Slug Tossing: And Other Adventures of a Reluctant Gardener

Customer Reviews:

On my list of favorite books.......2002-12-29

I first discovered this book at my local library, and read it two times, and shared it with my husband to read before returning it, reluctantly, to the library's collection. I hastily decided that I had to have my own copy, and ordered one here, in the bundle with "From the Ground Up" which I also recommend.
Meg DesCamp takes you on a journey from the beginnings of home ownership, with mild self depricating humor similar to author Anne Lammott. Through interior decorating mishaps, adventures with her cats, sisters and husband, and adventures in gardening, we're there as her first garden becomes part of her family.

I learned so much about gardening from this book, and especially appreciate its Pacific Northwest climate references-being set in Portland, OR. I enjoyed her approach and prose, and look forward to another book by this great storyteller.

Bad gardeners unite!.......2001-12-22

Plant journals may sound dull, but if you find the right one to read you will not only laugh your head off, but you'll learn a lot about plants as well. After reading Gayla's Plant Journal on YouGrowGirl.com, and then attempting to write my own, I was lucky enough to find this book crammed in the back of the gardening section of my favorite used bookstore. Slug Tossing: And Other Adventures of a Reluctant Gardener by Meg DesCamp is the hilarious saga of her attempt to grow flowers at her home in Portland. While she learns about soil, compost, feeding plants and so on, you do too. It's like taking a horticulture class where you spy on the worst student in the room. You'll find yourself giggling while reading about evil slugs, peat moss (as DesCamp says, "Peat moss. What the hell is peat moss?"), ladybugs and weed pulling. By the way, this is a great book to give as presents for your gardener pals.

I couldn't stop laughing.......2000-04-10

I read this book in one day, and could not stop laughing. I learned a lot about gardening in the process. I think many of us come to love gardening in the same way. Great book!

Great book--far too short.......1999-05-18

I fell in love with the book by page 13 and highly recommend it to all writers and gardener. The only problem with this charming book is that it's too short--I wanted, no needed more. Thank you, Meg, for sharing your garden and thoughts. PS: I love roses, cliche or not, and Cecile is my favorite (okay, so I have an addiction but only 3 Ceciles, and okay 70 plus roses).

Absolutely charming!!.......1998-06-09

This is one of those books that,"You have had to be there.. to appreciate!! It was so much of my life and how my gardens started.. Right down to Starbucks coffee, the tree "experts",and when they went looking for warmth and got off the plane in Palm Springs!!!!I knew someone had been peeking at my life! Couldn't put it down until I had finished and am sharing it with other garden friends..My sister gave it to me for my birthday and asked, "Did you write this?"

Steller's Island: Adventures of a Pioneer Naturalist in Alaska

Average customer rating:

A wide audience will find this absorbing
Voyages of Discovery
Steller's Island
Great book; too bad we don't have more of Steller's research
Science History at its Best

Steller's Island: Adventures of a Pioneer Naturalist in Alaska
Dean Littlepage
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Adventurers & Explorers | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1594850577

Book Description

History, adventure, and science—the 18th century naturalist, Georg Steller, sailed to the north coast of North America and introduced its biological wonders to the world. · Introduces a naturalist and explorer who predated Lewis and Clark and John Muir · Examines the historical legacy of the man whose name graces the Steller's jay, Steller sea lion, Steller's eider, and more · Places Steller's journey in context for today, following the impact of his discoveries to the present In 1741, a Russian expedition ship captained by Vitus Bering carried the first scientist to set foot anywhere on the western half of North America. Georg Steller would introduce the world to the staggering wealth and diversity of life of the North Pacific, providing the first European accounts of the sea otter, sea lion, northern fur seal, native Chugach people, and more. Steller's Island is a fascinating tale of the rewards and perils of exploration in this era. It is about the courage of scientific curiosity, even in uncharted waters, alien lands, and desperate circumstances, including storms, scurvy, and shipwreck.

Steller traveled deep into the wild with little on his back. In the one day Bering permitted him to explore Kayak Island along the southern Alaskan coast, he catalogued more than one hundred previously unknown plants. He was the only European naturalist to see the spectacled cormorant alive and his is our one and only account of the now extinct Steller's sea cow. In accounts of the Chugach and Aleut people, Steller was the first scientist to hypothesize an Asian origin for Native Americans. The crew of the St. Peter credited him with their lives: His novel prescription of wild greens cured their scurvy, and his knowledge of sea mammals and Native hunting techniques meant food for the starving.

Customer Reviews:

A wide audience will find this absorbing.......2007-05-17

History, true adventure, travel and science blend in the vivid survey STELLER'S ISLAND: ADVENTURES OF A PIONEER NATURALIST IN ALASKA. Georg Steller predated Lewis and Clark and John Muir and made some amazing discoveries - so it's surprising to note this provides some of rare insights on the man and his legacy - including the only scientific account of the Steller's sea cow before it became extinct. A wide audience will find this absorbing, from any library specializing in Alaskan history to general-interest holdings where patrons seek true-life adventure or tales of scientific discovery.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Voyages of Discovery.......2007-04-22

Traveling the breadth of Russia and sailing east from Kamchatka with Bering across the north Pacific, Steller encounters frustrating, and at times harrowing, conditions and amazing creatures in his explorations of what we now know as maritime Alaska. The author weaves his own journey to one of Steller's study sites into an historic account of these voyages of discovery. Simply a great read. Looking forward to more stories of Alaska and the people of the maritime Pacific Northwest by this author.
Highly recommended.

Steller's Island.......2007-02-26

Interesting account of Steller's explorations, juxtaposed with a modern journey -- reminds me in that sense of Jonathan Waterman's Mount St. Elias book, which is also recommended. Contains information on Pacific Northwest wildlife, but also on native people, shipwrecks, truly stupid explorer mistakes, and more; entertainingly written. Kind of makes one think, to realize how many species either barely survived the advent of Europeans or didn't survive at all, and to be reminded how many of them are in danger again today.

Great book; too bad we don't have more of Steller's research.......2006-12-28

Georg Steller was a German scientist who eventually went to Russia and became a naturalist on Vitus Bering's second expedition to eastern Siberia and the eastern Arctic.

He identified hundreds of plant species in just a few hours of landfall on an Alaskan island. He also was the first European to closely examine animals such as the Steller's sea lion, Steller's sea cow (now extinct) and others.

Unfortunately, many of his research samples didn't make it back to Russia. Bering's flagship, St. Peter, became separated from his other ship, St. Paul, on the way east to Alaska. And, it didn't make it all the way back to Kamchatka. Eventually, after wintering on a sub-arctic island, the crew made a small hooker out of St. Peter's remains and completed the trip.

The crew who were left, that is. Many died from scurvy, though Steller saved many others with his knowledge of plants, and observation of Siberian and Aleut customs.

The remaining crew forced Steller to leave behind his specimen slides and his dissected sea cow, among other things. He wrote up what he could after getting back to European Russia, but his samples were lost forever.

An excellent book on science, natural history, and Arctic exploration, all in one.

Science History at its Best.......2006-12-12

Ever since the publication of Thomas Kuhn's 'Structure of Scientific Revolutions' science history has been preoccupied with changing paradigms and social influence upon scientific thought. This focus has offered many benefits, but a decided negative is that there are fewer traditional biographies of significant but forgotten scientists. This short volume by Dean Littlepage is an exception to the rule. A throwback to an older style of historiography, it is an excellent account of the life and contributions of Georg Steller, the first naturalist to write an account of the Northwestern Pacific Coast.

Georg Steller was a German naturalist, a predecessor of Linneaus, and a member of the early Russian expeditions to map the Pacific coast of North America. Steller was a multi-talented product of the Enlightenment. He spoke several languages and received formal training in theology, medicine, and biology. After teaching in Germany for a short stint, he moved to Russia and joined the newly formed Russian Academy of Science. He joined Captain Bering (for whom the Bering strait is named) and in a visit to Kayak Island began the first scientific exploration of the Northwest. But Steller was much more than just a talented naturalist (he collected 140 specimens in a mere 6 hours on Kayak Island.) He was also an extraordinary physician who correctly hypothesized that a diet heavy in green vegetables would fend of scurvy centuries before the discovery of vitamin C. His scientific background ultimately saved the crew of the St. Peter, Bering's ship, in the face of disaster. The challenges facing the crew shipwrecked for the winter are truly gripping and it is hard to put the book down as Littlepage recounts this period.

This book makes a for a fascinating read. The author not only notes the breadth of Steller's scientific discoveries, but traces the fates of the animals he wrote about in his best known work 'Beasts of the Sea.' Many were nearly hunted to extinction while environmental changes threaten others. The Steller Sea Cow is now extinct and all that remains is Seller's description. In all, this makes for a wonderful book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading some traditional science history with profound implications for today's world.

Kenny Salwey's Tales of a River Rat: Adventures Along The Wild Mississippi

Average customer rating:

Skilled Storyteller
Tales of a River Rat:
An amazing storyteller!
A must read!
Offers the insights of a modern hermit who's lived most of his life along the Mississippi

Kenny Salwey's Tales of a River Rat: Adventures Along The Wild Mississippi
Kenny Salwey
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0896586499

Book Description

Kenny Salwey, the legendary Last River Rat and famed storyteller, presents a new collection of ""rat tales,"" sure to delight, inform, and entertain. A modern-day American hermit who has lived most of his life in the Mississippi river bottoms, Kenny knows the river ecosystem with an intimacy unavailable to most. Here, he shares his love of, and knowledge about, the mighty river. Read through the pages of "Kenny Salwey’s Tales of a River Rat," and you’ll gain a new perspective on what it means to live with the rhythms of nature. Known as the Woodsman of the Mississippi Backwaters—he’s a hunter, trapper, outdoor guide, and self-sufficient woodsman—Kenny Salwey is said to have cut his milk teeth on a canoe paddle and seasoned it with Mississippi mud. He’s a Mississippi River guide for hunting, fishing, and nature watching; a storyteller; an instructor on environmental education; and a keynote speaker.

Customer Reviews:

Skilled Storyteller.......2007-04-04

Pack your bags and go along with Kenny as he ventures along the banks of the Mississippi River. You'll think you're right there with him.

Tales of a River Rat:.......2007-03-08

I met Kenny and his stories are just as he is. He has a skill in telling stories that makes you wish you were there with him. I would recommend the book to all the people that enjoy the Mississippi river area.

An amazing storyteller!.......2007-01-12

Kenny Salwey's a talented storyteller with many Mississippi tales to tell! I recommend this author to all outdoor enthusiasts, & anyone that loves a good story. It's a MUST for anyone living in a little river town!

A must read!.......2007-01-03

Wonderful book by Salwey...took me back to a simpler, down to earth time. Kenny weaves a profound story of man and nature.

Offers the insights of a modern hermit who's lived most of his life along the Mississippi.......2006-05-26

This new collection of 'rat tales' by a confirmed Last River Rat offers the insights of a modern hermit who's lived most of his life along the Mississippi. Like Huck Finn, Kenny Salwey has a host of adventures to recount: he's a hunter, trapper and woodsman alike and he is also a fine storyteller and even an expert on environmental issues - so his essay and story collection is packed with experience and insights.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Average customer rating:

Adventures of a Gardener
Peter Smithers
Manufacturer: Harvill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1860460593

The Passionate Gardener: Adventures of an Ardent Green Thumb

Average customer rating:

Especially recommended as a giftbook for gardening enthusiasts.
The Passionate Gardener: about himself

The Passionate Gardener: Adventures of an Ardent Green Thumb
Des Kennedy
Manufacturer: Greystone Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1553651987

Book Description

In this rollicking read, Des Kennedy demonstrates his unerring skill with a satirical pitchfork. The 13 short pieces here roam widely and wildly, examining, among other things, common idiosyncrasies and the collective chaos of garden clubs. The book hilariously ponders the host of psychopathologies that afflict “plants people,” from weather phobias and general anxiety disorders to obsessive-compulsive behavior such as the chronic moving of plants. Whether discussing dysfunctional garden sprayers or malodorous urine collection schemes, Kennedy finds both the magic and the madness in one of life's most popular passions.

Customer Reviews:

Especially recommended as a giftbook for gardening enthusiasts........2007-04-07

Written by active speaker, gardener, and environmentalist Des Kennedy, The Passionate Gardener: Adventures of an Ardent Green Thumb is a true-life memoir written about the love of gardening, for fellow gardeners and would-be gardeners. With a witty flair, chapters recount the little quirks bordering on insanity common to "plant people", from weather phobias to obsessive-compulsive behavior. The Passionate Gardener perfectly captures the agony and the ecstasy that comes with pursuing a beloved hobby to the best of one's ability, and is especially recommended as a giftbook for gardening enthusiasts.

The Passionate Gardener: about himself.......2007-01-10

The gardener of the title should perhaps have kept this as a personal diary; it becomes a tediously self-centered celebration of his own life, of diminishing interest to any reader who is not his mother. Disappointing, if any reader was expecting to gain gardening insights or was hoping for a delightful book along the lines of Beverly Nichols' books.

Strange Encounters: Adventures of a Renegade Naturalist

Average customer rating:

More Refreshing Than Strange
a bit of a disappointment
Ecological wit & wisdom
A must read for students, scientists, and everyone else
Botkin scores again

Strange Encounters: Adventures of a Renegade Naturalist
Daniel B. Botkin
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1585423734
Release Date: 2004-08-05

Book Description

The warm, witty anecdotal adventures of a world-renowned scientist, spanning thirty years and dozens of countries.

Most people only dream of having the life Daniel B. Botkin has led. He has studied whales and elephants, tramped over high mountain passes and through rain forests, worked with NASA, and spent substantial time walking in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, and Henry David Thoreau. In Strange Encounters, Botkin does for the natural world what Richard Feynman did for physics and Oliver Sacks for human behavior.

Whether rebuilding an old mill in New Hampshire while ruminating on notions of "progress," researching the most weight-efficient high-protein food for space travel, or working in a radioactive forest on an early Cold War research project, Botkin experiences the kind of adventures that illuminate the complex and ever-changing relationship between human beings and their environment.

Customer Reviews:

More Refreshing Than Strange.......2005-02-16

There are a lot of really great books out there about natural history, but Botkin's approach is a little different. He includes anecdotes about New England water mills, and sounds a little like McKibben; then he crosses the continent to write about sea lions-now he sounds like Moore. He crosses the ocean to Africa in order to write about elephants, and one is reminded of Quammen's Natural Acts. Botkin is not copying the styles of other writers, he is simply exploring similar topics, but from a different perspective-that of an ecologist.

Through twenty-eight essays, and a poignant account of the ecology of his wife's battle with cancer, Botkin approaches each problem-whale hunting, sustainable salmon fisheries, forest management, endangered species, and more-with a completely open mind. He will not accept dogmatic explanations, and his inquisitiveness leads him on a life-long hunt to try to solve some-any-ecological problem. He writes in humorous tones of the slings and arrows of the idealist ecologist, and wonders how, as a forestry expert, he wound up with jobs trying to learn how long whales sleep (no one knew), or how much food an elephant ate (no one knew), or how many leaves are on a tree (no one knew). He despairs that he will ever make a positive contribution to ecology: "Ever the optimist, I had readily accepted the opportunity to work on the salmon issue. Perhaps this time I can really make a difference..." In each essay it appears as if his contribution is minor, until one takes in his body of work, over his long career, to discover that his contribution was actually enormous and invaluable.

The reader of natural history will enjoy Botkin's experiences and insights, but more importantly, those unfamiliar with ecology or natural history (reds, you know who I mean) will learn a great deal without feeling threatened.

a bit of a disappointment.......2004-02-08

As a long standing fan of Botkin's excellent DISCORDANT HARMONIES I looked forward to diving into this autobiographical account of this remarkable naturalist's career & thoughts. Alas, by about a third of the way through I found my attention drifting away & kept asking myself "Yeees... so what?" as essay piled on essay. Botkin has obviously done some really interesting things & has been to some odd and interesting places, but this book has far too much of the feel of satisfying a publisher's request of "why don't you root around in the attic & see if you can throw something together on sabbatical" & not enough of "so here's how my life informed my work & my work informed my life". I passed the book along to one of my best undergrads, and she said almost the same thing without prompting. Several essays seem to be heading for some sort of exciting peak, but then they sort of fizzle out & we are on to the next adventure without really understanding how to place what went before. This is too bad as I am confident that Botkin is capable of much much more. As an alternative, for folks interested in how the lives of ecologists affect their professional work I would suggest Dennis Chitty's excellent DO LEMMINGS COMMIT SUICIDE?

Ecological wit & wisdom.......2004-01-19

The book is an intriguing mixture of elements. On the one hand it describes the author's sometimes hilarious experiences as he seeks to answer such questions as "how long does a whale sleep," and "how much does an elephant eat." On the other hand he raises sobering questions about the capacity of the discipline of ecology to solve environmental problems. I enjoyed the book both for its human interest and for the author's reflections on the state of our understanding of nature.

A must read for students, scientists, and everyone else.......2003-11-05

Daniel Botkin's new book continues his string of must read books that provide a valuable perspective on the environment. His wealth of experience in field work and academic science is nicely complemented in this book through his reflections on a number of scientific issues with which he has engaged over his career. From the engineering of New England mills to studying ocean life, Botkin's reflections on his work will keep you engaged throughout the book and leave you looking for more. Whether you are an aspiring or practicing naturalist, or just looking for a good read, this book is a great choice.

Botkin scores again.......2003-10-20

A world-class ecologist, with a mind disciplined by the study of physics, recounts his experiences studying a wide-ranging array of environmental problems. With humor, incredulity and pathos he recounts examples of "ecological truth" which are based on untested assumptions. The recurring theme from beginning to end is: measure, measure, measure. This is a must read for students planning a career in science and young scientists just starting out. For this old forest ecologist, I hope the younger generation heeds the wisdom in this book.

Average customer rating:

slow read
Get a friend to rip off the cover before you read
A treasure of a book
A Constant Chore
Axe to Grind - Short on Fact

The Constant Gardener
John le Carre
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0743422910

Amazon.com

British diplomat Justin Quayle, complacent raiser of freesias and doting husband of the stunning, much younger Tessa, has tended his own garden in Nairobi too long. Tessa is Justin's opposite, a fiery reformer, "that rarest thing, a lawyer who believes in justice," whose campaigns have earned her a nickname: "the Princess Diana of the African poor." But now Tessa has turned up naked, raped, and dead on a mysterious visit to remote Lake Turkana in Kenya. Her traveling companion (and lover?), the handsome Congolese-Belgian doctor Arnold Bluhm, has vanished. So has Quayle's complacency.

Tessa had been compiling data against a multinational drug company that uses helpless Africans as guinea pigs to test a tuberculosis remedy with unfortunately fatal side effects. Her report was destroyed by her husband's superiors; was she? It's all somehow connected to the sinister British firm House of ThreeBees, whose ad boasts that it's "buzzy for the health of Africa!" John le Carré symbolically associates ThreeBees with an ominous buzz in the Nairobi morgue: "Over [the corpses], in a swaying, muddy mist, hung the flies, snoring on a single note."

The home office tries to take Quayle in out of the cold. He cleverly eludes their clammy embrace, turns spy, and takes off on a global chase to avenge Tessa and solve her murder. Le Carré has lost none of his gift for setting vivid scenes in far-flung places expertly described: London, Germany, Saskatchewan, Kenya. His sprinting thriller prose remains in great shape. And thanks to his 16 years in the British Foreign Office, his merciless send-up of its cutthroat intrigues and petty self-delusions is unbelievably good--or rather, believably so. This is global do-gooder satire on a literary par with Doris Lessing's The Summer Before the Dark.

But you want to know if The Constant Gardener is as good as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Very nearly. Africa's nightmare is more complex than the cold war chess match, and the world pharmaceutical circus is tougher to dramatize than the old spy-versus-spy-versus-spymaster game. Still, le Carré can write a smart, melancholy page-turner, and his moral outrage (the real subject of his books) burns as brightly as ever. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

Frightening, heartbreaking, and exquisitely calibrated, John le Carré's new novel opens with the gruesome murder of the young and beautiful Tessa Quayle near northern Kenya's Lake Turkana, the birthplace of mankind. Her putative African lover and traveling companion, a doctor with one of the aid agencies, has vanished from the scene of the crime. Tessa's much older husband, Justin, a career diplomat at the British High Commission in Nairobi, sets out on a personal odyssey in pursuit of the killers and their motive.

A master chronicler of the deceptions and betrayals of ordinary people caught in political conflict, le Carré portrays, in The Constant Gardener, the dark side of unbridled capitalism. His eighteenth novel is also the profoundly moving story of a man whom tragedy elevates. Justin Quayle, amateur gardener and ineffectual bureaucrat, seemingly oblivious to his wife's cause, discovers his own resources and the extraordinary courage of the woman he barely had time to love.

The Constant Gardener is a magnificent exploration of the new world order by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time.

Download Description

Featuring his strongest heroine since "The Russia House", le Carre's "The Constant Gardener" combines the international suspense of his Cold War thrillers with the exotic romanticism of "The Little Drummer Girl". This is a masterful novel by one of the most compelling and elegant storytellers of our time.

Customer Reviews:

slow read.......2007-06-15

this was one of those books that i had to force myself to finish for the sake of finishing. despite its wordiness, i never got a good picture of what was going on, the characters, their connections. maybe its a british thing?

Get a friend to rip off the cover before you read.......2007-04-27

I generally don't expect modern thrillers to be examples of great writing. I don't know why. Maybe I have figured that the stories are enough and they will just be entertaining. With LeCarre, I was wrong.

LeCarre is an amazingly good writer. The Constant Gardener is drama, well beyond "thrill". Over 560 pages and still I could hardly put it down.

I have only one complaint and warning. With writing like this--imagistic, attention to detail of language and culture--I cannot imagine why anyone would want to see it as a movie, or even be forced to see a photo from the movie, such as the one on the cover here. So hopefully you'll be lucky like me to reach this web page only after you've read the book, from an older copy that's light blue with three bees on the cover.

If you have to buy the new edition, have a friend do it and rip off the front cover first ...

A treasure of a book.......2007-04-02

I'm a sucker for good writing. If Karl Marx had written the Communist Manifesto as beautifully, as wittily, as elegantly, as John Le Carré writes, I'm sure I'd be a die-hard card-carrying member of the Party. And Mr. Le Carré really does it superbly in this book. The technique alone is dazzling and you spend a large part of your time admiring how he pulls it off, the felicitous choice of form and language, the admirable characterisation, the marvellous, witty dialogue. There's much more to telling a good story than simply having a good story. To give it life beyond mere words on a page requires talent. Mr. Le Carré has it in spades. The only criticism I can make is that it runs out of steam a little towards the end, but this is a trifling flaw compared to all the other good things in the book.

The story? It is indeed a good one. With the Cold War over and George Smiley pensioned off, Mr. Le Carré has very successfully turned his attention to an intersection (better still, a collision) of two of the world's ills, Africa and Big Pharma. Big Pharma is merely a manifestation of modern capitalism (where's my Manifesto?), that is, greedy bordering on rapacious - there are few medicines for tropical diseases, because there's no money in them. We're soooo sorry for Africa, we'll look at it when we've finished improving shareholder value, perhaps toss it a crumb or two. A cure for AIDS (if such a thing be possible) will be discovered accidentally by someone researching a "lifestyle" drug. I can only hope that Big Pharma doesn't improve shareholder value in the way depicted in this story. Buy this book. Now.

A Constant Chore.......2007-02-12

I'd been hearing about the wonderful writing of John Le Carre for quite some time, so I picked up The Constant Gardener for a fun read . . . and it was anything but. And while I don't know if this is typical of the LeCarre spy novels, I certainly hope not.

The plot is basically a single man versus international conspiracy. It's a plot that would normally catch my attention early and have my sympathy from the start. Further, it's a commentary on the abuses of power wrought by corporations (in this case, Pharmaceutical) that are more powerful than governments. Again, a device that immediately evokes common interests with me, an unabashed liberal. Unfortunately that's where the book and I part ways.

Justin, the minor diplomat in Nairobi is thrown into an unfortunate series of discoveries when questioning the circumstances of his wife's rape and murder. Tessa differed from Justin in that she was engaged in pursuing change in the world as a human rights activist, while he was content to follow orders, but say and believe the right things sans effort. This, I believe is the theme of the work, that culpability lies mostly with inaction and that movements can overcome abuses of power. Good theme, but . . .

The execution was poor. Pages and pages devoted to characterization fell short when actions didn't meet the set-up. As well, Justin's investigation took him around the world to look at a paper trail, not the most interesting tools of the thriller game. But we, as well as the character, examined the words and trail meticulously to the point where it became a joke how quickly the volume would put me to sleep. Justin is such a luddite that we, as the reader, are forced to learn about computers, emails, and the myriad electronic communication pathways along with the protagonist . . . LeCarre would have been well-suited to find a heartless editor, because the plot that does exist is not much more substantial than what a novella would handle nicely. Bureaucracy can be handled in a paragraph where the author wants the reader as frustrated as his bureaucrat protagonist, an interesting irony done uninterestingly.

This isn't to say that LeCarre is a poor writer - his sentence construction is strong and his mastery of the craft evident. I'm going to try another of his novels just because I believe this was an aberration caused by an author with an axe to grind and no right way to do it.

Another problem was that he telegraphed the plot. The only one stupid enough not to see who was behind the murder and conspiracy was Justin himself. While this can work, showing the reader what the protagonist can't see (see Fight Club), in this case it's just painful to have to slough through the machinations of bumbling intrigue with a dull and plodding man.

In summary, I didn't care about characters and I lost interest in the plot and the theme seemed contrived. I can't recommend it.

- CV Rick

Axe to Grind - Short on Fact.......2006-12-13

Through the book I felt that the author was not able to grab me with the emotional intensity that he was going for. I never could quite buy into the whole "The Big Pharma's Are All Bad." I did really like the end of the book. I felt a real connection and love between him and his wife, even though she had passed away. The author also let's us know what is going to happen: he will be killed also. Then he lets the protagonist Jason discover it for himself. When he is closest to his wife, at the place she was killed, and closest to her cause.

Le Carre points an accusing finger at the US in his book and end notes, but provides little detail to support his accusations. In fact, BIg Pharma is multinational. Some of the largest like Bayer are German. These are the companies that helped gas the Jews. Looking for an atrocity? Why not let us write about documented proven suffering without writing books about fictional conspiracy theories, which by his own admission at the end of the book do not exist. I feel he has an axe to grind with these people.

My Opinion: Big Pharma gets a bad rap. I think I owe my life to a monoclonal antibody called rituxan:

Rituxan® (Rituximab) is a unique therapy that works by selectively depleting CD20+ B-cells. B-cells, and their role in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Rheumatoid Arthritis, have been an area of intensive research by scientists around the world, and at Genentech and Biogen Idec. Rituxan affects your immune system by selectively targeting CD20+ B-cells shown to play an important role in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Side effects? Oh it had side effects all right. It cured my knee problems (which I assume to be arthritis) at the same time it cured my cancer. The old treatment? Well CHOP Chemotherapy which I also got killed my memory and without the synergistic effect of Rituxan I would probably have relapsed by now.

I just think Big Business gets a bad rap in general from the liberal communist crowd and it is just not that way. You have to take the good and the bad with all systems. What would LeCarre have us put in place? A system where the Government does all the research? No Thanks. My belief is I would be dead. Since I believe it, it's true. I'll take my chances with Big Pharma. Meanwhile the weak minded soak up LeCarre's stories like they are fact, then point the finger at the multinationals, when it is all taken so grossly out of proportion. So in telling well crafted lies which he terms fiction, LeCarre makes his living and in his way bilks the reader and does a disservice to the patient's suffering. That's one way of looking at it anyway. What system does he propose? Communism? No thanks we have been there and done that haven't we?

Don't get me wrong I liked the book and really want to see the movie. It brought out the tragic beauty of Africa and the beauty of the depth of some of the relationships. But I think there was a large dose of propaganda thrown in to boot.

Day Job, The: Adventures of a Jobbing Gardener

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Day Job, The: Adventures of a Jobbing Gardener
Mark Wallington
Manufacturer: Arrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

The author’s incompetent early career as a gardener is hilariously revealed in this comic memoir. His bizarre experiences among the hellebores and overgrown rock roses of the middle classes are marvels of humour and eccentricity.

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Ho hum
This is a Strong Effort by Pelecanos
Pelecanos is so . . . very good
A wonderful book
Very good

The Night Gardener
George Pelecanos
Manufacturer: Hachette Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1594835314

Customer Reviews:

Ho hum.......2007-10-11

I could tell you half the book again like others reviewing this, but my best advice would be save your money!!!!

I did stay with it but it wasn't easy, I kept thinking something will happen.....(psst, It never really does)

Sorry but HO HUM

This is a Strong Effort by Pelecanos.......2007-09-20

Many people consider THE NIGHT GARDENER to be the best crime novel of 2006. While I wouldn't go quite that far, I think this book is a very fine effort by Pelecanos.

While THE NIGHT GARDENER is about the search for a serial killer, it is not a typical serial killer book. This is not a fast-paced, tightly plotted suspense novel. Instead, Pelecanos takes his time in telling the story, and focuses a great deal of effort on developing a rather large number of characters and subplots. This requires a certain amount of patience on the part of the reader, but it is well worth it, since nearly all the characters in this book are believable, realistic human beings.

The ending of the NIGHT GARDENER will not please everybody. Needless to say, Pelecanos does not resort to a cheap Hollywood ending here. But I found it a satisfying way to close the novel.

Overall, THE NIGHT GARDENER is a very good book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys slower paced, character-driven crime fiction. The only other Pelecanos book I have read is RIGHT AS RAIN, and I thought this book was far better than that one.

Pelecanos is so . . . very good .......2007-08-21

Structure, pace, fully developed characters built around descriptions which flesh out well in the reader's mind, superb dialogue comparable to the late great George Higgins, strong plotting and an ending which satisfies. The urban DC setting can well be appreciated outside the Beltway; his stories
are not just for area readers.

A wonderful book.......2007-08-20

This is one of the best books I've read this year. Pelecanos has yet to let me down.

Very good.......2007-05-18

Just finished this book and found it to be very good, I'll definitely read more of this author's books, if he has any. My comments:

1) Very well written and easy to read.
2) Well written characters. The characters are what makes this book worth reading. You are drawn to them and they are well fleshed out (as another reviewer said below, the crime seems to be an after thought.)
3) Good description of the nitty gritty of life in the DC area.
3) However, too much drama; I'd rather he focus more on the crime than the protagonist's family life. It just takes away from the story, IMHO.
4) Two story threads. I didn't really care about the minor thread. It was nicely tied together at the end (artistically if I may say so), but it just detracts away from the main story.
5) Even though most people could guess the ending, the crime was never solved by the protagonists, it was just given away on the last page. Too bad, but it's an unusual ending. You could say it was a surprise ending that way for people who expected the crime to be solved. I think it could have ended better.
6) A little jumpy as it jumped from one thread to another and you really didn't know how they were connected (they weren't really connected together).

Conclusion: I would still recommend the book because it was well written. There are many "best sellers" out there which are a struggle to read, but this one drew me along. It's a good book when I can't put it down and will trade sleeping time for reading time and I did for this one. I will now look for other books written by this author.

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Fanciful, Delightfully Written Tale of Africa

Travels in the White Man's Grave
Donald MacIntosh
Manufacturer: Little Brown U.K.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Forest of Memories: Tales from the Heart of Africa

ASIN: 0349114358

Book Description

At the beginning of the 1950s, the interior of West and Central Africa was still known to most of the outside world as the "White Man's Grave," and consisted of vast expanses of mysterious and threatening primeval forest. When Donald MacIntosh, 23-year-old Gaelic-speaking Scottish forester, was offered a position in Nigeria in 1954, it was a dream come true and he found himself posted to the hot, cloying humidity of those fabled lands. During the next 30 years he was to wander through some of the most remote areas of West Africa where he operated as a forest botanist. There he listened to the tales of ancient Africa from the lips of hunters, fishermen, chiefs, and witch doctors from a vast diversity of tribes in myriad encampments.

Customer Reviews:

Fanciful, Delightfully Written Tale of Africa.......2007-04-04

MacIntosh has emerged from the continent of Africa with a chest full of treasures and has penned them into a brilliant book. He begins the stories with what led him to Africa...the forests. Through the telling of information about trees and lumber, MacIntosh runs through some entertaining stories about his time in Africa. These stories run the gamut of events that include harrowing escapes and run ins with wild animals and extraordinary encounters with natives whom he befriends. In some of the stories, he is the main character and in others he has heard it secondhand. Both ways are captivating.

On the whole, the book is warm and delightful with many humorous touches. MacIntosh lifts the veil of the mysterious jungles of Africa for readers.

I look forward to learning of more of MacIntosh's travels in the white man's grave.

The narrator of the audio version is a first rate actor and reads the book splendidly.

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