Every human should read 'What the Robin Knows', Bird Sense and The Survival of the Bark Canoe
938632
The books use writing technical for story telling that is very appealing for continuous engagement. And new words become clear from the context. I would rate 'What the Robin knows', Bird Sense and The Survival of the Bark Canoe at the top of my list for facts brilliantly delivered. Adventure and Fantacy books well written can be great diversions. All the writers I have listed in those categories are very pleasing! Thank you for the opportunity for making some statement! Cliff
3763860
With a touching and eloquent preface by the last living grandson of Joseph Nicolar, of the Penobscot tribe, whose original text dates from the 1890s, and with a brilliant and comprehensive introduction by the author, Annette Kolodny, this work will be a classic for anyone wanting to understand Native Americans. And not just that. The work and its introduction give us the deepest possible sense of alternative approaches to land, tradition, animals and humans, including a prophecy that white men will destroy themselves, essentially by destroying the environment. No one should miss this extraordinary book!

Mary Felstiner
Professor Emerita of History
San Francisco State University
3168187
Starting from a basic love of nature, with curiosity about why Ravens are considered so special by the original people of the Northwest where I live, I was drawn to read Mind of the Raven. Never did I suspect the enthralling, delightful adventure into the world of the zoologist, the process of inquiry that generates discoveries made with great dedication, and caring and a sense of humor that would make the reading of this book a page-turning thrill. Bernd Heinrich has a gift for igniting wonderment at all of the creatures and plants in our ecosystem, and while he is focusing on the raven in this book, his enthusiasm for all nature is eloquently expressed in a perfect blend of scientific inquiry, and life experiences a layman could understand and enjoy. His years of raven study and living in the wilderness, his scientific expertise honed by dedicated experience, combine to offer us the best of all reads, fun, information, inspiration and delight as well as a treasurestore of knowledge about the amazing raven.  Read it!! I am now on my third book  of his  and will be sure to read them all. Enjoy!
Be inspired!
1726505
In a time where folks may cope with news of global warming, poisoned water and toxic clouds by tuning out, earthy stories help connect us back to our roots as earth dwellers.

That's why this is not just for kids (I think the listed age range is too restrictive). It is a fresh retelling of the native american vision that foresaw the potential imbalances within mankind's own nature and it speaks to readers of all ages.

I'd definitely recommended this for anyone who values beautifully made books that inspire authentically and deal with the issues of our civilization without cloying guilt-tripping.  Gerald Hausman is pretty much our pre-eminent storyteller when it comes to connecting the indigenous past to the present and making it all relevant with crisp, compelling narratives.

He wrote a great book many years ago that I grew up with as a kid that dealt with similar issues called The Boy With The Sun Tree Bow, but that is a pretty rare out of print book now. I'd get this then. If not for yourself, then for your kids or someone elses.
4072557
I loved this book.  Every chapter was a new insight into how birds see, hear, and taste their world.  The writing was lively, and I think young readers would enjoy it, too.  It did not require special knowledge of anatomy or biology, but gives the reader a new appreciation for the amazing life of birds.
516679
Simply my favorite nonfiction book of the 21st century.  Daniel Kahneman offers nothing less than the blueprint of human behavior.  While we are probably the only species on earth that has the gift of self-study, most of us (me included) usually squander this priceless ability to step outside our animal instincts and to really think, instead embracing the emotional path of least resistance.  But any reader who desires a deep understanding of why they are the way they are will find it here in Mr. Kahneman's life work.  I have gifted this book to a least 10 people and don't plan to stop any time soon.  A masterpiece of rich, mindblowing information about what it is to be human.
1570652
Brian Robeson, a thirteen-year old boy, is traveling to visit his father who was recently divorced from Brian's mother. The small plane he travels in crashes, killing the pilot and leaving Brian as the only survivor in the Canadian wilderness. The book documents his struggle for survival and  dealing with his emotions.

Hatchet remains one of my favorite children's books-one that I felt compelled to read every spare minute until finished. Teachers continually laud this book not only for it's enjoyable reading, but for its many themes-divorce, survival, courage, resourcefulness, determination, confidence, self-esteem. It's also a great learning tool to teach different reading comprehension strategies.
2555187
Somehow I missed this book when it first came out, but everyone I've spoken to about it since has told me it changed their life.  It is not often one hears more than one or two people say such a thing about a particular book, unless perhaps it's an old classic, like the Bible.  So when I heard this claim yet again a few weeks ago, I finally decided I had to do something about it.  I had to read the book.

As the title claims, the book is about the life of a character named Pi.  (It's not about Pi's entire life, but still.)  Pi's real name is Piscine Molitor Patel, but he changes his name to Pi in school after being called a nickname after the bodily function one is reminded of when they hear the name Piscine.  He is an Indian boy from town named Pondicherry.  His father is a zookeeper and teaches Pi about the nature of animals from an early age.  (Most explicitly when he feeds a goat to a tiger in front of his sons.  Be warned, there is LOTS of animal violence in this book.)  Pi is a curious boy and absorbs all the information he can.  Eventually his interests move from the natural world onto the spiritual plane.  Born a Hindu, he becomes a Christian and a Muslim after coming across a Church and a Muslim baker.  (There's a hysterical scene where Pi is walking with his parents, who have no idea he's practicing three faiths, and they bump into Pi's priest, imam, and pandit all at the same time.)  He learns as much of these faiths as he can and appreciates the benefits of each.  When his cross-denominational penchant is discovered, he's surprised to find everyone insists he pick one.

Pi's world receives a jolt when his father decides to sell the zoo and move the family to Canada.  Since they have to transport some of the animals to sell in the States, they catch a ride on a cargo ship.  It sinks in the Pacific.  As his family and everyone else on-board drowns, Pi ends up in a small lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger.  Soon, nature takes its course- the hyena eats the zebra and orangutuan only to be eaten by the tiger- and Pi is left alone on the boat with the tiger.  At first, Pi is terrified he too will be eaten.  But soon he realizes he would be alone without the animal and comes to the conclusion he must not just keep himself alive, but also an animal that could kill Pi in an instant.  Pi must use all the knowledge of spirituality and zoo keeping he has garnered to survive.

I thought Life of Pi was brilliant for many reasons.  The prose is conversational (the pretext is that Pi is telling the story to the author in a series of interviews.) and witty.  Pi is a character we can like right away for his boundless curiosity.  But it is the larger themes that make this book hum.  Spirituality and science take center stage.  Pi's needs to draw upon both to survive.  Is Martel telling us we need to do the same?  There is an element of storytelling too.  Pi is drawn to religion because he likes the stories.  (Another great part- there were so many- when Pi compares and contrasts the core stories of Christianity and Hinduism)  And a twist at the end suggests perhaps Pi needed storytelling to survive as well.  Is it all just an allegory?  As Pi says to close his interview with representatives of the cargo company after his ordeal, "And so it goes with God."

Okay, I won't say the book changed my life.  But it addresses some themes and ideas that sure could change the way we see life; the way we accept or reject religion in our lives- or even refuse to decide.  It is up to us to do the rest.
2984312
Sharman Apt Russells Diary of a Citizen Scientist is a wonderful read. Similar to her other books in that it is informative on a topic about which some of us may know little, Diary is also personal as she embarks on the fascinating journey of scientific inquiry. The writing and experiences she relates learning about tiger beetles and other organisms is lively, generous, and, at times, very, very funny. Russells interest is so genuine and her devotion to learning and understanding so exciting that I can very well imagine any number of readers immediately getting online after finishing Diary and looking for their own citizen scientist project. As a biologist myself and one who has organized such endeavors, I applaud getting more people involved in the study of the world we live in. Indeed, in the face of so many dire environmental situations across the globe, this may be our only hope. A few quiet sentences in Diary suggest to me that Russell feels the same, yet what comes across most is her hopefulness, that people, even one person, can make a difference in the world.
3782637
I'm not one to gush, but I consider this one of the finest books ever written.  I've read a decent percentage of the "great books" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" deserves to be on the list.
It can be read and enjoyed by young people, but so can "Huckleberry Finn."  Like "Huck Finn," this book is even more rewarding to the adult reader.
I read it for the first time at age 47 and was blown away.  The characters, even the minor ones, truly leap out from the page, they're so real. The writing is seemingly effortless (which we all know is the hardest thing to do!); nearly every word is perfect. The insights into human relations and human pscyhology are startling and profound.
The book is also incredibly modern. Published in 1943, describing life in the 1910's, yet, like any true classic, the dilemmas are timeless and the author's viewpoint, especially about women, speaks to us powerfully even today.
Among its many strengths, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is a completely truthful portrait of the effect of alcoholism on a family.  It also tells us about how poverty really affects people and about the immigrant experience.
I can't speak to how men will respond to this book, but I believe that any woman of any age will be thrilled by it.
Don't miss it.  And if you read it as a teenager, read it again and rediscover one of the greatest books of 20th century American literature.
1170230
Most readers know Bruce Beehler for his field guide type of books, Birds of New Guinea, etc. This is a whole different book. Part adventure story, part field biology and conservation. You learn as much about the native people of the various forests visited as you do the flora and fauna. For anyone who is facinated by the world of birds, this is a must read. I've been a bird watcher and aviculturists for over 40 years and have an entire library of bird books. I'm very happy to add Lost Worlds to my collection.
Dick S. Escondido, CA
1477971
Should be required reading for all high school seniors and college freshmen in every country, plus every government official and CEO in the world.  Critical that someone read it to Donald Trump.  It's best book-length up-to-date summary of the human environmental predicament, covering all the issues rather than, as so many "environmental" books and articles do, just focusing on existential threat of climate disruption.  The book is a wonderful successor to Cribb's excellent "Poisoned Planet," which introduced many people to another existential problem, global toxicity, which is the great danger of synthetic chemicals, especially those that are endocrine mimics.  Even people well-informed about how the world works will find new material and connections, "Surviving the 21st Century."  Read it, and give it as a gift to smart young people you know!
2474076
This book is a treat. Before arriving for his Allagash trip as a young man, with then girlfriend "Alice," Leff was already informed about many things, including the adventures of others who had paddled before them and many details of the natural world. At the same time he wasn't fully prepared for the intermittent strain of the adventure and the crucible of the canoe, which had the power to heighten both strengths and vulnerabilities in the couple's relatively new relationship. I am glad he "resurrected" this manuscript that lay dormant for some time, because now he was able to enhance it with the wisdom and perspective gained in the ensuing years. The end result is a narrative that manages a balance between interesting facts and thoughts about the river and its landscape, anecdotes about many former river travelers and riverside dwellers, and worthy thoughts on ecology as well as relationships. I love a good canoeing book, and I am glad this one has joined my collection.
130255
Loala M. Shaefer is the author of this fabulous non-fiction picture book, "Lifetime", that looks at the natural world in terms of numbers.  It is full of fun facts like: a rattlesnake will add 40 beads to its rattle and a male seahorse will give birth to and carry 1,000 baby seahorses in his lifetime.  With today's featured book she takes a completely different take on the natural world.  She introduces readers to the concept of food chains and ecosystems.  The book is enriched by the beautiful illustrations created by Frann Preston-Gannon.

"Because of an acorn, a tree."  begins the story.  A cutaway on the first page forms the cup of the acorn and you discover a sprouting sappling when you turn the page.  The cutaway and sapling returns in the final pages, this time the leaf of the white oak reveals a forest with a page turn.

Schaefer's gently poetic prose leads the reader through the forest,  from an acorn to a tree to a bird who knocks seeds from a pod in the tree.  These seeds lead to flowers, fruit... and a chipmunk. The chipmunk attracts a snake, but the snake attracts a hawk.  Landing in a tree, the snake in its claws, the hawk causes an acorn to tumble to the ground, which takes the text back to the opening lines, ending with, "Because of an acorn, a forest."

This amazing book gives its readers an intimate visit with nature.  The illustratoions add so much enrichment and beauty to the narrative.  Her illustrations are simply fantastic.  I highly recommend this book.
3251551
This "novel" is actually an exploration of what do we know and how do we know it and what is relevant.  It starts with the strange statement,  "One night, when I was feeling poorly, I went and sat on the hill."  We get a brief review of the main character's marriage and some of the issues thereof, without being sappy.  From there, by unexplained means, the main character is transported, with an escort, through every conceivable kind of intelligence imaginable, and some the author supplies that are just way far out there, but relevant to the topic.  We pass through swarms of fish, solitary creatures, flocks of birds.  We see every imaginable way of organizing society.  Each chapter is a whole new world in which to explore how intelligence in that society manifests itself.  Each chapter is breath taking in its imagery, the depth of understanding, and marvelous in its difference from the other chapters.  Even at one point is our Universe just #17 in a line of terrariums.

This book was written in 1937 with a well earned 50th anniversary edition in 1987 .  But the topic and the explorations are just as valid, if not more so today.  the book is very non judgmental, working through each each society with understanding and patience.  The book is not dull or pedantic.  It reads well and brings the reader into each chapter in a fascinating and unique to that culture manner.

For anyone looking for better understanding of intelligence this is a seminal work.  For those working in our natural biological sciences, better understanding of our various animal groups is to be gained.
3190798
The poet Joyce Kilmer and Peter Wohlleben felt such a kinship to trees that they personified them and in so doing make it easy for us to relate to these leafy giants. Wohlleben writes tersely and factually.  He shares a wealth of information.  He raises the alarm about the deleterious affect of modern forestry management and climate change.  He underscores the necessity of trees for the biodiversity of our planet.  The author reveals the ways trees  communicate with each other.  Trees live as a community where "parents" nurture offspring and care for sick neighbors while living symbiotically with soil microorganisms, birds and other forest creatures.  Even in death, a tree gives back to both the flora and fauna of its surroundings.  Still, there are mysteries, at least for now, that trees keep to themselves. This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the environment or who would like a "more" enlightened walk through a forest.
4017462
I learned allot about bats, which I was afraid of at one time. I learned about finches in the wild and how they became in the wild I learned about their nesting habits and so on....  A lot of great material on wild animals and on the feathers of the birds mean.
I highly recommend this book for all ages.