Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"An American Birding Association Best Bird Book of the Year""A very fine book, meeting all the established criteria for a successful modern field guide, and in many instances exceeding them."---David M. Gascoigne, Travels With Birds"This book is a MUST have for anyone birding Costa Rica!"---Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report"Lavishly and beautiful[ly] illustrated."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature"An exemplary field guide and a rich source of information on Costa Rican birds. . . . We anticipate that it will become the guide of choice for many years to come."---Luke Owen Frishkoff & Evan Matthew, Journal of Field Ornithology"Costa Rica has long been a popular birding destination, and over time access to sites and our knowledge of the birds there has increased significantly. The authors have used all of that knowledge to produce an excellent, lightweight guide that will undoubtedly become the go-to guide for visitors to this wonderful country."---Frank Lambert, Frank Lambert Birding"The paintings are so elegant. . . . An impressive work."---Rebecca Minardi, American Birding Association

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Book SynopsisWonderful and enriching' Adam NicolsonThe best book on conservation and the countryside I have read in years' John Lewis-StempelA modern pastoral written with intelligence, wit and lyricism' Cal FlynOur wild places and wildlife are disappearing at a terrifying rate. This is a story about going in search of the people who are trying to save our birds, as well as confronting the enormity of what losing them would really mean.In this beautiful and thought-provoking blend of nature and travel writing Patrick Galbraith sets off across Britain on a journey that may well be his last chance to see some of our disappearing birds. Along the way, from Orkney to West Wales, from the wildest places to post-industrial towns, he meets a fascinatingly eclectic group of people who in very different ways are on the front line of conservation, tirelessly doing everything they can to save ten species teetering dangerously close to extinction.In Search of One Last Song mixes conservation, folklore, historyTrade Review‘One of the great oral histories of British nature and the British countryside … Sad and honest and important and often very funny’ Richard Smyth, Review 31 ‘A treasury of a book … filled with beautiful moments, amazing and sometimes rather surprising characters, and, if we could only learn from them, reasons for hope.’ John Burnside, New Statesman 'It's a delight to jump into this slightly strange parallel world. Galbraith is such an able communicator of its weirdness, that it is a pleasure to go along for the ride’ The Times ‘In terms of both scope and execution, this book is a hugely impressive achievement, and it will be fascinating to see where Galbraith goes from here.’ The Scotsman ‘An important and timely book that explores the human context of an ecological emergency. Galbraith is a thoughtful, assured and elegant writer who brings a mature intelligence and open-minded insight to his subject.' Oban Times ‘Entertaining’ Jamie Blackett, Country Life ‘Galbraith’s writing is beautiful … In Search of One Last Song feels like an important step in the right direction’ Stephen Rutt, British Birds ‘The birds come to life in his fine writing’ Helen Bynum, Literary Review ‘Galbraith combines the ability to write lyrically with a formidable grasp of his subject’ The Week ‘Patrick Galbraith’s engaging debut volume will appeal to the layman as much as to the committed naturalist, being a quirkily enjoyable journey through a slightly nether worldly version of Britain.’ David Profumo, The Critic ‘The writing is strong, the book an impressive debut, establishing Galbraith as a quality writer.’ Tim Dee, Caught by the River ​​‘The best book on conservation and the countryside I have read in years’ John Lewis-Stempel ‘Beautifully written and earthy’ Philip Womack, The London Magazine

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Book SynopsisThe high street is in crisis. How did we get here and what happens next? The global pandemic has made the crisis immeasurably worse but it wasn’t the cause. The crisis was already raging in 2019 with thousands of store closures. Large retailers became complacent and failed to respond to changing consumer behaviour. Town centres are the victims of these changes rather than the cause of them. To understand the current crisis and how it might be addressed, this book takes a long view of retailing based on a hundred case studies. It looks at the way town centres responded to previous crises and explores current trends affecting town centres and how places are responding. The message is optimistic: adaptable town centres can once more become the diverse, characterful, independent places that existed before they were homogenised by big retail. Explore the past – understand the present – find a better future.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART 1: The Roots of the Crisis Chapter 1: Places of exchange Chapter 2: Death by supermarket Chapter 3: Heading Out of Town Chapter 4: From Boom to Bust PART 2: Future Retail Chapter 5: Independent and Creative Chapter 6: Grocers and Purveyors of Fine Food Chapter 7: Food and Beverage Chapter 8: Online and e-Commerce Chapter 9: Sound and Vision Chapter 10: Home and GardenChapter 11: Fashion and Beauty PART 3: Future High Street Chapter 12: The City Chapter 13: The Mall Chapter 14: The Town Chapter 15: The High Street Part 4: ConclusionsChapter 16; Conclusions

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Book SynopsisHow going flight-free can save the planet - and change how you see the worldTrade ReviewHelen Coffey’s book is an inspiration to share the joys of terrestrial travel – whether on high-speed rail, a slow boat to Africa or, as a pilgrim, on two feet. Be transported to a gentler, more analogue world – with simple pleasures such as the splash of the Adriatic less than 24 hours after leaving London -- Simon Calder, author of No Frills: The Truth Behind the Low-Cost Revolution in the SkiesZero Altitude is passionate, entertaining and compelling, yet light-hearted. Helen puts forward a strong case for travelling without flying that will have you yearning to follow in her grounded footsteps -- Anna Hughes, director of Flight Free UK

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Book SynopsisPlanktonia invites readers to dive into the dazzling nighttime ocean. Countless microscopic plankton ascend to the upper waters to feed, returning to the depths before sunrise. These tiny planktonic creatures are delicate and beautiful; some look terrifying; and most look nothing like the creatures they will become as adults.

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Book SynopsisIn Ruderal City Bettina Stoetzer traces relationships among people, plants, and animals in contemporary Berlin as they make their lives in the ruins of European nationalism and capitalism. She develops the notion of the ruderal—originally an ecological designation for the unruly life that inhabits inhospitable environments such as rubble, roadsides, train tracks, and sidewalk cracks—to theorize Berlin as a “ruderal city.” Stoetzer explores sites in and around Berlin that have figured in German national imaginaries—gardens, forests, parks, and rubble fields—to show how racial, class, and gender inequalities shape contestations over today’s uses and knowledges of urban nature. Drawing on fieldwork with gardeners, botanists, migrant workers, refugees, public officials, and nature enthusiasts while charting human and more-than-human worlds, Stoetzer offers a wide-ranging ethnographic portrait of Berlin’s postwar ecologies that reveals Table of ContentsPreface: Forest Tracks vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Rubble 1. Botanical Encounters 35 Gardens 2. Gardening the Ruins 67 Parks 3. Provisioning against Austerity 103 4. Barbecue Area 138 Forests 5. Living in the Unheimlich 173 6. Stories of the “Wild East” 205 Epilogue: Seeding Livable Futures 239 Notes 245 References 283 Index 319

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2023 Nautilus Book Award in the category of Animals & NatureThe surprising, fascinating, and remarkable ways that animals use creativity to thrive in their habitatsMost of us view animals through a very narrow lens, seeing only bits and pieces of beings that seem mostly peripheral to our lives. However, whether animals are building a shelter, seducing a mate, or inventing a new game, animals' creative choices affect their social, cultural, and environmental worlds.The Creative Lives of Animals offers readers intimate glimpses of creativity in the lives of animals, from elephants to alligators to ants. Drawing on a growing body of scientific research, Carol Gigliotti unpacks examples of creativity demonstrated by animals through the lens of the creative process, an important component of creative behavior, and offers new thinking on animal intelligence, emotion, and self-awareness. With examples of the elaborate dams built byTrade ReviewCarol Gigliotti’s The Creative Lives of Animals deconstructs our conceit that humans alone are capable of emotion, creativity and synthetic thinking. The author joyfully perforates the rigid tenets of behavioral science with vivid stories from the fresh edge of research. It is good to live in a time when human self-reference is finally yielding to the undeniable evidence of magnificent animal minds. -- Julie Zickefoose * Wall Street Journal *The Creative Lives of Animals makes its strongest case when advocating a revision of how to think about, and act towards, animals. Ms. Gigliotti points out that humans are only one of millions of species on Earth. She suggests a retreat from anthropocentrism in favor of recognition that animals are individuals with complicated, powerful, creative lives of their own. * The Economist *An illuminating account of creativity in the wild. Gigliotti makes a solid case that humans have a lot to learn about the creatures that they share the planet with, and that much of what scientists previously thought was uniquely human isn’t. Fans of Jane Goodall and Frans de Waal will be pleased. * Publishers Weekly (starred) *Gigliotti builds the case that animals of all types—from elephants to ants—are intelligent, albeit in ways that may manifest differently than humans, and they can communicate nuance, allowing individual behavioral innovation to spread through a community. Ultimately, her agenda is to seek greater empathy, value, and protection for animals by including them into a global creative force. This broad survey of creative animal behavior will appeal to artists of all types and to animal lovers. * Library Journal *If you’ve ever purchased one of the many different types of ‘squirrel proof’ bird feeders, you can attest to the resourcefulness of animals. In this intriguing investigation of animal ingenuity, Gigliotti contemplates the novelty and meaning of creativity along with some essential elements, such as curiosity, flexibility, and persistence. * Booklist *From playfully bowing puppies to seductively singing alligators, Carol Gigliotti combines examples from interviews with scientists and excerpts of previously published books in this delightful index of animal inventiveness. -- Fionna M. D. Samuels * Scientific American *The Creative Lives of Animals is a game-changer. Carol Gigliotti shows how important creativity –improvisation and invention–is in a wide variety of contexts including expressing different emotions, playing, socially communicating with others, courting, mating, and raising children, and designing and engineering animals' homes. Easy-to-read and science-based, The Creative Lives of Animals will be of interest to a broad audience including researchers and non-researchers alike, and surely will change the ways in which humans view and treat the fascinating animals with whom we share our magnificent planet. * Marc Bekoff, author of Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do *Finely written. Gigliotti, tuned into nature and the lives of animals, offers a good model for the rest of us to follow, helping us see the world not from myopic humanism but from the perspective of animals. Implicitly, Gigliotti asks everyone and not just scientists to learn about the lives of animals in our shared ecosphere to which we are all tied with an equal fate. -- Gregory F. Tague * Leonardo Reviews *In her marvelous book, Gigliotti reveals the astonishing depth and genius of animal creativity, demolishing a common view of animals as little more than robots mindlessly enacting the scripts given to them by Nature. Drawing on a century of ethological findings, the author shows how animals bring deep intelligence, emotions, and even an aesthetic sensibility to bear on their daily challenges. Animals are shown to be not mere ‘types,’ but creative individuals and artists of their own lives. This is the rare work that opens our eyes to worlds of experience and being that would otherwise remain hidden from us. * John Sanbonmatsu, author of Critical Theory and Animal Liberation *The Creative Lives of Animals is smart, original, and well-written. Gigliotti topples one of the last remaining conceits about what distinguishes humans from nonhuman animals: the aptitude for creative expression and aesthetic appreciation. The Creative Lives of Animals is masterfully researched, and will surely make vital contributions to debates not only in animal studies but also in the philosophy of mind and even performance studies. At the same time, the writing sparkles, and the book overflows with stories so accessible and well-crafted that the book deserves wide readership. This is a work that has the potential to fundamentally change the way we think about animals--and ourselves. * Colin Jerolmack, author of The Global Pigeon *If you doubt that other beings can create, prepare to be convinced otherwise. With a delightful combination of science and anecdote, Gigliotti explores a neglected facet of the inner lives of our fellow denizens of planet Earth. The result is a highly readable and accessible foray into the creative lives of animals. -- Jonathan BalcombeSo many people are reluctant to admit that the species we share this planet with are also creative. Perhaps this book will change their minds. Eye-opening and fascinating. -- John Yunker * EcoLit Books *Many songbirds are born without the ability to sing. So should those that learn — and other animals — be called creative? Carol Gigliotti interviews scientists who think they should be, and agrees with them. An animal activist, author and artist who has taught design and dynamic media, she defines creativity as a 'dynamic process' in which individuals generate 'novel and meaningful behavior' that might affect others at cultural, species and evolutionary levels. -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *This broad survey of creative animal behaviour makes a compelling case that animals of all types (from insects to mammals) are capable of behavioural innovation and provides artists insight into their own creativity. -- Nathalie Atkinson * The Globe and Mail *Gigliotti's palpable love of the animal world is expressed in graceful and affecting prose… the author deserves praise for creating this beautiful prose paean to the other animals who inhabit our shared world. -- D. Altschiller, Boston University * CHOICE *

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Book SynopsisThe first memoir by an indigenous tribal leader in the Amazon, who fought Big Oil to preserve her tribe's territories, and thousands of acres of pristine rainforest.

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Book SynopsisZombies have become an increasingly popular object of research in academic studies and, of course, in popular media. Over the past decade, they have been employed to explain mathematical equations, vortex phenomena in astrophysics, the need for improved laws, issues within higher education, and even the structure of human societies. Despite the surge of interest in the zombie as a critical metaphor, no coherent theoretical framework for studying the zombie actually exists. Addressing this current gap in the literature, Theorising the Contemporary Zombie defines zombiism as a means of theorising and examining various issues of society in any given era by immersing those social issues within the destabilising context of apocalyptic crisis; and applying this definition, the volume considers issues including gender, sexuality, family, literature, health, popular culture and extinction.Table of ContentsContents: Abstract Author Biographies List of Figures Introduction - Scott Hamilton and Conor Heffernan I. Zombified Bodies 1. Zombies, Deviance, and the Right to Posthuman Life - Poppy Wilde (Birmingham City University) 2. The Apocalypse Workout: Health, Identity and Zombies - Conor Heffernan (University of Texas at Austin) 3. Zombie Orgies and the Fear of the Outer Limits: Examining the Relationship between Fear, Pornography and Zombies - Caroline West (Dublin City University) 4. Aloha-oe: Hello, Goodbye to Love and Family in Sang-ho Yeon's Train to Busan - Harvey O'Brien (University College Dublin) II. Critical Environments 5. The Stalking Dead: Ireland's Ambiguous Revenants and the Case for a Folk-Zombie Revival - Jack Fennell (University of Limerick) 6. M.R. Carey's The Boy on the Bridge: Ethics and the Apocalypse - Scott Eric Hamilton (University College Dublin) 7. Zombie Colony: The Heteronomy of the Greek State & The Datura of Cultural Capital - Konstantinos Kerasovitis (University of Wolverhampton) 8. Last Ones Left Alive: Zombies and Post-Politics - Deirdre Flynn (University College Dublin) III. Undead Cultures 9. Beware the Zuvembies: Comics, Censorship, and the Ubiquity of Not-Quite-Zombies - Chera Kee (Wayne State University) 10. Distortions of the Video Dead: The Degradation of Reality in the Era of Zombie VHS - Peter Wright (The University of Sydney) 11. 'Violence is Italian art': Art and Adaptation in Lucio Fulci's 'Gates of Hell' Trilogy - Miranda Corcoran (University College Cork) 12. Surviving the Shambling Signifieds: Zombies, Language, and Chaos - Andrew Ferguson (University of Maryland) Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWith a new introduction by the author Some thousands of years ago, the world was home to an immense variety of large mammals. From wooly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers to giant ground sloths and armadillos the size of automobiles, these spectacular creatures roamed freely. Then human beings arrived. Devouring their way down the food chain as they spread across the planet, they began a process of voracious extinction that has continued to the present. Headlines today are made by the existential threat confronting remaining large animals such as rhinos and pandas. But the devastation summoned by humans extends to humbler realms of creatures including beetles, bats and butterflies. Researchers generally agree that the current extinction rate is nothing short of catastrophic. Currently the earth is losing about a hundred species every day. This relentless extinction, Ashley Dawson contends in a primer that combines vast scope with elegant precision, is the product of a global attack on the commons, the great trove of air, water, plants and creatures, as well as collectively created cultural forms such as language, that have been regarded traditionally as the inheritance of humanity as a whole. This attack has its genesis in the need for capital to expand relentlessly into all spheres of life. Extinction, Dawson argues, cannot be understood in isolation from a critique of our economic system. To achieve this we need to transgress the boundaries between science, environmentalism and radical politics. Extinction: A Radical History performs this task with both brio and brilliance.Trade ReviewPraise for the first edition: “Ashley Dawson’s slim and forceful book … makes a case for being the most accessible and politically engaged examination of the current mass extinction … a welcome contribution to the growing literature on this slow-motion calamity.” —Matthew Schneider-Mayerson, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, Yale University, in the Los Angeles Review of Books “Dawson's searing report on species loss will sober up anyone who has drunk the Kool-Aid of green capitalism. For a bonus, readers will learn a lot from his far-sighted, prehistoric survey of extinction.” —Andrew Ross, author of Creditocracy and the Case for Debt Refusal “Dawson has summed up the threat to our fellow species on Earth with clarity, urgency and the finest reasoning available within the environmental justice literature. He explains how capital's appropriation of nature cannot be 'offset,' nor solutions found in financialization. Fusing social and ecological challenges to power is the only way forward, and here is a long-awaited, elegant and comprehensive expression of why the time is right to make these links.” —Patrick Bond, Professor of Political Economy, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and author of Politics of Climate Justice: Paralysis Above, Movement Below “A succinct and moving account of the co-evolution of capitalism, imperialism, and climate change. Dawson demonstrates not only how capitalism created climate change but also why the former must be challenged in order to halt the latter. Offering not only critique but also solutions, this rousing book is a great tool for anti-capitalists, climate change activists, and those still making sense of the intrinsic connections between the two.” —Jasbir Puar, Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director Women's and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, author of Terrorist Assemblages “Historically grounded, densely researched, fluidly written, Ashley Dawson’s book on extinction is a powerful and painful exploration of human civilization's environmental irrationalities. Yet Dawson does not see annihilation as inevitable and he even points towards an alternate path.” —Christian Parenti, author of Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence

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Book SynopsisEarth is the only planet known to have fire. The reason is both simple and profound: fire exists because Earth is the only planet to possess life as we know it. Fire is an expression of life on Earth and an index of life s history. Few processes are as integral, unique, or ancient.Trade ReviewThe well-organized and illustrated work can be used as a textbook or a reference source for practitioners. Each chapter has a list of further readings, and each part has its own extensive bibliography. This phenomenal contribution will become a classic reference for five mangers, students of fire ecology and climate, and researchers for years to come. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries." (Choice, 1 October 2014) "Overall, the book provides an excellent, multidisciplinary introduction to fire, authored by leading experts in their fields, written in a very accessible style and supported by superb illustrations and extensive references. Hence, I highly recommend it to potential readers, who may be upper level undergraduate students, graduate students, teaching staff and everyone working, or simply interested, in the area of environmental science." (International Journal of Wildland Fire, 1 August 2014) "Fire and earth scientists, anthropologists, ecol­ogists, resource managers, and especially ad­vanced students in natural sciences will find the text, along with its online resources, a req­uisite addition to their libraries. Not only is it a pleasure to read, simply put, it sparks the imagination." (Fire Ecology, 1 June 2014) "With wildfire recognised in key government contingency documents, not least for climate change, foresters looking for greater understanding of this future challenge over the coming decades, should look no further." (Chartered Forester, 1 May 2014) "This book is a good example of a multidisciplinary investigation. The writers express the wish that it may stimulate further research into fire processes, both 'natural' and induced by humanity. A book worth reading!." (Geological Journal, 29 April 2014) "Each part has an extensive reference list reflecting the worldwide significance of wildfire and varied scientific approaches: tables, diagrams and colour photographs are abundant, and there is a welcome companion website with a host of useful teaching/demonstration material." (The Biologist 2016) "Fire on Earth would serve as an outstanding basis for a graduate course in fire science and management. It is also a valuable reference that has a place on the bookshelf of any instructor, scientist, or land manager whose work involves the role of fire in terrestrial ecosystems and human civilization." (The Quarterly Review of Biology 2016)Table of ContentsPreface xiii Acknowledgements xv About the Authors xvii About the Companion Website xix PART ONE FIRE IN THE EARTH SYSTEM 1 Preface to part one 2 Chapter 1 What is fire? 3 1.1 How fire starts and initially spreads 3 1.2 Lightning and other ignition sources 4 1.3 The charring process 6 1.4 Pyrolysis products 7 1.5 Fire types 10 1.6 Peat fires 14 1.7 Fire effects on soils 15 1.8 Post-fire erosion-deposition 18 1.9 Fire and vegetation 22 1.10 Fire and climate 26 1.11 Fire triangles 30 1.12 Fire return intervals 30 1.13 How we study fire: satellites 31 1.14 Modelling fire occurrence 38 1.15 Climate forcing 42 1.16 Scales of fire occurrence 44 Further reading 45 Chapter 2 Fire in the fossil record: recognition 47 2.1 Fire proxies: fire scars and charcoal 47 2.2 The problem of nomenclature: black carbon, char, charcoal, soot and elemental carbon 49 2.3 How we study charcoal: microscopical and chemical techniques 51 2.4 Charcoal as an information-rich source 56 2.5 Charcoal reflectance and temperature 56 2.6 Uses of charcoal 58 2.7 Fire intensity/severity 59 2.8 Deep time studies 60 2.9 Pre-requisite for fire: fuel – the evolution of plants 61 2.10 Charcoal in sedimentary systems 62 Further reading 63 Chapter 3 Fire in the fossil record: earth system processes 65 3.1 Fire and oxygen 65 3.2 Fire feedbacks 67 3.3 Systems diagrams 67 3.4 Charcoal as proxy for atmospheric oxygen 69 3.5 Burning experiments – fire spread 69 3.6 Fire and the terrestrial system 70 Further reading 72 Chapter 4 The geological history of fire in deep time: 420 million years to 2 million years ago 73 4.1 Periods of high and low fire, and implications 73 4.2 The first fires 73 4.3 The rise of fire 75 4.4 Fire in the high-oxygen Paleozoic world 77 4.5 Collapse of fire systems 80 4.6 Fire at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary 82 4.7 Jurassic variation 82 4.8 Cretaceous fires 84 4.9 Fire at the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-P or K-T) boundary 87 4.10 Paleocene fires 88 4.11 Fires across the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) 88 4.12 Dampening of fire systems 89 4.13 Rise of the grass-fire cycle 89 Further reading 89 Chapter 5 The geological history of fire – the last two million years 91 5.1 Problems of Quaternary fire history 91 5.2 The Paleofire working group: techniques and analysis 93 5.3 Fire and climate cycles 97 5.4 Fire and humans: the fossil evidence 98 5.5 Fire and the industrial society 101 Further reading 101 References for part one 103 PART TWO BIOLOGY OF FIRE 111 Preface to part two 112 Chapter 6 Pyrogeography – temporal and spatial patterns of fire 113 6.1 Fire and life 113 6.2 Global climate, vegetation patterns and fire 113 6.3 Pyrogeography 116 6.4 Fire and the control of biome boundaries 121 6.5 The fire regime concept 125 6.6 Fire ecology 128 6.7 Conclusion 129 Further reading 129 Chapter 7 Plants and fire 131 7.1 Introduction 131 7.2 Fire and plant traits 131 7.3 Fire regimes and the characteristic suite of fire plant traits 137 7.4 Evolution of fire traits 140 7.5 Summary and implications 145 Further reading 145 General reading 146 Chapter 8 Fire and fauna 147 8.1 Direct effects of fire on fauna 147 8.2 The effect of fire regimes on fauna 148 8.3 The landscape mosaic and pyrodiversity 150 8.4 The effect of fauna on fire regimes 152 8.5 Fire and the evolution of fauna 154 8.6 Summary 155 Further reading 155 Chapter 9 Fire as an ecosystem process 157 9.1 Introduction 157 9.2 Fire and erosion 157 9.3 Fire and nutrient cycling 160 9.4 Fire and pedogenesis 163 9.5 Fire and atmospheric chemistry 164 9.6 Fire and climate 165 9.7 Summary 168 Further reading 169 Chapter 10 Fire and anthropogenic environmental change 171 10.1 Introduction 171 10.2 Prehistoric impacts 171 10.3 Prehistoric fire management 174 10.4 Contemporary fire management 176 10.5 Climate change 177 10.6 Fire and carbon management 180 10.7 Fire regime switches: a major challenge for fire ecology 180 10.8 Invasive plants and altered fire regimes 184 10.9 Conclusion 187 Further reading 187 References for part two 189 PART THREE ANTHROPOGENIC FIRE 193 Preface to part three 194 Chapter 11 Fire creature 195 11.1 Early hominins: spark of creation 195 11.2 Aboriginal fire: control over ignition 198 11.3 Cultivated fire: control over combustibles 206 11.4 Ideas and institutions: lore and ritual 220 11.5 Narrative arcs (and equants) 221 Further reading 229 Chapter 12 A new epoch of fire: the anthropocene 231 12.1 The Great Disruption 231 12.2 The pyric transition 232 12.3 Enlightenment and empire 236 12.4 Scaling the transition 238 12.5 After the revolution 245 Further reading 257 Chapter 13 Fire management 259 13.1 Introducing integrated fire management 259 13.2 Two realms: managing the pyric transition 260 13.3 Strategies 261 13.4 Institutions: ordering fire 272 13.5 Ideas: conceptions of fire 277 13.6 Fire management: selected examples 279 Further reading 289 References and further reading for part three 291 PART FOUR THE SCIENCE AND ART OF WILDLAND FIRE BEHAVIOUR PREDICTION 295 Preface to part four 296 Chapter 14 Fundamentals of wildland fire as a physical process 297 14.1 Introduction 297 14.2 The basics of combustion and heat transfer 298 14.3 The wildland fire environment concept 303 14.4 Characterization of wildland fire behaviour 315 14.5 Extreme wildland fire behaviour phenomena 329 14.6 Field methods of measuring and quantifying wildland fire behaviour 336 14.7 Towards increasing our understanding of wildland fire behaviour 337 Further reading 339 Chapter 15 Estimating free-burning wildland fire behaviour 341 15.1 Introduction 341 15.2 A historical sketch of wildland fire behaviour research 342 15.3 Models, systems and guides for predicting wildland fire behaviour 350 15.4 Limitations on the accuracy of model predictions of wildland fire behaviour 359 15.5 The wildland fire behaviour prediction process 363 15.6 Specialized support in assessing wildland fire behaviour 370 15.7 Looking ahead 371 Further reading 372 Chapter 16 Fire management applications of wildland fire behaviour knowledge 373 16.1 Introduction 373 16.2 Wildfire suppression 376 16.3 Wildland firefighter safety 378 16.4 Community wildland fire protection 382 16.5 Fuels management 383 16.6 Prediction of fire effects 388 16.7 Getting on the road towards self-improvement 389 Further reading 390 References for part four 393 Index 405

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Book SynopsisMaps play an indispensable role in indigenous peoplesâ efforts to secure land rights in the Americas and beyond. Yet indigenous peoples did not invent participatory mapping techniques on their own; they appropriated them from techniques developed for colonial rule and counterinsurgency campaigns, and refined by anthropologists and geographers. Through a series of historical and contemporary examples from Nicaragua, Canada, and Mexico, this book explores the tension between military applications of participatory mapping and its use for political mobilization and advocacy. The authors analyze the emergence of indigenous territories as spaces defined by a collective way of life--and as a particular kind of battleground.Trade Review"A gripping account of how academic research, military intelligence, and indigenous mapping projects became embroiled in the service of geopolitics. Bryan and Wood present an adventure story of geopolitical struggle right in the heart of geographical research institutions in the United States and indigenous communities in the Americas. This book is necessary reading for geographers and all social scientists interested in the ways in which knowledge production and state interests merged in the late 20th century."--John Pickles, PhD, Earl N. Phillips Distinguished Professor of International Studies, Department of Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill "'Map or be mapped,' the saying goes among those associated with the wave of participatory mapping that began in the 1980s. Weaponizing Maps gives this saying radically new meaning, with equal parts analytic depth and political charge. Readers inclined to use maps for causes of social justice will proceed fully informed of the daunting forces they are up against--from the counterinsurgency designs of the world’s most powerful military to ostensibly progressive scholars who deploy the fine tradition of participatory mapping toward dubious ends."--Charles R. Hale, PhD, Director, LLILAS Benson Latin American Studies and Collections, University of Texas at Austin "Bold and confrontational. Bryan and Wood pull no punches in their indictment of the creeping militarization of geography and the once-respected American Geographical Society. The book's legacy will be marked by the extent to which geographers rethink their relationships with indigenous groups. It’s quite possible that we’re seeing the next generation of critical thinking about mapping in this book."--Jeremy Crampton, PhD, Department of Geography, University of Kentucky "Using Oaxaca as a case study of a global trend, the book makes a compelling case that militarized colonial geographies seek to replace Indigenous collective lands with a privatized Western model, under the guise of both national security and Native self-determination. But the book is also a rich example of interdisciplinary inquiry, straddling the normative divides between domestic and foreign colonialism, historical and contemporary surveys, academic and activist analysis, and Indigenous and Left discourse. It is essential for understanding land disputes of the 21st century, anywhere in Native America or the world."--Zoltán Grossman, PhD, Professor of Geography and Native Studies, The Evergreen State College -At times refreshingly polemical and unapologetically critical, Bryan and Wood provide valuable historical sketches that link the ideological and material ramifications of maps on indigenous communities and trace the development of property-based cartographic and geographic logics during wartime. Though the México Indígena project serves as a focal point, the authors deftly weave together the development of the American Geographical Society, the rise of indigenous mapping projects in the 1990s and their subsequent limitations, and the relationship between dominant geographic practices and the academic-military-industrial complex.--Great Plains Research, 10/18/2017ƒƒJoe and Denis trace how maps, over and over and over again, perform vital discursive work, how they transform territory into property, how they create facts, and how those facts seem to, time and time again, serve the particular interest of the state and/or capital at the expense of certain groups of people.--Human Geography, 3/28/2017ƒƒRecommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.--Choice Reviews, 10/1/2015Table of ContentsList of Figures A Narrative Table of Contents 1. In the Rincón of the Sierra Juárez 2. The Decline and Fall of the Once August American Geographical Society 3. “Red Mike” Edson’s U.S. Marine Patrols Up Nicaragua’s Río Coco in 1928–1929 and the Development of the Small Wars Manual 4. The Birth of Indigenous Mapping In Canada 5. Maps, Guns, and Indigenous Peoples 6. From Territory to Property: Indigenous Mapping after the Cold War 7. Counterinsurgency and the Rise of the “Warrior Scholars” 8. The AGS, the Bowman Expeditions, and the México Indígena Project Coda: Kill the Insurgent, Save the Man—Indigenous Peoples and Human Terrain A Note on Maps Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIslands have an irresistible attraction and an enduring appeal. Naturalist Roger Lovegrove has visited many of the most remote islands in the world, and in this book he takes the reader to twenty that fascinate him the most. Some are familiar but most are little known; they range from the storm-bound island of South Georgia and the ice-locked Arctic island of Wrangel to the wind-swept, wave-lashed Mykines and St Kilda. The range is diverse and spectacular; and whether distant, offshore, inhabited, uninhabited, tropical or polar, each is a unique self-contained habitat with a delicately-balanced ecosystem, and each has its own mystique and ineffable magnetism. Central to each story is also the impact of human settlers. Lovegrove recounts unforgettable tales of human endeavour, tragedy, and heroism. But consistently, he has to report on the mankind''s negative impact on wildlife and habitats -- from the exploitation of birds for food to the elimination of native vegetation for crops. By Trade ReviewRoger Lovegrove's admiration for wildlife shines * Nature *Table of ContentsPreface ; Acknowledgements ; Introduction ; 1. Wrangel ; 2. Chinijo Archipelago ; 3. Jan Mayen ; 4. Mykines ; 5. Guam ; 6. San Blas Islands ; 7. Ascension ; 8. Fernando de Noronha ; 9. Mingulay ; 10. Pico ; 11. Tristan da Cunha ; 12. Vigur ; 13. St Kilda ; 14. South Georgia ; 15. Halfmoon Island ; 16. The Skelligs ; 17. Isle aux Aigrettes ; 18. Solovetski Islands ; 19. St Peter and St Paul Rocks ; 20. Tuamotu Archipelago ; Epilogue ; Scientific Names of Species ; References

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Book SynopsisExam Board: AQA, OCR, Edexcel, WJEC Eduqas, WJECLevel: A-levelSubject: GeographyFirst teaching: September 2016First exams: Summer 2017 (AS), Summer 2018 (A-level)Don''t let your students miss out on easy marks; help them improve their skills and feel confident about the maths they need for AS/A-level Geography with this essential guide.If your students struggle with student t-test or Spearman rank correlation, this is the book for them. This textbook companion will improve students'' essential maths skills for geography, whichever awarding body specification you''re following. You can use it throughout the course, whenever you feel your students need some extra help.- Develop understanding of both maths and geography using worked examples and questions that are all set within a geography context- Improve confidence with a step-by-step approach to every maths skill- Measure progress with

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Book SynopsisWith emphasis on practical application and quantitative skill development, this book weaves together these disparate elements in a single coherent textbook for senior undergraduate and graduate students. It reviews analytical techniques, explaining the mathematical and statistical principles behind them.Trade Review�I recommend the book unreservedly to wildlife managers, park rangers, biological resource managers, and those working in ecotourism.� (Tahrcountry, 10 August 2014) "This book offers an integrated vision on [rapidly evolving wildlife management] in a comprehensive, experience driven, coherent overview. It is structured in two parts, of which the first one provides an overview of the key ecological concepts on which this field of applied ecology is based...The second section deals with wildlife conservation and management... Books that target their subject [this] specifically and in-depth are rare. All over the publication general subjects in ecology are most convincingly tailored to wildlife management. It provides applicable information on new (sometimes developing) methods. It illustrates the theory with a wealth of graphs, figures, and examples from the literature. This third edition entails new chapters on climate changes, wildlife response to rapidly changing conditions, habitat selection, and corridors in increasingly fragmented landscapes... A glossary and an impressive 36-page reference list enhance the documentary and didactical value of this book, which is excellent for senior undergraduates and graduate students in ecology, biology, and environment sciences. However, it is equally valuable for professional wildlife managers, park rangers, and those working in ecotourism. The book has a most useful accompanying website where additional resources, power points and PDFs of all tables can be found. The whole atmosphere of the book combines academic diligence with wildlife management practice... A great book of applied ecology in a most useful sector of increasing specialisation and professionalism." (International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2016, http://www.inderscience.com/editorials/f164312115298710.pdf)Table of ContentsPreface xi 1 Introduction: goals and decisions 1 1.1 How to use this book 1 1.2 What is wildlife conservation and management? 2 1.3 Goals of management 3 1.4 Hierarchies of decision 6 1.5 Policy goals 7 1.6 Feasible options 7 1.7 Summary 8 Part 1 Wildlife ecology 9 2 Food and nutrition 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Constituents of food 11 2.3 Variation in food supply 14 2.4 Measurement of food supply 17 2.5 Basal metabolic rate and food requirement 20 2.6 Morphology of herbivore digestion 23 2.7 Food passage rate and food requirement 26 2.8 Body size and diet selection 27 2.9 Indices of body condition 28 2.10 Summary 33 3 Home range and habitat use 35 3.1 Introduction 35 3.2 Estimating home range size and utilization frequency 36 3.3 Estimating habitat availability and use 38 3.4 Selective habitat use 40 3.5 Using resource selection functions to predict population response 42 3.6 Sources of variation in habitat use 42 3.7 Movement within the home range 45 3.8 Movement among home ranges 48 3.9 Summary 51 4 Dispersal, dispersion, and distribution 53 4.1 Introduction 53 4.2 Dispersal 53 4.3 Dispersion 55 4.4 Distribution 56 4.5 Distribution, abundance, and range collapse 61 4.6 Species reintroductions or invasions 62 4.7 Summary 67 5 Population growth and regulation 69 5.1 Introduction 69 5.2 Rate of increase 69 5.3 Geometric or exponential population growth 73 5.4 Stability of populations 73 5.5 The theory of population limitation and regulation 76 5.6 Evidence for regulation 81 5.7 Applications of regulation 85 5.8 Logistic model of population regulation 86 5.9 Stability, cycles, and chaos 88 5.10 Intraspecific competition 90 5.11 Interactions of food, predators, and disease 93 5.12 Summary 93 6 Competition and facilitation between species 95 6.1 Introduction 95 6.2 Theoretical aspects of interspecific competition 96 6.3 Experimental demonstrations of competition 98 6.4 The concept of the niche 103 6.5 The competitive exclusion principle 106 6.6 Resource partitioning and habitat selection 106 6.7 Competition in variable environments 113 6.8 Apparent competition 113 6.9 Facilitation 114 6.10 Applied aspects of competition 119 6.11 Summary 122 7 Predation 123 7.1 Introduction 123 7.2 Predation and management 123 7.3 Definitions 123 7.4 The effect of predators on prey density 124 7.5 The behavior of predators 125 7.6 Numerical response of predators to prey density 129 7.7 The total response 130 7.8 Behavior of the prey 136 7.9 Summary 138 8 Parasites and pathogens 139 8.1 Introduction and definitions 139 8.2 Effects of parasites 139 8.3 The basic parameters of epidemiology 140 8.4 Determinants of spread 143 8.5 Endemic pathogens 144 8.6 Endemic pathogens: synergistic interactions with food and predators 144 8.7 Epizootic diseases 146 8.8 Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife 147 8.9 Parasites and the regulation of host populations 150 8.10 Parasites and host communities 151 8.11 Parasites and conservation 152 8.12 Parasites and control of pests 155 8.13 Summary 156 9 Consumer–resource dynamics 157 9.1 Introduction 157 9.2 Quality and quantity of a resource 157 9.3 Kinds of resource 157 9.4 Consumer–resource dynamics: general theory 158 9.5 Kangaroos and their food plants in semi-arid Australian savannas 161 9.6 Wolf–moose–woody plant dynamics in the boreal forest 167 9.7 Other population cycles 172 9.8 Summary 175 10 The ecology of behavior 177 10.1 Introduction 17710.2 Diet selection 177 10.3 Optimal patch or habitat use 183 10.4 Risk-sensitive habitat use 186 10.5 Social behavior and foraging 187 10.6 Summary 190 11 Climate change and wildlife 191 11.1 Introduction 191 11.2 Evidence for climate change 191 11.3 Wildlife responses to climate change 192 11.4 Mechanisms of response to climate change 196 11.5 Complex ecosystem responses to climate change 199 11.6 Summary 201 Part 2 Wildlife conservation and management 203 12 Counting animals 205 12.1 Introduction 205 12.2 Total counts 205 12.3 Sampled counts: the logic 207 12.4 Sampled counts: methods and arithmetic 212 12.5 Indirect estimates of population size 220 12.6 Indices 227 12.7 Harvest-based population estimates 228 12.8 Summary 231 13 Age and stage structure 233 13.1 Introduction 233 13.2 Demographic rates 233 13.3 Direct estimation of life table parameters 235 13.4 Indirect estimation of life table parameters 236 13.5 Relationships among parameters 238 13.6 Age-specific population models 239 13.7 Elasticity of matrix models 242 13.8 Stage-specific models 243 13.9 Elasticity of the loggerhead turtle model 245 13.10 Short-term changes in structured populations 246 13.11 Environmental stochasticity and age-structured populations 246 13.12 Summary 249 14 Experimental management 251 14.1 Introduction 251 14.2 Differentiating success from failure 251 14.3 Technical judgments can be tested 252 14.4 The nature of the evidence 255 14.5 Experimental and survey design 257 14.6 Some standard analyses 262 14.7 Summary 271 15 Model evaluation and adaptive management 273 15.1 Introduction 273 15.2 Fitting models to data and estimation of parameters 274 15.3 Measuring the likelihood of the observed data 276 15.4 Evaluating the likelihood of alternate models using AIC 278 15.5 Adaptive management 281 15.6 Summary 284 16 Population viability analysis 285 16.1 Introduction 285 16.2 Environmental stochasticity 285 16.3 PVA based on the exponential growth model 286 16.4 PVA based on the diffusion model 287 16.5 PVA based on logistic growth 290 16.6 Demographic stochasticity 291 16.7 Estimating both environmental and demographic stochasticity 294 16.8 PVA based on demographic and environmental stochasticity 296 16.9 Strengths and weaknesses of PVA 296 16.10 Extinction caused by environmental change 298 16.11 Extinction threat due to introduction of exotic predators or competitors 298 16.12 Extinction threat due to unsustainable harvesting 300 16.13 Extinction threat due to habitat loss 302 16.14 Summary 302 17 Conservation in practice 305 17.1 Introduction 305 17.2 How populations go extinct 305 17.3 How to prevent extinction 315 17.4 Rescue and recovery of near-extinctions 316 17.5 Conservation in National Parks and reserves 317 17.6 Community conservation outside National Parks and reserves 322 17.7 International conservation 323 17.8 Summary 324 18 Wildlife harvesting 325 18.1 Introduction 325 18.2 Fixed-quota harvesting strategy 325 18.3 Fixed-proportion harvesting strategy 329 18.4 Harvesting in practice: dynamic variation in quotas or effort 332 18.5 No-harvest reserves 334 18.6 Age- or sex-biased harvesting 335 18.7 Commercial harvesting 340 18.8 Bioeconomics 340 18.9 Game cropping and the discount rate 344 18.10 Summary 346 19 Wildlife control 347 19.1 Introduction 347 19.2 Definitions 347 19.3 Effects of control 348 19.4 Objectives of control 348 19.5 Determining whether control is appropriate 349 19.6 Methods of control 350 19.7 Summary 356 20 Evolution and conservation genetics 357 20.1 Introduction 357 20.2 Maintenance of genetic variation 358 20.3 Natural selection 359 20.4 Natural selection and life history tradeoffs 361 20.5 Natural selection due to hunting 363 20.6 Natural selection due to fishing 365 20.7 Selection due to environmental change 367 20.8 Ecological dynamics due to evolutionary changes 372 20.9 Heterozygosity 374 20.10 Genetic drift and mutation 375 20.11 Inbreeding depression 376 20.12 How much genetic variation is needed? 377 20.13 Effective population size 378 20.14 Effect of sex ratio 379 20.15 How small is too small? 380 20.16 Summary 380 21 Habitat loss and metapopulation dynamics 381 21.1 Introduction 381 21.2 Habitat loss and fragmentation 381 21.3 Ecological effects of habitat loss 384 21.4 Metapopulation dynamics 386 21.5 Territorial metapopulations 389 21.6 Mainland–island metapopulations 390 21.7 Source–sink metapopulations 391 21.8 Metacommunity dynamics of competitors 392 21.9 Metacommunity dynamics of predators and prey 393 21.10 Corridors 394 21.11 Summary 398 22 Ecosystem management and conservation 399 22.1 Introduction 399 22.2 Definitions 400 22.3 Gradients of communities 400 22.4 Niches 400 22.5 Food webs and intertrophic interactions 400 22.6 Community features and management consequences 402 22.7 Multiple states 404 22.8 Regulation of top-down and bottom-up processes 405 22.9 Ecosystem consequences of bottom-up processes 407 22.10 Ecosystem disturbance and heterogeneity 408 22.11 Ecosystem management at multiple scales 410 22.12 Biodiversity 411 22.13 Island biogeography and dynamic processes of diversity 413 22.14 Ecosystem function 415 22.15 Summary 417 Appendices 419 Glossary 423 References 435 Index 489

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Book SynopsisThe publications of the Hakluyt Society (founded in 1846) made available edited (and sometimes translated) early accounts of exploration. The first series, which ran from 1847 to 1899, consists of 100 books containing published or previously unpublished works by authors from Christopher Columbus to Sir Francis Drake, and covering voyages to the New World, to China and Japan, to Russia and to Africa and India. This 1863 volume contains a Victorian translation of Ludovico di Varthema's account of his travels, originally published in 1510, and translated into many European languages within a few years. Ludovico set off from Italy in 1502 (determined, he says, 'to investigate some small portion of this our terrestrial globe') and travelled first to Egypt and Syria; he then journeyed through the Arabian peninsula (where he was imprisoned as a spy), Persia and India, and reached the Molucca islands before returning to Europe in 1508.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Travels of Ludovico di Varthema: Book concerning Arabia Deserta; The second book - Of Arabia Felix; The book concerning Persia; The first book concerning India; The second book concerning India; The third book concerning India; The book concerning Ethiopia; Index.

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Book SynopsisWhat processes and physical materials have shaped the planet we live on? Why do earthquakes happen? And what can geology teach us about contemporary issues such as climate change?From volcanoes and glaciers to fossils and rock formations, this user-friendly book gives a structured and thorough overview of the geology of planet Earth and beyond. Geology: A Complete Introduction outlines the basics in clear English, and provides added-value features like a glossary of the essential jargon terms, links to useful websites, and examples of questions you might be asked in a seminar or exam.Topics covered include the Earth''s structure, earthquakes, plate tectonics, volcanoes, igneous intrusions, metamorphism, weathering, erosion, deposition, deformation, physical resources, past life and fossils, the history of the Earth, Solar System geology, and geological fieldwork. There are useful appendices on minerals, rock names and geological time.Whether you

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Book SynopsisA study of the nuclear theme in Japanese intellectual and artistic life, recounting the history of Japanese public discourse around Hiroshima and Nagasaki from August 6, 1945, to the present day. It studies works from the earliest survivor writers up to Japanese intellectuals writing today.Table of ContentsAtrocity into words; genre and post-Hiroshima representation; the three debates; Hara Tamiki and the documentary fallacy; poetry against itself; Ota Yoko and the place of the narrator; Oe Kenzaburo - humanism and Hiroshima; Ibuse Masuji - nature, nostalgia, memory; Nagasaki and the human future; the atomic, the nuclear, and the total - Oda Makoto.

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As the world rapidly urbanizes, its cities sink themselves into the ground in sprawling tendons of tunnels - conduits for transport, utility, communication, shelter and storage. The excavation of these spaces, at ever-increasing depths and speed, has changed our lives in ways that we tend to take for granted. For the first time, this book charts the global reach of urban underground spaces, bringing together a collection of 80 stories of subterranean sites around the world. The book draws out the extraordinary range of meanings suggested by urban underground spaces, whether their power as places of hope, fear, memory, labour and resistance, or their capacity to evoke both long histories and futures in the making. Illustrated with often breathtaking photographs, Global Undergrounds creates a new sense of the richness and global diversity of urban underground spaces. Its breadth and depth will appeal to all those who are engaged with these spaces: from urban planners, geographers, architects and engineers to urban explorers, photographers and anyone who encounters underground spaces in their cities.Indeed we inhabit a world where the material stuff beneath our feet is constantly in flux, where layer upon layer of things, people and substances circulate, dream and dwell.

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Book SynopsisGrazing management might seem simple: just put livestock in a pasture and let them eat their fill. However, as Sarah Flack explains in The Art and Science of Grazing, the pasture/livestock relationship is incredibly complex. If a farmer doesn’t pay close attention to how the animals are grazing, the resulting poorly managed grazing system can be harmful to the health of the livestock, pasture plants, and soils. Well-managed pastures can instead create healthier animals, a diverse and resilient pasture ecosystem, and other benefits. Flack delves deeply below the surface of “let the cows eat grass,” demonstrating that grazing management is a sophisticated science that requires mastery of plant and animal physiology, animal behavior, and ecology. She also shows readers that applying grazing management science on a working farm is an art form that calls on grass farmers to be careful observers, excellent planners and record-keepers, skillful interpreters of their observations, and creative troubleshooters. The Art and Science of Grazing will allow farmers to gain a solid understanding of the key principles of grazing management so they can both design and manage successful grazing systems. The book’s unique approach presents information first from the perspective of pasture plants, and then from the livestock perspective—helping farmers understand both plant and animal needs before setting up a grazing system. This book is an essential guide for ruminant farmers who want to be able to create grazing systems that meet the needs of their livestock, pasture plants, soils, and the larger ecosystem. The book discusses all the practical details that are critical for sustained success: how to set up a new system or improve existing systems; acreage calculations; paddock layout; fence and drinking water access; lanes and other grazing infrastructure; managing livestock movement and flow; soil fertility; seeding and reseeding pastures; and more. The author includes descriptions of real grazing systems working well on dairy, beef, goat, and sheep farms in different regions of North America. The book covers pasture requirements specific to organic farming, but will be of use to both organic and non-organic farms.Trade ReviewCHOICE- "This is a great book. After reading this work, the reviewer felt as if he could almost start his own grazing system; the title provides readers with the right questions to ask. Flack (a consultant on grazing and organic livestock) is a concise and articulate author and educator. She knows the value of telling a simple story and supporting it with relevant illustrations. She has an elegant style and knows how to use the power of repetition to show how no part of grazing management is wholly independent. She has biases with respect to the best grazing management, but is evenhanded in presenting multiple alternatives to grazing issues. Her case studies are aptly chosen to illustrate how the grazing management she advocates can be both sustainable and profitable. Each chapter plays a role and successively builds on the knowledge previously gained. As a manual for introducing good land stewardship, this book admirably succeeds. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers.”“I have long been fascinated by the logic of André Voisin’s system of Rational Grazing. Sarah Flack’s book has persuaded me that this could be a practical option for my own micro-dairy holding.”--Simon Fairlie, author of Meat“It gives me pleasure to recommend Sarah Flack’s The Art and Science of Grazing. Sarah offers sound practical information for management of pastures in humid environments. Her years of experience and study allow her to explain the limitations of rotational grazing that were first highlighted by Andre Voisin and to confirm the soundness of Voisin’s Rational Grazing.”--Allan Savory, president, Savory Institute“With feet firmly planted in both practice and science, Sarah Flack introduces pasture-based livestock production in a way that is sure to encourage and empower.”--Joel Salatin, author of Salad Bar Beef“The Art and Science of Grazing is a beautiful and highly useful book. Read it, learn how to manage pasture well, then do it! Sarah Flack’s good counsel can save your farm and family and bring you happiness. What else is there?”--Bill Murphy, author of Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence“Amidst the flood of information on modern grass farming, Sarah Flack performs nothing short of a rescue operation, distilling the art and science of grazing into an immensely useful book. Experienced hands will learn plenty, but newcomers won’t be overwhelmed. The Art and Science of Grazing is sure to become one of the most well-worn books on graziers’ bookshelves.”--Fred Walters, publisher, Acres U.S.A.“Sarah Flack has written a wonderful guide to sustainable grazing. She discusses fundamental principles and specific practices that make her book meaningful for anyone interested in the art and science of grazing.”--Fred Provenza, professor emeritus, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University “More and more farmers and ranchers are thirsting for information on animal husbandry that truly protects and regenerates natural resources while enhancing economic viability. Sarah Flack is answering the call. In a readable, user-friendly format, her book provides concrete information and plenty of inspiration. An invaluable resource for anyone raising grazing animals.”--Nicolette Niman, author of Defending Beef“Sarah Flack’s The Art and Science of Grazing is an excellent guide for anyone with an interest in the regenerative potential of livestock grazing done right. Whether you are a farmer, rancher, conscientious consumer of meat, or concerned citizen of the planet, Flack’s clear, concise prose explains how good grazing is a natural fit in our world.”--Courtney White, author of Two Percent Solutions for the Planet“Intelligently managed grazing has tremendous potential to mitigate climate turmoil, and The Art and Science of Grazing contains everything you need to know to do the very best job of grazing. Sarah Flack explores every aspect of holistic pasture management in a most delightful manner that will help all who consult her book, from beginners to the most experienced graziers, to achieve their maximum potential in healing the Earth with livestock and land.”--Jack Lazor, author of The Organic Grain Grower“The Art and Science of Grazing is a comprehensive guide for new and experienced graziers. If I had to choose one book as a reference on grazing for both new and experienced livestock graziers, this would be it. The book is well organized, containing many excellent illustrations and beautiful photographs. Sarah Flack shares her knowledge on all aspects of grazing with emphasis on key principles that apply to all farms in humid regions. Multiple case studies provide interest and wisdom gained by farmers who have developed diverse, successful grazing operations throughout the country.”--Guy Jodarski, DVM, CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley

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Book SynopsisNot since Darwin has an author so lifted the science of ecology with insight and delightful imagery - Richard Dawkins In this book a master scientist tells the great story of how life on earth evolved. E.O. Wilson eloquently describes how the species of the world became diverse, and why the threat to this diversity today is beyond the scope of anything we have known before. In an extensive new foreword for this edition, Professor Wilson addresses the explosion of the field of conservation biology and takes a clear-eyed look at the work still to be done.Trade Review"Not since Darwin has an author so lifted the science of ecology with insight and delightful imagery" - Richard Dawkins"

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Book SynopsisAntarctica attracts great interest from political leaders, journalists, and public audiences around the world. In this Very Short Introduction, Klaus Dodds presents a modern account of Antarctica, looking closely at contemporary developments in commerce, science, sovreignty, and governance.Trade ReviewThe book's focus is very good and I think that many of my colleagues could benefit from reading it. On that basis, I would recommend it. * Mark Brandon, Geographical *Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisA powerful collection of voices and images from the frontlines of the war against ecological devastation in the Arctic.

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Book SynopsisFrom deciding the best day for a picnic, to the devastating effects of hurricanes and typhoons, the weather impacts our lives on a daily basis. Although new techniques allow us to forecast the weather with increasing accuracy, most people do not realise the vast global movements and forces which result in their day-to-day weather.In this Very Short Introduction Storm Dunlop explains what weather is and how it differs from climate, discussing what causes weather, and how we measure it. Analysing the basic features and properties of the atmosphere, he shows how these are directly related to the weather experienced on the ground, and to specific weather phenomena and extreme weather events. He describes how the global patterns of temperature and pressure give rise to the overall circulation within the atmosphere, the major wind systems, and the major oceanic currents, and how features such as mountains and the sea affect local weather. He also looks at examples of extreme and dangerous weather, such as of tropical cyclones (otherwise known as hurricanes and typhoons), describing how ''Hurricane Hunters'' undertake the dangerous task of flying through them.We measure weather in a number of ways: observations taken on the land and sea; observations within the atmosphere; and measurements from orbiting satellites. Dunlop concludes by looking at how these observations have been used to develop increasingly sophisticated long- and short-range weather forecasting, including ensemble forecasting.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThe perfect introduction to one of the most fascinating topics. * Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive, Royal Meteorological Society *Though the book is small ... there's plenty of information in here, illustrated with black and white diagrams and photography. * TGO The Great Outdoors *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2004 PEN American Center Literary Award in the Research Nonfiction categoryFinalist for the 2004 Caroline Bancroft Western History Prize sponsored by the Denver Public Library“A biography of Bering has long been needed and no one is better suited to write it than Orcutt Frost. Based on meticulous scholarship and a lifelong knowledge of the subject, this biography will be a revelation to anyone interested in the history of exploration.”—Glyn Williams, author of Voyages of Delusion: The Quest for the Northwest Passage

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Book SynopsisAn accessible synthesis of the prescient best seller exploring seventeenth-century catastrophe and the impact of climate change

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Book SynopsisThe importance of the oceans to life on Earth cannot be overstated. Liquid water covers more than 70% of our planet''s surface and, in past geological time, has spread over 85%. Life on Earth began in the oceans over 3.5 billion years ago and remained there for the great majority of that time. Today the seas still provide 99% of habitable living space, the largest repository of biomass, and holds the greatest number of undiscovered species on the planet. Our oceans are vital for the regulation of climate, and with global warming and decreasing land area, they have become increasingly important as the source of food, energy in the form of oil and gas, and for their mineral wealth. Oceans also form a key part of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements critical to life. Nutrients in upwelling areas are spread by ocean currents, and the plankton of the seas supports a wealth of wildlife. In this Very Short Introduction Dorrik Stow analyses these most important components of our blue planet and considers their relationship with, and exploitation by, humans. He shows how the oceans are an essential resource to our overpopulated world, and discusses why exploration and greater scientific understanding of the oceans, their chemistry, and their mineral wealth are now a high priority. Stow also explores what we know of how oceans originate, and evolve and change; the shape of the seafloor and nature of its cover; the physical processes that stir the waters and mix such a rich chemical broth; and the inseparable link between oceans and climate. As polar ice melts and sea-levels rise, countless millions who have made their homes on low-lying lands close to the sea are threatened. As scientific exploration of the seas gathers pace, the new knowledge gained of the ocean-Earth systems and their interaction with the human environment is vital to our understanding of how we can preserve these ultimately fragile environments.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThe text is clean and clear. Most of the precise, technical words that decorate geological literature have been replaced by simpler words or phrases. Importantly, this makes the book available to a far wider audience ... This book needs promoting and updating annually. * David Edwards, Geoscientist *Dorrik Stow's book is a keenly observed narrative about the beauty and complexity of Earth's oceans. This slim volume with its elegant prose is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand why oceans are central to the flourishing of humans as well as the planet itself. * Professor Paul Pinet, Colgate University a *Table of ContentsREFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisBuilding resilience,the ability to bounce back more quickly and effectively,is an urgent social and economic issue. Our interconnected world is susceptible to sudden and dramatic shocks and stresses: a cyber-attack, a new strain of virus, a structural failure, a violent storm, a civil disturbance, an economic blow. Through an astonishing range of stories, Judith Rodin shows how people, organizations, businesses, communities, and cities have developed resilience in the face of otherwise catastrophic challenges: Medellin, Colombia, was once the drug and murder capital of South America. Now it's host to international conferences and an emerging vacation destination. Tulsa, Oklahoma, cracked the code of rapid urban development in a floodplain. Airbnb, Toyota, Ikea, Coca-Cola, and other companies have realized the value of reducing vulnerabilities and potential threats to customers, employees, and their bottom line. In the Mau Forest of Kenya, bottom-up solutions are critical for dealing with climate change, environmental degradation, and displacement of locals. Following Superstorm Sandy, the Rockaway Surf Club in New York played a vital role in distributing emergency supplies. As we grow more adept at managing disruption and more skilled at resilience-building, Rodin reveals how we are able to create and take advantage of new economic and social opportunities that offer us the capacity to recover after catastrophes and grow strong in times of relative calm.Trade Review"You have to read only one book: The Resilience Dividend by Judith Rodin...The book provides a tour de force of why and how resilience matters in different countries, industries and settings...Rodin's book will prove to be essential reading to leaders across sectors that are addressing the complexity of challenges facing humanity...The Resilience Dividend should be compulsory reading in the social investment community." --Alliance Magazine "An inspiring book about preparing for major disruptions...Using an astonishing array of real-life situations, Rodin illustrates how individuals, organizations, businesses and communities can develop resilience after suffering catastrophic challenges."--The Missourian "An inspiring and optimistic look at what humankind can do to respond to what appear insurmountable challenges"--Library Journal "Rockefeller Foundation president Rodin writes in an expert and straightforward manner about the character trait of resilience, addressed here in socioeconomic terms and on nothing less than a global scale... While every author may hope to end a book with an indelible sentence, Rodin proves herself one of the select few who can pull this off." --Publishers Weekly "Humanity has long celebrated those able to avoid, overcome or bounce back from adversity. And, in an increasingly interdependent and volatile world, resilience has never been more valuable--or seemed in shorter supply. Indeed, as we strive to make progress in our communities, organizations and families, we must seek to understand and build resilience. With her new book, The Resilience Dividend, Judith Rodin provides valuable insights into the growing importance and transformative potential of resilience. Highly recommended for all those seeking to create lasting positive change in the world."-- Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company "The Resilience Dividend delivers powerful proof that building resilience helps individuals, communities and cities better recover from disasters and disruptions. Judith Rodin details connections between human, environmental and economic systems, and offers a strategy to proactively address the threats they face. This very important book will help tackle complex challenges today and well into the future."--Mark R. Tercek, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy and author of Nature's Fortune: How Business and Nature Thrive by Investing in Nature "This book makes a compelling case, drawing on stories from countries and communities across the world, that resilience is not just a defense mechanism but a positive gain or dividend, with added value in economic and social terms. The message is timely, given the increasingly disruptive force of climate change and the need to encourage communities to respond positively. It is also a highly readable account because it relies on actual human experience."--Mary Robinson, President Mary Robinson Foundation-Climate Justice, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change "From climate change, to economic adjustment, to the breakdown in political governance,the scale and complexity of threats and challenges in today's interconnected world are immense. This timely and insightful book by Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, reminds us that we urgently need to build greater resilience to enable individuals, businesses, and communities to prepare for both systemic disruptions and new opportunities in the world order."--Kofi A. Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997--2006) and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation "In a world where disruption is a fact of life and uncertainty is guaranteed, Judith Rodin draws on years of experience to offer an inspiring look at how we can prepare for the unexpected-and by doing so makes our communities stronger, more prosperous and more connected in the process."-- President Bill Clinton "Judith Rodin's groundbreaking work at the Rockefeller Foundation is helping cities adapt to a changing climate--and a changing world. In her new book, The Resilience Dividend, she lays out a powerful case for why governments and companies should prepare for-and not just react to--disruptions to business as usual."--Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies, and 108th Mayor of New York City "She is a good story teller, and her stories from the United States and around the world form the heart of the book... Crisis planners will find useful material in 'The Resilience Dividend,' not just a "template for thinking" about crisis management but also, as Ms. Rodin puts it, the 'methods for putting that thinking into practice.' The rest of us will take heart that, in a world of disruption, there are ways to cope with crisis and even, perhaps, grow stronger as a result."--Wall Street Journal "A revealing examination of the anatomy of resilience...[Rodin] clearly shows what went right and what went wrong and what can be learned from past experiences. A convincing argument that becoming resilient is not only possible, but essential; food for thought for all and especially recommended for community leaders." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Rodin...takes an insightful look at what is known as the resilience dividend, opportunities that come out of disasters and make for progress whether or not another occurs." --Booklist "Her book's central argument offers resilience as a reason to adopt policies that allow for mass-scale preparation in the face of certain but unknowable future disasters. And though the book discusses resilience primarily in context of disasters such as devastating storms, Rodin's concept also sees dividends when applied to crises that stem from social stratification and unrest." --The Atlantic's CityLab "Judith Rodin is a world-class entrepreneurial philanthropist. In The Resilience Dividend, she brings her life's work to bear on the subject, drawing on her deep and personal experiences from around the world. She uses every tool available (including the world's most advanced technologies) to understand the urban terrain and to deploy real-world solutions. All with the goal of saving and improving human lives." --Dr. Alex Karp, cofounder and CEO, Palantir "Dr. Rodin's extraordinary leadership has helped introduce the world to the concept of resilience--the critical strategy for breaking the endless cycle of emergency response and relief for millions of people. From supporting our nation's recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy to helping megacities in Asia protect their most vulnerable citizens, Dr. Rodin has made resilience a global priority at home and abroad. Rigorously analytical and powerfully argued, Dr. Rodin's book challenges us to work smarter and more collaboratively to predict disasters before they strike and enable citizens to build stronger communities and thriving economies."--Dr. Rajiv Shah, administrator of USAID "Ms. Rodin, currently president of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York, is especially suited to analyze these disruptive threats and to propose recommendations to upgrade resiliency to redress them... 'The Resilience Dividend' is a must-read for all those concerned about proactively building a tough and rebounding capacity, 'without waiting for disaster to push us into it." --Washington Times "A fresh take on the many ways that organizations can recover and grow from unexpected setbacks... It's intriguing that the author of The Resilience Dividend is the head of a leading philanthropy. In the early 1990s, Peter Drucker made a strong argument that neither government nor the private sector could build the sense of community needed to meet the challenges of what he labeled the Knowledge Society. He thought the 'social sector' was our last, best hope for that. Judith Rodin's thoughtful, organic approach to enhancing the resilience of social groups suggests that Drucker's faith in NGOs might not have been misplaced."--Strategy + Business "Rodin writes in an easy style. Drawing on a number of inspiring stories...she shows how resilience can be achieved through 'readiness, responsiveness and revitalization.' Upbeat and optimistic, this is not a book for cynics. Rodin marshals a strong case that the resilience dividend is 'real and achievable,' and if followed it can make a difference in the lives of millions of people the next time disaster strikes." --Maclean's "Positive, pragmatic, and powerful, Judith Rodin's The Resilience Dividend is precisely the innovative thinking we need. By focusing on the ways individuals, businesses, and communities can build a foundation for resilience, Rodin gives us a blueprint for a future where we are stronger, more adaptable, and better equipped to meet the world's greatest challenges."-- Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post Media Group "Embracing and driving change is key to adapting to our customers' needs and is a big part of what enables us to deliver great service. Every company must adapt and change in order to grow and succeed. The Resilience Dividend makes a powerful case for doing business differently in a dynamic and disruptive world." --Tony Hsieh, NY Times best-selling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.

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Book SynopsisWhat if, even in the heart of a densely developed city, people could have meaningful encounters with nature? While parks, street trees, and green roofs are increasingly appreciated for their technical services like storm water reduction, from a biophilic viewpoint, they also facilitate experiences that contribute to better physical and mental health: natural elements in play areas can lessen children's symptoms of ADHD and adults who exercise in natural spaces can experience greater reductions in anxiety and blood pressure. The Handbook of Biophilic City Planning & Design offers practical advice and inspiration for ensuring nature in the city is more than infrastructure, that it also creates an emotional connection to the earth and promotes well-being among urban residents. Divided into six parts, the Handbook begins by introducing key ideas, literature, and theory about biophilic urbanism; followed by chapters that highlight urban biophilic innovations in more than a dozen global cities; the final part concludes with lessons on how to advance an agenda for urban biophilia and an extensive list of resources.As the most comprehensive reference on the emerging field of biophilic urbanism, the Handbook is essential reading for students and practitioners looking to place nature at the core of their planning and design ideas and encourage what pre-eminent biologist E. O. Wilson described as "the innate emotional connection of humans to all living things."

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Book SynopsisEach year, 1.2 million people die from traffic fatalities, highlighting the need to design streets that offer safe and enticing travel choices for all people. Cities around the world are facing the same challenges as cities in the US, and many of these problems are rooted in outdated codes and standards. The Global Street Design Guide is a timely resource that sets a global baseline for designing streets and public spaces and redefines the role of streets in a rapidly urbanizing world. The guide will broaden how to measure the success of urban streets to include: access, safety, mobility for all users, environmental quality, economic benefit, public health, and overall quality of life. The first-ever worldwide standards for designing city streets and prioritising safety, pedestrians, public transport, and sustainable mobility are presented in the guide. Participating experts from global cities have helped to develop the principles that organise the guide. The Global Street Design Guide builds off the successful tools and tactics defined in NACTO's Urban Street Design Guide and Urban Bikeway Design Guide while addressing a variety of street typologies and design elements found in various contexts around the world. This innovative guide will inspire leaders, inform practitioners, and empower communities in realising the potential in their public space networks. It will help cities unlock the potential of streets as safe, accessible, and economically sustainable places.

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Book SynopsisDonald R. Prothero’s Evolution is an entertaining and rigorous history of the transitional forms and series found in the fossil record. In this second edition, Prothero describes new transitional fossils from various periods, and reframes creationism as a case study in denialism and pseudoscience.Trade ReviewIf you're one of these people who likes to read Dawkins, Gould and Darwin, I would highly recommend this book. If you doubted that evolution was true before, and then you looked at this book, I don't see how you could possibly continue to question it. -- Jerry Coyne, author of Faith Versus Fact: Why Science and Religion Are IncompatibleTable of ContentsForeword: Why People Do Not Accept EvolutionTo the Reader: Is Evolution a Threat to Your Religious Beliefs?Prologue: Fossils and EvolutionPreface to the Second EditionAcknowledgmentsPart I: Evolution and the Fossil Record1. The Nature of Science2. Science and Creationism3. The Fossil Record4. The Evolution of Evolution5. Systematics and EvolutionPart II: Evolution? The Fossils say YES!6. Life’s Origins7. Cambrian “Explosion”—or Slow Fuse?8. Spineless Wonders of Evolution9. Fish Tales10. Fish Out of Water11. Onto the Land and Back to the Sea: The Amniotes12. Dinosaurs Evolve—and Fly13. Mammalian Explosion14. Bossies and Blowholes15. The Ape’s Reflection?16. Why Does It Matter?BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn The Human City, internationally recognized urbanist Joel Kotkin challenges the conventional urban-planning wisdom that favors high-density, "pack-and-stack" strategies. By exploring the economic, social, and environmental benefits of decentralized, family-friendly alternatives, Kotkin concludes that while the word "suburbs" may be outdated, the concept is certainly not dead. Aside from those wealthy enough to own spacious urban homes, people forced into high-density development must accept crowded living conditions and limited privacy, thus degrading their quality of life. Dispersion, Kotkin argues, provides a chance to build a more sustainable, "human-scale" urban environment. After pondering the purpose of a city--and the social, political, economic, and aesthetic characteristics that are associated with urban living--Kotkin explores the problematic realities of today's megacities and the importance of families, neighborhoods, and local communities, arguing that these considerations must guide the way we shape our urban landscapes. He then makes the case for dispersion and explores communities (dynamic small cities, redeveloped urban neighborhoods, and more) that are already providing viable, decentralized alternatives to ultra-dense urban cores. The Human City lays out a vision of urbanism that is both family friendly and flexible. It describes a future where people, aided by technology, are freed from the constraints of small spaces and impossibly high real estate prices. While Kotkin does not call for low-density development per se, he does advocate for a greater range of options for people to live the way they want at various stages of their lives. We are building cities without thinking about the people who live in them, argues The Human City. It's time to change our approach to one that is centered on human values.Trade ReviewPraise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "[Kotkin] weaves an impressive array of original observations about cities into his arguments, enriching our understanding of what cities are about and what they can and must become." --Shlomo Angel, Wall Street Journal "Kotkin argues that suburbs are where middle-class families want to live... A city hostile to the middle class is, in Kotkin's view, a sea hostile to fish." --Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek "[The] kinds of places that are getting it right ... we might call Joel Kotkin cities, after the writer who champions them. These are opportunity cities ... [that] are less regulated, so it's easier to start a business. They are sprawling with easy, hodgepodge housing construction, so the cost of living is low... We should be having a debate between the Kotkin model and the [Richard] Florida model, between two successful ways to create posterity." --David Brooks, New York Times "Kotkin's premise focus[es] on the predictions made by some economists who believe suburbs are going to wither as more Americans return to the cities. He [says] those have been hasty reactions to the 2008 economic recession, and that humans' desire for spacious living remains strong. " --Ronnie Wachter, Chicago Tribune "The Human City ... takes a wider and longer view. Kotkin shows how cities developed as religious, imperial, commercial, and industrial centers... To his subject Kotkin brings a useful worldwide perspective." --Michael Barone, Washington Examiner "[Kotkin] believes it's time to start rethinking what suburbia can be and to become more strategic about how it evolves." --Randy Rieland, Smithsonian.com "Kotkin recommends that we embrace a kind of 'urban pluralism'... That means a sustained effort to make the city livable, yes, but it also entails acceptance of the suburbs... The reality of suburban life isn't as grim as the naysayers suggest, and Kotkin rattles off a long list of statistics to prove it." --Blake Seitz, Washington Free Beacon "[Kotkin] writes that the suburbs are alive and well--and are positioned for strong opportunity." --Michael Stevens, Crain's Chicago Business "Whether you're a downtown dweller or suburbanite, renter or owner, there is plenty of urban food for thought in The Human City." --Deborah Bowers, Winnipeg Free Press "A long and lucid argument against ... the current orthodoxy--that high-density living in the core, rather than suburban sprawl, is the optimal design for the modern urbanopolis." --Pat Kane, New Scientist "[The Human City] is a prolonged argument for development that responds to what people want and need during the course of their lives ... [It] is not meant as an anti-urbanist tract, but rather as a redefinition of urbanism to fit modern realities and the needs of families... It's hard to argue with that point." --David R. Godschalk, Urban Land Magazine "The notion that people are dying to leave the suburbs is just not true... Kotkin [says] most of the job growth and affordable housing are in the suburbs." --Kim Mikus, Daily Herald Advance praise for Joel Kotkin's The Human City: Urbanism for the Rest of Us "The most eloquent expression of urbanism since Jane Jacobs's The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Kotkin writes with a strong sense of place; he recognizes that the geography and traditions of a city create the contours of its urbanity." --Fred Siegel, scholar in residence at St. Francis College, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research "Kotkin is a refreshingly poetic and compelling writer on policy; he weaves data, history, theory, and his own probing analysis into a clear and soulful treatise on the way we ought to live now." --Ted C. Fishman, author of China, Inc. and Shock of Gray "Kotkin is one of the clearest urban writers and thinkers of our time. His first-hand experiences and insights on a broad array of issues such as inequity, infertility, lifestyle, and urban design shake the reader like a jolt of urban caffeine." --Alan M. Berger, codirector of the Center for Advanced Urbanism at MIT, founding director of P-REX Lab "While advocates trumpet megacities and global urbanization, Joel Kotkin makes an informed case for urban dispersal and argues that bigger and denser are not necessarily better." --Witold Rybczynski, author of Mysteries of the Mall "This book asks the crucially important question, 'What is a city for?' It should be read by all urban planners and included on the reading list for any urban planning course in a university." --Chan Heng Chee, chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design Praise for Joel Kotkin's The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050: "Given the viral finger-pointing and hand-wringing over what's seen as America's decline these days, Mr. Kotkin's book provides a timely and welcome... antidote." --Sam Roberts, New York Times "Kotkin... offers a well-researched--and very sunny--forecast for the American economy... His confidence is well-supported and is a reassuring balm amid the political and economic turmoil of the moment." --Publishers Weekly "A fascinating glimpse into a crystal ball, rich in implications that are alternately disturbing and exhilarating." --Kirkus Reviews "Kotkin provides a well-argued, well-researched and refreshingly calm perspective." -- Joe Friesen, The Globe and Mail "Lamenting its own decline has long been an American weakness... Those given to such declinism may derive a little comfort from Joel Kotkin's latest book." --The Economist "Kotkin has a striking ability to envision how global forces will shape daily family life, and his conclusions can be thought-provoking as well as counterintuitive." --WBUR-FM, Boston's NPR News Station Praise for Joel Kotkin's The New Class Conflict: "Kotkin is to be commended for seeing past the daily bric-a-brac of American politics to perceive the newly emerging class divisions." -- Jay Cost, The Washington Free Beacon "... Paints a dire picture of the undeclared war on the middle class." -- Kyle Smith, New York Post "... In having the courage to junk the old nostrums, [Kotkin] has taken an important step forward." --Financial Times "This original and provocative book should stimulate fresh thinking--and produce vigorous dissent." --Foreign Affairs Praise for Joel Kotkin's The City: A Global History: "... This fast read succeeds most with Kotkin as storyteller, flying through time and around the world to weave so many disparate histories into one urban tapestry." --The Fifth Annual Planetizen Top 10 Books List, 2006 Edition "... Offers fascinating insight into the ideologies that have created different city designs, and into the natural human desire to gather together to live and for commerce." --Steve Greenhut,The Orange County Register "The book is taut, elegant, informative and lots of fun to read. When I got to the end, I wished it had been longer." --Alan Ehrenhalt,Governing Magazine

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Book SynopsisGrowing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and mushroom expert Paul Stamets explains how in this groundbreaking manual. The science goes like this: fine filaments of cells called mycelium, the fruit of which are mushrooms, already cover large areas of land around the world. As the mycelium grows, it breaks down plant and animal debris, recycling carbon, nitrogen, and other elements in the creation of rich new soil. What Stamets shows is that the enzymes and acids thatmycelium produces to decompose this debris are superb at breaking apart hydrocarbons--the base of many pollutants. Stamets discusses the various branches of this exciting new technology, including mycorestoration (biotransforming stripped land), mycofiltration (creating habitat buffers), myco-remediation (healing chemically harmed environments), and mycoforestry (creating truly sustainable forests)--From publisher description.

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Book SynopsisJames Lovelock''s bestselling The Revenge of Gaia: Why the Earth is Fighting Back - and How we can Still Save Humanity is a dire warning against the unchecked growth of civilization. ''Despite all our efforts to retreat sustainably, we may be unable to prevent a global decline into a chaotic world ruled by brutal warlords on a devastated Earth...'' For thousands of years, humans have exploited the planet without counting the cost. Now Gaia, the living Earth, is fighting back. As the polar icecaps shrink and the global temperature rises, we approach the point of no return. Sustainable development, Lovelock argues, is no longer possible, and the only open to us may be a ''sustainable retreat''. This is the one book you must read to find out what is happening, how bad it will get - and how we can survive. ''The most important book for decades''  Andrew Marr ''The most important book ever to be published on the environmen

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Book SynopsisThe paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world permanently.The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive.Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘The Earth’: ‘A dazzling achievement. Richard Fortey is without peer among science writers.’ Bill Bryson ‘Books with a title this ambitious generally do not live up to their billing. This one does.’ New Scientist ‘“The Earth” is a true delight: full of awe-inspiring details…it blends travel, history, reportage and science to create an unforgettable picture of our ancient earth.’ Sunday Times ‘Read this book because it is, indeed, the best natural history of the first four billion years of life on earth.’ John Gribbin, Sunday Times Praise for ‘The Hidden Landscape’: ‘Don’t drop dead until you have read “The Hidden Landscape”.’ Jonathan Keates, Observer Praise for ‘Life: An unauthorised Biography’: ‘This is not a book for people who like science books. It is a book for people who love books, and life…[Fortey] has written a wonderful book.’ Tim Radford, Guardian

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Book SynopsisScience tells us that a new and dangerous stage in planetary evolution has begun the Anthropocene, a time of rising temperatures, extreme weather, rising oceans, and mass species extinctions. Humanity faces not just more pollution or warmer weather, but a crisis of the Earth System. If business as usual continues, this century will be marked by rapid deterioration of our physical, social, and economic environment. Large parts of Earth will become uninhabitable, and civilization itself will be threatened. Facing the Anthropocene shows what has caused this planetary emergency, and what we must do to meet the challenge.Bridging the gap between Earth System science and ecological Marxism, Ian Angus examines not only the latest scientific findings about the physical causes and consequences of the Anthropocene transition, but also the social and economic trends that underlie the crisis. Cogent and compellingly written, Facing the Anthropocene offers a unique synthesis of natural and social science that illustrates how capitalism's inexorable drive for growth, powered by the rapid burning of fossil fuels that took millions of years to form, has driven our world to the brink of disaster.Survival in the Anthropocene, Angus argues, requires radical social change, replacing fossil capitalism with a new, ecosocialist civilization. "Trade Review"A crisp, eloquent and deeply informed call to arms by a leading eco-socialist."-author of "Planet of Slums" and "In Praise of Barbarians: Essays against Empire," Mike Davis"

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Book SynopsisThe National Geographic Classic World Map is the perfect addition to any home, business or school. This smaller poster-size map (91 x 61 cm) features the entire world, laid out in bright, easy-to-read colours and fonts, as well as rich detail, thousands of place names and borders drawn with the utmost accuracy. It is ideal for anybody who wants to learn more about geography and political borders, world travellers who want to mark off where they have been and those who simply appreciate the joys of imagining faraway places. Laminated for protection against wear and tear.

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Book SynopsisNational Geographic Wall Maps offer a special glimpse into current and historical events, and they inform about the world and environment. Offered in a variety of styles and formats, these maps are excellent reference tools and a perfect addition to any home, business or school. There are a variety of map options to choose from, including the world, continents, countries and regions, the United States, history, nature and space.

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Book SynopsisTrophic cascades—the top-down regulation of ecosystems by predators—are an essential aspect of ecosystem function and well-being. Trophic cascades are often drastically disrupted by human interventions—for example, when wolves and cougars are removed, allowing deer and beaver to become destructive—yet have only recently begun to be considered in the development of conservation and management strategies. Trophic Cascades is the first comprehensive presentation of the science on this subject. It brings together some of the world’s leading scientists and researchers to explain the importance of large animals in regulating ecosystems, and to relate that scientific knowledge to practical conservation. It is a groundbreaking work for scientists and managers involved with biodiversity conservation and protection.

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Book SynopsisIn 1940 Steinbeck sailed in a sardine boat with his great friend the marine biologist, Ed Ricketts, to collect marine invertebrates from the beaches of the Gulf of California. The expedition was described by the two men in SEA OF CORTEZ, published in 1941. The day-to-day story of the trip is told here in the Log, which combines science, philosophy and high-spirited adventure.

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Book SynopsisThis treatise argues that literary criticism must re-establish connections to a wide range of social activities. It sets out a new type of criticism, called ecological literary criticism, which aims to make humanistic studies more socially responsible.

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