think I may be turning into an osprey magnet, I really think so.
Book Description
Three-engined jetliners were in vogue in the fuel-conscious early 1970s, and for a while'three lumps' instead of `four' looked like the way ahead for wide-body jetliners, particularly as far as McDonell Douglas and Lockheed were concerned. However, the advent of more fuel-efficient powerplants has seen operators opt for either two- or four-engined designs, and today only the MD-11 remains in production, giving its manufacturer a toe-hold in the world's widebody jetliner business.
Customer Reviews:
A great book for novices to aviation fanatics.......1998-06-27
This book is wonderful! The histories are detailed, but not so detailed as to bore the newcomer to aircraft, but has enough detail to hold the interest of the enthusiast. The full-color photographs are stunning. A must for aircraft enthusiasts of any kind.
Average customer rating:
- Often Forgotten About , Yet So Essential.
|
Airlift Military Air Transport: The Illustrated History (Osprey Aerospace)
Richard Townshend Bickers
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Aviation
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Aviation
| Transportation
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Military Science
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Aviation
| Transportation
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 1855326930 |
Book Description
The first military air drops were initiated by a critical ground situation at Kut-el-Amara in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Twenty ssupply sorties were flown on 14 April 1916 dropping 3500lbs of food to the beleaguered troops. Between the wars air transport was to be developed as a main method of supply and support to the major nation's empires and colonies. During World War II aircraft were not only used as a suppy method but as a strike weapon, carrying paratroops and their equipment . These aircraft also towed another strike transport aircraft - the glider.
Customer Reviews:
Often Forgotten About , Yet So Essential........2003-05-31
We all like to glamorise the Airforces of the world with their high technology driven fighters and the glory days of old. But we seldom spare a though for the now major element in every airforce's inventory - airlift transport.
We move through to the present day and the future with even bigger aircraft on the drawing boards. It's hard to see nowdays life without these heavy transports to move entire divisions and their equipment around the world to be ready for action within hours, let alone relief aid.
Richard Townshend Bickers takes us through the history of military air transport that has always been around since guns were placed on airframes a little under 100 years ago.
Illustrated with lots of pictures from all side during the major conflicts we get to see some familliar aircraft in military guise as well as some rare gems such as the Budd Conestoga and the high winged Douglas DC5, both aircraft a much superior design than the ubiquitous Douglas DC3/C47. The fact that mass production was the only reason that the C47 succeeded is proof of this.
The only bug in this book is a better history of the Russian heavylifters and the written storyline dosen't follow the picture format to well. Still a great book for those with an interest mainly the younger variety.
Book Description
The highest scoring aces of any aerial conflict were the Luftwaffe pilots involved in the bloody combats on the Russian Front. The most common fighter used by these pilots was the Bf 109, which was involved in the action from Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, through to the doomed Defence of the Reich in 1945. Units like JGs 5, 52 and 54 all flew the Messerschmitt fighter, progressing from Emil to Gustav variants. This volume includes all the high-scoring aces, and explains just how difficult a job the Jagdwaffe faced on the Russian Front, and how its experts achieved such overwhelming scores.
Customer Reviews:
Detailed, accurate and fast paced.......2005-09-07
This book is a wonderful account of the Luftwaffe fighter units in the Eastern Front, presenting all the leading personalities, the aces and a wealth of statistics and little known facts. The color profiles are top quality and with the exception of a few minor mistakes (like the date of Gunther Rall's return to the front in August 1942, or his total Eastern score when he left for JG11) the text is very accurate, fascinating and extremely useful as a reference. To the readers that are enthralled by this book and the unbielievable achievements of the Jagdwaffe in the East, I would recommend also Werner Held's excellent pictorial book "The German Fighter Units over Russia" as the perfect companion to Weal's work.
short but sweet.......2003-09-25
Although a little expensive for a short book, it is well worth the price. This book isn't meant to be a definitive summary of the air war in Russia, but it is a wonderful introduction to WWII air combat on the eastern front. The book is packed with great photos (and descriptive captions), comprehensive ace statistics and beautiful illustrations of their actual planes. It is very balanced between giving an overall summary of the eastern front war and providing actual accounts of real German pilots. Naturally it is centered around the Bf-109 but it doesn't read like a list of statistics; it is well-written enough to read all the way through, captions and all. This is a perfect supplement for anyone interested the Luftwaffe, the Soviet-German war, or especially the Messerschmitt Bf-109. Everyone will learn something from this book.
A Must for 109 fans!!.......2002-06-11
if youre a Bf-109 fan, buy it. Good color drawings and great info.
Another Great book from Osprey about the BF 109 aces.......2001-07-26
This book details the Units like JGs 51,52 and 54 which flew the Messerschmitt fighter from the "Emil" to the final "Gustav" variants in combat against the Soviets from the massive Russian slaughter in Barbarossa 1941 to the Defeat of the Third Reich in 1945. The book details the aces of Gunther Rall(275 kills), Gerhard Barkhorn(301 kills) and Erich Hartmann(352 Kills). Who all scored the bulk of their amazing tallyings against the Red Air Forces. The last of four volumes in the Aces series on the Messerschmitt BF 109 in Luftwaffe service, this title includes all the high-scoring aces, and explains how the pilots achieved such overwhelimng scores.
Book Description
Although designed in the mid-1930s and in squadron service several years prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, the PBY Catalina proved its soundness in combat throughout the four years that the World War 2 raged across the Pacific. Deadly in its primary role as a submarine hunter, the PBY was the scourge of the Imperial Japanese Navy's submarine force. Its amphibious traits also made the aircraft well suited to air-sea rescue, and thousands of Allied airmen were saved from a watery grave by PBY crews.
Using personal interviews, war diaries and combat reports combined with original Japanese records and books, Louis B Dorny provides a view on the role of the Catalina from both sides of the war. Illustrated with over 80 photographs and color profiles detailing aircraft markings, this is the definitive history of and insight into the PBY's use by the US Navy and Allied forces in the Pacific during World War 2.
Average customer rating:
- Comprehensive history of Bentley co & cars. Focus on racing
- Bentley Factory Cars 1919-1931
|
Bentley Factory Cars 1919-1931 (Osprey Classic Histories)
Michael Hay
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Classic Cars
| Automotive
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Automotive
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Automotive
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Transportation
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Automotive
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
| General
| Safety Engineering
| Vehicle Design & Construction
History of Technology
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1855328836 |
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive history of Bentley co & cars. Focus on racing.......2000-05-02
This is a most comprehensive history of Bentley, the company and the cars. Unique here are the insights into the inner workings of the company provided by the author's extensive research.
The focus is on racing, which was the lifeblood of Bentley. Business and financial details, engineering, design and marketing are also extensively covered.
The book is profusely illustrated with original black and white photos, engineering drawings, blueprints, cutaways and racing scenes. There is also a beautiful section of color plates.
For the Bentley enthusiast this book is an essential. The organization is superb and the depth of coverage is excellent. It is a true delight.
Bentley Factory Cars 1919-1931.......2000-02-27
This is it. If you are researching a prewar Bentley, you must have this one. It lists all chassis numbers and first owners. Many very good photos.
Book Description
The Sherman tank was the principal US and Allied tank of World War II with more Shermans manufactured than all German tanks combined. Not only were large numbers manufactured, but there was a very wide range of variants powered by different types of engines, manufactured with different types of hulls, turrets and other details. As a result, a M4A1 tank from the Tunisian campaign in 1942 had nothing in common with a M4A3E8 tank from the 1945 campaign in Germany, even if they shared the same name. Consequently, the Sherman has proven to be an enormously popular modeling subject.
Due to the enormity of the subject matter, this book is the first of three planned to deal with this tank and its many variants. It covers the early 75mm Shermans and runs the gamut from the US Army in Tunisia in 1942-43, Italy in 1943-45 and NW Europe in 1945. In so doing, it covers the broadest possible range of variants and details. The builds include:
1.M4A1, 2/13th Armored in Tunisia 1942/43. This is mainly 'out of the box', and deals with cleaning up and correcting the popular Dragon kit and painting it in desert colors.
2.M4A3, 6th Armored Division, Battle of the Bulge, January 1945: an intermediate level build, correcting and enhancing the Tamiya kit, and dealing with the issue of assembling aftermarket (separately available add-on components) link-to-link tracks.
3.M4A1, 2nd Armored Division, Sicily 1943. This is actually an earlier version of the M4A1 than the first type (2nd Armored having been the first division with the Sherman); an advanced level project using the Formations resin hull for the proper 'direct vision' early hull.
4.M4, 8th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, Normandy, July 1944: the 'super'project, including a number of advanced techniques such as swapping the suspension on the Tamiya kit, applying foliage camouflage, building and painting a turret interior and adding figures to the model.
The book also showcases a number of other Shermans already built by the author to demonstrate the variety available.
Customer Reviews:
For advanced Modelers.......2007-05-15
This book is really geared for advanced modelers. It does have some nice color photos including some beautiful models by the author. But the modeling tips are really more advanced and are a bit beyond my current abilities. Maybe someday I'll be able to put this to better use.
Sherman tank.......2007-01-17
I am an experienced armor modeler but I am always looking for new painting and weathering techniques. I found this book to offer several color schemes and painting approaches for the Sherman tank. I have been able to take and adapt the author's ideas to my work on some recent models. My litmus test for modeling books is simple: whether it helps me improve my skills in the hobby or not. This book did.
I do not have the time or patience for scratch building using styrene plastic and I seldom use aftermarket parts on my models--in part because I have a hard time making large cuts on a $40 plus tank model that I may or may not be able to repair. The author provided information about upgrading Sherman tank models with aftermarket parts and scratchbuilding parts. That is not, as stated, my interest, albeit it may be interesting or valuable to another modeler with different skills.
I have three other books of the same genre by the same author; I have ordered another. My opinion is that these are good products for the serious modeler and worth the money.
Dr. Mark McDonald
An excellent modeler's resource.......2007-01-16
Mr. Zaloga, a noted armor historian, strikes again with this volume in the Osprey Modelling series. This volume is themed around the famous M4 "Sherman" tank with the 75mm gun. The later "Shermans" with 76mm guns will be in a follow-on volume. This voluime has a brief overview and several model projects in different scales. The quality of workmanship is tremendous and each chapter has lots of historical information as well as modelling techniques. Each model has in-progress photos as well as descriptions and photographs of the finished project. This book is very handy for beginners as well as advanced modelers and should be in the collection of any person who enjoys military vehicle modeling.
Book Description
This title fills one of the few remaining gaps in Osprey's coverage of commercial aviation. Today hundreds of turboprop airliners connect major hubs with small airports in the US, Europe and Asia. Most big carriers, such as American Airlines and British Airways, operate subsidiaries equipped with the latest 14 to 70-seat commuters, including the ATR 72, Saab 2000/340, Boeing's Dash 7/8, Jetstream 41, Beech 1900, Fokker 50, Embraer Brazilia, Dornier 228, and more.
Book Description
The Panzerkampfwagen IV has often been referred to as the 'workhorse' of the German Army in World War II. This important weapon went through several upgrades and improvements and was the only German tank to have been produced continuously throughout the entire war. This book specifically deals with the short-barrelled Panzer IV, built until February 1942, which saw service from the invasion of Poland, through the fall of Western Europe and the campaigns of North Africa to the steppes of the Soviet Union.
This book takes on a series of increasingly complex construction projects covering all the major Panzer IV types, including the rare multi-turreted Neubau-Panzerkampfwagen IV.
Customer Reviews:
How We Used to Do It.......2007-09-12
The Panzerkampfwagen IV was the only German tank to remain in production for the entire six years of World War Two, and was central in almost every campaign from 1939 to 1945. Aimed at very advanced modelers, this book's articles show how to combine the 1/35th scale Tamiya late model Panzer IV kits released in the 1990's with a few parts from the dreadful Tamiya Panzer IV D from the 1970's and some resin and brass aftermarket parts to create the early, short-gun variants of this most important German tank. Unfortunately, timing is everything, and the book became obsolete seemingly within minutes of publication, as each of these early Panzer IV variants (except the very first production version) became available within the last two years as new, state of the art kits from Dragon-1/35 Pz. IV Ausf. C - Superkit and Tristar-1/35 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D/T. In a sense, Tom Cockle has been "hoist by his own petard," as he served as technical advisor on some of these excellent new model kits.
Curiously, one chapter is devoted to modeling the Neubaufahrzeug heavy tank prototype from 1932, a tank that was unrelated to the Panzer IV, and was limited to just three prototypes. The 1/35th scale resin kit by Armo used in this build is given a fairly poor rating (Cromwell in the UK reportedly offers a better kit).
This title doesn't offer any scale reference drawings or alternate marking schemes (other than the the single scheme shown on each of the featured tanks), and there is little in the way of "how to" model building advice that we find in Steve Zaloga's books in this series. Overall, it is really difficult to justify buying the book now, unless you just want to study the painting styles used in the final finishes.
Useful resource.......2007-08-07
I got back into modeling after a hiatus of some years. This Osprey book helped me a lot. Excellent pictures, good suggestions for practitioners. Not for the beginner, this is a very useful tool for this specific tank.
Book Description
The PzKpfw V Panther is considered to be one of the finest tanks of World War II due to its combination of mobility, firepower and armour. Developed as a response to the Soviet deployment of heavy armour on the Eastern Front, and later to serve in Normandy and Northwest Europe, the Panther established its reputation as one of the first truly universal tanks and its influence can be seen in the design of modern battle tanks to this day. This book details how to model the main variants of this fascinating and significant World War II tank, and it provides a listing the main kits and aftermarket sets available.
Customer Reviews:
Modelling the Panther Tank.......2007-01-18
a very useful guide of some of the kits available and a variety of modelling techniques are well demonstrated.
Outstanding Value.......2006-12-28
Steve Beveren's book "Modeling the Panther Tank" fills a much needed void in my modeling library. An outstanding combination of photographs, "how to's", bibliography, historical data and kit/accessory list - I consider this one the best of the Osprey Modeling series to date. If you like to model the Panther tank, definately add this one to your library.
Books:
- Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel in Five Voices
- Squishy Turtle and Friends (Cloth Books)
- Star of the Sea
- Still Life with Woodpecker
- Stranded
- Tails of Devotion: A Look at the Bond Between People and Their Pets
- The Annotated Hunting of the Snark
- The Ant and the Elephant: Leadership For the Self
- The Art of Raising a Puppy
- The Book of Miniature Horses: Buying, Breeding, Training, Showing, and Enjoying
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