Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

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Book SynopsisAll over the world women are working in bird conservation -- usually without the recognition they deserve, despite dedicating their lives to birds, often at considerable personal cost. They work in the field, campaign against the illegal wildlife trade and educate people in sensitive areas regarding the important role that birds play as part of the biodiversity of their locality and of the planet. This book is full of inspirational women including those who have played an important role in bird conservation and even in bird rescue centres. Their stories and those of the birds they saved will touch your heart. The book also covers social issues such as discrimination against women working in the field. This book shines a spotlight on more than 30 of these female heroes. It encourages women to be inspired by their stories and to make their own contributions to saving wonderful feathered creatures from extinction.

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Book SynopsisThe book documents the fight that was put up by a group of poets, artists and ecologists to save the Great Barrier Reef from oil drilling. It's a remarkable story being re-published in the midst of another attack on the Reef as oil tankers and an increasing number of coal freighters are plying its waters in the newly-built super ports.Trade Review"It will come as a surprise to most people that so many of the issues confronted in the 1960s by the doughty campaigners against drilling for oil on the barrier reef are still alive. We will have to be as determined and as persistent as they if we are to protect what is now a World Heritage Site from pollution, dredging, dumping, coral bleaching and pest species.Germaine Greer, author of White BeechJudith Wright's recount of the heroic early battles for the reef exemplifies the incredible achievements of a passionate few, who with vision and determination were able to succeed against the odds. This book is the stuff of legends and is a must read for all those who consider themselves environmental custodians. An extraordinary story in itself, The Coral Battleground now takes on an even more pertinent meaning as the Great Barrier Reef faces its biggest threat since the oil rigs of the 70s. May Judith's story inspire a new generation to fight for the reef!Bob Irwin, Bob Irwin Wildlife & Conservation Foundation Inc.Wonderful and timely to see this lovely new edition of a classic book that every Australian should own. In it Judith tells the inspiring David and Goliath story of how she and a group of friends took on massive forces of greed and destruction that threatened the existence of the Great Barrier Reef and won. Australia urgently needs this new call to arms.Iain McCalman, author of The Reef: A Passionate HistoryPolitical intrigue, shifting allegiances, dirty deeds, and more, Judith Wright records the environmental struggles of the 1970s, and the peoples movement to preserve the Great Barrier Reef for a time. Today, as the reef faces new threats, her book provides inspiration, and a how-to guide for a new generation of activists, for whom the beauty of the reef matters most deeply.Rosaleen Love, author of ReefscapeThe Coral Battleground, first published in 1977, records the successful struggles of Judith Wright and others to preserve the Great Barrier Reef from exploratory drilling for oil and limestone mining. Today, with UNESCO on the point of declaring the Reef world heritage in danger, Wrights work remains an essential and inspiring call to arms in the new battles against pollution and over-development.Professor Emerita Elizabeth Webby AMThis edition of Judith Wrights lucid and compelling account of the fight to save the reef comes with added value a publishers preface, a new foreword [by Margaret Thorsborne AO] and Judith Wrights own prophetic warning that such victories are never really won. Todays campaigners will find inspiration in Judith Wrights persistent vision in the face of great odds.Margaret Moorhouse, Alliance to Save Hinchinbrook Inc.Where is the fire in their belly?"" Judith Wright asked me of the millions who claim to be environmentalists but do nothing or, worse still, vote for the wreckers. Her Coral Battleground is a call to action from last century to save the Great Barrier Reef from ending up as a barren ruin this century. This book is a classic of ecological literature.Bob Brown, environmentalist and former Parliamentary Leader Australian Greens PartyJust as Rachael Carsons Silent Spring inspired a generation to protect the natural environment from destructive practices so another generation in Australia was galvanised by the first major conservation campaign to save the Great Barrier Reef, comprehensively documented in this book by Judith Wright, one of the key participants in the battle. Suzie Smith, Secretary, Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Cassowary CoastHinchinbrook branch"Table of Contents"Publishers Preface2014 Foreword by Margaret Thorsborne AO1996 Foreword by Judith Wright1977 Foreword by Judith Wright"

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Book SynopsisAgnes C. Lauts The Cariboo Trail is a fascinating history of the Canadian gold rush that began in 1858. When, in early 1849, a group of ragged miners arrived in the sleepy town of Victoria from California, no one would have believed that a little over ten years later a gold rush would hit the Fraser River. Between 1859 and 1871, thousands of miners and prospectors travelled north and east from the headwaters of the Fraser River, with the hopes of striking it rich. And many didover the course of twelve years, twenty-five million dollars in gold came from the Cariboo country. Originally published in 1920 as part of the Chronicles of Canada series, Lauts exciting and personalized account of the Cariboo gold rush is filled with tidbits gleaned through conversations with old-timers still living on the trail and facts acquired on trips in the Rockies guided by prospectors. From the story of the construction of the famous Cariboo road"one of the wonders of the world"and the Overlanders journey across the width of the continent to details about the techniques and machinery used in the mines and life in the camps, the period, the gold rush, and the Cariboo region are brought to life for the reader. Though it had ended by federation with the Canadian Dominion, the inrush of miners during the Cariboo gold rush gave birth to the colony of British Columbia. The Cariboo Trail is a more than just a narrative of those eventsit is a thoroughly enjoyable and integral part of the history of the region and of Canada.

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Book SynopsisStunning photography and personal reflections abound in this beautiful collection of images highlighting this unique landscape.Converging Waters explores an area on the northern coast of Vancouver Island on the edge of the Broughton Archipelago: Queen Charlotte Strait, Broughton Strait, Cormorant Channel, Blackfish Sound. This part of the Namgis First Nation territory is characterized by tree-covered islands, pebble beaches, foggy mornings, rocky islets, orcas, eagles, and an ever-changing light. Boats are at least as important as trucks for the few who live here. The sea and sky dominate the land, and marine mammals and fish seem to overshadow the human residents.Daniel Hillert's inspiring photographs focus on the wild essence that still permeates these converging waters, while Gwen Curry's prose dives beneath the surface to appreciate not only the natural wonder of this place but its history, people, and present-day challenges.

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Book SynopsisA veteran of burnout himself, Legault looks at the culture of self-sacrifice that permeates the work done by volunteers and paid staff in the environmental conservation movement, and dissects how to manage our own time, energy, and commitment to our causes. Following a river-running metaphor, and proposing a variety of techniques to help with various states of anxiety resulting from burnout, including clarity of purpose, recognition of limits, fitness and diet, mediation and yoga, as well as organisational structural changes as such as leave-of-absence policies, Legault encourages readers to find time to eddy out -- to rest a moment in quieter waters and scout downriver -- to endure our lifetime of engagement is fulfilling, effective and self-sustaining. Just as with teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, paramedics, steelworkers, students and airline pilots, burnout is a growing concern in many social-change circles. The book takes a look at the impacts of eco-anxiety, overwork and the associated stress surrounding the present and future of the environment and offers practical and insightful suggestions on how to deal with it.

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Book SynopsisWith the state of global ice constantly in the news, one mountain journalist examines Canadian glaciers to uncover their secrets and their future.From a mother/daughter duo who spent five months skiing across icefields from Vancouver to Alaska, toscientists discovering biofilms deep inside glacier caverns, to protesters camping for weeks to protect their beloved local glacier, western Canada's glaciers are dynamic, enigmatic, exquisitely beautiful, sometimes dangerous environments where people play, work, run businesses, explore, and create art every single day.Author Lynn Martel is one of them. With gorgeous images by some of the country's best outdoor photographers, Stories of Ice shares the excitement, the mystery, and the wonder of Canada's glaciers and poses questions about their future.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1990, Paradise Won has been updated and details the epic 12-year struggle to stop logging in the unique global ecosystem referred to as Canada's Galapagos.Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve is located in the southernmost part of Haida Gwaii (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands), 130 kilometres off the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Gwaii Haanas protects an archipelago of 138 islands in the territory of the Haida people, who have lived in Haida Gwaii for well over 14,000 years.From the 1970s through the early 1980s, plans to expand logging in the area led to the first concerted efforts to protect Gwaii Haanas and in 1985 the Haida Nation created the Haida Heritage Site. In spite of efforts to protect the landscape, logging continued and resulted in a prolonged legal and political battle. In 1987, logging finally ended when the governments of Canada and British Columbia signed the South Moresby Memorandum of Understanding, which safeguarded the area and permitted shared stewardship, treating the unique marine and terrestrial environments as though they were a national park, though many land claims were still outstanding.This updated edition of Paradise Won includes a new foreword by the author and will bring back into focus this remarkable story of the power and importance of Indigenous rights and how activism can spur average citizens to action in order to fight climate change and protect fragile ecosystems everywhere.

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Book SynopsisIn 1986, as part of a Canadian team, Sharon Wood became the first woman from the Americas to summit Mount Everestand the first woman in the world to do so via the West Ridge from Tibet and without Sherpa support. But it's how she got there that is truly compelling.In Rising, the personal motivation that drove Wood to reach further and further heights are detailed through the years leading up to the career-defining climb. Often the only woman on expeditions, Wood was an outlier in a predominantly male bastion of high altitude alpine climbing. Against the backdrop of the stunning Himalayan mountains in the days before Everest became as commercialized as it is today, Wood explores the camaraderie and rivalry, the relatable challenges of falling in and out of love, and how she kept her drive to persevere. Subsequently, she recounts how she struggled with unexpected acclaim and expectations following her ascent of Everest, but ultimately found fulfilment and her place in the world.As she tells her story today, her perspective is steeped in six decades of life experience rich with adrenalin, change, reflection and humility. It is a tale that still feels poignantly relevanta testament to the strength of the human spirit to overcome all obstacles, whether mountain peaks, social expectations or self-imposed barriers.

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Book SynopsisA dynamic retelling of the deadly 1906 sinking of the SS Valencia off the southwest coast of Vancouver Island, one of the worst maritime disasters in Canadian history. There are few places on earth that have such a high record of marine casualties as the short yet treacherous stretch of coastline known as the Graveyard of the Pacific. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the fifty-six kilometres between Port Renfrew and Cape Beale off Vancouver Island saw dozens of shipwrecks and claimed hundreds of lives. On a blustery night in late January 1906, the steamship SS Valencia, heading from San Francisco to Seattle and Victoria, met its tragic fate on the rocks near Pachena Point. With over one hundred passengers and sixty-five crew members on board, only thirty-seven people survived the wreck. All of the women and children perished. With journalistic precision, compassion for the victims, and condemnation for those who neglected to prevent the tragedy, author Michael C. Neitzel recounts the Valencias ill-fated final voyage, drawing heavily on first-hand accounts of the survivors and witnesses. The Final Voyage of the Valencia is a must-read for anyone interested in the maritime history of Canadas west coast.

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Book SynopsisIn 1950, the biggest firestorm documented in North America—one fire alone burned 3,500,000 acres of boreal forest in northern Alberta and British Columbia—created the world’s largest smoke layer in the atmosphere. The smoke travelled half way around the northern hemisphere and made the moon and sun appear blue. The Chinchaga Firestorm is an historical study of the effects of fire on the ecological process. Using technical explanations and archival discoveries, the author shows the beneficial yet destructive effects of many forest fires, including the 2011 devastation of Slave Lake, Alberta. Cordy Tymstra tells the stories of communities and individuals as their lives intersected with the path of the Chinchaga River Fire—stories that demonstrate people’s spirit, resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and their persistence in the struggle against nature’s immense power. The 1950 event changed the way these fires are fought in Alberta and elsewhere. The Chinchaga Firestorm will appeal to wildland fire scientists, foresters, forest ecologists and policy makers, as well as those who are interested in western Canadian history and ecology. Foreword by Mike Flannigan.Trade Review"This is surely the definitive account of the Chinchaga complex. It will be welcomed by the North American fire community and by anyone interested in the settlement of the Boreal Plains Ecozone of western Canada." [Full review at http://ow.ly/TsvvW] -- Stephen J. Pyne * BC Studies *"[Tymstra] ties in the impacts on wildfire ecology, wildfire management policy, wildfire behaviour, smoke and most interestingly of all, the human side of the whole event. People’s stories intertwine with historical facts and demonstrate their resilience and persistence in the struggle against wildfire." -- Janelle Lane * Environment and Parks Insight *"...the author not only describes the fire and its impact, but adds technical details and history to survey forest fires at other times and how people handled them. Though the 1950 fire changed how fires are fought in Alberta and elsewhere, they also affected scientific research, forest management, and ecological studies, making this survey of western Canadian history a far-ranging examination holding much more of interest beyond its Canadian boundaries." * The Bookwatch *"The Chinchaga Firestorm" [describes] this multi-faceted powerful event with the technical focus and depth of a scientific investigation woven into an engaging narrative drawn from historical archives and personal accounts. Simultaneously a compelling read and rich source of knowledge, Tymstra’s book is equally stimulating for a general audience and for seasoned environmental scientists, managers, and policy makers.... The Chinchaga Firestorm concludes with a compelling and timely argument for a fire management paradigm shift designed to meet the challenges of this century." -- Christopher J. Dunn * Ecology *"This book by Tymstra combines an analysis of the largest complex of wild land fires recorded in North America with a compelling narrative of the human response.... The analysis presents data in tables, charts, graphs, and maps, illustrating the causes and effects of the firestorm. The narrative presents the human dimension of firefighting, the frustration of inappropriate policy and a distant bureaucracy, and the innovative (often in defiance of policy) tactics in responding to wild land fire. This work is an amazing scientific contribution to fire science, ecology, public policy, human geography, and Canadian history. It is a great story for general readers as well. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels." [Full review at http://bit.ly/1SPLshF] -- E.J. Delaney * Choice Magazine *"This is an excellent, well written, and detailed study of the 1950 fire and of the events that followed." * Alberta History *"Tymstra’s book lies roughly halfway between the ripping good firefighting yarn, as exemplified by Norman McLean’s Young Men and Fire (1993), and the intellectually compelling analyses of fire in human affairs of the sort produced by Pyne or by Johan Goudsblom (Fire and Civilization, 1992). Not a bad place for a book to be." J.R. McNeill, May 2017 -- J. R. McNeillTable of Contentsforeword acknowledgements introduction / Land of Fire ONE the lost bc fire TWO black sunday THREE dark days in the past FOUR blue moon, blue sun FIVE the big smoke SIX the big wind SEVEN policy changes EIGHT ring of steel conclusion / The Big Think notes bibliography index

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Book Synopsis“Our voices scrubbed out and forgotten. There are those who research and write about sex workers who often forget we are human.” —Amy Lebovitch Shawna Ferris gives a voice to sex workers who are often pushed to the background, even by those who fight for them. In the name of urban safety and orderliness, street sex workers face stigma, racism, and ignorance. Their human rights are ignored, and some even lose their lives. Ferris aims to reveal the cultural dimensions of this discrimination through literary and art-critical theory, legal and sociological research, and activist intervention. Canadian cities are striving for high safety ratings by eliminating crime, which includes “cleaning” urban areas of the street sex industry. Ironically, sex workers also want to live and work in a safe environment. Ferris questions these sanitizing political agendas, reviews exclusionary legislative and police initiatives, and examines media representations of sex workers. This book has much to offer to educators and activists, sex workers and anti-violence organizations, and academics studying women, cultural, gender, or indigenous issues. Foreword by Amy Lebovitch.Trade Review"'Why did the murder of 14 white, educated women at École Polytechnique in 1989 inspire parliamentary outrage and a legislative response from the Department of Justice, while the 'disappearance' of 65 poor, mainly Aboriginal women in Vancouver was treated as a police matter?.. Canada tolerates no capital punishment but has been oddly indifferent to the death penalty meted out to 'missing' women, Ferris writes... Street Sex Work shocks. It is also insightful and dark and worthwhile for any reader who is not afraid to dive in the deep end." [Full review at https://www.blacklocks.ca/review-shocking] -- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *Ferris presents compelling evidence of how the representations of and responses to sex-work in Canadian cities reflect a necropolitical global-capitalist agenda that contradicts the liberal democratic ideals that the Canadian nation-state purports to uphold. Likewise, she offers a nuanced and complex analysis of how the experiences of Canadian urban street sex-workers and the representations of them by others must be understood from the intersections of class, gender, and race. -- Mandy Swygart-Hobaugh * Left History *Table of ContentsForeword by Amy Lebovitch Acknowledgements Introduction 1 | City/Whore Synecdoche and the Case of Vancouver’s Missing Women 2 | Anti-Prostitution Reporting, Policing, and Activism in Canada’s Global Cities 3 | Technologies of Resistance: Sex Worker Activism Online 4 | Agency and Aboriginality in Street-Involved or Survival Sex Work in Canada Conclusion Appendices Notes Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisTar Wars offers a critical inside look at how leading image-makers negotiate escalating tensions between continuous economic growth mandated by a globalized economic system and its unsustainable environmental costs. As place branding assumes paramount importance in an increasingly global, visual, and ecologically conscious society, an international battle unfolds over Alberta’s bituminous sands. This battle pits independent documentary filmmakers against professional communicators employed by government and the oil industry. Tar Wars engages scholars and students in communications, film, environmental studies, social psychology, PR, media and cultural studies, and petrocultures. This book also speaks to decision makers, activists, and citizens exploring intersections of energy, environment, culture, politics, economy, media and power.Trade Review"Alberta for generations was famous for mountains, rodeos, Mormonism, football, Ukrainian culture, meatpacking and Social Credit. Say 'Alberta' today and any focus group replies, 'oil'. That’s no accident, writes Prof. Geo Takach of Royal Roads University. From the 1947 oil strike at Leduc Number One, 'resource extraction became heroic'. Alberta’s very identity was intertwined with oil sands production, for better and worse. Tar Wars documents this modern cultural phenomenon... [and] ... covers all angles. … The search is compelling and clever." -- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *"In his extensively researched and politically provocative new book, Tar Wars, award-winning author Geo Takach...offers attentive citizens, policy wonks and communications pros a solid 'case study in environmental communication.'" -- Rob Norris * Alberta Views *"... [Takach's] purpose: to depolarize and ultimately enable debate of the bit-sands and their role in defining Alberta... Tar Wars highlights two points that are seldom part of the discussion. The first is that while the antagonistic 'Alberta is energy' approach originated with industry and political leaders, the polarizing rhetoric does not represent the views of all or even the majority of Alberta residents. The second is that polarized debate limits meaningful dialogue and political engagement... Underlying is Takach’s message that we must refuse to fall into easy stereotypes of any region, including the one we live in." [Full review at https://bcbooklook.com/2017/09/29/174-lights-camera-action-debate/] -- Nichole Dusyk * BC BookLook *"This book is relevant to scholars in communication studies, specifically those with a focus on environmental communication and activism, as well as those in strategic communication, specifically PR, marketing, and branding, and obviously those in the fields of journalism and film." [Full review at https://cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/3673/3885] -- Gordon Alley-Young * Canadian Journal of Communication Vol 44 *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements xi 1 | The Problem of the Sands 1 2 | Four Foundational Principles 17 3 | Images and Frames of Alberta 29 4 | Positioning and Contesting Alberta 43 5 | Visually Redefining Alberta 127 6 | Implications 149 Notes 167 References 193 Index 225

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Book SynopsisThis volume, the final in Tim Lilburn’s decades-long meditation on philosophy and environmental consequences, traces a relationship between mystic traditions and the political world. Struck by the realization that he did not know how to be where he found himself, Lilburn embarked on a personal attempt at decolonization, seeking to uncover what is wrong within Canadian culture and to locate a possible path to recovery. He proposes a new epistemology leading to an ecologically responsible and spiritually acute relationship between settler Canadians, Indigenous peoples, and the land we inhabit. The Larger Conversation is a bold statement: a vital text for readers of environmental philosophy and for anyone interested in building toward conversation between Indigenous peoples and settlers.Trade Review"It takes a poet to see the extraordinary in the mundane.... This is reading for the joy of it." [Full review at https://www.blacklocks.ca/book-review-going-home] -- Holly Doan * Blacklock's Reporter *"In a series of essays, lectures, confessions, and interviews, all based on years of reading and research, Lilburn shares not new but old, reclaimed ways of thinking—long-ignored riches from the Christian, Judaic and Islamic contemplative wisdom traditions.... In order to undo the Western extractive, colonial approach to land—one that uses, warehouses, and dominates—we have to return to our former strengths, what Lilburn calls 'cognitive rebar.' What justice asks of us is that we do the work to prepare for conversation." [Full article at http://www.focusonvictoria.ca/novdec2017/the-larger-conversation-contemplation-and-place-r5/] -- Amy Reiswig * Focus Magazine *"This book is exactly what I think is required in the emerging scholarly and literary work on decolonization in Canada. This isn't a dry and heavy academic text marking up conceptual territory: territorializing knowledge with confusing title and jargon... This book is much more in the traditions of mystical contemplative philosophy." -- Cary Campbell * SubTerrain *"This collection of essays is the third in a series of books in which Lilburn reflects on his own sense of rootlessness, often as a cultural phenomenon. The current book's emphasis on the colonial condition is new...[The] construal at the heart of the book is individual and specific: North Americans of European descent suffer from a colonial malaise consisting significantly of a malformed relation to place." -- Carolyn Richardson * The Fiddlehead *"[Lilburn] feels that beneath 'the smoothness, the relative fine running of late capitalism,' there’s a disturbing hunger... And why? Because, argues Lilburn, through chapters on philosophical inquiry, spiritual struggle, deep ecological concern, and unsparing self-confession, we have not truly learned how to live on this land so relatively new to us, a land acquired in many ways through violence and dishonesty... What Lilburn attempts in this larger conversation is to find a way back, through earnest inquiry with philosophers, mystics, poets, and saints stretching back thousands of years, to the 'essence of nature'..." [Full review at https://thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/books/book-reviews-lilburn-searches-for-meaning-peeteetuce-creates-scathing-depiction-of-phoniness] -- Bill Robertson * Saskatoon StarPhoenix *"In 1999, writer and poet Tim Lilburn published the non-fiction work Living in the World as if It Were Home, a meditation on humanity's relationship with the natural environment that has become a classic and was the first book in a loose trilogy examining the connections between politics, environmentalism, philosophy, and modernity. Eighteen years later, the final part of the trilogy, a volume of contemplative essays, is available from UAP." * Quill & Quire *"The Larger Conversation is a beautiful, patient, and persistent philosophical work.... Lilburn suggests that in entering a relationship with place, with any specific place that we care about, we can be seen by place and thus be given our identity—indeed our Being—through a kind of grace. I love this argument and line of thought for its beauty and practicality. It offers a true way to move forward from the colonial past by first making changes to how we perceive reality—a reality that we constantly misunderstand—about how and why and who we are in place." [Full review at http://canlit.ca/article/being-seen-by-place/] -- Susie DeCoste * Canadian Literature 236 *"One of Lilburn’s primary interests has always been the relationship – the dialogue – between poetry and philosophy, including their common roots and common objectives.... At the same time, some of this writing is deeply personal, even confessional; here, the writer is more candid than usual about his own life, including childhood memories, illness and aging, faith and doubt." Kelly Shepherd, UTP Quarterly 2017 [Full review at DOI 10.3138/utq.88.3.hr79]Table of ContentsIntroduction I 1 The Ethical Significance of the Human Relationship to Place 2 The Start of Real Thinking 3 On Scholem, Ruusbroec and Exegesis 4 Imagination, Psychagogy and Ontology 5 Mostly on Prayer 6 Seeing into Things: Suhrawardi and Mandelstam II 7 A Mandelstamian Generation in China 8 Poetry as Pneumatic Force 9 Fresh Coherence 10 Turning the Soul Around: The Ascetical Practice of Philosophy in the Republic 11 Negative Theological Meditations: Apophasis and Its Politics 12 Thinking the Rule of Benedict within Modernity 13 Thomas Merton’s Novitiate Talks on Cistercian Usages and Richard Kearney’s Theandrism III 14 A Poetics of Decolonization 15 Contemplative Experience; Autochthonous Practice 16 Faith and Land 17 Nothingness Epilogue: At the Foot of WMIEŦEN Dramatis Personae Glossary Acknowledgements Reading Permissions Index

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Book Synopsis“Windburned, eyes closed, this: beneath the keening of bergs, a deeper thresh of glaciers calving, creaking with sun. Sound of earth, her bones, wide russet bowl of hips splaying open. From these sere flanks, her desiccating body, what a sea change is born.” From the endangered Canadian boreal forest to the environmentally threatened Svalbard archipelago off the coast of Norway, Jenna Butler takes us on a sea voyage that connects continents and traces the impacts of climate change on northern lands. With a conservationist, female gaze, she questions explorer narratives and the mythic draw of the polar North. As a woman who cannot have children, she writes out the internal friction of travelling in Svalbard during the fertile height of the Arctic summer. Blending travelogue and poetic meditation on place, Jenna Butler draws readers to the beauty and power of threatened landscapes, asking why some stories in recorded history are privileged while others speak only from beneath the surface.Trade Review# 7 on Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers list, August 16, 2018"Magnetic North is a beautiful little book, full of moments of intense vision, but it’s also another ecological warning, couched in a poet’s deep understanding of what she has seen & recorded in our now changing north. Wholly engaging both emotionally & intellectually, it’s one of those books that truly adds to our understanding of the world we live in & continue to wound." [Full review at https://eclecticruckus.wordpress.com/2018/09/28/jenna-butlers-visionary-voyage-into-the-arctic/] -- Douglas Barbour * Eclectic Ruckus *"The remote island of Spitsbergen, on Norway’s northern Svalbard archipelago, provides the setting for Butler’s evocative ruminations on the harsh beauty at the edge of the world.... Butler’s book is not a standard travel narrative; rather, she wields poetic prose to describe a place that most humans will never visit. The result is highly recommended for lovers of poetry and nature writing." * Publishers Weekly, starred review *# 3 on Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers list, December 01, 2018# 1 on Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers list, January 13, 2019 * Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers *"[Jenna Butler is an] acute observer and a precise and cogent writer... [Hers] is a journey motivated by curiosity about the north, and a longing for sights to be seen before they disappear forever. Her descriptions of settlements scattered between mainland Norway and the Arctic Circle are evocative: her prose is poetic, and her poems (interspersed in the text) are visual and concrete." [Full review at http://canlit.ca/article/voyages-of-desire/] -- Hilary Turner * Canadian Literature *“…an alternate view of the grandeur of Arctic nature, the paradox of Russian mining settlements in an area under Norwegian sovereignty, the critically endangered nature of the islands, how people respond to the extreme environment and living conditions in the Arctic, and a deep personal reflection on traveling to this part of the globe…” Ingo Heidbrink, The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord, Vol. XXVIII, No. 4 [Full review at https://www.cnrs-scrn.org/northern_mariner/vol28/tnm_28_br_385-438.pdf] -- Ingo Heidbrink"Magnetic North is a delight, perfect for amateur botanists, naturalists or simply admirers of Butler's astonishing gifts as a poet." -- Shirley RoburnThis is a beautiful series of portraits of place and time and captures ecological shifts, women who work in the places they're anchored and her own body’s experience of being on boat, dinghy and icy land. -- Yvonne Blomer, 49th Shelf, March 28, 2022Table of Contentsxi The Journey 1 Lines Toward Ice 7 Pyramiden 13 Ornithomancy 19 Night 23 Bone 29 The Men at the Edge of the World 35 She Becomes the Ocean 41 Arctic by Air 47 Afloat 53 Barentsburg 59 Cusp 65 Postcard from Svalbard 71 At the Face 77 Threads 83 Leaving Days 89 Song to the Boreal

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Book SynopsisRights and the City takes stock of rights struggles and progress in cities by exploring the tensions that exist between different concepts of rights. Sandeep Agrawal and the volume’s contributors expose the paradoxes that planners and municipal governments face when attempting not only to combat discriminatory practices, but also advance a human rights agenda. The authors examine the legal, conceptual, and philosophical aspects of rights, including its various forms—human, Indigenous, housing, property rights, and various other forms of rights. Using empirical evidence and examples, they translate the philosophical and legal aspects of rights into more practical terms and applications. Regionally, the book draws on municipalities from across Canada while also making broad international comparisons. Scholars, policy makers, and activists with an interest in urban studies, planning, and law will find much of value throughout this volume. Afterword by Benjamin Davy. Contributors: Sandeep Agrawal, Rachelle Alterman, Sasha Best, Alexandra Flynn, Eran S. Kaplinsky, Ola P. Malik, Jennifer A. Orange, Michelle L. Oren, Renée Vaugeois. Afterword by Benjamin DavyTrade Review"This book is a collection of essays on the subject of human rights and cities with an emphasis on Canadian cities. ...this collection is worth reading." W. Dennis Keating, Journal of Urban Affairs, May 17, 2023 (Full review at: https://doi.org/10.1080/07352166.2023.2195779)“In Rights and the City, editor Sandeep Agrawal, professor of urban planning at the University of Alberta, uses the influential theories of Henri Lefebvre, a French philosopher and sociologist, to organize this collection and to illustrate the way ahead in order for our rights to and in cities to become truly entrenched.” Ximena Gonzales, Alberta Views, April 26, 2023 [Full review at https://albertaviews.ca/rights-and-the-city/]“In my view, the main contribution of the volume … is to bring renewed attention to the relevance of legal rights in the realm of urban planning and politics, as well as to illustrate how they can serve to disadvantage or push for the protection of already marginalized groups in society in practical terms. To do this, the book offers well-researched examples, most of which show how these debates unfold at the municipal level. This approach will be especially useful for readers and practitioners whose work lies at the intersection of policy analysis, program design, and planning through a rights-based lens.” Magdelana Ugarte, Canadian Planning and Policy, Volume 2023Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction | Sandeep Agrawal I THE RIGHT TO THE CITY 1 | Whose Right to What City? Indigenous Rights amidst Claims for Constitutionally Empowered Cities | Alexandra Flynn 2 | The Right to the City as an Emerging Norm: Codification and Cultural Institutions | Jennifer A. Orange II RIGHTS IN THE CITY 3 | Human Rights and the City in the Pre-Charter Era | Sandeep Agrawal 4 | Group Rights and Collective Rights: What Are They and How Do They Affect Urban Issues? | Sandeep Agrawal & Eran S. Kaplinsky 5 | Human Rights and Canadian Municipalities | Sandeep Agrawal 6 | Becoming a Human Rights City: Lessons from Edmonton | Renée Vaugeois III OTHER RIGHTS IN THE CITY 7 | The Right to Adequate Housing Around the Globe: Analysis and Evaluation of National Constitutions | Michelle L. Oren & Rachelle Alterman 8 | Property Rights and the Canadian City | Eran S. Kaplinsky 9 | The Dangers of Allowing “Othering” Speech in a City’s Public Spaces | Ola P. Malik & Sasha Best Afterword: After Rights? | Benjamin Davy Contributors

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Book SynopsisThis collection explores sustainability education in the North American academy. The authors advocate for a more integrated approach to teaching sustainability in order to help students address the most pressing problems of the world, embrace experimentation, and foster more meaningful involvement with the communities in which universities are located. Throughout, they remain focussed on identifying opportunities for sustainability in higher education and suggesting specific strategies and tactics to achieve them. Recommendations include pedagogical and structural changes aimed at helping students understand the systems in which they can advance sustainability. This timely volume will be of interest to scholars, academic leaders, policy makers, societal partners in research, and private-sector leaders interested in advancing the sustainability agenda. Foreword by Thomas E. Lovejoy. Contributors: Apryl Bergstrom, Christopher G. Boone, Ann Dale, Thomas Dietz, Roger Epp, Allison F.W. Goebel, Kourosh Houshmand, Robert H. Jones, Naomi Krogman, Shirley M. Malcom, Robert E. Megginson, Patricia E. (Ellie) Perkins, Vicky J. Sharpe, Toddi A. SteelmanTable of ContentsForeword / Thomas E. Lovejoy Preface Introduction / Naomi Krogman 1 Charting the Landscape 1 An Overview of Sustainability Education in Canadian and US Higher Education / Apryl Bergstrom I | Administrator Point of View 2 Sustainability Thinking: A View from the “Dark Side” / Roger Epp 3 Sustainability Scholarship and Education: Opportunities and Strategies for Success / Christopher G. Boone 4 How Trends in Public Higher Education Can Support Sustainability Education and Research / Robert H. Jones II | Skill Sets or Research Capabilities Needed for Sustainability Education 5 Sustainability Education at US and Canadian Tribal Colleges: Its Goals and Implementations, and the Role of Mathematics / Robert E. Megginson 6 Innovation: Connecting Markets and Money / Vicky J. Sharpe 7 Sustainability and Decision / Thomas Dietz III | Focusing Sustainability Education on Problem-Based Learning 8 Overcoming the Terrors of the Either/Or / Ann Dale 9 Sustainability Education: A Dance Between Knowledge and Experience / Shirley M. Malcom IV | Cultivating Civic-Mindedness, Deliberative Dialogue, and Pathways toward the Public Good 10 Cultivating Courage in an Increasingly Complex, Divided World / Toddi A. Steelman 11 Education for Regeneration / Patricia E. (Ellie) Perkins V | Unique Perspectives from Professor and Student 12 Education for Sustainability: An Ecological Citizenship Approach in a Neoliberal Age / Allison F.W. Goebel 13 Sustainability Pedagogy: Keeping Up with Millennials and Generation Z / Kourosh Houshmand Conclusion / Naomi Krogman Contributors

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Book SynopsisThis collection challenges misconceptions that rural Canada is a bastion of intolerance. While examining the extent and nature of contemporary cultural and religious discrimination in rural Canadian communities, the editors and contributors explore the many efforts by rural citizens, community groups, and municipalities to counter intolerance, build inclusive communities, and become better neighbours. Throughout, scholars and community leaders focus on building new understandings, language, and ways of thinking about diversity and inclusion that will resonate with rural people. Scholars of rural studies will find this book useful as will rural community leaders and community organizers. Contributors: Clark Banack, Ray Bollman, Claudine Bonner, Corina Borri-Anadon, Jen Budney, Michael Corbett, Roger Epp, Murray Fulton, Stacey Haugen, Phil Henderson, Sivane Hirsch, Michelle Lam, Coleen Lynch, Aasa Marshall, Darcy Overland, Trista Pewapisconias, Dionne Pohler, Samuel Reimer, Jennifer Tinkham, Kyle WhiteTrade Review“The contributors to Building Inclusive Communities in Rural Canada refuse to fall back on simple, misleading stereotypes about rural place—as uniquely friendly and welcoming or as places of entrenched racism and xenophobia—and instead do the difficult work of recognizing the heterogeneity of rural places, people, and practices." —Karen Foster, Dalhousie University"This collection by scholars and practitioners is an important contribution to countering stereotypes about rural communities. It explores the complexity and diversity of attitudes and the work against intolerance taking place in groups and institutions in rural communities and offers helpful practical tools to foster inclusivity." Belinda Leach, University of Guelph"Clark Banack and Dionne Pohler’s essay collection, Building Inclusive Communities in Rural Canada, plants some critical seeds in a research field relatively ­barren of sustained inquiry. To what extent, their ­contributors ask, does racial intolerance prevail in rural Canada, and how do we create more inclusive rural communities in this country? The co-editor Clark Banack’s standout ­chapter on attitudes toward cultural and religious ­minorities is a must-read for anyone who picks up this volume.... His fascinating answers should be required reading for federal policy makers and community educators alike." Julie McGonegal, Literary Review of Canada, July-August 2023Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Clark Banack and Dionne Pohler I Rural Demographics and Diversity 1 The Demographic Context of Rural Canada: The Size of the Indigenous and Visible Minority Populations Ray D. Bollman 2 Making Diversity in Rural Areas Visible: A Changing Perspective for Rural Schools in Québec Sivane Hirsch and Corina Borri-Anadon II Understanding Rural Attitudes toward Inclusivity 3 Partisanship, Patriarchy, and Prejudice: Inclusivity among Evangelicals, Albertans, and Rural Canadians Samuel Reimer 4 Understanding Rural Attitudes toward Cultural and Religious Minorities via Political Ethnography: The Case of Rural Alberta Clark Banack 5 Driving into Nowhere: Refugee Resettlement and Integration in Rural Canada Stacey Haugen III Practical Tools for Building Inclusive Rural Communities 6 A Noisy Silence: Challenges for Rural Teacher Education Michael Corbett, Jennifer Tinkham, and Claudine Bonner 7 Promoting Understanding and Equity in Rural Canada: The Role of Community Education Michelle Lam 8 Contextual Bible Study: An Effective Practice to Promote Inclusivity in Rural Communities and Faith Groups Coleen Lynch IV A Rural Approach to Anti-racism and Settler-Indigenous Relations: Co-operation and Neighbourliness 9 Co-operative Development Possibilities in Rural Settler and Indigenous Communities: Lessons from the Co-operative Innovation Project and Co-operatives First Dionne Pohler, Jen Budney, Murray Fulton, Darcy Overland, Aasa Marshall, Trista Pewapisconias, and Kyle White 10 Inclusion on Whose Grounds? Against Liberal Essentialisms and toward Radical Neighbourliness in Rural Anti-racism Phil Henderson 11 The Work of Neighbours: A Rural Ethos for Reconciliation Roger Epp Conclusion Clark Banack and Dionne Pohler Contributors

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Book SynopsisMunicipal Boundary Battles uncovers the hidden motivations, behind-the-scenes political machinations, and the ensuing battles around city boundary debates.

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Book SynopsisAn Atlantic BestsellerNova Scotia is blessed with numerous must-see waterfalls, and this volume from self-described “waterfall addict” Benoit Lalonde brings together 100 of the province’s best.Conveniently categorized by the government of Nova Scotia scenic route system, this rich compendium includes famous waterfalls such as Garden of Eden Fall, Wentworth Falls, Cuties Hollow, Annandale Falls and Butcher Hill Falls, as well as lesser-known but easy to locate gems. In addition to providing useful information on the height, type, and hiking distance of each waterfall, their degree of difficulty to reach is also assessed for the convenience of both novice and advanced hikers alike.Featuring gorgeous colour photographs and individual maps of each location, Waterfalls of Nova Scotia offers an invaluable reference as well as a tribute to the beauty of the falls and the natural splendour waiting to be discovered.

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Book SynopsisWinner, New Brunswick Book Award (Non-Fiction) Longlisted, Miramichi Reader's "The Very Best!" Book Awards (Non-Fiction)A CBC New Brunswick Book List SelectionAn Atlantic Books Today Must-Have New Brunswick Books of 2020 SelectionThe Restigouche River flows through the remote border region between the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, its magically transparent waters, soaring forest hillsides, and population of Atlantic salmon creating one of the most storied wild spaces on the continent. In Restigouche, writer Philip Lee follows ancient portage routes into the headwaters of the river, travelling by canoe to explore the extraordinary history of the river and the people of the valley. They include the Mi’gmaq, who have lived in the Restigouche valley for thousands of years; the descendants of French Acadian, Irish, and Scottish settlers; and some of the wealthiest people in the world who for more than a century have used the river as an exclusive wilderness retreat.The people of the Restigouche have long been both divided and united by a remarkable river that each day continues to assert itself, despite local and global industrial forces that now threaten its natural systems and the survival of the salmon. In the deep pools and rushing waters of the Restigouche, in this place apart in a rapidly changing natural world, Lee finds a story of hope about how to safeguard wild spaces and why doing so is the most urgent question of our time.Trade Review"From its geological origins, to the importance of this vast watershed to First Nations and early settlers alike, Philip Lee’s latest book, Restigouche: The Long Run of the Wild River, covers much ground, or more accurately water." -- Martin Silverstone * Atlantic Salmon Journal *"Restigouche is a paean for the river that flows for 200 kilometres through the remote border region between New Brunswick and Quebec, a river with beautifully transparent waters, forest hillsides and Atlantic salmon, and for the people who have lived beside and from the river for thousands of years." -- Chris Smith * Winnipeg Free Press *"In Restigouche, Philip Lee offers a rich and immersive travel memoir full of adventure, as well as the history of place and its people, a philosophical and ecological treatise, and a plea, if not a lament, for the natural world and all the living beings that depend on it. One man’s love and exploration of this one river offer the reader a glimpse of what’s possible when we pay due respect and attention to the world’s wild places, not to mention to the people who dwell there, and what calamity awaits when, as happens all too often, greed and decadence get the upper hand." -- Naomi K. Lewis“Told with a journalist's objectivity and a poet's sensibility, Lee’s Restigouche is an extraordinary work of research and finely-crafted writing that should be revisited and widely shared.” -- Wanda Baxter * Miramichi Reader's “Revisiting Restigouche” *

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Book SynopsisFinalist, Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and Victoria Butler Book PrizeA Globe and Mail Top 100 BookThe Big One and what we can do to get ready for it.Mention the word earthquake and most people think of California. But while the Golden State shakes on a regular basis, Washington State, Oregon, and British Columbia are located in a zone that can produce the world’s biggest earthquakes and tsunamis. In the eastern part of the continent, small cities and large, from Ottawa to Montréal to New York City, sit in active earthquake zones. In fact, more than 100-million North Americans live in active seismic zones, many of whom do not realize the risk to their community.For more than a decade, Gregor Craigie interviewed scientists, engineers, and emergency planners about earthquakes, disaster response, and resilience. He has also collected vivid first-hand accounts from people who have survived deadly earthquakes. His fascinating and deeply researched book dives headfirst into explaining the science behind The Big One — and asks what we can do now to prepare ourselves for events geologists say aren't a matter of if, but when.Trade Review“On Borrowed Time takes us on a tour of North American earthquakes, from the West Coast to the Atlantic Ocean. Gregor Craigie’s well-written and comprehensive jewel provides us with an accurate understanding of earthquake science, while exploring our fears and perceptions about future large quakes.” -- John Clague, Emeritus Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University“On Borrowed Time is an impressive and timely reminder that large earthquakes can occur right across North America and that each passing day draws us closer to the inevitable next big one. But, as Craigie reminds us, earthquakes should not be anything to fear — providing we prepare properly.” -- Edwin Nissen, Associate Professor/Canada Research Chair in Geophysics, University of Victoria“On Borrowed Time is the culmination of decades of interviews and research and about four and a half years of actual writing. What sets it apart is Craigie not only speaks with seismologists and oceanographers, but actual survivors.” -- John Ackermann * City News 1130 *“On Borrowed Time is not a breezy read. It is an exhausting and sobering treatise on the very nature of the Earth beneath our feet and the peril of neglecting the individual and collective community preparedness that must take place — if not now, then soon.” -- Clin Newell * Coffee Crew *“On Borrowed Time moves swiftly from the west to the east coast of North America, and the earthquake phenomenon reveals itself as Craigie describes the causes and results of quakes that most readers will never have heard of.” -- Brian Harvey * Ormsby Review *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the bestselling Waterfalls of Nova Scotia.Benoit Lalonde travels to the bountiful sights of Nova Scotia’s most fabled island in Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island.What Cape Breton Island lacks in size, it makes up for in the number, diversity, and sheer drama of its waterfalls. Bringing together one hundred of the Island’s greatest waterfalls and hidden gems from the Fleur de Lys, Marconi, Bras d’Or Ceilidh, and Cabot trails, this new guide explores iconic and little-known falls from all parts of the Island, including Uisge Bàn Falls and the tallest waterfall in Nova Scotia, Rocky Brook Falls. And yes, each entry includes useful information on the hiking distance to each waterfall, the best seasons to visit, the source, and the height of the fall itself.Complimented by gorgeous colour photographs, full-colour maps, and bonus features, Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island is an invaluable reference for explorers and outdoor enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisThe author of Alder Music, Gary Saunders returns with an evocative, lyrical, and immersive collection of personal essays on our relationship with nature and with each other.In nine sections, Earthkeeping ruminates on the necessity of love and earthkeeping, on forage fish and robinsongs, and on the stewardship of our ecological landscape. Offering an antidote to the world’s anxiety about climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss, Saunders writes with a deep connection to the natural world and his signature humane zest for life. Lovingly illustrated with Saunders’s own drawings, the result is a joyful, personal, and deeply attentive stroll through an enchanted land of blue and green.Trade Review“The essays in Earthkeeping by naturalist-painter-writer Gary Saunders sum up his rich life in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia from the days of poverty-tinged fly-tying to the cod moratorium, as well as the seal glut, bumblebees and hornets, rural houses and characters, and the unparalleled close-up observation of a dragonfly eating a moosefly. The depth and cumulative value of these essays lies in Saunders’s habit of skilled and repetitive observation. A prophetic afterword echoes his hope for earth’s continuance as a sanctuary for life. This is a book for all of us, how we have lived and where we are going.” -- Annie Proulx, author of Barskins“Secretly we cherish “a moment when Nature’s beauty first smote us.” Gary Saunders reflects upon and investigates his relationship with the natural world, guiding himself to preserve his spiritual and conscious relationship with the world around him while still articulating his own irresponsibilities. Not without warnings, Earthkeeping reveals a kind wisdom and poet’s eye that I revelled in.” -- Boyd Chubbs, author of The Electric City“In Earthkeeping: Love Notes for Tough Times, writer Gary Saunders offers up a series of essays designed as a balm for the general ecological anxiety that is building in most of us, in step with the climate crisis. Saunders’ voice is wary but not panicked. With curiosity, care and humour he tackles the small stories — of roadside flowers, attempted turtle rescues and the merits (or lack thereof) of growing cattle corn — and although the collection creates an ethos for a way of thinking and feeling about the larger world.” -- Erica Butler * Atlantic Books Today *

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Book Synopsis“A remarkable and magical place enriched and enlivened by Kevin’s tenderness, sensitivity, and skill.” — Deborah Carr, author of Sanctuary: The Story of Naturalist Mary Majka. Every year, thousands of visitors from around the world descend the staircase at Hopewell Rocks to walk on the ocean floor. Many of those visitors have been greeted by author and photographer Kevin Snair, who spent years working as an Interpretive Guide for the Hopewell Rocks Park. Bay of Fundy’s Hopewell Rocks combines Snair’s luminous descriptions of tidal action and geology with his stunning photography to capture the breathtaking experience of New Brunswick’s famous natural wonder. Now revised and updated from the original 2016 edition and full of intriguing tidbits on the human and natural history of the Rocks, Bay of Fundy’s Hopewell Rocks offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes tour of this striking and fascinating place.

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Book SynopsisWith tenderness and affection, Finding Heartstone captures the psychological, physical, and emotional impact of wilderness living and family tragedy. When Cathy Sosnowsky, her husband Woldy, and their little boy Alex first joined the Hemming Bay Community, a cooperative formed to preserve a large piece of wilderness on a remote coastal island of British Columbia, she found the idea of owning part of an island appealing. But the paradise she envisioned reveals itself as a harsh and hostile environment -- the water too cold to swim, the beaches rocky and jagged. After increasing her family with the adoption of two children, and the building of a communal lodge, Cathy began to recognize the joys a wild environment offers. But when their lives take a tragic turn with the loss of their son Alex to a fatal accident and his siblings to addiction, the couple begins to drift apart. Determined to find a way through the anguish and alienation, Woldy finds his recipe for healing by building Heartstone Lodge with his brother Vic, while Cathy pursues a healing journey through her writing. Ironically, the writing becomes her link to Heartstone Lodge, drawing her back to the support of the community and the wilderness she shared with her children. Through anecdotes of living in nature and the stories of the people and animals of Hemming Bay, a different type of family emerges and Cathy reflects on the imposing presence of those who have departed, some by way of death. After their son Michael returns from eight years in a Chinese jail with a longing for Hemming Bay fish and chips, their family begins to rebuild, re-establishing their tradition of sharing meals as a reminder of summer days spent in the wild. With quiet strength and conviction, Cathy confronts her emotions and reflects on the healing power of nature in this tender memoir.

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Book SynopsisThis is a remarkable story, not just about the extraordinary achievements of a family, but about the power of the individual to spur innovation, even when the consenTrade ReviewWith a foreword by James Cameron.

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Book Synopsis_______________________________— Ever wanted to save the world? —It’s easy to feel like we can’t make a difference. But small, easy actions, if taken by enough people, can move mountains – and save planets.Written in collaboration with leading environmental experts from WWF, this short book provides simple changes we can all make to our everyday lives, from morning to night.These aren’t the only things you can do. Nor are they things you have to do. But these 12 small acts are basic steps anybody can take, and if even one of them sticks, our children will inherit a better world.Acts like:– Turning off devices instead of leaving them on standby– Buying less cotton clothing (a T-shirt needs 2,400 litres of water to make!)– Using reusable straws when possible– Turning off the tap while you brush your teethwill take only moments, but if enough people commit to them, we can make a real difference to our planet._______________________________'Now really is the time to act. You don’t have to be a superhero – everyone can make a difference by following this book’ – Ben Fogle

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Book Synopsis‘A provocative vision.’ Sunday Times In 2017, the number of people going hungry in the world increased, for the first time in a decade. Pesticide-resistant bugs lay waste to crops across the globe, from bananas to potatoes. Food production releases billions of tons of carbon into the world, and it’s only getting worse. The writing is on the wall: our food system must change. But no one can agree on how. With his trademark counterintuition, Anthony Warner reveals that we have the ability to make a world where no one starves. And one where we don’t feel guilty about tucking in.Trade Review‘A provocative vision.’ * Sunday Times *‘This is an important book, and a good one. It’s ambitious and well-researched and timely… Food science can be a dry topic, but Warner manages to make it an entertaining one.’ -- Spectator on The Angry Chef

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Book SynopsisThere is no greater aspiration than saving the world. Natalie Fee's upbeat and engaging book is a life-altering guide to making those changes that will contribute to helping our planet. Covering all key areas of our lives, from food and leisure to travel and sex, Natalie will galvanise you to think and live differently. You will feel better, live better and ultimately breathe better in the knowledge that every small change contributes towards saving our world.Trade Review"For deep ecologists and those who have 'flown the green flag' for years, this book may still offer a few unexpected insights, but for those who are showing an interest in going greener, or for students focusing on sustainability, as well as young adults going to climate marches, it will be an invaluable addition to their bookshelf." * Resurgence & Ecologist *"Anyone with any ecoanxiety will be fired up by this guide from environmental campaigner and author Natalie Fee, who arms us with practical tools to rethink our choices." * Coast *

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Book SynopsisBeautifully illustrated throughout, each month includes sections on stargazing, gardening tips, seasonal vegan recipes, home organization or crafting ideas, digital wellbeing practices, rituals, book club reads, folklore or ancient wisdom as told by modern people from different walks of life, and free space for your own writing, notes or recipes. Harvest your own home-grown micro greens, windowsill radishes or rooftop carrots. Celebrate seasonal citrus with Piña Colada Bars or relieve the heat of midsummer with Lithuanian beetroot gazpacho. Sew your own foraging pouch for May-time foraging or make a bee bath for thirsty July bees. Create a phone photo journal of your favourite patch of local green. Make your own Wake-Up Shower Fizzers or May Day Dew Face Wash. Watch the 120-meteor-per-hour Geminid Shower to see out the year in Way Back style. This interactive and treasured item will gently encourage creativity, fulfillment and ultimately a way back to yourself.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to be an explorer in the twenty-first century? Explorer is the story of what first led Benedict Allen to head for the farthest reaches of our planet - at a time when there were still valleys and ranges known only to the remote communities who inhabited them. It is also the story of why, thirty years later, he is still exploring. It's the story of a journey back to a clouded mountain in New Guinea to find a man called Korsai who had once been a friend, and to fulfil a promise made as young men. It is also a story of what it is to be 'lost' and 'found'. Honest, sensitive and packed with insight, in Explorer Allen considers the lessons he has learnt from his numerous expeditions - most importantly, from the communities he has encountered and that he has spent so much of his life immersed in. 'To me personally, exploration isn't about planting flags, conquering Nature, or going somewhere in order to make a mark - it's about the opposite. It's about opening yourself up, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and letting the place and people make their mark on you.'Trade ReviewA nuanced and sensitive long conversation with the people of Papua New Guinea. . . [Allen] is a sensitive observer . . . [he] has an ear for dialogue and the inconsequential, and a gift for bringing alive the characters he meets * * The Times * *A remarkable journey unfolds . . . [Allen] writes clean, honest prose, creating startling images of all he sees . . . an extraordinary story, painfully assembled and beautifully told * * Spectator * *A love song to the Yaifo and all peoples struggling to maintain dignity and culture in a world gone wrong * * Daily Telegraph * *Honest, sensitive and gives a brilliant look at a world most of us just dream about * * Our Man On The Ground Travel * *Brilliant. Reads like a thriller -- MARCUS du SAUTOY

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Book SynopsisMeet 20 remarkable species facing the challenge of survival.From the rainforest to the savannah to the depths of the ocean, animal life in every continent and habitat has been affected by human activity. Louise McNaught's powerful animal portraits bring to life 20 stunning creatures and their fight for survival. Discover the dangers they face, the action being taken to protect them and their vital importance on Earth. Be inspired to join the movement to conserve species and find out how you can make a difference. "We all have a fantastic opportunity to do more for wildlife right now. We must not leave it too late: extinction is forever." - Charlie Mayhew MBE, Chief Executive of TuskTrade ReviewAs habitat loss now poses the greatest threat to our precious wildlife, discover the inspirational stories of 20 threatened species facing a fight for survival. Statistics show our planet is losing species between 1,000 and 10,000 times faster than the natural extinction rate, and it is caused almost entirely by human activity. Published in association with Tusk, a British charity set up in 1990 to help to protect African wildlife including African elephants, black rhino and the mountain gorilla, this beautifully illustrated book puts the world's extinction crisis and conservation issues into sharp focus and inspires all of us to join the conservation movement. From the rainforest and the savannah to the depths of the ocean, artist Louise McNaught's compelling animal portraits bring to life 20 stunning but endangered creatures, including secretary birds which fly across Africa south of the Sahara Desert, and the giant panda which now only survives in a handful of remote mountain areas in China. McNaught's vivid and energetic illustrations feature animals set on bright neon hues of green, yellow, pink, red and blue in an almost street-art style, giving them an elevated status whilst also suggesting the delicate relationship between nature and humans. Through words and intensely powerful pictures, Survival explores the dangers these amazing creatures face in their fight for survival, the action being taken to protect them, and their vital importance to life on Earth. In his foreword to this inspirational book, Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of Tusk, warns: 'We all have a fantastic opportunity to do more for wildlife right now. We must not leave it too late: extinction is forever.' * Lancashire Evening Post *The world is experiencing anextinction crisis. Earth is losingspecies between 1,000 and 10,000times faster than the naturalextinction rate. This book introducesyou to 20 remarkable species thatare struggling to survive. * Science and Nature *This eye-catching book has been published in association with Tusk (a wildlife charity) with the aim of highlighting the tenuous balance the survival of some species hangs in. The eye-catching artwork of Louise McNaught has a pop art feel to it, making the 20 endangered species featured the celebrities of the animal kingdom.All habitats are explored: the oceans, savannah, forests. Endangered species exist in all these places, no thanks to interference from the local human populations.Pages are clearly laid-out with a map, quick fact section and a more detailed explanation of the dangers each creature faces. A thought-provoking gift for those aged 8+. * Library Girl and Book Boy *Survival, published in association with conservation charity Tusk, takes a fascinating and informative look at twenty animal species that are facing the challenge of survival. It's an eye opening look at the dangers that they face and how extremely low the numbers of some species are.Human activity has endangered animals from every continent and every habitat, it's the number one cause of the decline in the majority of species. Our lifestyles and consumption of natural resources have contributed to this decline and several of the species included in this book are almost extinct or have come very close but are now slowly increasing in number.The book starts with a forward from Tusk which explains their work and how they protect animals from extinction. There's also a page about illustrator Louise McNaught and how she creates her pictures. A double page spread then shows a timeline of conservation and explains how different continents are working to ensure the preservation of endangered species.Animals, birds and insects from a variety of habitats, savannah, rainforests, oceans, are all included in this book. Each double spread includes a full page drawing of the creature and a map showing where that creature lives. Facts about each animal include information about their size, their habitat, how many there are in the world and their status - statuses range from critically endangered to vulnerable. More facts are given about each creature including the history and the reasons that they are in danger as well as the steps that are being taken to ensure their survival.Survival is a fantastic coffee table book to dip in and out of and it's really interesting to read about the threats faced by a range of individual species including bees, butterflies, Giant Pandas, Secretary Birds, Hawksbill Turtles and Black Rhinos. The Bornean Orangutang's habitat is being destroyed due to human's high consumption of palm oil, the Scalloped Hammerhead is endangered due to overfishing and urban development has led to the Sapphire-Bellied Hummingbird being critically endangered.Ideas as to how we can help endangered animals are given at the end of the book, it's heartening to see that the population numbers of some species are rising again but ultimately it is our behaviour and lifestyles that are causing the problem. If we don't act now, many of these species will become extinct. * Story Snug *Twenty creatures who are facing extinction are captured in powerfully vivid animal portraits. Discover the dangers they face, why they are important to the Earth and what is being done to protect them * South Wales Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisIf you had a trillion dollars and a year to spend it for the good of the world and the advancement of science, what would you do? It's an unimaginably large sum, yet it's only around one per cent of world GDP, and about the valuation of Google, Microsoft or Amazon. It's a much smaller sum than the world found to bail out its banks in 2008 or deal with Covid-19. But what could you achieve with $1 trillion? You could solve the problem of the pandemic, for one, and eradicate malaria, and maybe cure all disease. You could end global poverty. You could settle on the Moon and explore the solar system. You could build a massive particle collider to probe the nature of reality like never before. You could build quantum computers, develop artificial intelligence, or increase human lifespan. You could even create a new life form. Or how about transitioning the world to clean energy? Or preserving the rainforests, or saving all endangered species? Maybe you could refreeze the melting Arctic, launch a new sustainable agricultural revolution, and reverse climate change? How to Spend a Trillion Dollars is the ultimate thought experiment but it is also a call to arms: these are all things we could do, if we put our minds to it - and our money.Trade ReviewHow To Spend a Trillion Dollars is both original and ingenious. Rowan Hooper looks at the problems facing the world today - all the big ones - and presents solutions that are realistic and workable, if governments can wring the money out of giant corporations - and billionaires - that don't like paying tax. Hooper writes with great vivacity and persuasiveness and his book is an exhilarating, encouraging, and hopeful reminder that the solutions are there if we have the will to find them. I hope it sells a trillion. -- Philip PullmanWill someone iust give Rowan Hooper a mere trillion dollars and let him, very sensibly, save the world? -- Caitlin Moranln a world of doom-scrolling, trembling on the brink of causing a mass extinction event that will devastate civilisation, it's crucially important to point out that we already have the abilities needed not only to avoid catastrophe, but to thrive. That's what Hooper does in fascinating and exciting detail. -- Kim Stanley RobinsonAt a moment when science is proving it can solve the most urgent of problems - given the right funding - Rowan Hooper asks a very interesting question. How much would it cost to solve all the world's other problems? ... Like any good game, this is deadly serious. What starts off seeming absurd ends up feeling obvious. Why would we not invest in our future? As Hooper says, "The world is full of extraordinary opportunities, and the vast majority are never undertaken" -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Brimming with exciting possibilities for a future in which the health and safety of the whole population becomes their responsibility -- Delia SmithWhat would you do with a trillion dollars? In this hopeful and very readable book, Rowan Hooper shows us how a thoughtful investment of financial capital could be used to solve the great challenges we face. None is more near and dire than the climate crisis, and Hooper provides reason for optimism here. The solutions-green energy chief among them-already exist. It's simply a matter of us investing in them. And a trillion dollars spent on climate solutions would payback several times over in avoided damage and destruction and new jobs. Read this book and be inspired to change the world. -- Michael MannI've never before read a book which made me aspire to be a tax collector. But if I was, and if I could just get all the money which the greedy mega-Corps dodge paying, what Hooper so elegantly yet pragmatically shows is that we could so easily "save the world" and have so much fun too. I'll get my suit on! -- Chris PackhamIn a world in which everything seems to be going wrong, this is a refreshingly optimistic book about what real solutions to the world's biggest problems could look like - and cost. Beautifully positive, lucid and accessible. -- Angela Saini, author of SuperiorBy assessing what it would take to tackle the world's biggest problems, Hooper finds that even huge investments pay for themselves many times over. In that sense, his book is like a new version of Brewster's Millions: spend now, win later, with more jobs, better health and, crucially, a better functioning biosphere. * New Scientist *Rowan Hooper shows that the world's most intractable problems might not actually be intractable, if we just devoted the resources to solving them. How to Spend a Trillion Dollars is a fascinating, thought-provoking work. -- Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sixth Extinction

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Book SynopsisAs we face the compounded crises of late capitalism, environmental catastrophe and technological transformation, who are the thinkers and the ideas who will allow us to understand the world we live in? McKenzie Wark surveys three areas at the cutting edge of current critical thinking: design, environment, technology and introduces us to the thinking of nineteen major writers. Each chapter is a concise account of an individual thinker, providing useful context and connections to the work of the others. The authors include: Sianne Ngai, Kodwo Eshun, Lisa Nakamura, Hito Steyerl, Yves Citton, Randy Martin, Jackie Wang, Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, Achille Mbembe, Deborah Danowich and Eduardo Viveiros de Castro, Eyal Weizman, Cory Doctorow, Benjamin Bratton, Tiziana Terranova, Keller Easterling, Jussi Parikka.Wark argues that we are too often told that expertise is obtained by specialisation. Sensoria connects the themes and arguments across intellectual silos. They explore the edges of disciplines to show how we might know the world: through the study of culture, the different notions of how we create such things, and the impact that the machines that we devise have had upon us. The book is a vital and timely introduction to the future both as a warning but also as a road map on how we might find our way out of the current crisis.Trade ReviewA provocative and compelling exploration of our digital world as it crashes towards ecological disaster. Counter-intuitive, insightful, and imaginative, Capital is Dead is a timely reminder that there are things worse than capitalism - and we may just be living through them -- Nick Snricek, co-author of Inventing the Future * [in praise of Capital is Dead] *a playbook for the Anthropocene, a set of moves and strategies extracted from an unexpected canon of texts formed by a mash-up of the Soviet avant-garde and the Californian high-tech imaginary. * Radical Philosophy [in praise of Molecular Red] *A very imaginative, historically smart, politically generative thesis . that I think we urgently need. -- Donna Haraway, author of A Cyborg Manifesto * [in praise of Molecular Red] *A wonderful book . informative and moving . a great recovery of an instructive life and literary effort. The book makes the case for a kind of political vision and action we need to recognize and enact. A true pleasure to read. -- Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the Mars Trilogy * [in praise of Molecular Red] *Wark is a fine aphorist ... Playful, angry, depressed, celebratory, this is a book for anyone not convinced that there is no alternative to the way we live now. -- Observer * [In Praise of The Beach Beneath the Streets] *

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about expedition, adventure, our thirst for knowledge and pushing the limits of human endurance.From the navigational instruments that have led us through unknown lands, to the advanced engineering that carried us into the depths of the ocean, to the rocket science that propelled us into space, science and adventure have always been inextricably linked. Both are at the heart of everything we now know about the complex universe we find ourselves in.From the groundbreaking sea voyage in 1735 that settled the debate raging between Descartes and Newton about the shape of the earth to the balloon ride that led to the discovery of cosmic rays, we have pushed the limits of what’s possible, both on our planet and beyond the clouds.The Little Book of Big Explorations is a collection of some of the most daring and eye-opening adventures in history that have changed the way we view the world, as well as a look at what’s still to be discovered. Our insatiable curiosity has driven our survival as a species and can be charted through the centuries by these incredible voyages of discovery.Trade ReviewWith a delicate touch and deep understanding of the topic, Osman makes a compelling case to show how our great leaps into the unknown have consistently contributed to scientific discoveries that continue to change the way we interact with the world ... does a wonderful job of showing both how far we’ve come and how much more there is to discover. * Leon McCarron *A thoughtful smorgasbord of scientific expeditions made bite-sized. Perfect for the curious adventurers in your life. * Pip Stewart *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE RICHARD JEFFERIES AWARDA WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023Footprints in the Woods is John Lister-Kaye's account of a year spent observing the comings and goings of otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens. This family - Mustelidae - all live in the wild at Aigas, the conservation and field study centre that has been John's home for more than forty-five years.With the patient and meticulous care of a true naturalist, John observes and records the lives, habits and habitats of these elusive animals. Hours of careful waiting and watching in the woods and loch, the river, fields and moorland is rewarded with insight into how these animals live when unhindered by human interference; sometimes red in tooth and claw, but often playful, familial, curious and surprising.As a boy, badgers and weasels were John's first encounter with wild animals. Now he has spent fifty years living side-by side with them in the Highlands and come to know much of their ways. Footprints in the Woods is the culmination of that long association with the Mustelidae family, a love letter to the otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens that also call Aigas home, and a reminder of the fragility of habitat and the beauty and variety we have to lose if we don't choose to actively protect it.Trade ReviewSir John Lister-Kaye's latest book reveals the real, bloody world of nature's natural-born killers. [ . . . ] In the course of more than 50 years, he has become one of Britain's most celebrated nature writers and an expert on conservation * * The Times * *From pine martens to weasels, John Lister-Kaye's mesmerising new book reveals the true savagery of mustelids . . . Lister-Kaye's many expert, wide-eyed descriptions of their hunts - gleaned from thousands of hours of painstaking, superhumanly silent observation - bear both the unsentimentality of a lifelong naturalist and the eloquent punch of a superior thriller-writer. [He is] not only a marvellously lucid writer but also an unusually poetic one * * Telegraph * *Spellbinding . . . Footprints In The Woods is a wonderfully beguiling read, much like a rapt, highly observant and yet leisurely wander through some wild woodland, with no particular aim in mind but so forgetful of your small, limited self, so happily lost in the wide world of nature, that you hear and see everything. As an evocation of the author's beloved Highlands it is second to none, and it does what all great nature writing should do: it makes you want to get out there yourself * * Mail on Sunday * *This book conjures otters, badgers, pine martens and weasels right onto the page, in language that is deft, vivid and alive -- JAY GRIFFITHSLister-Kaye is the real thing: a peerless observer who is just as much part of the land as his beloved badgers. This, unusually, is nature writing that is actually about nature rather than the writer, and so it has the power and wisdom of the hills and forest. Marvellous -- CHARLES FOSTER, author of CRY OF THE WILDSir John Lister-Kaye, a leading naturalist and conservationist, has a fine eye for detail and a poetic turn of phrase. [ . . . ] Mesmerising * * Simple Things * *A love letter to the otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens . . . and a reminder of the fragility of habitat and the beauty and variety we have to lose if we don't choose to actively protect it * * Yorkshire Reporter * *Praise for John Lister Kaye: Utterly charming and captivating * * Sunday Times * *If only we could all be as attentive to the life around us as John Lister-Kaye. No one writes as movingly, or with such transporting poetic skills, about encounters with wild creatures -- HELEN MACDONALD, author of H IS FOR HAWKScotland's high priest of nature writing; it's charming and moving to wander along with him * * The Times * *

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