Engaging journey through Nature and History
349388
Walt and Isabel Davis invite the reader to accompany them on a journey completely circuiting the state of Texas.  No ordinary travelogue, they undertake an exploration of Texas in both space and time, through the unique natural wonders of the state and by way of the obscure history of the places visited.  Even the veteran Texas traveler will be surprised by the original tales that emerge from the boundless curiosity of these two veteran explorers of the natural history and cultural history of Texas.  Highly entertaining.
3018855
Jean Craighead George, author of nearly one hundred novels, picture books, novellas, guides, and stories about nature, presents a story of the perfect length about our most familiar ecosystem, the woods.  Ms. George does a terrific job of placing readers in the feet of her main character, a young girl named Rebecca (Ms. George's granddaughter and perhaps the same Rebecca from her picture book DEAR REBECCA, WINTER IS HERE).  One beautiful spring morning, Rebecca takes a trip out to the woods near her home to search for a rare and remarkable bird, the ovenbird, which her uncle tells her is a real natural wizard.  While Rebecca searches for this wonder of the woods, she finds lots of other incredible creatures--owls, flying squirrels, deer, ducks, and a skunk--and even runs into danger and excitement.  Fine descriptions, fondly and accurately written, make birds a lot of us see every day--towhees, robins, and cardinals--all the more special and important, as Ms. George's admiration for even the smallest things in nature is evident.  And when Rebecca finds the ovenbird wizard, it really is an eye-opener.  The illustrations are woodsy and a nice companion to Ms. George's words.  This is a great story for anyone who loves nature and the special words of the author of JULIE OF THE WOLVES and MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.
3884219
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The only trouble with it was it ended too soon. It is quite engaging, even if you follow science news with a particular interest in geology. Some of it I had missed, some of it I knew but the other does a great job of putting it all into context, in clean readable prose, with a nice dollop of the historical and no purple prose, as some classic authors are won't to do.

Answers just about all of my questions, even the one I had while reading about quakes in the basin and range causing mountains to rise (footnote makes clear: it's probably the basin falling, not the mountain rising but it's hard to be sure and most people think of it as the former).

One strange coincidence: I've always wondered about some folded red, thin beds I saw near the north side of golden gate bridge. It's been over 30 years but I actually remember those beds quite clearly and the nearby military emplacement rather poorly. Imagine my delight when early on the author covers that very spot, even pointing out the chert is a lot more interesting than the old concrete (I quite agree :)

From the south pier of the golden gate to why the sierra's are rising to a host of other questions, this tells the whole story. I think you'd have to be a near professional geologist to know everything in the book and even the more familiar terrain is made interesting as it is placed in context.
4887168
The journey Gordon Hempton takes us on traveling and recording across country became a journey in frustration, but not hopelessness. He drives home the point of the importance of being able to hear nature sounds vs man made machine noises. I was journeying myself when reading the book and became more acutely aware of just how much intrusion there is in our lives. He logically explains the framework that would allow some preservation of the cleansing, meditative sounds we should all be able to experience in one square inch in our national parks. After reading the book I was moved to write my congressmen to support any legislation to help this to come to fruition. There is a bit of personal drama between Gordon and his daughter that all parents of teenagers can identify with which served to bring some personality to the book. Hempton has some memorable descriptions and his ability to enable the reader to hear with the written word was noteable.  I am not an acoustical engineer so the decibal references mentioned throughout, though educational, where somewhat tedious. After reading it, I found myself shutting off the TV, and radio, and appreciating the sounds of birds, breezes, and even cedar creaking. I hope that his quest to enlighten the powers that be of the great importance to protect the ability to hear nature is heard and acted upon.  I am recommending this book to my book group who will also enjoy the cd with amazing photographs from the journey across America.
2338825
This wonderfully titled, and remarkably beautiful book, is a compelling read. The author's unfortunate viral illness that laid her low for many years gave rise to a beautiful experience for the readers. A wonderful book to share with anyone going through hard times, an illness, or is simply someone who loves nature and is fascinated by its complexity and beauty.
2049124
A disclaimer. The book is a fictionalized account of a class I used to teach together with Aaron Hirsh [...]

The book weaves together the story of one place - Bajia de Los Angeles - and the surrounding Midriff Islands in the Sea of Cortez. The book uses literary, historical, and scientific analyses to probe the role of memory in our understanding of the world as we encounter it. The writing is beautiful, the science is top notch and presented clearly for a lay reader, the history from Cortez to the present is fascinating, and the characters are interesting, three dimensional, and very human. You wouldnt be able to put it down and you will learn a lot in the process.

The book just won the 2013 National Outdoor book award and has been very positively reviewed.
Here is one such review in WSJ: [...]

Here is one quote that I like: "A book as rich and intricate as the oceanic world it evokes, Telling Our Way to the Sea is hard to pigeonhole but easy to savor. Using the dramatic backdrop of the Sea of Cortezfertile waters rimmed by brutal desertHirsh plumbs marine biology, evolutionary change, ecological memory, the history of science, and much more to explore the past and possible future of this fecund ecosystem. One of the most thoughtful books on nature, and our place in it, that Ive read in years." Scott Weidensaul, author of Living on the Wind and The First Frontier
3409034
An amazing perspective on a world deeply connected with nature.
2291216
Leaving their home in St. Louis and heading to California along the Santa Fe Trail, the Willis family embarks on a greater journey than anticipated inThe Black Alabaster Box by Frances Schoonmaker.

Young Grace Willis is reluctant to leave the home she knows in St. Louis despite her parents' keen interest to help others by sharing their medical knowledge out west in California. As they begin their wagon-train journey, Grace is reunited with Old Shep, a dog who appears not to have aged, providing her with a source of friendship and comfort along the way. After sickness befalls the group traveling, Grace's parents offer their assistance, but wind up in a precarious position, leading to Grace's kidnapping by an unfriendly family traveling in their company. When the opportunity arises, Grace escapes her kidnappers and meets a kindly traveler who's Old Shep's companion, who sets Grace on a journey of a different, more magical, kind for years to come.

An endearing story that's easily accessible to younger readers with straightforward language that doesn't talk down to them, yet is still enjoyable for older readers, this journey sprinkled with bits of magic is entertaining and edifying as the story unfolds. A quick read that spans from Grace's childhood to that of her children, there are elements of history to educate and offer a sense of setting, as do the adorable illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, while also containing elements of magic and lore to provide fodder for the reader's imagination and develop the narrative into something greater.

*I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
2115633
This book takes the reader on a journey through time showing how the Earth we know today developed, and how this shaped its plants and animals, and how they shaped the planet.  The book blends geology, paleontology and evolutionary biology, with the theme of how all these interact - how the changes in the earth were critical to the evolution of plants and animals and how the earliest algae increased the oxygen content of the planet, enabling air breathing creatures to develop.  Running through this are the travels of the author, and through his journey of discovery one learns how the planet and its plants and animals evolved.  The book is suitable for high school students and those who want a readable overview of geology, paleontology and evolutionary biology.  However, the treatment is only introductory and those who have a more advanced understanding of these subjects may find the book too superficial.  Also, in the process of simplifying the material, I feel that some of it is oversimplified, actually making it less understandable - for me at least.

Exactly what is in the book -
The following is provided for those who want more specific information about the content of the book.  The book is organized into chapters that are organized chronologically, covering:
  The book begins with the "Big Bang", the creation of stars and how supernova explosions created the heavier elements that make up the Earth and those plants and animals that live on it.
  The book explains how initially the oxygen content of the air and sea was too low for those creatures that require this oxygen, but that it was perfect for algae that produced air through photosynthesis, making the planet habitable for oxygen breathing creatures.
  The book discusses the development of the fields of geology and paleontology and its pioneers.
  It discusses continental drift and how it finally came to be accepted and how it explains many of the riddles of paleontology.
  It shows how catastrophic events have shaped the earth and its plants and animals.
  It discusses the complicated interactions between the gradual increase in the intensity of the sun, the interactions between the carbon in the atmosphere and in the granite of the mountains and in the sea, and how the slight changes in the rotation of the earth on its axis and about the sun, all act to alter the climate of the earth and how this has altered the evolution of its plants and animals.
  The book does not contain footnotes, but it does have a very useful section that contains further reading suggestions and notes tied to each chapter.  It also has an index and some black and white photographs and illustrations interspersed within the text.
1254636
This book is a great adventure for anyone who enjoys reading personal accounts of history or simply an honest story of a journey of self exploration. A beautiful mix of humor and reality, A Backpack was a quick read that kept a tired mom turning the pages from start to finish. I'm not normally into dry historical accounts or biographies, and there is nothing boring about this book. I learned about this challenging time without even realizing it. I really hope that this isn't the only thing we hear from Lev Golinkin. He is a talented story teller from whom I would be happy to read more. Kudos on this first book!
1058465
While the book's subtitle boasts, "One Man's Amazing Journey...", a cliched line that probably should be forbidden from any future use, it is nonetheless quite accurate. Tracing the waters of the Nile from Uganda to Egypt, Morrison brings us on a journey not only across thousands of miles of Africa but also through a vast diversity of peoples and their rich and often troubled history. Weaving recent and historical events with the story of his own journey he provides an unique window onto a part of the world all too easily and often ignored. Furthermore, he casts light onto the diverse forces at play behind the conflicts that occasionally make headlines in West newspapers. What many often portray in simplistic terms as strife between Christianity and Islam, Morrison exposes as complex and fluid allegiances and schisms. Often these are less about religious differences and more about the dynamics between the wealthy and poor, those in power and those outside, competing tribes and families, and other fault lines.

The book's core however is really a travelogue, and it moves at a swift and compelling pace. The first half of the book focused largely on the interplay between Morrison and a long-time friend who has joined him on the first leg of the journey. Their procession up the Nile in their small boat delves into their personal histories, the author's work as a journalist stringer, his friend's easy life working in a resort in the United States and frequent trips to the bottom of a bottle. Unable to get a visa into Sudan, and burnt-out from the oppressive heat and relentless insects, his friend leaves Morrison midway into the narrative. Once alone, Morrison spends more time examining the people he meets, the history of the places he visits, and on his own reactions to the situations he encounters.

The narration is occasionally gritty, making the rugged, unpredictable, and often sad lives of the people he meets tangible. Sometimes this tangibility is off-putting, reducing people to the mere the functions of their bodies. More often however the gritty realism of the situation stands in contrast to these people's humble perseverance. Simple dichotomies, between good and bad, friends and enemies are turned on their heads when presumed enemies of friends are gracious and welcoming.

"Life in extremity is difficult to explain-things happen and people don't know why they are happening. Some events were fortunate and others were disastrous and that's how it went."

There are no simple answers in the book. The alliances he examines are constantly reshaped and reevaluated. The landscape similarly is in constant flux, changed by logging, droughts, and streams of garbage. Massive dams threaten rich farmland and traditional ways of life while bringing much needed electricity and development to impoverished towns and cities. This book raises questions, answers a few of them, and will leave a lasting impression.
4456401
Jared Diamond has written a wide-ranging and provocative discussion of our impact on our surroundings and the relationship of that impact to human survival. While this is a great read for anyone interested in the environment, it is also a splendid read for anyone who likes history or who loves to travel.

  In the beginning of his book, Dr. Diamond explores in detail six societies: Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, Henderson Island, the Anasazi, the Classic Lowland Maya, and the Greenland Norse. These societies no longer exist, at least in their most advanced forms. Dr. Diamond explores the fascinating questions regarding the reasons for the demise of these groups. He discusses the environment of each of these societies and the changes that each group made in their own environment. I found his explanations and speculations fascinating. For example, he explains "dendrochronology," the study of tree rings and its useful applications in giving fairly precise estimates of the age of wooden beams in an ancient man-made buildings.

  Later on in the book, he discusses societies that have succeeded to survive in spite of environmental problems. He uses as examples the New Guinea Highlands, Tikopia, and the Tokugawa era in Japan. Just learning about each of these cultures was fascinating and thinking about their strategies for survival was encouraging.

  Towards the end of the book, he discusses environmental issues of great concern to us now and reflects on decision-making and motives both on corporate and individual levels. I found his examples of modern decision-making in Rwanda especially poignant and informative.

  On the whole, I thought this book was a remarkable read for anyone with broad interests in history and current human relationships with our planet.
3659800
Jon Furman's book is a wonderful, multidimensional account of the timber rattlesnake in New York and Vermont. It's a unique book about rattlesnakes and people, a natural history genre gaining momentum these days. Here, Furman has done a very impressive job of bringing together the many threads of scientific research on the timber rattlesnakes, and presenting them in an engaging way in a fast-paced account.  By interviewing scientists and lay persons, including notorious rattlesnake hunters, the author's account is infused with fascinating natural history details, like the observation of a snake drinking water from between its coils during a heavy rain storm that punctuated the end of a very long dry period, or the traits that make them such perfect predators of rodents. The story of the snake's remarkable biology, revealed by elegant field research, is juxtaposed with the story of its dreadful persecution at the hands of bounty hunters in the years before the mid-nineteen seventies when the practice was discontinued. Yet, in spite of their being seriously decimated, many populations have recovered to some extent. This is in part due to the snake's cryptic coloration, coupled with the rugged terrain it inhabits, and in part due to the efforts of many concerned researchers and lay persons that led to its protection in New York and New England. Furman tells this success story in some detail, but it's not just a downbeat recounting of snake loss and a vilification of the hunters. Rather, Furman offers a sympathetic view into the lives and motivations of the bounty hunters, which is of historical interest, owing to the fact that he was able to speak with them while still living; most have since passed away.  In these enlightened days, one wants to know how to protect nature, and Furman's advice for protecting rattlesnakes, along with his strong plea for their conservation, has some refreshingly new ideas, which are worth serious thought.
I teach a vertebrate ecology course, and ask my students to read a book on vertebrates, which they have to clear with me beforehand. They tend to gravitate towards sharks, whales, tigers and the like, but I keep a copy on my desk of some good natural history books on less well-known or, as is the case here, well-liked animals, and when they ask for my advice, which they frequently do, I hold this book in front of them and say, "Here's a book that you will be very glad you read!"
4942287
This is an interesting and engaging way to enjoy nature.  I've been reading the book to my 8yo daughter, then the next day we'll try to find correlates in our local environs (the book is from the Massachussets area, I live in Alabama).  Very entertaining.
2223359
In "The Culture of Nature," Alexander Wilson argues that our sense of what counts as nature or as natural is by no means a "natural" or spontaneous perception of a preexistant and untouchable Nature.  Instead, he demonstrates that how we experience and think of nature are largely shaped by the cultural, social, political, and economic forces that surround us and pervade our experience even when we think we have escaped them by leaving the city and venturing into the great outdoors.  To support his argument, Wilson offers compelling anaylses of theme parks, forest preserves, wildlife conservation programs, scenic roadways, car, truck, train and air travel, and more.  I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the city versus the wildnerness experience, in how cultural forces affect our sense of what is natural, and in the role that government and financial forces have on our experience of our surroundings--especially of our "natural" surroundings.
3738500
Looking for Hickories is a personal narrative interwoven with Michigan history and information about native flora and fauna, especially trees.  The author found a sort of redemption through the Michigan forest, not in a New-Age way, but in a very straightforward, Michigan way.  As an active member of a land conservancy, I particularly enjoyed his chapters on land trusts and on handling invasive species.  He points out what seems to have escaped many otherwise gentle people: for millenia, the land has survived many disasters and flourished, without man's help burning, poisoning, and bulldozing vast tracts in the name of ecological purity.

I took this book out of the library and then bought a copy, so I could pass it around to members of the conservancy.  My only reservation is that the book tries to be several things at once: a memoir of personal development, a personal history of his family, a compendium of Michigan trees and their uses in pioneer days, the remnants of these old days still visible in the Michigan countryside; the problems that face land conservation today; various sick people who burn old barns or forests; and his own young family.  While he handles many of these quite well, they might have held together better as the subject matter of several books.

All in all, a worthwhile read, especially to anyone who knows and loves the woods and waters of Michigan.
1384671
This is a collection of natural history essays based on the observations and thoughts of the author in his year-long visit to the same patch of forest in Tennessee. In each, the author offers you an insight or explanation of what he sees, hears and feels, and in the process draws you into his world. The writing is simple yet eloquent and the essays are not only educational but convey the delight and deep respect the author has for the natural world. A highly recommended book for all who enjoy and are curious about the natural world and the pleasure of quiet moments.