Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisWinner of the 2021 Globe Book Award for Public Understanding of Geography awarded by the American Association of Geographers An unprecedented portrait of the hidden patterns in human society—visualized through the world of data.Trade Review"Atlas of the Invisible is full of mind-blowing maps that harness the power of data to tell us something about ourselves and our planet." -- Hannah Fry, Professor in the Mathematics of Cities and author of The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything"Fantastic…a magical combo of art and graphic gut-punch." -- Dave Eggers"Page after page, graphic after graphic and text after text, Atlas of the Invisible erupts with a kind of rigorous wonder. Laying out patterns on everything from nomenclature to bike-sharing to unexploded ordnance, Cheshire and Uberti examine data sets you never even thought of in the interest of developing a portrait of the world as it is. The result is a strange and startling masterpiece." -- Matthew Specktor, author of American Dream Machine"A stone cold act of genius." -- Dan Snow, HistoryHit"Spectacular and truly Humboldtian." -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature"James Cheshire and Oliver Uberti’s extraordinary new book, Atlas of the Invisible transforms our understanding of our human selves, other lives on earth, and the planet we share. Packed with revelatory insights, the book is a masterful example of the power of compelling visual storytelling to reveal – from within the complexities of modern data chaos – meaning and knowledge otherwise hidden from view." -- B. Natterson-Horowitz, MD, bestselling author of Zoobiquity"An absolute visual delight." -- Manuel Lima, author of The Book of Circles: Visualizing Spheres of Knowledge"If you’re into #dataViz, you *need* to have this one… Every page reveals a surprise." -- Alberto Cairo, Knight Chair in Visual Journalism at the University of Miami and author of How Charts Lie"Gorgeous… Digging [through] troves of data, [Cheshire and Uberti] paint an essential portrait of Where We’ve Been, Who We Are, & How We’re Doing. Imagine Morpheus explaining The Matrix to you—only he’s also a BRILLIANT graphic designer." -- Minh Lê, bestselling author of Lift, Drawn Together, on Twitter"Stunning." -- Valerie Trouet, author of Tree Story, on Twitter"An eye-opening visual look at the assumptions and trends that lie beneath how the modern world ticks.…Demography and graphic design meet in an extraordinarily revealing book." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"Atlas of the Invisible takes this literally, with design-heavy info-mapping of cellular connections in the Great Lakes, eviction rates, the ethnicity of immigrants living on South Halsted Street in 1895. A cartographer’s dream, and often revelatory." -- Christopher Borrelli - Chicago Tribune"[T]his unique volume.…is designed to inspire readers to act." -- Library Journal"An endlessly fascinating array of insight and analysis." -- Mark Reynolds - Traveller Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fascinating look at four of the most spectacular cities in human history-and why they were all abandoned.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCan planners—or anyone—improve a neighborhood, city, suburb, or region? Planning does work: this book explains how.Trade Review"[H]ighly readable . . . Anyone who teaches – or is preparing to teach – introductory planning, economic development, or real estate development in the American context should be familiar with the Garvin perspective on planning and the greatest hits catalogued in this book. . . . Students of economic development, real estate development, and public works – Garvin’s future ‘stars’ – could be well-served by the city case studies and their inclusion of both the projects and the people." -- Journal of Planning Education and Research"The Planning Game, with clarity of voice and purpose, is a timely resource of insights and ideas much needed at this time." -- e-Oculus"The book is a fine production, with high quality illustrations, and would be of interest to a diverse audience beyond those with a planning expertise. . . . Each person and city is the subject of of a detailed and substantial chapter, and each personality, project and process has been thoroughly researched and compellingly communicated through writing and illustration." -- Urban Design (UK)"[B]eautifully illustrated . . . Original maps and custom photographs enrich Garvin’s verbal descriptions of these transformative projects. Those alone are worth the price of the book, but what really makes his scholarship exceptional is the knowing interpretation of how the players played the game successfully: their strategies, their playing the rules, and their physical imprints on the respective cities. . . . Read this book to uncover the extraordinary knowledge and insights he possesses. It’s an experience of discovery and inspiration for city lovers everywhere." -- Constructs"Author Alexander Garvin, an urban planner and academic, brings a down-to-earth practicality leavened with just enough starry-eyed idealism to his exploration of how to build better cities. . . . The colorful personalities of the planners behind the transformations and the colorful maps and photos make for easy reading or grazing." -- The New York Observer"This extremely beautiful, large-size, superior-quality hardcover book is very illuminating, informative, and insightful. It contains 202 full-color diagrams, maps, and photographs – created especially for this book – that add tremendous value to this one-of-a-kind treasure." -- Bizindia"Alex Garvin’s The Planning Game delivers a most articulate and compelling reminder that the fundamental rules of effective city planning are timeless. Here, lessons from the greats and their cities—from Haussmann, Burnham, Moses, and Bacon—serve as a wonderfully practical guide for current players in the game. The Planning Game is a total pleasure to read." -- Daniel Doctoroff, CEO of Bloomberg L.P. and former deputy mayor of the city of New York"The insights Alex Garvin brings to The Planning Game are the product of hands-on experience dealing with real cities, and he supports them with absolutely fascinating historical material. I found this book to be a practical and indispensable road map for communities wishing to achieve excellence." -- Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., City of Charlestown, South Carolina"No one writes about the modern city with more knowledge, insight, and imagination than Alexander Garvin. The Planning Game is about hope and possibility. The color illustrations alone are enough reason to spend precious hours alone with this book." -- Kenneth T. Jackson, Jacques Barzun Professor of History at Columbia University and former president of the New-York Historical Society

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe riveting story of one of the greatest but least-known sagas in the history of exploration from David Roberts, the “dean of adventure writing”

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe riveting tale of two pioneering botanists and their historic boat trip down the Colorado River through the Grand CanyonTrade Review"“It’s not just the story but the way it’s told that matters here. Unlike those old-time newspaper reporters, Sevigny does not look at her subjects and see women out of place. She sees women doing their job and doing it well. She muses with pleasure about that change in perspective, while acknowledging (correctly) that women still face serious gender barriers in the modern profession of science.”" -- The New York Times Book Review

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew York Times Bestseller Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize A Library Journal Best Science and Technology Book of the Year An exhilarating exploration of the science and wonder of global bird migration.Trade Review"[A] gripping journey alongside the world’s feathered wanderers and the people who study them.... Brims with spectacle.... As the birds flit through these pages, but with ever less frequency through our lives, we can only hope that birders and non-birders alike take inspiration and a call to action from A World on the Wing. This is the kind of book we’ve been waiting for." -- Christian Cooper - New York Times"A World on the Wing is a paean to the beauty of data, viewed in masses, and to citizen science taking ornithology by storm.... Mr. Weidensaul offers the astonishment of birds’ travels, deep concern for their populations and hope for their future in well-measured, beautifully realized doses." -- Julie Zickefoose - Wall Street Journal"I’m not a birder, but Weidensaul persuades me that I could be, and that a greater appreciation of the movement and behaviour of migratory birds might bring me into closer contact with what it means to be a living thing on Earth.... [Weidensaul is] a master storyteller.... What emerges is an emphatic statement of confidence in nature’s resilience—a vision of nature as a force that we and our science are irrefutably a part of." -- Ashish Ghadiali - The Guardian"In vivid prose that conjures up the rich spell of each landscape, Scott Weidensaul takes us on exhilarating expeditions that crisscross the globe and travel deep into the heart of nature. For lifelong experts and backyard birders alike, he’s a superb guide to the winged marvels that share our planet and our lives." -- Diane Ackerman, author of The Zookeeper’s Wife"Scott Weidensaul, one of our finest nature writers, has produced another instant classic. In A World on the Wing he takes a pair of highly complex subjects—global patterns of bird migration, and the research into those patterns—and brings them to life with his own amazing adventures around the world. Here is proof that a book of solid science can also be a page-turner. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the natural world." -- Kenn Kaufman, author of the Kaufman Field Guides"Weidensaul’s dispatches are fascinating. Chapter by chapter, my jaw dropped and my eyes widened. The science of bird migration has reached a golden age, and we’re lucky to have such a graceful guide. This book is instantly among my all-time favorites, and one I’ll keep to reread." -- Noah Strycker, author of Birding Without Borders"The miracle of birds meets the miracle of technology in Scott Weidensaul’s wondrous new book, A World on the Wing. While there are huge gaps in our knowledge of migration and there is despair in our race to save species, advances in technology from microscopic transmitters to agile drones are changing the equation and making the future look hopeful. This is a book you won’t want to put down." -- Jane Alexander, actress, writer and wildlife conservationist"Weidensaul is a peerless guide, sharing his intoxicating passion and decadeslong experience with countless bird species all over the world.... Another winner from Weidensaul that belongs in every birder’s library." -- Kirkus, starred review"Many mysteries of bird life and migration are revealed in this compelling and illuminating in-the-field narrative complete with maps and photographs." -- Booklist, starred review"Weidensaul addresses migratory birds’ changing reality and the scientists who work tirelessly to learn more about them and advocate on their behalf.... The plight and toughness of both birds and their human defenders will move you in lasting ways." -- BookPage, starred review

Read more less

Book Synopsis“At once thoughtful and thought-provoking”, Beloved Beasts tells the story of the modern conservation movement through the lives and ideas of the people who built it, making “a crucial addition to the literature of our troubled time” (Elizabeth Kolber)Trade Review"A definitive and informative history… Nijhuis’s detailed account is clear-eyed and unvarnished in its honesty." -- Valerie Thompson - Science"Michelle Nijhuis has written a book that is both a beautiful, wise history and a measured call to action." -- Florence Williams

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis new Norton Critical Edition recounts the 152736 expedition of Cabeza de Vaca, the first Spanish explorer to cross North America.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe don’t often recognize the humble activity of cooking for the revolutionary cultural adaptation that it is. But when the hearth fires started burning in the Paleolithic, humankind broadened the exploitation of food and took one of several great leaps forward.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA vital new moral perspective on the climate change debate.Trade Review"In Climate Matters John Broome brings his lucid writing, sparkling insights, and deep moral seriousness to the greatest moral challenge of our time. This is practical ethics at its most brilliant and its most significant." -- Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University"Climate Matters takes up where most books about global warming leave off. John Broome writes clearly and thoughtfully about the most pressing questions of our time." -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe"Broome applies ethical principles logically to private moral behavior and sound government policy on climate change, with interesting and sometimes surprising results. I want to argue with some of it, and climate change is worth arguing about." -- Ross Garnaut, former climate change advisor for the Australian government"How refreshing to have John Broome, an economist, argue that we should incorporate ethics in climate policy formation." -- Lester R. Brown, president of Earth Policy Institute and author of World on the Edge"Unmanaged climate change raises profound ethical, policy, and personal issues which must be faced directly. John Broome, one of the outstanding moral philosophers of our times, presents the issues and his conclusions in a most thoughtful, accessible, practical, and compelling way. A vitally important contribution." -- Nicholas Stern, president of the British Academy and chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics"For me (and for many others, I suspect) it is important to see this ethical side of climate change examined carefully by a skilled philosopher." -- Martin Weitzman, Professor of Economics, Harvard University"John Broome is uniquely qualified to help us think through some of the more important questions. His new book is sometimes controversial and surprising, but always insightful and clear." -- James Garvey - the Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn original history of man's greatest adventure: his search to discover the world around him.  In the compendious history, Boorstin not only traces man's insatiable need to know, but also the obstacles to discovery and the illusion that knowledge can also put in our way. Covering time, the earth and the seas, nature and society, he gathers and analyzes stories of the man's profound quest to understand his world and the cosmos.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA New York Times BestsellerA dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite’s El Capitan   “The rarest of adventure reads:  it thrills with colorful details of courage and perseverance but it enriches readers with an absolutely captivating glimpse into how a simple yet unwavering resolve can turn adversity into reward.” —The Denver Post A finalist for the Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain LiteratureOn January 14, 2015, Tommy Caldwell, along with his partner, Kevin Jorgeson, summited what is widely regarded as the hardest climb in history—Yosemite’s nearly vertical 3,000-foot Dawn Wall, after nineteen days on the route. Caldwell’s odds-defying feat—the subject of the documentary film The Dawn Wall to be released nationwide in September—was the culmination of an entire l

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe gripping story of the most important overlooked commodity in the world - sand - and the crucial role it plays in our lives.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis1 Origins and Applications of Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 2 General Information.- 3 Single Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in One, One Direction).- 4 Pinched Loop Chains (One in One, Perpendicular, One Direction).- 5 Double Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in Two, One Direction).- 6 Multidirectional Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in One, Two or More Directions; One in Two, Two or More Directions).- 7 Multiple Soldered Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 8 Multiple Woven Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 9 Clasps and Terminations.- Recommended Dowel Diameters and Wire Gauges for Basic Chain Types.- Dowel Diameter Relationships.- Troy Weights.- Alloying 22k Gold for Fused Loop Chains.- Drawing Wire.- Working in Gold.- Melting Points of Silver and Silver Solders.- Melting Points of Gold and Gold Solders.- Equipment, Tools and Supplies.- Some Sources of Equipment, Tools and Materials.Table of Contents1 Origins and Applications of Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 2 General Information.- 3 Single Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in One, One Direction).- 4 Pinched Loop Chains (One in One, Perpendicular, One Direction).- 5 Double Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in Two, One Direction).- 6 Multidirectional Loop-in-Loop Chains (One in One, Two or More Directions; One in Two, Two or More Directions).- 7 Multiple Soldered Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 8 Multiple Woven Loop-in-Loop Chains.- 9 Clasps and Terminations.- Recommended Dowel Diameters and Wire Gauges for Basic Chain Types.- Dowel Diameter Relationships.- Troy Weights.- Alloying 22k Gold for Fused Loop Chains.- Drawing Wire.- Working in Gold.- Melting Points of Silver and Silver Solders.- Melting Points of Gold and Gold Solders.- Equipment, Tools and Supplies.- Some Sources of Equipment, Tools and Materials.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMagmatism and Global Tectonic Processes.- Relation of present-day magmatism to global tectonic processes.- Geochemical characteristics of igneous rocks as petrogenetic indicators.- Partial melting processes in the Earth's upper mantle.- Processes which modify the composition of primary magmas.- Magmatism at Constructive Plate Margins.- Mid-ocean ridges.- Magmatism at Destructive Plate Margins.- Island arcs.- Active Continental Margins.- Back-arc Basins.- Magmatism within Plates.- Oceanic islands.- Continental Tholeiitic Flood Basalt Provinces.- Continental Rift Zone Magmatism.- Potassic Magmatism within Continental Plates.Table of ContentsMagmatism and Global Tectonic Processes.- Relation of present-day magmatism to global tectonic processes.- Geochemical characteristics of igneous rocks as petrogenetic indicators.- Partial melting processes in the Earth’s upper mantle.- Processes which modify the composition of primary magmas.- Magmatism at Constructive Plate Margins.- Mid-ocean ridges.- Magmatism at Destructive Plate Margins.- Island arcs.- Active Continental Margins.- Back-arc Basins.- Magmatism within Plates.- Oceanic islands.- Continental Tholeiitic Flood Basalt Provinces.- Continental Rift Zone Magmatism.- Potassic Magmatism within Continental Plates.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife in coastal sand dunes, salt marshes and shingle banks presents a variety of challenges to their inhabitants.Table of ContentsIntroduction and primary concepts. Primary and secondary production: the autotrophs and their associates. Water and ionic relationships: plant adaptations to coastal environments. Salt marshes: tides, time and function. Salt-marsh dynamics and communities. Sand dunes: initiation, development and function. Sand dune-dynamics and communities. Coastal shingle. Environmental impacts. Variation in sea level and climatic change. Coastal management and conservation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Optical Crystallography.- 1 The polarizing microscope.- 2 Orthoscopic observations.- 3 Observations under conoscopic light.- B Optical Mineralogy.- 1 Opaque minerals and substances.- 2 Optically isotropic (also pseudocubic) minerals and amorphous substances.- 3 Optically uniaxial minerals.- 4 Biaxial crystals.- C Appendices.- 1 Tables for the microscopic identification of rock-forming minerals.- 2 Diagrams for the classification of magmatic rocks.- 3 Diagrams of mineral and rock structures.Table of ContentsA Optical Crystallography.- 1 The polarizing microscope.- 1.1 Microscope components and their function.- 1.2 Accessory equipment.- 1.3 Adjustment of the microscope.- 1.3.1 Centring the condensing lens.- 1.3.2 Centring the objective.- 2 Orthoscopic observations.- 2.1 Observations with one polarizer.- 2.1.1 Light impervious (opaque) minerals and substances.- 2.1.2 Transparent minerals and substances.- 2.1.2.1 Characteristic crystal shapes.- 2.1.2.2 Cleavage.- 2.1.2.3 Colour and pleochroism.- 2.1.2.4 Refractive index: relief, chagrin, and the Becke line.- 2.2 Observations under crossed polars.- 2.2.1 Passage of light through isotropic media.- 2.2.2 Passage of light through anisotropic media.- 2.2.2.1 Birefringence and polarization.- 2.2.2.2 The indicatrix model.- 2.2.2.3 Optical character of elongation.- 2.2.2.4 Parallel, symmetric and oblique extinction.- 2.2.2.5 Twinning.- 3 Observations under conoscopic light.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Conoscopic examination of optically uniaxial crystals.- 3.2.1 Conoscopic images of uniaxial crystals in different orientations.- 3.2.2 Determination of the optical character of uniaxial crystals.- 3.3 Determination of the optical character of biaxial minerals in the conoscopic light path.- 3.3.1 Conoscopic images of biaxial minerals in different orientations.- 3.3.2 Identification of the optical character of biaxial crystals.- 3.3.3 Estimation of the optic axial angle 2V.- 3.3.4 Determination of optic axial angles 2V in oblique section.- Summary 1: Mineral identification with the polarizing microscope.- Summary 2: Protocol of mineral identification in thin section.- B Optical Mineralogy.- 1 Opaque minerals and substances.- 1.1 Magnetite.- 1.2 Ilmenite.- 1.3 Hematite.- 1.4 Pyrite.- 1.5 Pyrrhotite.- 1.6 Graphite.- 1.7 Carbonaceous substances.- 2 Optically isotropic (also pseudocubic) minerals and amorphous substances.- 2.1 Perovskite.- 2.2 Spinel group.- 2.3 Pyrochlore and koppite.- 2.4 Garnet group.- 2.4.1 Pyrope.- 2.4.2 Almandine.- 2.4.3 Grossularite.- 2.4.4 Melanite.- 2.5 Leucite.- 2.6 Sodalite group.- 2.7 Analcite.- 2.8 Cristobalite.- 2.9 Fluorite.- 2.10 Amorphous minerals, glass and cryptocrystalline material.- 2.10.1 Limonite.- 2.10.2 Opal.- 2.10.3 Rock-glass.- 3 Optically uniaxial minerals.- 3.1 Minerals which are optically uniaxial positive.- 3.1.1 Rutile.- 3.1.2 Cassiterite.- 3.1.3 Zircon.- 3.1.4 Xenotime.- 3.1.5 Melilite group.- 3.1.6 SiO2 group.- 3.1.6.1 Quartz.- 3.1.6.2 Chalcedony.- 3.1.6.3 Tridymite.- 3.1.7 Chabazite.- 3.2 Minerals with uniaxial negative character.- 3.2.1 Anatase.- 3.2.2 Trigonal carbonate group.- 3.2.2.1 Calcite.- 3.2.2.2 Dolomite.- 3.2.2.3 Magnesite.- 3.2.2.4 Siderite.- 3.2.3 Corundum.- 3.2.4 Vesuvianite.- 3.2.5 Tourmaline.- 3.2.6 Apatite.- 3.2.7 Beryl.- 3.2.8 Nepheline.- 3.2.9 Scapolite group.- 3.2.10 Apophyllite.- 3.2.11 Cancrinite.- 4 Biaxial crystals.- 4.1 Olivine group.- 4.2 Pyroxene group.- 4.2.1 Orthopyroxene group: enstatite, bronzite, hypersthene.- 4.2.2 Clinopyroxenes.- 4.2.2.1 Diopside group.- 4.2.2.2 Augite group.- 4.2.2.3 Titanaugite.- 4.2.2.4 Pigeonite.- 4.2.2.5 Aegirine-augite series.- 4.2.2.6 Jadeite.- 4.2.2.7 Omphacite.- Determination of the maximum extinction angle for pyroxenes and amphiboles.- 4.3 Amphibole group.- 4.3.1 Actinolite group.- 4.3.2 Green (‘common’) hornblende.- 4.3.3 Brown hornblende.- 4.3.4 Glaucophane and crossite.- 4.3.5 Arfvedsonite and riebeckite.- 4.4 Mica group.- 4.4.1 Muscovite.- 4.4.2 Phengite.- 4.4.3 Lithionite series.- 4.4.3.1 Lepidolite.- 4.4.3.2 Zinnwaldite.- 4.4.4 Biotite series.- 4.4.4.1 Phlogopite.- 4.4.4.2 Biotite s.s..- 4.4.5 Oxybiotite.- 4.4.6 Titanbiotite.- 4.5 Stilpnomelane.- 4.6 Glauconite and celadonite.- 4.7 Talc.- 4.8 Chlorite group.- 4.8.1 Orthochlorite.- 4.8.2 Leptochlorite.- 4.9 Serpentine group.- 4.9.1 Antigorite.- 4.9.2 Chrysotile.- 4.10 Feldspar family.- 4.10.1 Alkali feldspars.- 4.10.1.1 Sanidine.- 4.10.1.2 Orthoclase.- 4.10.1.3 Anorthoclase.- 4.10.1.4 Microcline.- 4.10.2 Plagioclase series.- 4.11 Zeolite family.- 4.11.1 Fibrous zeolites.- 4.11.1.1 Natrolite.- 4.11.1.2 Mesolite.- 4.11.1.3 Thomsonite.- 4.11.1.4 Scolecite.- 4.11.1.5 Mordenite.- 4.11.1.6 Laumontite.- 4.11.2 Flaky zeolites.- 4.11.2.1 Heulandite.- 4.11.2.2 Stilbite.- 4.11.2.3 Epistilbite.- 4.11.3 Cubic zeolites.- 4.11.3.1 Phillipsite.- 4.11.3.2 Harmotome.- 4.12 Aenigmatite (cossyrite).- 4.13 Sphene (titanite).- 4.14 Topaz.- 4.15 Cordierite.- 4.16 Al2SiO5 group.- 4.16.1 Andalusite.- 4.16.2 Sillimanite.- 4.16.3 Kyanite.- 4.17 Staurolite.- 4.18 Wollastonite.- 4.19 Chloritoid.- 4.20 Epidote zoisite group.- 4.20.1 Zoisite.- 4.20.2 Epidote.- 4.20.3 Clinozoisite.- 4.20.4 Orthite (allanite).- 4.21 Pumpellyite.- 4.22 Lawsonite.- 4.23 Anhydrite.- 4.24 Gypsum.- 4.25 Aragonite.- 4.26 Barite.- 4.27 Goethite.- 4.28 Prehnite.- C Appendices.- 1 Tables for the microscopic identification of rock-forming minerals.- 2 Diagrams for the classification of magmatic rocks.- 3 Diagrams of mineral and rock structures.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffers a concise description of atmospheric layers sensitively pitched for the non-meteorological specialist in a variety of disciplines: in geography, agriculture, forestry, ecology, engineering, environment and planning.Trade Review`A fine text for students wishing to understand the physical processes ocurring near the earth's surface while avoiding the more mathematical approach adopted by many specialized micrometeorological texts.' - Royal Meteorological Society`Text and diagrams are a model of clarity, logicality and precision, sensitively designed to appeal toall those seeking a basic but comprehensive and scrupulously scientific understanding of the processes in the lower kilometre or so of the atmosphere.' - World Meteorological OrganisationTable of ContentsPart I Atmospheric systems, CHAPTER 1 ENERGY AND MASS EXCHANGES, CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL BASIS OF BOUNDARY LAYER CLIMATES, CHAPTER 3 CLIMATES OF SIMPLE NON-VEGETATED SURFACES, CHAPTER 4 CLIMATES OF VEGETATED SURFACES, CHAPTER 5 CLIMATES OF NON-UNIFORM TERRAIN, CHAPTER 6 CLIMATES OF ANIMALS, Part III Man-modified atmospheric environments, CHAPTER 7 INTENTIONALLY MODIFIED CLIMATES, CHAPTER 8 INADVERTENT CLIMATE MODIFICATION, CHAPTER 9 AIR POLLUTION IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Companion Encyclopedia of Geography provides an authoritative and provocative source of reference for all those concerned with the earth and its people. Examining both physical and human geography and charting human activities within their habitat up to the present day, this Companion also asks what lies in the future:* A differentiated world* A world transformed by the growth of a global economy* The global scale of habitat modification* A world of questions* Changing worlds, changing geographies* Geographical futures.The forty-five self contained chapters are bound into a unifying whole by the editors'' general and part introductions; each chapter provides details of the most useful sources of further reading and research, and the volume is concluded with a comprehensive index. This is an invaluable resource not only for students, teachers and researchers in the academic domain but also professionals in interested commercial and pTable of ContentsGeneral Introduction PART I: A DIFFERENTIATED WORLD Introduction 1 Planet Earth 2 The ever-changing climate 3 The biosphere 4 Human evolution 5 The geography of language 6 Religion: nature and origins 7 The modification of the earth by humans in pre-industrial times PART II: A WORLD TRANSFORMED BY THE GROWTH OF A GLOBAL ECONOMY Introduction 8 European settlement, 1450–1750 9 European expansion and land cover transformation 10 The origins of the capitalist world economy 11 Industrialization and world agriculture 12 Changes in global demography 13 Origins of modern environmentalism 14 The saviour city: beneficial effects of urbanization in England and Wales 15 From a ‘cultural’ world to a ‘political’ one PART III: THE GLOBAL SCALE OF HABITAT MODIFICATION Introduction 16 Unity and division in global political geography 17 The geography of conflicts and the prospects for peace 18 A new ‘geo-economy’: patterns, processes, problems 19 Third World urbanization 20 From riches to rags: the international debt crisis 21 Monitoring, modelling and mothering the environment: the impact of science and technology since the Second World War 22 Environmentalism on the move PART IV: A WORLD OF QUESTIONS Introduction 23 Climatic variation and global change 24 Ocean uses, environment and management 25 Water: confronting the critical dilemma 26 Surface instability and human modification in geomorphic systems 27 The tropical rain forest 28 Humanity’s resources 29 Environmental hazards 30 The sustainability of sustenance: land and agricultural production in the Third World 31 Famines and surplus in world food production 32 The nature of Third World cities 33 Western cities and their problems 34 Changing countrysides 35 The quality of life: human welfare and social justice PART V: CHANGING WORLDS, CHANGING GEOGRAPHIES Introduction 36 The expansion and fragmentation of geography in higher education 37 Achievements of spatial science 38 Geography and humanism in the late twentieth century 39 Structural themes in geographical discourse 40 Challenging the boundaries: survival and change in a gendered World 41 Place PART VI: GEOGRAPHICAL FUTURES 42 Concern for geography: a case for equal emphasis of the geographical traditions 43 Home and world, cosmopolitanism and ethnicity: key concepts in contemporary human geography 44 Palaeoenvironmental narrative and scenario science 45 Geographical futures: some personal speculations

Read more less

Book SynopsisRome was a huge city. Running it required not only public works and services but also specialised law. This innovative work traces the development of that law and system in the main areas of administration. The book incorporates and develops previous historical and topographical works by relating their findings to the Roman legal framework, building up a portrait of public administration, unusually comprehensive for the ancient world.Trade Review`... had me curling my toes with pleasure as [Robinson] took me in fine detail through every apect of the legal regulation, administration and control (no archaeology here) of the most populous city of the western world before the Industrial revolution...' - ad familiaresTable of ContentsIntroduction: Limitations of Space and Time 1. The Physical City 2. Town Planning: The Long View Chapter 3. Building Controls 4. Public Buildings and Public Works 5. Streets and Thoroughfares 6. The Tiber 7. Water and Fire 8. Public Health and Safety 9. Control of Services 10. Feeding the City 11. Shows and Spectacles 12. The Forces of Law and Order 13. Public Order 14. Loose Ends Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are all concerned by the environmental threats facing us today. Environmental issues are a major area of concern for policy makers, industrialists and public groups of many different kinds. While science seems central to our understanding of such threats, the statements of scientists are increasingly open to challenge in this area. Meanwhile, citizens may find themselves labelled as `ignorant'' in environmental matters. In Citizen Science Alan Irwin provides a much needed route through the fraught relationship between science, the public and the environmental threat.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Science and Citizenship 3. Science, Citizenship and Environmental Threat 4. Witnesses, Participants and Major Accident Hazards 5. Freeing the Voices: A Science of the People 6. Building Sustainable Futures: Science Shops and Social Experiments 7. Science, Citizenship and Troubled Modernity

Read more less

Book SynopsisFocusing on the ramifications of GIS usage, Digital Places shows that they are associated with far-reaching changes in the institutions in which they exist, and in the lives of those they touch.Trade Review'I would recommend this book to anyone ready to read it with a critical view of the subject matter.' - Environment and Planning, vol 26 ,1999Table of ContentsIntroduction; Part 1 The World According to Geographic Information Systems; Chapter 1 Reason and Language in Geographic Information Systems; Chapter 2 On Space in Geographic Information Systems; Chapter 3 Optical Consistency, Technologies of Location, and the Limits of Representation; Part 2 Geographic Information Systems in Practice; Chapter 4 On the Roots of Geographic Information Systems; Chapter 5 The Reshaping of Geographic Practice; Chapter 6 Who Owns Geographic Information?; Chapter 7 The Digital Individual in a Visible World; Part 3 Living with Geographic Information Systems; Chapter 8 Geographic Information Systems and the Problem of Ethical Action; Chapter 9 Beyond PaleoGIS?;

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe coast cannot be left to nature to determine its fate. Wealth, property, economic interests, recreation, tourism and wildlife are all threatened. Coasts are an administrative battle ground and one of the most important and widely examined topics in environmental management.Coastal and Estuarine Management examines the issues surrounding the human use and abuse of estuarine and coastal environments. Emphasising the importance and significance of this natural resource, the uses and conflicts which occur and the results of human activity, this book explains the ways in which conservation and management policies and practices can protect this productive and diverse ecosystem.Examples and real-life case studies illustrate the effect of human intervention, both from an historic and contemporary perspective. Exposing the environmental consequences of estuarine pollution, Peter French highlights the need for management strategies to promote a sustainable development ethic fTrade Review'The text is written in a lucid but nontechnical style and should be amenable to all students of environmental management...this text has the capacity to influence the attitudes of the next generation of coastal managers.' - Progress in Physical Goegraphy, Vol 23, No.1 1999"The only 'textbook' which is both up-to-date and conprehensive in its coverage of this fast-developing subject" Dr Geoff Walker, West England UniversityTable of Contents1 Introduction to estuarine and coastal systems 2 The physical regime of coasts and estuaries 3 Land claim and coastal defence 4 The industrial use of coasts and estuaries 5 Coastal development for tourism 6 Causes of indirect impacts on the coast 7 Management frameworks for coastal and estuarine systems; The final word

Read more less

Book SynopsisLivelihoods in rural Africa are changing in response to disappearing job prospects, falling agricultural output and collapsing infrastructure. This book explains why the responses to these challenges are so different in different parts of Africa. Making a Living uses case studies from commercial farming regions in Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and from much poorer areas within eastern and southern Africa.to give a broad comparative study of rural livelihoods. These case studies reveal how household relations, poverty and gender all play a part in the changing political economy of rural Africa.Trade Review'It is a thoughtful and concise book. A sophisticated and comprehensive analysis of rural livelihoods, the household, gender relations and general poverty.' - Journal of Development Studies 'This book can be recommended to serious students of livelihood diversification. It is also useful for Women in Development Studies, as it makes good use of life histories and discusses the impacts on interfamily relationships, undogmatically.' - Progress in Development Studies Table of ContentsPART 1 Changing livelihoods in Eastern and Southern Africa, 1 Making a living: commercial farming, 2 Farming and rural livelihoods in South Africa: a case study, 3 Making a living: migrancy and multiple livelihoods, 4 Rural livelihoods and gender, PART 2 Poverty and livelihoods in Western Kenya, 5 Koguta and Western Kenya, 6 Migration, accumulation and poverty, 7 Poverty and livelihoods, 8 Gender and livelihoods in Koguta, Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis text explains what constitutes good practice in applying environmental assessment as an environmental management tool. A wide range of case studies and other student text features are employed to demonstrate how the different methods, techniques and disciplines of environmental assessment can be used. The authors address the key concepts for environmental assessment procedures: methods for using E.A.; techniques for impact prediction and evaluation; environmental risk assessment; EA consultation and participation; project management; environmental statement review and post-project analysis; and strategic environmental assessment.Worldwide case studies include: gas pipelines, hydroelectric power plants, gold mining, river crossings, waste-to-energy plants and gravel extraction in England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the USA, Venezuela, the Netherlands, Iceland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ghana.Trade ReviewHarrop and Nixon have succeeded in providing a good overview of an important topic...The book will be a useful addition to any university library and will be a valuable introductory text for the more practically minded who rapidly need to develop an understanding of EA in action. - Roy Haines-Young and Marion Potschin - Progress in Physical GeographyTable of Contents1. Introduction to environmental assessment: purpose and proceedures 2. Environmental assessment methods 3. Techniques for impact prediction and evaluation 4. Environmental risk assessment 5. Consultation and participation: the public role in environmental assessment 6. Managing the EA process 7. Quality assurance in EA: ES review and post-project analysis 8. Strategic environmental assessment 9. EA in practice 10. The final word 11. Further reading

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explains how space, place and mobility have shaped the experiences of disabled people both in the past and in contemporary societies. The key features of this insightful study include:* a critical appraisal of theories of disability and a new disability model* case studies to explore how the transition to capitalism disadvantaged disabled people* an exploration of the Western city and the policies of community care and accessibility regulation.Brendan Gleeson presents an important contribution to the major policy debates on disability in Western societies and offers new considerations for the broader debates on embodiment and space within Geography.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Part 1 A Socio-Apatial Model of Disability; Chapter 2 Social Science and Disability; Chapter 3 The Nature of Disability; Part 2 Historical Geographies of Disability; Chapter 4 Historical-Geographical Materialism and Disability; Chapter 5 The Social Space of Disability in Feudal England; Chapter 6 The Social Space of Disability in the Industrial City; Part 3 Contemporary Geographies of Disability; Chapter 7 Disability and the Capitalist City; Chapter 8 Community Care; Chapter 9 The Regulation of Urban Accessibility; Chapter 10 Towards an Enabling Geography;

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is one of the first books to introduce students to the key concepts and debates surrounding the relationship between bodily boundaries, abject materiality and spaces. The text includes original interview and focus group data informed by feminist theory on the body and uses case studies to illustrate the social construction of bodies. It will critically engage students in topical questions around sexuality, cultural differences and women''s sub-ordination to men.Table of Contents1 Bodily openings 2 ‘Corporeographies’ 3 Pregnant bodies in public places 4 Men’s bodies and bathrooms 5 Managing managerial bodies 6 Some thoughts on close(t) spaces

Read more less