Natural History Books

Book SynopsisThere''s a lot going on in Pickax these days - a new film club has been founded, showing old films from the early days of cinema; Koko the Siamese cat is making his stage debut in a musical revue to benefit animal rescue; and five Amazon parrots have been abducted. To say nothing of a suspicious compulsive gambler lurking in the background...

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Book SynopsisIn her heartwarming New York Times bestsellers Unlikely Friendships and last year's Unlikely Loves, Jennifer Holland revealed the surprising emotional bonds that exist between animals of different species. Her books spent dozens of weeks on bestseller lists and caught the attention of major media from CBS This Morning to USA Today. Why? Because she opened our eyes to the rich inner lives of animals, showing us that the power of love and friendship is not for humans only. In Unlikely Heroes, Ms. Holland uncovers and celebrates yet another side of animals that we often think belongs primarily to peopleheroism, that indefinable quality of going above and beyond, often for altruistic reasons, often at great personal risk. These 37 inspiring true tales show animals whose quick acts have saved lives, like the pod of dolphins who protected swimmers in New Zealand from a great white shark by forming a screen around them. There are sTrade Review"A wonderful and most important book that will open your eyes about the compassion and empathy animals display. Read it, then read it again. It is an inspiring and perfect gift." --Marc Bekoff, author of Why Dogs Hump and Bees Get Depressed—Marc Bekoff"Sometimes an animal comes out of nowhere to take a risk on our behalf, or that of a fellow creature. Jennifer Holland has done it again, drawing attention to the emotional capacities of animals in a most engaging compilation of well-documented stories. The protective instincts of animals are powerful, and a source of deep gratitude for some." --Frans de Waal, author of The Bonobo and the Atheist—Frans de Waal

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Book SynopsisA heartwarming dog story like no other: Tuesday, a lovable golden retriever, changes a former soldier''s life forever.A highly decorated captain in the U.S. Army, Luis Montalvan never backed down from a challenge during his two tours of duty in Iraq. After returning home from combat, however, his physical wounds and crippling post-traumatic stress disorder began to take their toll. He wondered if he would ever recover.Then Luis met Tuesday, a sensitive golden retriever trained to assist the disabled. Tuesday had lived among prisoners and at a home for troubled boys, and he found it difficult to trust in or connect with a human being--until Luis. Until Tuesday is the story of how two wounded warriors, who had given so much and suffered the consequences, found salvation in each other. It is a story about war and peace, injury and recovery, psychological wounds and spiritual restoration. But more than that, it is a story about the love between a man and dTrade Review'Wow, what a book! I think I was crying on page 3. The collision of man and dog, and the unbreakable bond they form, made my heart leap. Everyone should read this book to better understand not only the ravages of war, but the amazing capacity of the human spirit to rebound. I dare anyone to read this book and not believe in the power of love to heal.' * Lee Woodruff, author of In an Instant (with Bob Woodruff) and Perfectly Imperfect *'A deeply moving story of service, sacrifice, and restoration. Years from now when critics assemble the canon of Iraq War literature, look for Until Tuesday to make everyone's short list.' * Andrew J. Bacevich, author of Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War *'This story of an incredible service dog is both touching and warm. Some of the struggles are painful to read, because they are so real, but that only makes the triumphs more uplifting. In the course of these pages, Tuesday truly becomes a hero, as does Luis Montalván. This book feels like more than a joy; it feels necessary.' * Vicki Myron, #1 NYT bestselling author of Dewey *'Until Tuesday explores the unique bond that can occur between dogs and people that ennobles both. This book is a moving tribute to the courage and perseverance of a man as well as the love and the devotion of a remarkable and unforgettable dog.' * Larry Levin, New York Times bestselling author of Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love *'This is a profoundly honest book filled with vital lessons about loss, friendship, war -- and the loving bonds that can save us in our lowest moments. We are all lucky that Capt. Montalván and his dog Tuesday found each other, for in their story we see the possibilities in our own lives.' * Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor of The New York Times bestseller, The Last Lecture *'Luis and Tuesday are two true American heroes. This powerful story is a testament to the courage of veterans both on and off the battlefield. The incredible relationship Luis and Tuesday share is a testament to the power of friendship and service. Far too many veterans face challenges when the invisible wounds of war follow us from the frontlines to our lives back home. Luis is a critical voice for our community, reminding every single veteran that they are not alone. Luis and Tuesday have been instrumental in helping to erase the stigma of invisible wounds, and luckily this book is just the beginning of their incredible story.' * Paul Rieckhoff, Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Author of Chasing Ghosts *'Luis and Tuesday were one of the original sources of inspiration for my very first piece of legislation. Luis' story of military service, his struggles with visible and invisible wounds of war, and the dog who helped save his life is as compelling on the page as when you hear it in person.' * Senator Al Franken *

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Book SynopsisLearn how to grow wild and exotic, medicinally important, sustainable, and deeply delicious mushrooms right at your own home, just as people throughout the world have been doing for centuries. Mushrooms are healthy, packed with vitamins and antioxidants; rich with flavor, an excellent source of the fifth flavor know as umami; and can be used medicinally in teas and tinctures. By growing your own, you can enjoy these benefits while also enriching your soil, speeding up your composting, and even suppressing weeds—though the biggest draw may be the magic of watching this unique form of life grow. Understanding how mushrooms grow is crucial to successfully cultivating them, and Mushroom Cultivation offers photo-illustrated instruction both on how mushrooms grow and how you can cultivate them yourself, with a focus on six types of mushroom—shiitake, oyster, wine cap, hericium, blewit, and agaricus. You’ll learn how to: Grow mushrooms, step by step, in a variety of different mediums: logs, straw, wood chips and sawdust, and compost Troubleshoot problems, including identification, underwatering, overwatering, and insects Store, dry, and freeze your mushroom harvest Cook with mushrooms, including variety-specific cooking tips and 8 tasty recipes Find supplies and more information with the resources listed at the back of the book After reading Mushroom Cultivation, you’ll discover that growing a mushroom is really no more difficult than growing a tomato. You just need a slightly different set of skills.Picking your own fresh mushrooms at the peak of their flavor and nutrition is within your reach with this comprehensive, step-by-step guide.Trade Review“...a great overview of which mushrooms to grow at home and how to go about doing it.” * The Suburban Jungle Blog *“Lynch’s book really gets down to serious details in the chapters on how to grow mushrooms in each unique substrate: logs, straw, sawdust and wood chips, and compost. Step-by-step instructions and fabulous photographs provide the reader with information needed to be successful.” * Oregon Live *“Mushroom Cultivation convinced me that growing mushrooms in my home garden is not a crazy proposition, nor is it a difficult one. There are several easy methods by which mushrooms can be grown at home...and Tavis Lynch illustrates each of them deftly, with instructions for setting up and maintaining the mushroom beds in easily understandable language.” * Little House in an Old Town *“you can dazzle dinner guests with dishes made from the recipes in this book” * Country Gardens *“This book is great for anyone wanting step-by-step instructions and expert tips for growing, preparing, and cooking your own mushrooms.” * International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms *

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Book SynopsisThis book explains the structural relationships among di- and ring silicate minerals, known for their hardness and brilliant colors, and the geological conditions that create the beautiful crystals prized by collectors. The minerals are arranged systematically to emphasize how they fit into structural groups, and generously illustrated with nearly 600 structure diagrams, color photos, and drawings. An extensive bibliography includes a broad range of easily accessible references ranging from the foundational literature and original species descriptions to reports on current scientific research.

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Book SynopsisThe latest book in the Know Your - series is dedicated to man's best friend, the dog. The 45 breeds selected by Jack Byard for his latest book are chosen to represent some of the most popular and well known dogs that you will see out and about around you. Each breed had a full page photograph accompanied by a concise but informative text. Jack explains the colour, pattern and size of the breed, their history, temperament, and place in today's society.Table of Contents1. Airedale Terrier 2. Akita 3. American Cocker Spaniel 4. Australian Shepherd 5. Beagle 6. Bichon Frise 7. Border Collie 8. Border Terrier 9. Boston Terrier 10. Boxer 11. Bulldog 12. Cairn Terrier 13. Cavalier King Charles 14. Chihuahua 15. Chinese Shar-Pei 16. Dachshund 17. Dalmatian 18. Doberman Pinscher 19. English Springer Spaniel 20. German Shepherd 21. German Shorthaired Pointer 22. Golden Retriever 23. Great Dane 24. Irish Setter 25. Labrador Retriever 26. Lhasa Apso 27. Maltese 28. Mastiff 29. Miniature Pinscher 30. Miniature Schnauzer 31. Newfoundland 32. Pekingese 33. Pembroke Welsh Corgi 34. Pomeranian 35. Poodle 36. Pug 37. Rottweiler 38. Shetland Sheepdog 39. Shih Tzu 40. Siberian Husky 41. Staffordshire Bull Terrier 42. Weimaraner 43. West Highland White Terrier 44. Whippet 45. Yorkshire Terrier

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Book SynopsisThe Birds of Panama will be an essential tool for the new generation of birders traveling in search of Panama's spectacular avifauna.Trade ReviewAngehr and Dean have created an accurate, portable guide that will prove very useful to birders and casual observers wishing to savor the avian diversity of Panama. * Choice *Table of ContentsMap of Panama Introduction Anatomical Features Adult Vultures and Raptors in FlightSpecies Accounts and Illustrations Tinamous Ducks Curassows, Chachalacas & Guans Quails Grebes Shearwaters & Petrels Storm-Petrels Tropicbirds Boobies & Gannets Pelicans Albatrosses Cormorants Darters Frigatebirds Herons & Egrets Storks Ibises & Spoonbills New World Vultures Hawks, Eagles & Kites Falcons & Caracaras Sunbittern Rails, Gallinules & Coots Finfoots Limpkin Plovers & Lapwings Oystercatchers Stilts & Avocats Jacanas Sandpipers & Allies Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Skuas & Jaegers Pigeons & Doves Parrots Cuckoos Barn Owls Typical Owls Nightjars Potoos Oilbird Swifts Hummingbirds Trogons Motmots Kingfishers Puffbirds Jacamars Barbets & Toucans Woodpeckers Ovenbirds & Woodcreepers Typical Antbirds Antthrushes Gnateaters Antpittas Tapaculos Broadbills Tryant Flycatchers Becards, Tityra & Others Cotingas Manakins Vireos Sharpbill Crows & Jays Swallows Donocobins Wrens Dippers Gnatwrens & Gnatcatchers Thrushes Mockingbirds & Allies Pipis & Wagtails Waxwings Silky-flycatchers Wood-Warblers Tanagers Bananaquit Saltators Seedeaters, Finches & Sparrows Grosbeaks, Buntings & Allies Old World Sparrows New World Orioles & Blackbirds Goldfinches & EuphoniasAcknowledgments Appendix: Additional Species Glossary Checklist of the Birds of Panama Index of Common and Scientific Names About the Author and Illustrator

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Book SynopsisUntil recently, surprisingly little has been known about the biology and behavior of tropical forest raptors, including such basic aspects as diets, breeding biology, habitat requirements, and population ecology, information critical to the development of conservation efforts. The Peregrine Fund conducted a significant eight-year-long research program on the raptor species, including owls, in Tikal National Park in Guatemala to learn more about Neotropical birds of prey. Impressive and unprecedented in scale, this pioneering research also involved the development of new methods for detecting, enumerating, and studying these magnificent but often elusive birds in their forest home. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of previously little-known species, the resulting book is the most important single source for information on the lowland tropical forest raptor species found in Central America. Neotropical Birds of Prey covers twenty specific species in depth, including theTrade Review"... a remarkableindeed exceptionalpublication; well produced certainlybut valuable above all because of the enormous contribution to our knowledge of Neotropical raptors that it represents.... To sum upthis is a most impressive volume that documents the efforts of the many people who studied this raptor community and who have greatly advanced our knowledge of Neotropical raptors. It is a fitting tribute to these magni?cent birds and the dedicated researchers involved in the Maya Project." —José Hernán Sarasola * IBIS *Neotropical Birds of Prey is a handsome tribute to an ambitious project. Not least, the book captures the dedication required to squeeze a decent set of data out of any suite of raptors—a notoriously difficult group to study—much less those of the remote, dense, and humid Tikal forest, with its heavily armed plants, aggressive insects, and venomous snakes. -- Penny Olson * BioScience *"I was not sure what to expect when I first saw the title of this bookbut it quickly became clear that it is a remarkableindeed exceptionalpublication; well produced certainlybut valuable above all because of the enormous contribution to our knowledge of Neotropical raptors that it represents.... To sum upthis is a most impressive volume that documents the efforts of the many people who studied this raptor community and who have greatly advanced our knowledge of Neotropical raptors. It is a fitting tribute to these magnificent birds and the dedicated researchers involved in the Maya Project." — Jose Hernan Sarasola * IBIS *The in-depth accounts compare favorably to those in the knowledge of tropical raptors.... The book is well referenced, and each chapter is illustrated with tables/figures. An important resource for ornithologists and tropical raptor researchers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * Choice *The subtitle of the work may suggest that this is a book for the specialist—and no doubt this is a volume that no raptor expert will want to be without. However, as a simple admirer of birds of prey I found this book hard to put down. So much fascinating information is to be found within its pages, yet it reads like one of the classic Collins New Naturalist or Poyser editions that are familiar to British readers: Leslie Brown'sBritishBirds of Preyor Ian Newton'sThe Sparrowhawk. * Neotropical Birding *Table of ContentsForeword by J. Peter JennyAcknowledgments About the Authors1. The Maya Project David F. Whitacre and William A. Burnham2. The Maya Forest David F. Whitacre and Mark D. Schulze3. Gray-headed Kite Russell K. Thorstrom, David F. Whitacre, Juventino López, and Gregorio López4. Hook-billed Kite David F. Whitacre and Miguel A. Vásquez5. Swallow-tailed Kite Richard P. Gerhardt, Dawn M. Gerhardt, and Miguel A. Vásquez6. Double-toothed Kite Mark D. Schulze, José L. Córdova, Nathaniel E. Seavy, and David F. Whitacre7. Plumbeous Kite Nathaniel E. Seavy, Mark D. Schulze, David F. Whitacre, and Miguel A. Vásquez8. Bicolored Hawk Russell K. Thorstrom9. Crane Hawk Jason Sutter10. White Hawk Gregory S. Draheim, David F. Whitacre, Angel M. Enamorado, Oscar A. Aguirre, and Aquiles E. Hernández11. Great Black Hawk Richard P. Gerhardt, Nathaniel E. Seavy, and Ricardo A. Madrid12. Roadside Hawk Theresa Panasci13. Crested Eagle David F. Whitacre, Juventino López, and Gregorio López14. Black Hawk-eagle David F. Whitacre, Juventino López, Gregorio López, Sixto H. Funes, Craig J. Flatten, and Julio A. Madrid15. Ornate Hawk-eagle David F. Whitacre, Julio A. Madrid, Héctor D. Madrid, Rodolfo Cruz, Craig J. Flatten, and Sixto H. Funes16. Barred Forest Falcon Russell K. Thorstrom17. Collared Forest Falcon Russell K. Thorstrom18. Laughing Falcon Margaret N. Parker, Angel M. Enamorado, and Mario Lima19. Bat Falcon Margaret N. Parker and David F. Whitacre20. Orange-breasted Falcon Aaron J. Baker, David F. Whitacre, and Oscar A. Aguirre21. Mexican Wood Owl Richard P. Gerhardt and Dawn M. Gerhardt22. Black-and-white Owl Richard P. Gerhardt, Dawn M. Gerhardt, Normandy Bonilla, and Craig J. Flatten23. Ecology and Conservation of Tikal's Raptor Fauna David F. Whitacre and William A. BurnhamAppendix 1: Body Mass and Sexual Size Dimorphism Data for Maya Forest Raptor SpeciesAppendix 2: Linear Measurements and Sexual Size Dimorphism for Maya Forest Raptor SpeciesLiterature CitedIndex

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to the care and management of horses and ponies. The aim of this volume is to provide a reliable source of information and advice on all practical aspects of horse and stable management. The manual has been compiled by a panel of experts each drawing on considerable experience and contributing specialised knowledge on his or her chosen subject. Filled with reliable information and advice on modern stable management practices, the book provides a sound foundation for Horse Knowledge and Care. Throughout, the emphasis is on the adoption of correct and safe procedures for the welfare of all who come into contact with horses, as well as for the animals themselves. Coverage includes: The Horse Care of the Horse Watering and Feeding Saddlery and Tack Specialist Care of the Competition Horse The Horse at Grass The Stable Yard Trade ReviewEssential reading for students taking BHS examinations - invaluable to amateurs and professionals alike.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Section 1: The Horse 1. Conformation and How to Assess it 2. Action 3. The Psychology of the Horse 4. The Teeth and Ageing 5. Breeds 6. Breeding 7. Identification 8. Buying and Selling a Horse Section 2: Care of the Horse 9. Management Methods 10. Handling the Horse 11. Grooming 12. Clipping, Trimming, Pulling and Plaiting 13. The Foot and Shoeing 14. Bedding 15. Signs of Good and Ill-Health, and Sick Nursing 16. Basic Symptoms of the Horse and How to Get a Horse Fit 17. Internal Parasites 18. Stable Vices and Problem Behaviour Section 3: Watering and Feeding 19. Watering 20. Food and DIgestion 21. The Rules of Feeding 22. Food — Composition and Types 23. Deciding on a Ration 24. Feeding Problems and Non-routine Feeding 25. Managing Forage 26. The Feed Shed and Storing Food Section 4: Saddlery and Tack 27. The Saddle 28. Bridles 29. Other Saddlery 30. Bits 31. Boots and Bandages 32. Clothing 33. Care and Cleaning 34. Saddling Up and Unsaddling Section 5: Specialist Care of the Competition Horse 35. Guidelines for Competition Horses 36. The Event Horse 37. The Dressage Horse 38. The Show Jumper 39. The Endurance Horse 40. The Driving Horse or Pony 41. The Hunter 42. The Point-to-Pointer 43. The Show Horse or Pony 44. The Polo Pony 45. Transportation Section 6: The Horse at Grass 46. Grassland Managment 47. Management of Horses and Ponies at Grass 48. Working the Grass-kept Horse or Pony 49. Bringing a Horse up From Grass Section 7: The Stable Yard 50. Construction of Stables 51. Design of Stables 52. Riding Areas 53. Buying Fodder and Bedding 54. Organising and Running a Yard 55. The Law Appendices 1. Measurements 2. The British Horse Society 3. Equine Passports 4. Vaccinations 5. Government Publications and Codes of Practice 6. Animal Transport Certificate and Route Plan 7. Stable Fires Further Reading Useful Addresses Index

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Book SynopsisWilliam Coperthwaite is a teacher, builder, designer, and writer who for many years hasexplored the possibilities of true simplicity on a homestead on the north coast of Maine. In the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Helen and Scott Nearing, Coperthwaite has fashioned a livelihood of integrity and completeness-buying almost nothing, providing for his own needs, and serving as a guide and companion to hundreds of apprentices drawn to his unique way of being. A Handmade Life carries Coperthwaite's ongoing experiments with hand tools, hand-grown and gathered food, and handmade shelter, clothing, and furnishings out into the world to challenge and inspire. His writing is both philosophical and practical, exploring themes of beauty, work, education, and design while giving instruction on the hand-crafting of the necessities of life. Richly illustrated with luminous color photographs by Peter Forbes, the book is a moving and inspirational testament to a new practice of old ways of life.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly- Serene and thoughtful, this rambling scrapbook by Maine native and yurt-house builder Coperthwaite provides a vision of a life lived simply and self-sufficiently. From violence to education to how to build a "democratic chair" or make an axe, Coperthwaite covers an abundance of topics as he describes his version of a "handmade life" and explains why such a life is desirable. Never quite didactic, Coperthwaite meditates on topics-such as the idea of employment as exploitation-more than he preaches about them, moving glibly from idea to disconnected idea. A recipe for "a bread so good to both the palate and to health that a diet of bread and water would be a delight" is placed next to an anecdote about a young Eskimo girl named Maggie, for example. And the author's own poems, along with poems by D.H. Lawrence and Emily Dickinson, intersperse the narrative. Peter Forbes' engaging color photographs illustrate Coperthwaite's concepts-no easy feat given their breadth and diversity. 67 color photos, 10 b&w illustrations. (review refers to an earlier edition of the book)"This book, a richly textured exploration of Bill Coperthwaite's work and thought, encourages us to take the lessons of his life to heart. Each of us has the potential to craft our own lives with our own hands--actively, joyfully, and nonviolently, drawing upon the wisdom of our ancestors, striving for justice in the present, and fulfilling our obligations to those who will inherit our legacy."--John Saltmarsh (review refers to an earlier edition)

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Book SynopsisA New Statesman Book of the Year The wolf stands at the forefront of the debate about our impact on the natural world. In one of the most celebrated successes of modern conservation, it has been reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. What unfolds is a riveting multi-generational saga, at the centre of which is O-Six, a charismatic alpha female beloved by park rangers and amateur spotters alike. As elk numbers decline and the wolf population rises, those committed to restoring an iconic landscape clash with those fighting for a vanishing way of life; hunters stalk the park fringes and O-Six’s rivals seek to bring an end to her dominance of the stunningly beautiful Lamar Valley.Trade Review‘Deeply informed yet fast-paced and deftly structured…What ultimately makes this book so satisfying is that it is as much an account of the deep divisions within contemporary America as it is a tale about the world’s most enduring carnivore.' * New Statesman *‘Weaves together three narratives in one superb book…Blakeslee’s triumph is to tell all three stories with deep sympathy and insight.’ * New Statesman, Books of the Year *‘Blakeslee draws O-Six in novelistic…detail, using the conflicting insight and perspective of biologists, politicians, ranchers, environmentalists, lawyers, other animals, and hunters… Seeing a wolf is exceptionally rare, and this book is as close as most readers will come.’ * The New Yorker *‘Inspired by the most charismatic of animals, this is a story of dedication and determination, of conflict and passion and like all good stories it challenges your thoughts and fires up your emotions.’ -- Kate Humble‘Extraordinary…Blakeslee is a fine writer…Chilling and gripping by turns. The Wolf is a book that should be read, with care.’ * The National *‘The story of one wolf’s struggle to survive in the majestic Yellowstone National Park offers an ambitious look through the eyes of an endangered animal.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘The lives of the wolves in Yellowstone are often dramatic, but are full of touching, tender moments too, as Nate Blakeslee vividly writes in The Wolf.’ * Los Angeles Times *‘Gripping and fascinating! Wolf vs wolf, wolf vs man, man vs man.’ -- Margaret Atwood (via Twitter)‘Heartbreaking front-line coverage of our war on the wild… Blakeslee, hauntingly, gives the victims faces, families and stories. A quietly angry, aching, important book.’ -- Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast‘A compelling environmental drama of the reintroduction of wolves to the Rockies, as clear-sighted on human politics as it is on wolf politics. As wolf packs battle one another for control of precious territory, unknown to them another battle is taking place, between the wolves’ supporters and those who would eradicate them.’ -- Neil Ansell, author of Deep Country: Five Years in the Welsh Hills‘Wolves are neither gods nor demons. Real wolves are complex beings with personalities, ambitions, careers, and – thanks to us – more than their fair share of tragedy. The Wolf gives us true profiles of wolf lives lived in their actual families. And when humans get involved, the trajectory of their lives forever changes.’ -- Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel‘Blakeslee…brings the feeling of a celebrity biography to the story of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park and its aftermath… [He] escorts readers up close to interpack conflict as well as human enemies of wolf preservation.’ * Kirkus, starred review *‘Blakeslee gives us a very different sort of biography – the saga of a single female wolf, “the most famous wolf in the world,” and her exploits in Yellowstone National Park. It’s a startlingly intimate portrait of the intricate, loving, human-like interrelationships that govern wolves in the wild, as observed in real time by a cadre of dedicated wolf-watchers – in the end, a drama of lupine love, care, and grief.’ -- Erik Larson, author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake‘Wild, poignant, and compelling, The Wolf is an important, beautifully wrought book about animals, about values, and about living on this earth.’ -- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief and Rin Tin Tin‘The Wolf is a transcendent tale of the American West. I loved the doggedness and depth of the reporting, the texture of the writing. There are echoes of Jack London everywhere. But above all I loved the wolf herself, a character like no other I have ever encountered.’ -- S. C. Gwynne, author of Empire of the Summer Moon and Rebel Yell‘An intimate and riveting book about America’s most iconic and embattled predator. Blakeslee moves effortlessly between the ancient drama of the wolf pack, and its modern human counterpart, the sometimes vicious, red state-blue state partisans whose battleground is the fate of the American wolf. A wonderful and welcome addition to the pantheon of nature literature.’ -- John Vaillant, author of The Tiger and The Golden Spruce

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Book SynopsisRSPB Spotlight: Ladybirds is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist.Brightly coloured and pleasingly pattered, ladybirds are among some of our most beloved and familiar invertebrates. Their role in helping to protect our crops by devouring huge numbers of pests has firmly established these tiny, flying beetles as the gardeners'' friend.Spotlight Ladybird focuses on the 26 species that are resident in the UK, from the widespread but unusual Orange Ladybird to the rare - and aptly named - Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. Ladybird expert, Richard Comont considers the conservation challenges facing these iconic species, whose populations are now at risk thanks to the threat posed by one of their own, the invasive alien Harlequin Ladybird. And he covers all aspects of ladybirds'' biology, from tiny larvae emerging from their oval eggs to large aggregations that converge at specific sites around theTable of ContentsMeet the Ladybirds Ladybirds Across Time and Space The Ladybird Year Feeding and Foraging Ladybirds in the Landscape Natural Ladybird Enemies Cultural Connections Watching Ladybirds Looking After Ladybirds Glossary Further Reading and Resources Ladybird Species in Britain Acknowledgements Image Credits Index

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Book Synopsis Goodbye, litter box! Hello, toilet! Now there’s a better way. Using Paul Kunkel’s foolproof 21-day program you can break the litter box habit and teach your cat the clean, healthy alternative of using the toilet. Toilet training isn’t just for your convenience. Many cats equate the smell of a litter box with danger, causing stress, and the fragrances, dyes, and disinfectants found in most litter are detrimental to your pet’s well-being. So yes, it’s true: A toilet-trained cat is a happier, healthier cat. The requirements are simple: Magazines or newspapers. Masking tape and heavy-duty plastic wrap. One last bag of litter. And a litter-trained cat between the ages of six months and ten years (you can teach an older cat new tricks, but it may take longer). Then, 21 days later, the transition from box to toilet will be complete, and your cat will be the newest toilet-trained member of your family. Really.

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Book SynopsisThe most comprehensive examination of amphibian evolution ever produced, The Rise of Amphibians is an essential resource for paleontologists, herpetologists, geologists, and evolutionary biologists.Trade ReviewI highly recommend The Rise of Amphibians to anyone interested not only in amphibians but also in the evolutionary history of vertebrates in general. -- Hans-Dieter Sues Integrative and Comparative Biology 2009 A high-quality production, with finely illustrated drawings of skulls, vertebrae, ribs, teeth, and long bones of more amphibians, past and present, than most of us imagined even existed. -- Whit Gibbons Tuscaloosa News 2009 The Rise of Amphibians should be on the bookshelf of anyone involved in vertebrate evolution... an excellent source of information... It is a first-choice reference book that stimulates further studies and research. -- Axel Janke Systematic Biology 2010 Provides a wealth of valuable information about this fascinating history in a clear, easily readable style. -- Robert R. Reisz Quarterly Review of Biology 2010 I enjoyed reading this fascinating book. It will become a landmark and standard reference in early amphibian evolution for years to come. -- Miguel Vences Bioscience 2010 A useful reference catalog for the professional or well-read amateur. -- Richard Kissel American Paleontologist 2010Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. History of the Earth and Life2. Advanced Metazoans and the Ancestry of Vertebrates3. The Origin of Amphibians4. The Radiation of Carboniferous Amphibians5. Adaptation, Radiation, and Relationships6. The Zenith of Amphibian Diversity7. The Origin of Amniotes: Escape from the Water8. Stereospondyls: Escape from the Land9. The Enigma of Modern Amphibian Origins10. The Ancestry of Frogs11. The Ancestry of Salamanders12. Eocaecilia and the Origin of Caecilians13. The Success of Modern Amphibians14. The Future of AmphibiansAbbreviations Used in IllustrationsGlossaryReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This enticing book will keep readers occupied for days, if not longer." — School Library Journal (Starred Review)"This is a charming, information-rich book that should lead readers to appreciate bees and welcome them into their gardens and wild places and even encourage some to keep honeybees." — Booklist"Lots of great photos of go-to plants for bees." — The Toledo Blade"This succinct yet surprisingly comprehensive introduction will be attractive to researchers, and hopefully may inspire readers to consider beekeeping as a hobby." — School Library Connection"Budding entomologists, young environmentalists, and gardening enthusiasts alike are bound to discover fascinating facts and how-to project inspiration." — School Library Journal

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Book SynopsisLet Steve Murray show you step by step how to learn Psychic Communication with dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, any and all pets! The steps explain how to Psychically send information to a pet, and how to Psychically receive information from a pet. Any person can learn Pet Psychic Communication with Steve's guidance. Two psychic abilities assist with Pet Psychic communication: Clairsentience and Clairvoyance. 'Clairvoyance' is the psychic ability of receiving information mentally through images. 'Clairsentience' is the psychic ability of receiving information through feelings and bodily sensations. Steve also provides a Bonus program on the video that will help open both psychic abilities for you. The DVD includes: A complete step-by-step instructions on how to psychically communicate with pets; A program to increase your Clairsentience and Clairvoyance abilities; Instructions for Long Distance Pet Psychic Communication. Steve also explains Clairsentience & Clairvoyance; Biological Intelli

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Book SynopsisIn 1788, nearly 1,500 people on 11 sailing ships came ashore at Port Jackson in Australia, and those who sailed in them were the community who established the first European colony in Australia. The Art of the First Fleet is a captivating collection of watercolours, washes, ink and pencil drawings created during this historic time.

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Book SynopsisThe Difficult Horse provides many insights as to why a horse may develop unwanted behaviours. 'Problem' behaviour is usually more of a problem for the handler than the horse, which is likely to have established patterns of behaviour as a way of helping himself feel safe in situations he finds mentally and/or physically stressful. As well as explaining the reasons for a horse's reactive and sometimes dangerous responses, this book suggests a number of practical exercises that can help to address a wide range of commonly encountered issues. Even if you consider your horse to be problem-free, these exercises will still be invaluable in helping you and your horse to develop a closer, more pleasurable and successful relationship.

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Book SynopsisCan you spot the Big Dipper in the night sky? Or Orion’s Belt? Or Cassiopeia? Even in cities, and without the aid of a telescope, these are a few of the easier constellations to find. In fact, a great deal can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye – if you know what you’re looking for. Night Sky presents 200 colour photographs of stunning nocturnal vistas all visible to the naked eye. From the majesty of the Northern Lights (Aurora borealis) as seen from Norway or Canada, and the Southern Lights (Aurora australis) as seen from Australia, to seeing the clarity of the Milky Way over an Italian forest, from witnessing a lunar eclipse in Indonesia to charting the course of the International Space Station across the Indian night, and from seeing a Geminid meteor shower in New Mexico to recognizing the Great Bear (Ursa Major) constellation over New England, the book is a feast of nocturnal delights. Where necessary, additional inset photographs indicate the formation of a constellation. Presented in a landscape format and with 200 outstanding colour photographs supported by fascinating captions, Night Sky is a stunning collection of images.Trade Review‘Not just about stars and planets and distant galaxies and the infinitude of space, Night Sky is also about the earthly landscapes from which such visions can be seen. You’ll do well to find many more arresting images than these.’ -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail *Table of ContentsIntroduction Europe Supermoon rising over Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, England Aurora Borealis over Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall, Iceland Watching the Northern Lights, Jokulsarlon, Iceland Moon, Venus, Pleiades and Hyades over Kiruna, Sweden Aurora Borealis over Kirkjufell Mountain, Iceland Snow Moon, Lofoten Islands, Norway Aurora Borealis over Sommarøy Bridge, Norway Dance of the Northern Lights, Lofoten Islands, Norway Intense aurora, Lofoten Islands, Norway Road to the Northern Lights, Norway Venus and reflection over Kald Fjord, Kvaloya, Norway Milky Way above mountains, Norway Venus and crescent moon, Lapland, Finland Milky Way over Tatra mountains, Poland Milky Way, over the Carpathians, Ukraine Milky way over Lake Elton, Russia Star trails above Enisala Fortress, Dobrogea, Romania Perseid Meteors above the Beglik dam, Bulgaria Fairy chimneys at night with stars in the sky, Cappadocia, Turkey Milky Way, Mount Olympus, Greece Braies Lake, South Tyrol, Italy Orion over Colma di Sormano, Como, Italy Milky Way over Sibillini Mountains National Park, Le Marche, Italy Milky Way on summer night, Dolomites, Italy Milky way over the desert of Bardenas, Spain Night Sky over the Matterhorn, The Alps, Switzerland Orion over Ves chapel, Vosges, France Stars over Eiffel Tower, Paris, France Starry sky over Mont Blanc Range, Lac de Chesery, France/Italy/Switzerland Cassiopeia and Milky Way reflected in Garreg-ddu reservoir, Elan Valley, Wales Eclipsed Moon and Mars, Munich, Germany Geminid Meteor over Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England International Space Station over Severn Bridge, England/Wales Venus, Mars and Jupiter in conjunction, Isle of Portland, England Ursa Major over Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire, England Milky Way over St Michaels Mount, Cornwall, England Moon and Venus, St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England Super Blue Moon Rise, Wiltshire, England Orion and Pleiades over Martinsell Hill, Wiltshire, England The Great Bear over Avebury, Wiltshire, England Regulus, Castor, Pollux and Procyon, Isle of Skye, Scotland Moonrise on Lundy, Devon, England Fireball over Clatteringshaws Loch, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland North America Milky Way over Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada Aurora Borealis, Greenland Milky Way over Kathleen Lake & the St Elias Mountains, Kluane National Park, Yukon, Canada Milky Way, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada Northern Lights over North Saskatchewan Landing school, Kyle, Canada The Milky Way over the Oxtongue Rapids, Muskoka, Canada Supermoon rising over Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 13 November 2016 Hale-Bopp Comet and Northern Lights, Alaska Stars above East Twin peak, Alaska Aurora Borealis, Fort Greely, Alaska Milky Way over Crater Lake, Oregon, USA Total solar eclipse, Ritter, Oregon, USA Baily’s beads, total solar eclipse, Ritter, Oregon People watching and photographing total solar eclipse, Madras, Oregon, USA Hale Bopp comet and Mauna Kea observatories, Hawaii Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California, USA Milky Way over Red Rock Canyon, California, USA Milky Way and Saturn, Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA Star Trails, Mono Lake, California, USA Moon ring, Arches National Park, Utah, USA Orion, Sirius and Jupiter over June Lake, California, USA Night Sky over Golden Gate Bridge, California, USA Milky Way over Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA Geminid meteor shower over the Very Large Array radio telescope, Magdalena, New Mexico, USA Annular Eclipse over New Mexico, USA, 20 May, 2012 Crescent moon and Venus over downtown St. Louis, Missouri, USA View from Clingman’s Dome at night, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA Milky Way over Hunting Island, South Carolina, USA Milky Way over New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA Milky Way over Cape Romano dome house, Florida, USA A panoramic view of the Milky Way Galaxy over Stage Harbor Lighthouse at Hardings Beach in Chatham, Massachusetts, USA South America Star Trails, Atacama, Chile Llano del Hato National Astronomical Observatory, Merida state, Venezuela Ologa, Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela Tungurahua Volcano, Colombian Andes, Ecuador Chimborazo, Ecuador Milky Way over Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru Ishinca base camp, Cordillera Blanca, Peru Milky Way over Mount Auzangate, Cordilliera Vilcanota, Peru Flyby of the International Space Station (ISS), Pedra Azul and Venda Nova do Imigrante, Espirito Santo State, Brazil Leblon Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Milky Way core rising behind Pedra Azul, Espirito Santo state, Brazil Milky Way over Jalapao State Park, Brazil Golden Tree, Cerrado Biome, Brazil Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds over Uyuni the salt flats, Bolivia Zodiacal light over Uyuni Salt farm, Bolivia Lake and Cuernos mountains, Torres del Paine, Chile Ice penitentes on a high-altitude plateau in the Andes mountains, Chile Centaurus above the European Southern Observatory’s telescope at La Silla Observatory, Chile European Southern Observatory, Chile Star trails above Very Large Telescope at Paranal Observatory, Chile Star trails over ALMA radio astronomy antennas, Chile Meteor and crescent moon over Pan de Azucar National Park, Chile Moai at moonrise, Easter Island, Chile Moonrise over Lauca National Park, Chile Milky Way over Cerro Armazones, Chile Aurora australis, Valley of the Moon, Chile Moon over Punta del Diablo, Uruguay Moonrise over the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, Argentina Moon and Venus over Buenos Aires, Argentina Fitz Roy Massif and Glacial Lake, Patagonian Cordillera, Chile Comet McNaught over Patagonia, Argentina Four planets over the Atlantic, Buenos Aires, Argentina Lunar halo, Punta Piedras, Argentina Milky Way over Iguazu Falls at night, Argentina Scorpius over Mercedes, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina Milky Way and southern twilight, Pebble Island, Falkland Islands Australasia Milky Way framed by a Cave, Wellington, New Zealand Partial solar eclipse through bushfire smoke over Broken Bay, Sydney, Australia Venus and Jupiter in conjunction over Uluru, Australia Milky Way over Shipwreck Coast, Victoria, Australia The Pinnacles at night, Nambung National Park, Western Australia Milky Way over Uluru, Australia Comet Lovejoy over the Southern Ocean, Cape Schanck, Victoria, Australia Comet McNaught over the outback, Mildura, Victoria, Australia Night Sky above Fog, Wellington, New Zealand Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds over Wainuiomata coast, New Zealand Milky Way and Jupiter, Whangapoua Beach, New Zealand Total solar eclipse, Northern Cook Islands Moonset, Brooklyn Wind Turbine, Wellington, New Zealand Milky way over Castle Rock, Castlepoint, Wairarapa, New Zealand Moonrise over Lake Tasman, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand Milky Way and Canopus, Cape Palliser, New Zealand Aurora Australis, Wellington, New Zealand Milky Way, Cable Bay, New Zealand Aurora Australis, Queenstown, New Zealand Milky Way, Tasman Valley, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand Milky Way, Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand Asia, Middle East, Far East Orion, Sirius and Canopus over the Bay of Bengal from Ngapali, Myanmar Night sky over Gunung Bromo, Java, Indonesia Orion from Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Stars over Tioman Island, Malaysia The Milky Way above Lam Isu Reservoir, Kanchanaburi, Thailand Milky Way over Koh Hai Island, Thailand Orion, Sirius and Canopus over the Bay of Bengal from Ngapali, Myanmar Geminid meteor shower, Yunnan province, China Orion and Sirius rise above the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, China Crescent Moon, Venus and Saturn, Patan, Nepal Orion rises above Himalayas, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, Lake Namtso, Tibet, China Milky Way over Namgyal Tsemo Gompa Buddhist monastery in Leh, Ladakh, India Milky Way over Leh city in Leh Ladakh, India Milky Way over Chandratal Lake, Himachal Pradesh, India Sirius in Canis Major and Orion above Alborz Mountains, Iran Leaked rocket fuel over Alborz Mountains, Iran Milky Way over Garmeh Oasis, Dasht-e Kavir, Iran Observing Leo, Um Frouth rock arch, Wadi Rum, Jordan Milky Way, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn over Wadi Rum, Jordan Africa Milky Way over the Avenue of Baobabs, Madagascar Night Sky over Erg Chebbi, Morocco Stars of constellation Centaurus, Tassili National Park, Algeria Milky Way over Erg Chebbi, Morocco Pyramids at night, Giza, Egypt Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud over Mount Kilimanjaro, viewed from Amboseli, Kenya Masai Tribesman under Milky Way, Kenya Milky Way over Acacia Tree, Masai Mara, Kenya Large Magellanic Cloud over Masai Mara, Kenya Night sky over Mount Kilimanjaro, viewed from Amboseli National Park, Kenya Quiver Trees and Three Galaxies, Keetmanshoop, Namibia Milky Way over Dead Vlei, Soussvlei, Namibia Star trails, Dead Vlei, Sossusvlei, Namibia Baobab trees and Milky Way, Makgadikgadi National Park, Botswana Milky Way over the Southern African Large Telescope, Northern Cape Province, South Africa Comet McNaught Cape Town South Africa Night sky over Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa Appendices A solar eclipse A Lunar month Star Charts Index

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Book SynopsisA much-needed guide you can't truly understand a moth or a butterfly without first getting to know the caterpillar.' Nick BakerThis beautifully illustrated field guide covers caterpillars of the moth and butterfly species that are most likely to be encountered in the British Isles. The comprehensive introduction covers how to study caterpillars and provides a window into their diverse natural histories, while the species accounts cover status, field characters, similar species, habitat, foodplant and field notes, and are accompanied with up-to-date distribution maps.Trade ReviewThe drawings are perfect ... the text is excellent. As a field guide it is hard to fault. -- Peter Marren * British Wildlife *A much-needed guide – you can’t truly understand a moth or a butterfly without first getting to know the caterpillar. -- Nick BakerTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Useful resources At-a-glance guide Plate section Checklist of the macro-moths and butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Scientific names of plants and their associated butterfly and moth species Photographic credits Appendices Index of English names Index of scientific names

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Book SynopsisThe author traces the origins of the horse in Europe, Asia, and North Africa and, in particular, on the Iberian Peninsula. Drawing on archaeological evidence and ancient texts, he explains the development of the horse from hunted animal to domesticated working horse. The author is past President of the Brazilian Association of Lusitano Horse Breeders.

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Book SynopsisWild Rescues is a fast-paced, firsthand glimpse into the exciting lives of paramedics who work with the National Park Service: a unique brand of park rangers who respond to medical and traumatic emergencies in some of the most isolated and rugged parts of America. In 2014, Kevin Grange left his job as a paramedic in Los Angeles to work in a response area with 2.2 million acres: Yellowstone National Park. Seeking a break from city life and urban EMS, he wanted to experience pure nature, fulfill his dream of working for the National Park Service, and take a crash-course in wilderness medicine. Between calls, Grange reflects upon the democratic ideal of the National Park mission, the beauty of the land, and the many threats facing it. With visitation rising, budgets shrinking, and people loving our parks to death, he realized that—along with the health of his patients—he was also fighting for the life of “America’s Best Idea.”Trade Review"There are thousands of ways to die in the Great Outdoors, but an elite group of park rangers and paramedics mind the gap. One of them has finally brought us their riveting stories of rescue in this quick and interesting book full of drama and real-life heroism." Ben Montgomery, author of Grandma Gatewood's Walk" Wild Rescues is a book you want to read, not be featured in. But if you did have the bad luck to be the subject of one of these entertaining and occasionally scary stories, you'd be eternally grateful for Kevin Grange and his fellow Rangers. A paramedic with more than a decade of experience rescuing people, Grange talks of tumbles, heart attacks, freak storms, wild animals, and suicides in the National Parks with the steady voice of one who's seen it all, and then some. Whatever the emergency, specially trained National Park Rangers respond again and again in his pages, risking their necks to save lives. Written with a deep appreciation of the Wild and the awesome beauty of our National Parks, Wild Rescues lives up to its title. Armchair travelers will thrill to the hair-raising rescues, and seasoned trekkers will be reminded of the inherent dangers of their pastime. All will be grateful that people like Grange are on the job." Jim DeFelice, bestselling author of American Sniper"Kevin Grange details nearly everything that possibly could go wrong in a national park and yet still manages to make you more excited than ever to hit the trail." Conor Knighton, New York Times bestselling author of Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park"Writing at the intersection of medicine and adventure, Grange gives us a fascinating glimpse into rescues that would scare the pants off most of us. He writes with empathy, intelligence, humor and humanity. A captivating memoir. I couldn't put it down." Kate Siber, correspondent for Outside magazine and author of National Parks of the USA"National parks bring together visitors accustomed to more controlled circumstances with heat, cold, cliffs, whitewater, wild animals, and thin air that challenges aging hearts. Anyone who suffers misfortune under these conditions can only hope that Kevin Grange is on duty. This man loves his job." Jordan Fisher Smith, author of Engineering Eden and Nature Noir"This is one helluva book. Grange somehow manages to combine the madness of life on an ambulance with the serenity and awe of America's most beautiful places. Rangers, medics, tourists, adventurers (Alex Honnold makes a brief appearance), the fauna of Yellowstoneit's all here. And you should be too. Wild Rescues is unlike anything you've read." Kevin Hazzard, author of A Thousand Naked Strangers"This book shares experiences, insights, learning from an experienced paramedic and wilderness rescue provider who tells it like it is about the challenges of patient care in remote environments, and the sometimes complex decisions that need to be made when 911 is not at your beck and call. There is honesty in the descriptions of team dynamics and the lives of those dedicated to serving others. And those who appreciate our national parks will take renewed pride at the dedication of those who care for those lands and those who visit them, the NPS rangers, who wear many hatsrescuer, resource caretaker, firefighter, visitor welcome, law enforcerall to preserve this great American idea, our national parks." Tod Schimelpfenig, author of NOLS Wilderness First AidTable of ContentsAuthor’s NotePrologue: Return of Spontaneous CirculationPart I: Yellowstone1: The Definition of Insanity2: Land of Large Carnivores3: The World’s First National Park4: Onboarding5: A Call in the Wild6: Alone on the Ambulance7: Concessionaire Craziness8: Bucket List9: Job Security10: Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health11: Be on the Lookout12: Sink or SwimPart II: Yosemite13: The Other “Y” Park14: Lug Nut Rule15: Thinking Outside the Box16: Scope of Practice17: Frequent Flyers18: Meditation at Gunpoint19: Somebody’s Worst Day20: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up21: Swiss Cheese and Silver LiningsPart III: Grand Teton22: The Wildland-Urban Interface23: Good Medicine in Bad Places24: Gone Too Soon25: My Darkest Hour26: Something for the Pain27: The Call of the SummerEpilogue: Wildfire

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Book SynopsisDive into this uniquely elegant visual exploration of the sea An informative and utterly beautiful introduction to marine life and the ocean environment, Oceanology brings the riches of the underwater world onto the printed page.Astounding photography reveals an abundance of life, from microscopic plankton to great whales, seaweed to starfish. Published in association with the Smithsonian Institution, the book explores every corner of the oceans, from coral reefs and mangrove swamps to deep ocean trenches. Along the way, and with the help of clear, simple illustrations, it explains how life has adapted to the marine environment, revealing for example how a stonefish delivers its lethal venom and how a sponge sustains itself by sifting food from passing currents. It also examines the physical forces and processes that shape the oceans, from global circulation systems and tides to undersea volcanoes and tsunamis.To most of us, the marine worl

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Book SynopsisA complete photographic identification guide to all 113 reptile and amphibian species of Bali, perfect for resident and visitor alike. High-quality photographs from the region's top nature photographers, are accompanied by detailed species descriptions which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits, occurrence and whether they are dangerous. The user-friendly introduction covers conservation, how to deal with snake bites, identification of body parts and a glossary. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the reptiles of Bali encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific names. This second edition has been updated with the latest taxonomy and recent photographs

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Book SynopsisWhen first-time author and artist Deborah Paris stepped into Lennox Woods, an old-growth southern hardwood forest in northeast Texas, she felt a disruption that was both spatial and temporal. Walking the remnants of an old wagon trail past ancient stands of pine, white oak, elm, hickory, sweetgum, maple, hornbeam, and red oak, she felt drawn into a reverie that took her back to 'the beginning, both physically and metaphorically.'Painting the Woods: Nature, Memory and Metaphor explores the experience of landscape through the lens of art and art-making. It is a place-based meditation on nature, art, memory, and time, grounded in Paris's experiences over the course of a year in Lennox Woods. Her account unfolds through the twin arcs of the changing seasons and her creative process as a landscape painter. In the tradition of Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, narrative passages interweave with observations about the natural history of Lennox Woods, its flora and fauna, art history, the science of memory, Transcendentalist philosophy, the role of metaphor in creative work, and even loop quantum gravity theory.Each chapter explores a different aspect of the forest and a different step in the art-making process, illuminating our connection to the natural world through language, comprehension of time, and visual depictions of the landscape. The complex layers of the forest and Paris's journey through it emerge as metaphors for the larger themes of the book, just as the natural world underpins the art-making drawn from it. Like the trail that winds through Lennox Woods, memory and time intertwine to provide a path for understanding nature, art, and our relationship to both.Trade Review“Reviving the nineteenth-century American tradition of the artist-naturalist, Paris paints the woods the way Thoreau painted them in words—combining disciplined observation, imagination, and insight until the trees flowers into a truth all her own. She skillfully interweaves the history and aesthetics of landscape painting with her own direct experience of a Southern hardwood forest, offering reflections along the way about the roles that drawing, memory, and metaphor play in her art. She reminds us also of the importance of distinguishing between what we see, what we notice, and what we remember. The result is art, on the canvas and in this book, that expresses the unique intention of her own eye while also offering a beauty that is universal.”—Richard Higgins, author of Thoreau and the Language of Trees“In this marvelous fusion of art, poetry, natural history, and philosophy, Deborah Paris takes us on a journey through the mind of an artist as she transforms a beautiful old-growth forest in northeast Texas into a work of art, offering a lens into the nature of time, vision, memory, metaphor, and the creative process itself. Painting the Woods offers plenty of guidance for the aspiring artist, but this is no ‘how-to’ book—it’s a ‘why-to’ book, written for anyone who seeks to turn memory into art and art into the engine that powers deeper understanding. Written in the spirit of Thoreau, Emerson, and Ruskin, this, too, is a book of stored magic, waiting for the reader to make it their own, in whatever corner of the world they inhabit.”—Laura Dassow Walls, author, Henry David Thoreau: A Life (2017)“Thoreau wrote that we ‘cannot see anything until we are possessed with the idea of it, take it into our heads.’ It is what both artists and writers do. In Deborah Paris’ extended conversation with the ideas of Thoreau, we find a beautiful ode to nature interpreted, heartfelt and personal, and the role of the artist who has been possessed with the idea of memory and how it informs her art. It’s like floating down a river with an old friend.”—Jeffrey S. Cramer, editor of The Portable Thoreau“With a pure vision and focused interest akin to that of Thoreau, Deborah Paris has left her mark on Lennox Woods. Her depiction of those woods, both in words and in pigment, is transcendent.”—T. Allen Lawson, artist“Sure to be a classic, Deborah Paris’s book will sit on my shelf alongside Henry Thoreau, Annie Dillard, Mary Oliver, Aldo Leopold, and Peter Wohlleben. She is an artist with a poet’s voice and a naturalist’s eye, and she has something fresh and timeless to say about how one looks at the world.”—Sandra Scofield, author of Mysteries of Love and Grief and other books“Deborah Paris takes us on a marvelous, thoughtful ramble through Lennox Woods, weaving together history, memory, and metaphor. Through a seasoned artist’s eye and keen intellect she brings together past, present, and future in the lifecycle of the forest and how it mirrors our own existence. Through her medium of painting she presents the imperative of deep, sustained connection to her subject and a profound sensory delight in taking the time to slow down and see more deeply. A lovely reminder for us all.”—Joe Paquet, artist“Deborah Paris writes as well as she paints, with feeling and extraordinary insights into the process of seeing both as an artist and naturalist. Steeped in the writings of Thoreau and the history of landscape painting, Paris brilliantly describes the various ways of ‘seeing’ nature—through memory, science, and art—all to the benefit of the picture-making process. She wonderfully describes how she seeks to become a participant in nature, not simply an observer, moving towards the transcendentalist’s stance of radical subjectivity, where the perceiver and the perceived become one. ‘Pure Seeing’ is the term of art Paris uses to describe her sense of oneness with nature and the alembic out of which her work evolves to express her deepest emotions on canvas. By concentrating her focus on places she knows well and loves, places which evoke memories out of her past, she discovered she was able to combine the free associations of past and present experience with a naturalist’s knowledge and an artist’s feeling and so blaze a uniquely personal style of painting. Her admonitions to artists are inspirational: learn to notice what you notice; find what is truly compelling; practice drawing nature, not just recording it with photography. True art, the author stresses, is about ‘find [ing] the things we were meant to paint . . . Each of us must find our own country.’ Painting the Woods is an indispensable volume for painters and anyone who is interested in landscape painting, but it is more: a beautiful prose poem evoking the most essential qualities of being human—seeing with and through emotions as a path to deeper insights into oneself. Paris is not only following in the footsteps of Thoreau and her Tonalist antecedents but sharing a very personal journey that is all her own. Her evocative storytelling about losing herself in Lennox Woods near her northeast Texas home reminded me of Faulkner’s classic tale, “The Bear,” in which a young boy, while hunting season after season, learns not only about tracking and wood lore, but about the greatest and most compelling quarry of all: our shared humanity.” —David Adams Cleveland, author of A History of American Tonalism, 1880 to 1920: Crucible of American Modernism“I found myself bowled over by Deborah Paris’s Painting the Woods. Interweaving experience and memory with her keen skill at observation, she makes us fellow travelers on her journey toward under-standing and painting the woods. With great sensitivity she shares her meditations, further informing our understanding of the woods by sharing the thoughts of Thoreau, Constable, Plutarch, and many others. While Painting the Woods is an essential companion for artists, it will be equally fascinating for those who love splendid writing about nature.”—Donald Jurney, artist“It is impossible to resist the invitation to walk beside author Deborah Paris, an artist who has ‘found a home in the woods’ that is ‘refuge and prospect.’ In lyric prose, Paris describes her year of searching the woodland landscape of East Texas for the moods, metaphors, and memories that she will transform onto canvas. As she explores layered and lit paths, beside streams and into bottomlands, the artist accumulates image and sensory detail that will be unveiled in her studio. As the woodlands and weather that inspire painter and author are interdependent on intertwined root systems and seasonal shifts, so art historian, painter, and naturalist Deborah Paris’s new body of work on canvas will emerge from the confluence of memory, Pure Seeing, imagination, poetry, and Tonalist technique. To be in this artist’s company as she explores Lennox Woods, as she ‘pushed back the fog . . . to reveal what was hidden’ is to become intimate with one woman’s practice to pause, witness, identify, and record resonant moments, ‘to become both forest and human.’ Readers, whether layperson or artist, become seekers on their own journey toward wonder and its expression. What joy to navigate the paths in snow, filtered sun, and rain beside such a humble and passionate guide. I did not want the moments when ‘sight becomes insight’ to end.” —Barbara Rockman, author of Sting and Nest, winner of the New Mexico–Arizona Poetry Book Award and to cleave, winner of the National Federation of Press Women Poetry Prize; Finalist, International Book Award

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Book SynopsisIlluminates the ways in which our human intellectual and cultural models have been influenced by the natural history of insects. This book explores the cultural and textual meanings of bugs and argues that insects are humanity's "other."

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Book SynopsisThaddeus Holownia travelled to the many salmon rivers of eastern Canada, in all seasons, to capture their essential qualities. Harry Thurston''s accompanying essay explores the elemental nature of these rivers that both nurture Atlantic salmon and inspire the salmon fisher. This 1,000-copy edition includes 50 full-size stochastic duotone reproductions of Holownia''s 17 x 7-inch contact prints, casebound in quarter cloth with a printed card slipcase.

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Book SynopsisPresents an opinion that we must understand the complexity and interdependency of species and habitats from the microscopic level to the gigantic. This book shows how easily observable species are part of a complicated infrastructure. It also shows that forests are far more complicated, which means simplistic policies will not save them.Trade ReviewAccurate and authentic, Trees, Truffles, and Beasts makes a major contribution to the field of natural resource management. This is a clear and compelling argument that there's much more to forests than meets the eye. -- Jim Furnish * Deputy Chief (ret.), USDA Forest Service *This book is an excellent introduction to the world of mycorrhizal fungi in forests and their importance in food webs as highlighted by truffles. This book should encourage readers to investigate further the intricate and essential interactions occurring in forests, which make them work. -- John Dighton * professor and director of Rutgers University Pinelands Field Station *"The book provides excellent coverage of the symbiosis between trees, fungi, and animals, an orverarching theme. . . . Few works take these personal views into account to give such a holistic view of the forested landscape. Highly recommended." * Choice *The authors. all keenly qualified to write on the topic, begin by discussing the importance of sustainable ecosystem policies and preserving our environment, and then point out that to be able to do that, one must understand those environmental systems. What follows is an entire college course on just how forests work. * Funghi *These authors weave together a broad array of personal observations and pertinent scientific research into a sweeping account of forest ecology and conservation. This book is an interesting and well-priced addition to the mycologist's bookshelf. * Inoculum *Trees, Truffles, and Beasts reveals a belowground world that we cannot see, and for that reason, often overlook when thinking about forests. The authors deftly link this belowground world of fungi and soil microorganisms to the aboveground world that we know. The story-telling style of writing makes the book engaging and easy to read, and at the same time, the book is packed with interesting facts. * Northwest Science *"Lucidly written and accessible to professionals and the general public alike, the authors adeptly tease out the intimate details and fascinating ecological interactions of a world hidden within the soil. I highly recommend this book for a fascinating glimpse into the wondrous web life and complex ecological relationships that sustain our natural forests." -- Alan Watson Featherstone * Trees for Life, Scotland *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Forest We See 2 The Unseen Forest 3 Trees, Truffles, and Beasts: Coevolution in Action 4 Of Animals and Fungi 5 The Importance of Mycophagy 6 Landscape Patterns and Fire 7 Forest Succession and Habitat Dynamics 8 Of Lifestyles and Shared Habitats 9 Lessons from the Trees, the Truffles, and the Beasts

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Book Synopsis''Wonderfully warm and funny'' Cathy Woodman, bestselling author of Trust Me I''m A Vet Will is a Yorkshire lad, through and through. He''s in his element when he''s outside in the country air, not stuck in a classroom wasting his youth and the beauty of Yorkshire. When he starts as an apprentice farrier, his first few days are a baptism of fire. His fellow apprentice is a wind-up merchant and his gruff boss, Stanley, ribs him mercilessly about his tea drinking habit. But in this chaotic environment, the three of them form a brotherhood, and soon, Will realises that the coming year is going to teach him a lot more than how to shoe a horse properly...A charming story full of dry Yorkshire humour and warmth - a must-read for fans of James Herriot, Clare Balding, Countryfile and The Shepherd''s Life.Trade ReviewWonderfully warm and funny -- Cathy Woodman, bestselling author of TRUST ME, I'M A VET'Perfect holiday poolside read.' -- The Lady

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Book SynopsisMore heart-warming, enchanting tales of life as a vet from Luke Gamble as he travels from Dorset to Greece, Morocco, India and beyond, helping animals in need across the world.Trade ReviewThere's something rather endearing about Gamble's zest for life and his deep love of animals, which imbue his stories with authenticity and humour . . . the characters and their four-legged friends raise a smile * Daily Mail *A James Herriot for the 21st century * Choice *Hang on to your seat belts - from the first page, the adventures of West Country vet Luke Gamble come thick and fast . . . the whirlwind pace will keep you turning the pages * Your Dog *Highly recommended: an interesting and romping good read that surprises and shocks at times, but most of all earns admiration for vets like Luke * Dogs Monthly *Luke's exploits never cease to amaze * Petfocus *

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Book SynopsisPart detective trail, part love affair and pure story telling at its best. In 1990 an expedition of Cambridge scientists arrived at the Plains of Nechisar, tucked between the hills of the Great Rift Valley in the Gamo Gofa province in the country of Ethiopia.

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