Adventure and conservation success
588695
Secrets of the Savanna is a lyric and fulfilling sequel to the Owenses' second book, The Eye of the Elephant.  Fighting poachers and helping rural Africans in order to save an entire elephant population works and it is all bound up in inspiring language.  One longs to be in the spot that is more color than place.  I highly recommend this book for the adventure, engaging wildlife experiences and beautiful writing. Conservation that works.  How wonderful is that? Like all of Delia and Mark's books - I could not put it down.
3810613
John D. McQuaig, business consultant and mountaineer, draws for the reader a set of parallels between his two pursuits. He tells us that all the vision, planning and focus that go into a successful climb are likewise the keys to building a successful business.

While there are many books on business ownership, I have never read one that so happily blended business with action and adventure.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Parallel-Peaks-Business-Insights-While-Climbing-the-World-s-Highest-Mountains/dp/1599960702/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Parallel Peaks: Business Insights While Climbing the World's Highest Mountains</a>&nbsp;is short (116 pages) and highly readable, and makes a good starting point for anyone planning a business venture--or wanting to reclaim the joy and enthusiasm of a pursuit gone stale.

McQuaig's eight keys to success are enumerated elsewhere so I won't list them here. All of them, however, are well within the control of a committed entrepreneur. Even his eighth key, luck, can be managed to a certain extent: prepare to capitalize on good luck and mitigate the bad effects when circumstances go awry.

The linkage between climbing and business came to McQuaig at the summit of Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro. Throughout the book he entertains with stories from this and other climbs, and there are numerous highly apt examples and anecdotes. It may be "business lite," but on the other hand "fourteeners" (mountains exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation) are risky to life and limb, so a climber's technique has to be sound if he's going to come back to his desk and write about it.

John D McQuaig, like Douglas Adams, delightfully exploits "the fundamental interconnectedness of all things." (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Dirk-Gently-s-Holistic-Detective-Agency/dp/0671746723/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency</a>)

Thanks to J. Kaye Oldner, on whose Book Blog I won this book. I recommend it to you as a quick and inspiring read.

Linda Bulger, 2008
3902089
Anything with the names Richard Leakey and Virginia Morell on the cover is guaranteed to be a worthwhile read.  Like his equally brilliant and famous father Louis, Richard Leakey is not without controversial opinion.  Though generally in agreement with the authors, I found this book challenging some of my basic assumptions about conservation.  To that end the book provides an excellent point of departure for classroom discussions on major conservation issues of the day such as community roles in conservation, the effectiveness of National Parks in protecting wildlife and biodiversity, and the interplay between international, national and local needs and strategies.  The book is an exhilarating, easy read and will appeal to a broad range of ages and cultural backgrounds.
2213159
It is a good read, engaging for most part. The result of his conservation efforts is superlative.
3739030
This book tells the story of how humans can impact the environment, first negatively then come together to bring back balance. It's enlightening and inspiring to read about the work it takes to stop the spread of this invasive algae. This book has given me a whole new appreciation for those who protect our natural environments and the effort it takes to bring everyone together. A great read for anyone interested in conservation.
15539
I found the Akenson's story very enjoyable reading--it's broken into short chapters almost like short stories.  As a wildlife biologist, I appreciated the  authoritative descriptions of the whole gamut of wild creatures they encountered during their backcountry ramblings.  In addition to learning about wilderness, the reader will enjoy the  human interest from unique characters that populate the stories and the backcountry "culture".  This book should have wide-ranging appeal.
3246745
A great story full of adventure, personality, resourcefulness and survival. Its refreshing to to see an author include the faith journey of the survivors as well as their travails. I have already recommended it to a number of people and plan to read more of Druett's work.  I recommend it for the survival story as well as the lesson it animal behavior in particular the seals.

Jack Guiso
2590959
Most people perish,in harsh environments,because they did not understand their surroundings. Hikers gettings lost,boaters caught in bad weather,or accident victims trapped in unforeseen circumstances,could have had better chances of living if they had learned survival skills beforehand. The more knowledge one has the more avenues open-up toward survival. This book was written with all extreme environmental scenarios and conditions in mind. Crisis management is key to survival. Lost hikers could have weathered a bad situation ,if they knew how to build a proper shelter and knew which plants were edible from the poisonous types. Five different conditions are discussed. Surviving the Tropics,Desert,Cold Climates,Oceanic Sea,and Unusual Conditions. Unusual situations such as ,procedures for plane crashs,nuclear attack and the various natural disasters. There are also five appendix topics discussed,global poisonous snakes,preparing a survival kit,your ideal first-aid kit,making survival weapons,and reading orientation charts .If you're preparing for a journey,expect the unexpected. I would recommend reading this survivalist book first,and then taking a copy along on your trek. This book reminds me of an advanced boy-scout manual for the serious adventurer. One cannot always carry around a copy. So,making mental images ,from the reading, will greatly enhance your ability to exist. Escaping a traumatic episode in the outdoors,as rational as possible. This survivalist book has excellent advice for boaters,hikers,campers and outdoorsmen alike.
3322236
First and foremost, the topic of the book is of historical significance in the world of climbing, so it's a "must read" if you are into that sort of thing.  If you aren't, it's still a great adventure read.  Well worth the time.  I'm glad I read it and would recommend it to people who enjoy outdoor adventures.

The text itself is written well, flows nicely, and is generally an easy read.  I also found it to have a good balance between the characters emotions, the activity of the climb, and local color and flavor.

Something I found interesting was the attitude of Herzog.  Granted, this was written in the 50's, but it was intersting to see his attitudes towards the local people.  He certainly had a "I'm better than you" attitude towards the local Porters and Sherpas.  He also displayed a lot of attitude towards other members of his expedition.  At one moment he would be very condescending and critical, then a few pages later he would be singing their praises.

I wish the book had a bigger glossary than it does.  I frequently found myself going to the glossary to look up the meaning of a word that was used, and didn't find it.  Here, I'm talking about "climbing lingo" and words and phrases that Herzog uses that are relative to the language of the locals in Tibet and India.

I also didn't care for the placement of the photographs.  They often didn't follow the text.  A picture could preceed or follow the pertinent text by 100 pages, which made for a lot of "page flipping".  It would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the photographs before reading the text, so that you know when to go back and find a specific photo.

Outside of this book, I've learned that there is a lot of controversy over what "really" happened and Herzog's attitude and motivations.  If you read this book, keep in mind that this isn't necessarily what actually happened, but more of an account of what Herzog wanted you to know.  Take most of it with a grain of salt, and do some additional research to get the full picture.

Also, understand that this climb was a "first" at that height, and was using technologies and understanding of altitude at that time.  A reader with current climbing knowledge will often read a passage and think to himself "No Kidding, Dummy!", but we know that hindsight is 20/20.  Their accomplishment is all the more exciting knowing that things we know and understand today, were unknown to them... and don't forget, they didn't have the high tech equipment that todays climbers have.
2228091
The author does an excellent job of describing all aspects of this adventure and feat of survival.  It was well researched and the writing keeps the reader engaged.
2732438
"True North" is not a book for everyone. It takes someone who has either explored wild places or dreams about doing it or those who perhaps have a survivalist nature and enjoy being in the great outdoors.

The book is written in first person. Elliot Merrick and his then-girlfriend Kay, both living in Labrador, (he as a teacher and she as a nurse) decide to join up with a hunting/furring party for their yearly winter trek to the wilds of that northern country to trap/shoot fur-bearing animals for sale of their pelts later (their only means of income at the time). To say that they met with hardship would be a vast understatement. It was grueling, frozen and hellish and they both seemed to love nearly every minute of it. Kay is featured as the remarkable woman she is for not only keeping up with the men but providing an early glimpse of a truly emancipated, independent woman.

The book is a diary of sorts, running from Sept. 9th to Jan. 12th, 1930-31. Various days are described in great detail and Merrick's emotional state is not left out nor is his tendency towards philosophy about the adventure. Aspects of their style of living and what it takes to simply get through each day will interest those who long for wilder places and may perhaps temper that longing. Their ordeal is not for those more used to a couch and TV and I suspect many living in today's pampered style would perish within days. Hunting, trapping and scouting happen when they are not traveling towards their destination to various "tilts", the small, primitive cabins which dot their trail and are waiting for them as they make their journeys. Their travels make up a great deal of the book and Merrick writes about seemingly endless treks over snow and ice, both going to and from the hunting grounds, hauling their sled of supplies behind them.

The style of writing is an older, more thoughtful one which I found enjoyable. There are some odd inner conflicts with which Merrick alternately struggles/enjoys, weighing in on the aspects of "modern" (remember, it's the 30s) living compared to the basic survival needs of their daily existence. He routinely slams modern city life, yet seems to be happy about coming back to it at the end. He disses book knowledge because it can't provide one with food and shelter, yet he does so in... a book! The pace of events may bother some, but I thought it nicely matched their pace of life in the snow and ice. Some readers may be disappointed in the lack of "drama" or emotional interaction, but Merrick's descriptions of the personalities and events truly work as an impressionist painting, tasking the viewer to fill in the voids.

Having been born into a family of hunters and nature lovers, I am used to hearing relatives tell of various adventures and I enjoyed this book's familiarity. Having built a cabin myself from scratch, I've struggled with many of the same situations and had empathy for the people who Merrick writes about, though my struggle was a joyride compared to Merrick's. I highly recommend this book for those who have similar tastes and leanings.
3494343
A good account of quite a remarkable adventure. I have been freezing in my home today and the temperature is just a touch below 65 degrees. They may have been young men but they had grit. It was a very comfortable read. Well written and personal, not a textbook account. Although I knew they made it I still was cheering them on throughout the book.  Highly recommend it.
4460551
Three and a half miles offshore the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and sixty feet under the Atlantic ocean sits Aquarius, the world's only undersea research station. This pressure-resistant steel cylinder allows author Kenneth Mallory and National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry to spend seven days living in the Atlantic ocean, studying and exploring the sea life. Their findings make for this fascinating book ... a real life adventure beneath the sea.

Although Aquarius is a self-contained space for living, it's a tight fit with dimensions of only 43 feet long and 9 feet in diameter. The underwater pod is attached to a large above water platform called the Life Support Buoy, which produces a steady flow of air and communicates with Mission Control on land. After extensive training, the pair pass the tests necessary to allow them to live underwater for the next seven days.

Living underwater means that they will be able to become humans living like fishes. Actually, they will use scuba equipment and a tagging system to track fish around the reef to see where they go. At a later date, conservation biologists will use this information to design better habitats to protect fish. Very cleverly, the divers devise a way to implant a tracking device inside a moray eel (who are not as easy to catch as the smaller fish): using a bologna sandwich as bait.

The first chapter explains the station and the second chapter gives a rundown of their mission. Chapter three covers the extensive training process needed to set foot on Aquarius, and chapters four and five show what life is like for the next week. All the chapters are accompanied by magnificent underwater photography that makes the whole book come alive. The clear, straightforward writing paired with the photographs really give readers a great sense of what living on Aquarius would be like. Consequently, this book treads the fine line of being both a good learning tool and immensely interesting.
470835
This true story is one that grips the reader.  After his boat sunk, Steven Callahan had no time to grab much of the supplies he had on board.  The urgency was to get off and into the rubber life raft before he went down with the ship.  The difficulty of surviving was intense with thirst and hunger often severe.  His knowledge of boats and the ocean was very helpful to him.  An ordinary person who didn't have this knowledge would not have survived, I don't think.  He was almost constantly trying to make the 2 stills work which would convert ocean water to fresh water, bailing water out of the raft and trying to catch a fish or bird to eat.  The raft was bigger than what was considered needed for 1 person.  However,he was crowded all the time.  I can't imagine how any more people could have been in there.  Definitely makes one think that all such life rafts need to be bigger than the recommendation.  I was intrigued  with his struggles and doubt he could have lasted much longer.  The drain on his body and his emotions was so very heavy, his determination saved him.  National Geographic counts this among the 100 best adventure books ever written and I thoroughly agree.
3823040
It's a scenario that's been replayed throughout history.
The numbers of a species approach the edge of extinction.  Just as with Loggerhead Sea Turtles, American Bald Eagles, and Peregrine Falcons, the Right Whale has a better chance of survival because individuals not only cared about its well-being, but took action to assist.
Few people may know, until Frank's Whales lands in their lap, that Northeast Florida is a critical birthing ground for the Right Whale, the rarest large whale in the Atlantic Ocean.  Frank Gromling's book explores this majestic creature's natural history and the protection programs that hope to safeguard this whale's numbers, beginning with the whalers who, in prior centuries, reduced populations to a critical level, and moving forward to modern times, when ship strikes pose a serious threat.
The author relates his own experiences as part of a volunteer group that records observations and data to assist government agencies in formulating plans for the Right Whale's protection.
This book is perfect for many purposes.  For the environmentally conscious, it's a lovely example of those who do more than protest:  they give their time to help on behalf of a cause they hold dear.
For any student doing a life sciences report or project, this book will also be an invaluable resource, because it offers original research from first hand accounts, something not readily available for many projects.
The book is also interesting to a casual reader, because Frank Gromling tells a good story in an unpretentious, direct manner that puts the reader on the observation deck with him.
A bonus in this book involves exceptional black and white photographs of these whales and other ocean species, and related charts and maps.
I would highly recommend this book to any reader.
1596072
This book succeeds well both as a conservation and as an action story about leading change.
Dr. Richard Leakey, son of the famous Louis and Mary Leakey, is best known for his work in unearthing early human fossils in Kenya.  While doing his paleontological work, he also headed up the National Kenya Museum.  As a high profile Kenyan, his criticisms of the rampant slaughter of wild elephants had drawn the attention of Kenya's president, Mr. Daniel arap Moi.  Without warning, Dr. Leakey was appointed head of the Kenya Department of Wildlife and Conservation Management in 1989 and given encouragement to solve the problem.
Dr. Leakey found many serious problems.  Corruption was rampant (rangers often were doing the poaching or helping the poachers).  Less than 5 percent of the equipment worked.  Little training was provided.  Basics like gasoline were not available to maintain patrols.  The poachers were using automatic weapons and had the rangers outgunned by a wide margin.  Tourists were being robbed and killed, which potentially would dry up sources of income for Kenya.
What follows is a truly astonishing tale of how one man made a difference, but not quite enough of one.  Reorganized as the Kenya Wildlife Service, the new organization became effective in fighting the poachers.  Dr. Leakey fought untiringly to stop the international ivory trade and change consumer attitudes away from ivory products.  To launch this effort, he publicly burned over three million dollars of seized ivory for the international television cameras.  He also made many trips to economically advanced countries to raise funds, and obtained capital needed to establish a self-funding wildlife activity in Kenya.
But as the checks began to roll in, the political hands became outstretched.  Dr. Leakey resigned in 1994 to protest the lost of autonomy for the KWS, and most of the money was diverted for non-wildlife spending.  On the brink of bankruptcy, he was brought in to improve operations again in 1998 and had everything in the black within a year.
The book also recounts Dr. Leakey's serious health problems.  His life was saved by a kidney transplant from his brother in 1979.  A 1993 plane crash caused part of both legs to be amputated.
What you also may not know about Dr. Leakey is that his formal educational training stopped around high school.  He actually started out a safari business as a young man.  So even in his best known area, he learned on the job.  The same thing happened with his work on behalf of elephants.  You will probably agree with me that he was astonishingly effective in both areas.
The main flaw in his plan was that his new agency needed to be more independent of Kenyan politics, and the funding from the World Bank should not have flowed through the Kenyan treasury where it provided too much political temptation.
The end of the book briefly recounts his conversion into a parliamentary political opponent of the ruling party.
I came away very impressed with the courage of the Kenyan rangers in taking on the poachers.  Until several years into the program, the rangers were very likely to be killed in each engagement.  For a scientist like Dr. Leakey to envision how to build and motivate a military organization was quite remarkable.
If you ever have a chance to see an elephant in Kenya, be sure to remember to think kindly of the brave Kenyans who made it possible.
After you finish this book, think about rare wildlife near where you live.  What can you do to help ensure that the wildlife will be there for future generations?  Be sure to remember Dr. Leakey's observation, &#8220;There is surely no simple prescription.&#8221;
Help create a better world for all the animals and people!
873843
"Two Coots in a Canoe" is a catchy title!  After not seeing one- another for more than twenty years, author David Morine, aka "Bugsy," and his old college pal, Ramsay Peard decide to get together in the spring of 2003 to canoe the Connecticut River from "source to Sound," (Sound, as in Long Island Sound).  This journey had been discussed years earlier as a sort of far-flung fantasy adventure.  Now the journey is to become a reality.

Their intent is not to rough it by toting lots of gear and camping along the way but instead--and in the spirit of Blanche of "Streetcar" fame--to "rely on the kindness of strangers," for food and lodging.  Ramsay takes on the role of coordinator of hosts or "strangers," as Bugsy refers to them.  There is much to be learned from the stories and interactions with the "strangers," who each night provide them respite in a temporary home.  Author Morine provides interesting analysis and insight into choices made and lives lived.

For Bugsy and Ramsay, this is a journey of body and boat. However, two very different individuals are in the bow and stern of this canoe.  With each passing day, the canoe shortens.  Ramsay is a difficult person for anyone to get along with.  He is a selfish and difficult man, though not without his virtues.  As author, Bugsy gets to tell the tale. Ramsay has only a short introductory piece at the beginning of the book. This may not be fair.  However, it is easy to see who is the compromiser--and who gets his way.

Bugsy is a lifelong conservationist and for nearly twenty years, was head of land acquisition for the Nature Conservancy.  He knows more than a little about this game.  Environmentalists, canoeists, bird watchers and fishermen will enjoy his explanation of land acquisition strategies. His observations of river conditions along the way reveal a keen eye.  In the second half of the journey, Bugsy takes on a temporary role as a funder of conservation rights and land acquisitions.  He morphs into something of a pasha as supplicants seek to impress him with their projects and garner his support.

The real nexus of this tale is the interaction between these two very different men.

The last section of the book covers the Massachusetts and Connecticut sections of the river.  The attentive reader will sense a darkening tone to the journey.  Warning: I highly recommend that the reader not read the inside jacket cover or jump ahead to the last chapter.  If these temptations can be resisted, the reader will be rewarded for not contaminating a full appreciation of this last stage of the journey.

Two apt expressions make their debut in this book:  "yupped up," and "Martha'd out," (Martha, as in Stewart).  The reader will have no trouble figuring out their appropriate usage.

"Two Coots in a Canoe," are two guys who no longer have much in common, if ever they did. Frankly, they don't like each other all that much.  Were it not for the old grad school connection, this association would never have happened.

"Two Coots in a Canoe" is about getting along. There is much about life to be learned by taking this journey with Bugsy and Ramsay.