Nature and the natural world: general interest Books
Farrar, Straus and Giroux In Suspect Terrain
Book SynopsisFrom the outwash plains of Brooklyn to Indiana''s drifted diamonds and gold In Suspect Terrain is a narrative of the earth, told in four sections of equal length, each in a different way reflecting the three othersa biography; a set piece about a fragment of Appalachian landscape in illuminating counterpoint to the human history there; a modern collision of ideas about the origins of the mountain range; and, in contrast, a century-old collision of ideas about the existence of the Ice Age. The central figure is Anita Harris, an internationally celebrated geologist who went into her profession to get out of a Brooklyn ghetto. The unifying theme is plate tectonicshere concentrating on the acceptance that all aspects of the theory do not universally enjoy. As such, In Suspect Terrain is a report from the rough spots at the front edge of a science.
£15.30
Farrar, Straus and Giroux The Second John McPhee Reader
Book SynopsisThis second volume of The John McPhee Reader includes material from his eleven books published since 1975, including Coming into the Country, Looking for a Ship, The Control of Nature, and the four books on geology that comprise Annals of the Former World.
£19.20
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Bird School
£25.50
Alfred A. Knopf thesibleyguidetotrees
Book SynopsisDavid Allen Sibley, the preeminent, bestselling bird-guide author and illustrator, applies his formidable skills of identification and illustration to the trees of North America.The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification—more than has ever been collected in a single book—into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format.With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species—native trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear.Features highlighted include:• leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color)• bark• needles• cones• flowers• fruit• twigs• silhouettesMore th
£28.50
Random House USA Inc The Anthropology of Turquoise
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£15.20
Random House USA Inc Red
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£14.45
Random House Publishing Group The Voyage of the Beagle Modern Library Journal
Book SynopsisIn 1831, Charles Darwin embarked on an expedition that, in his own words, determined my whole career. The Voyage of the Beagle chronicles his five-year journey around the world and especially the coastal waters of South America as a naturalist on the H.M.S. Beagle. While traveling through these unexplored countries collecting specimens, Darwin began to formulate the theories of evolution and natural selection realized in his master work, The Origin of Species. Travel memoir and scientific primer alike, The Voyage of the Beagle is a lively and accessible introduction to the mind of one of history's most influential thinkers.
£12.59
Random House Publishing Group The Mountains of California Modern Library
Book SynopsisWhen John Muir traveled to California in 1868, he found the pristine mountain ranges that would inspire his life’s work. The Mountains of California is the culmination of the ten years Muir spent in the Sierra Nevadas, studying every crag, crook, and valley with great care and contemplation.Bill McKibben writes in his Introduction that Muir 'invents, by sheer force of his love, an entirely new vocabulary and grammar of the wild . . . a language of ecstasy and exuberance.' The Mountains of California is as vibrant and vital today as when it was written over a century ago. This Modern Library Paperback Classic includes the photographs and line drawings from the original 1898 edition.
£16.14
Random House USA Inc Foxfire 3
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£17.09
Random House USA Inc Foxfire 9
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1972, The Foxfire Book was a surprise bestseller that brought Appalachia's philosophy of simple living to hundreds of thousands of readers. Whether you wanted to hunt game, bake the old-fashioned way, or learn the art of successful moonshining, The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center had a contact who could teach you how with clear, step-by-step instructions.The ninth volume of the series includes information about general stores, the Jud Nelson wagon, a praying rock, a Catawban Indian potter, haint tales, quilting, home cures, and more on the log cabin.
£17.09
Random House USA Inc American Buffalo In Search of a Lost Icon
Book SynopsisA hunt for the American buffalo, an “immensely readable” (Los Angeles Times) examination of an animal that has haunted the national imagination—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and host of Netflix’s MeatEater “Both a fascinating piece of outdoor writing and a gonzo meditation on the history of the mighty beast in our national life.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel A SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR In 2005, Steven Rinella won a lottery permit to hunt for a wild buffalo, or American bison, in the Alaskan wilderness. Despite the odds—there’s only a 2 percent chance of drawing the permit, and fewer than 20 percent of those hunters are successful—Rinella managed to kill a buffalo on a snow-covered mountainside and then raft the meat back to civilization while being trailed by grizzly bears and suffering from hypothermia. Th
£14.60
WW Norton & Co The Alps A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi
Book SynopsisA blend of contemporary travelogue and historical narrative about the Alps from "a graceful and passionate writer" (The Washington Post).Trade Review"Stephen O'Shea's sardonic, science-rich travelogue…" -- Nature"... this book is for the most part a great pleasure to read, and provides a remarkable summary of the life of the high mountains." -- Times Literary Supplement"Veteran traveller Stephen O’Shea takes the reader on a delightful 500-mile historical romp through the Alps... It is well worth making space in the rucksack for this on your next Alpine holiday." -- Geographical"His [Stephen O'Shea's] account of his journey, all 500 miles and seven countries of it, is a soaring success, erudite, entertaining and human... the Alps cry out to be explored. Start with this book." -- i paper
£18.89
WW Norton & Co Immortal Wilderness
Book SynopsisFocusing on nature as inseparable from the deepest human experience, this book argues that scientific advances cannot substitute for the life of nature.
£15.20
WW Norton & Co Bully for Brontosaurus
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Dozens of choice essays. . . . Teaching and its decline . . . and other signs of the decrepitude of the culture balanced by the cheer and zeal with which Gould extols advances in science. . . . Bully for Brontosaurus and bully for Gould too." -- Kirkus Reviews"May be Gould's finest to date. . . . Whether his topic is typewriter design, thetechnical triumph of Voyager or Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak, Gould holds our attention. His essays are illuminating, instructive, and fun to read." -- Publishers Weekly"No living scientist who writes for the public has a better claim to the mantle of Thomas Huxley in range of interests and felicity of style. . . . Bully for Brontosaurus is the fifth and finest selection." -- David Fromkin - Washington Post Book World
£15.19
WW Norton & Co A Stillness in the Pines The Ecology of the Red Cockaded Woodpecker Commonwealth Fund Book Program
Book SynopsisA wonderful book . . . will be enjoyed by anyone with interest in either birds or the impact that humanity is having on its fellow travelers on spaceship earth. -Paul R. Ehrlich, author of The Population BombTrade Review"Densely packed, adroitly written life history of the red-cockaded woodpecker. . . . Expand[s] our understanding of a single species into a broad appreciation of ecology." -- Kirkus Reviews
£17.58
WW Norton & Co Woodswoman II
Book Synopsis"If you’re looking for a real declaration of independence, and a deeper social experiment, try a woman living alone in the Adirondacks for decades." —Megan Mayhew Bergman, GuardianTrade Review"Anne LaBastille has done it again! What a splendid account of her move deeper into the woods of the Adirondacks—and deeper into her independent life as a consultant and conservationist…A book of the inspirational sort, such as we rarely see." -- Norman Myers, author of The Primary Source: Tropical Forests and Our Future
£12.34
WW Norton & Co Dwellings A Spirtual History of the Living World
Book SynopsisAward-winning Chickasaw poet and novelist Linda Hogan explores her lifelong love of the living world and all its inhabitants.
£11.39
WW Norton & Co Dirt
Book SynopsisA gleeful, poetic bookLike the best natural histories, Dirt is a kind of prayer. Los Angeles Times Book ReviewTrade Review"Logan sets out to purify dirt, to embed us so intimately in the skin of the Earth that we will live momentarily, at least, entranced by its vibrancy…This is the most literate book to bring soil to soul and soul to the subterranean." -- Peter Warshall - Whole Earth"Read this book. You'll know more about that which you are made of and which is essential to all life on the land part of the planet than you thought imaginable." -- Wes Jackson, president and founder of the Land Institute
£14.24
WW Norton & Co What Is the Grass
Book Synopsis“[An] incisive, personal mediation.” —New York Times Book ReviewTrade Review"What Is the Grass doesn’t possess a single inelegant sentence or poorly expressed thought.… [A]n excellent opportunity to re-examine the work of one of America’s first major poets through the prose of one of its best living ones." -- Scott Bradfield - Washington Post"[Doty] animates Walt Whitman’s joyful proclamation that everything is connected." -- The New Yorker"A celebration of gay manhood, queerness, and the power and elasticity of poetry." -- Martha Anne Toll - NPR"What Is the Grass may be the definitive book on Whitman’s life, afterlife and poetry. But it’s the moments in Doty’s own life… that the book truly glistens." -- Jessica Ferri - Los Angeles Times"[Mark] Doty puts on a clinic in how to read closely but expansively.… This is shining proof that criticism can make you want to hold it close." -- John Freeman - LitHub"[A] masterful example [of the hybrid memoir]—weaving a close reading of Whitman’s life and writings into Doty’s own ruminations on art, queerness, humanism, and the American experience." -- Arianna Rebolini - Buzzfeed"[A] dazzling and discursive meditation on Walt Whitman’s poetry.… In this homage to a poet whose voice has become a ‘permanent presence’ in his head, [Doty] has written a masterpiece, one that is as rapturously fine as the book he so lovingly and intelligently elucidates." -- Phil Gambone - Gay and Lesbian Review"Exuberant.… This is Doty at his best: In gorgeous, calibrated sentences, he evokes the flourishes and sprung rhythms that make Whitman so contemporary." -- Hamilton Cain - San Francisco Chronicle"What Is the Grass is a deep dive into Walt Whitman’s life, work, worldview, and something that feels like his cosmic theology. As if that weren’t enough, we’re also invited into Mark Doty’s own candid self-seeking, in episodes of the author’s life rendered in generous complexity. This beautiful, ingenious book affirms my belief in language as a living thing, and in the universe as a place overflowing with purpose and meaning. I wish all of the great poets could be reintroduced to me in such fashion!" -- Tracy K. Smith"Quick-witted, slyly erotic, and sometimes ecstatic, this book explores Mark Doty’s relationship with Walt Whitman, or with the idea of Walt Whitman. It is intimate in its reality and in all that it imagines, and it captures with splendid lyricism the author’s generous obsession with his forebear. Mark Doty has written a literate and lovely volume." -- Andrew Solomon
£12.34
Random House USA Inc The Immense Journey
Book SynopsisAnthropologist and naturalist Loren Eiseley blends scientific knowledge and imaginative vision in this story of man.
£9.87
Alfred A. Knopf National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar
Book SynopsisA portable, comprehensive field guide--brimming with concise descriptions and stunning color photographs, and designed to fit into your back pocket--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.This handy, streamlined field guide identifies the most frequently encountered trees of North America''s western region. Packed with information, it includes detailed photographs and diagrams, specific descriptions, and a glossary of terms.
£10.44
Alfred A. Knopf Pocket Guide to Familiar Insects and Spiders of
Book SynopsisA portable, comprehensive field guide--brimming with concise descriptions and stunning color photographs, and designed to fit into your back pocket--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.The National Audubon Society Pocket Guide: Insects and Spiders is the essential pocket-size guide to 80 of the most abundant and colorful insects and spiders in North America. Small enough to fit in your back pocket and featuring stunning full-color photographs and concise descriptions, this handy guide is the ideal companion for any outdoor excusion, and perfect for beginners and experts alike.
£10.79
Alfred A. Knopf Pocket Guide to Familiar Mammals of North America
Book SynopsisA portable, comprehensive field guide--brimming with concise descriptions and stunning color photographs, and designed to fit into your back pocket--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.This National Audubon Society Pocket Guide gives full coverage to 80 of the most common and distinctive mammals in North America, from the Arctic to the Mexican border, and from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific. An additional 30 important mammals are included under the heading Similar Species, raising to 110 the total number of mammals described in this guide.
£13.56
Houghton Mifflin A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs Northeastern
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£19.24
Houghton Mifflin Demonic Males Apes and the Origins of Human
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£17.09
Houghton Mifflin Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants Eastern and
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£17.72
Houghton Mifflin Peterson Field Guide to Mammals of North America
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£23.80
Penguin Putnam Inc This Book Was a Tree Ideas Adventures and
Book SynopsisAt no time in human history have we been more disconnected with what lies outside our front doors. Within just a century, our relationship with our surroundings has transformed from one of exploration to one of disassociation. In This Book Was a Tree, science teacher Marcie Cuff issues a call for a new era of pioneers—not leathery, backwoods deerskin-wearing salt pork and hominy pioneers, but strong-minded, clever, crafty, mudpie-making, fort-building individuals committed to examining the natural world and deciphering nature’s perplexing puzzles.Within each chapter, readers will discover a principle for reconnecting with the natural world around them, from learning to be still to discovering the importance of giving back. With a mix of science and hands-on crafts and activities, readers will be encouraged to brainstorm, imagine, and understand the world as inventive scientists—to touch, collect, document, sketch, decode, analyze, experiment, unravel, i
£13.29
Penguin Putnam Inc Men Cats Men and
Book SynopsisA brilliant collection of photographs that brings together two of the world's favorite things: hot men and cute kittens. Based on the chic French Tumblr Des Hommes et des Chatons, Men & Cats presents an original collection of 50 pairs of sexy men and adorable cats. Each clever match-up shows a heartthrob posing alongside a cat in a similar pose or with a similar expression. Not sure if you want to look at sexy men or cute cats? With this book, you don't have to choose.
£12.75
Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale Penguins and Other Seabirds
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£11.69
Ten Speed Press Amazing Facts About Baby Animals An Illustrated
Book SynopsisA whimsically illustrated collection of fascinating, surprising, and funny facts about baby animals and their parents, from the author of The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts.Who doesn't love baby animals? Amazing Facts About Baby Animals is an adorable celebration of all kinds of fuzzy, fluffy, scaly, and feathery animal babies and their parents. This charming collection by beloved Swedish artist Maja Säfström is full of interesting, weird, and funny facts about animals before they are born (elephants are pregnant for 22 months!), when they are born (whales are born tail-first so they don't drown!), and life as babies (parrots give their offspring names! Baby macaques have snowball fights!). Perfect for art- and nature-loving kids and adults, this sweet book makes a wonderful gift and conversation starter for the whole family.
£11.39
Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Nests Eggs Birds An Illustrated Aviary
Book SynopsisDiscover the world's birds, their homes, and their eggs in this gorgeously illustrated, entertaining, and educational guide.Did you know that the tailorbird sews leaves together to make its nest? Or that hummingbird eggs are the size of jellybeans? Birds are some of the world's most beautiful and interesting creatures, and their nests and eggs are no exception, displaying a stunning diversity of shapes, sizes, functions, and materials. In Nests, Eggs, Birds, celebrated artist and author Kelsey Oseid explores the fascinating ins and outs of where and how dozens of avian species--robins, birds of paradise, crows, owls, penguins, and more--make their homes and lay their eggs. Full of striking naturalistic art and fun scientific facts, Nests, Eggs, Birds will delight bird lovers of all ages.
£12.59
Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Zak Georges Guide to a WellBehaved Dog
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£12.74
Basic Books Feathers
Book SynopsisAs seen on PBS's American Spring Live, one of America's great nature-writers explores the magic and science of feathers Feathers are an evolutionary marvel: aerodynamic, insulating, beguiling. They date back more than 100 million years. Yet their story has never been fully told. In Feathers, biologist Thor Hanson details a sweeping natural history, as feathers have been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn through time and place. Applying the research of paleontologists, ornithologists, biologists, engineers, and even art historians, Hanson asks: What are feathers? How did they evolve? What do they mean to us? Engineers call feathers the most efficient insulating material ever discovered, and they are at the root of biology's most enduring debate. They silence the flight of owls and keep penguins dry below the ice. They have decorated queens, jesters, and priests. And they have inked documents from the Constitution to the novels of Jane Austen.Feathers is a captivating and beautiful exploration of this most enchanting object.Trade ReviewFrank B. Gill, author of Ornithology "Thor Hanson has captured the wonders of feathers in gripping prose that will likely change forever how you look at birds and their colorful adornments. This is rich and engaging ornithology at its best." Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain "If you feel a sudden need to read about dinosaurs, flyfishing, muttonbirds, and showgirls, this is your book! Absolutely fascinating history, and a terrific read, Feathers is another Thor Hanson classic!" Peter Matthiessen, National Book Award winning author of The Snow Leopard and Shadow Country "A fascinating book about the most remarkable--and beautiful--of all avian evolutionary adaptations, with wonderful accounts of ornithological investigations and the solving of biological quandaries and questions, all of it unusually well-written. Highly recommended." Robert Michael Pyle, author of Wintergreen and Mariposa Road "Feathers is simply a splendid book! Even for one biased toward butterfly scales, their closest competitors in the animal raiment line, feathers in all their glory can only be seen as astonishing. With elegance and wit, Thor Hanson captures not only their awesome esthetics, but also the astonishing evolution, historical and cultural impact, and sheer wonder of avian plumage. Rendered in exquisite detail with delicate touch, like a feather-painting of old, this is the best kind of natural history--quilled by a real field biologist who is also a fine writer." Bernd Heinrich, Emeritus Professor of Biology, University of Vermont; author of Winter World and Mind of the Raven "Feathers are truly remarkable. In this book Hanson shows how they are the key to many of the most fascinating and diverse aspects of bird biology, how they have affected our understanding of evolution, and how they have and are enriching our everyday lives. This is science written in clear and entertaining prose; a great read." BioScience "From basic research about bird biology and the evolutionary origins of feather to falconry, couture, and bioinspiration in industrial design, the book treats us to a series of engaging essays about feathers, both on and off the bird... Hanson weaves his prior encounters with birds and his experiences as a scientist into the text, offering lively anecdotes about his student days and subsequent life as a professional grant-seeking field biologist. He is particularly adept at portraying how science really works... Hanson's prose is polished, lively, and evocative. The outcome is a book that is easy and entertaining to read, yet one that is able to satisfy our intellectual curiosity... In Feathers, Hanson is remarkably successful at offering something for everyone. Readers from young adults to professional ornithologists and from those interested in nature to those more interested in human culture will enjoy this book... Ultimately, Feathers is a book to read for pleasure, but along the way, we gain knowledge and insight into nature and our relationship with it." Bird Watcher's Digest "To read Feathers is to meet up with an enthusiastic old friend who simply cannot wait to tell you about something he just discovered. Deceptively conversational and fast moving, disguising the true depth of information it conveys with buoyant, good-humored prose, Feathers is a book not only intellectually accessible to anyone with an interest in the subject but also one that should be considered a must-read by bird watchers and naturalists of all levels of interest or experience." Audubon "[C]aptivating... Beginning with the evolution of birds, Hanson, a biologist, explains competing theories with ease, and unfolds the human fascination with feathers in terms of science, commerce, tools, folklore, art, and aerodynamics with panache. Anecdotes infuse the fascinating survey." Montana Outdoors "[A] delight. As the name makes clear, it's all about feathers--their evolution, use by birds, and extremely high value to humans, from quill pens and trout flies to women's hats and Aztec emperor headdresses." Seattle Times "[D]elightful... [A] fascinating inquiry into one of those common things that are easy to overlook until someone shows what a miracle it is... Birds, the only animals with feathers today, wear these magic coats of stunning variety whose forms so perfectly fit their functions. Hanson's book reveals much about that marvelous magic." Library Journal (starred review) "[E]njoyable, wide-ranging, and well-researched... Highly recommended for birders and science buffs." Maclean's "[E]ngaging... For all the intriguing science, what really livens up Hanson's passionate discussion of his 'natural miracle' are the stories he tells." Nature "Thor Hanson's storytelling is enhanced by his infectious excitement... Hanson's tale is comprehensive, accurate, timely and engaging... Feathers is a compelling introduction to one of nature's wonders." Science "Hanson writes in a colorful, conversational, and non-technical manner that conveys his enthusiasm for the subject... The book offers a readable introduction to feathers and what they mean for birds and mankind." Wall Street Journal "[Hanson] has produced a winning book about the extraordinary place of feathers in animal and human history... like all true birdwatchers, Mr. Hanson knows it isn't just the bird at the far end of the binoculars but the human being at the near end that matters, and he is writing as much about the human urge to understand, appreciate and appropriate the wild world as he is writing about feathers, which he calls, in his subtitle, a 'natural miracle.'... Feathers is an earthbound book, but this does not keep the author--or the reader--from looking up in wonder." New York Times "[A] fine book... Mr. Hanson's pleasure in feathers is infectious... [Feathers] is gracious, funny, persuasive and wide ranging. Feathers, Mr. Hanson reminds us, teach a remarkable amount about evolution, insulation, engineering, archaeology and fashion. Better still, as this book shows, they allow not only birds but the human imagination to take flight." New Scientist "[A] sparkling history... Well-written science adds gravity to the more featherweight content of witty anecdotes -- from interviews with feather-clad Las Vegas showgirls to plucking roadkill in the name of biology. The skilful way Hanson combines the two makes this book popular natural history at its best."
£14.39
Basic Books Lesser Beasts A SnoutToTail History of the Humble
Book SynopsisUnlike other barnyard animals, which pull plows, give eggs or milk, or grow wool, a pig produces only one thing: meat. Incredibly efficient at converting almost any organic matter into nourishing, delectable protein, swine are nothing short of a gastronomic godsend,yet their flesh is banned in many cultures, and the animals themselves are maligned as filthy, lazy brutes.As historian Mark Essig reveals in Lesser Beasts , swine have such a bad reputation for precisely the same reasons they are so valuable as a source of food: they are intelligent, self-sufficient, and omnivorous. What''s more, he argues, we ignore our historic partnership with these astonishing animals at our peril. Tracing the interplay of pig biology and human culture from Neolithic villages 10,000 years ago to modern industrial farms, Essig blends culinary and natural history to demonstrate the vast importance of the pig and the tragedy of its modern treatment at the hands of humans. Pork, Essig explains, has long beTrade ReviewPraise for Lesser Beasts: "Broad, well-researched... [An] entertaining study." --Economist "Although history sprawls across countless topics, Essig zeroes in on a long-neglected niche -- the pig. In sprightly prose, he tells why the intelligent animal has filled so many plates for so long in so many parts of the world; like good bacon, his book sizzles." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Best Books of 2015 "A witty history of civilization told through our four-legged pork producer." --The Guardian (UK) "Essig's account is fascinating, full of erudition and nuance. He traces societal changes from the pharaohs to Walmart, using the pig. Equally, he uses history to enlarge our understanding of the domestic pig." --New Scientist (UK) "Essig presents the pig in a rich cultural context, weaving natural and social history into an engaging narrative about the lowly beast that has loomed ever so large in our collective experience." --Asheville Citizen-Times "Lesser Beasts offers readers entertainment as well as information ... [some] pages sizzle like bacon, and it's tough to set aside a book about an animal that's so close to people, in locale and in physiology." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch Garden and Gun "Mark Essig's savory history will provide you with hundreds of facts and anecdotes about the remarkable pig, so you'll impress your friends and relatives around the fire pit. Essig--who lives in Asheville--loves his pigs; he just loves them a little bit more with a nice vinegar." PopMatters "Essig offers a compelling look at one of history's most divisive animals... informative, suprising." "[A] solid introduction to swine culture... Highly recommended. All readers." --CHOICE "Essig examines the longstanding yet often overlooked connections between man and swine... You'll finish this read with a new appreciation for the phrase 'bringing home the bacon.'" --The Local Palate Portland Book Review "[Essig's] writing skill is excellent... a good read." "An enlightening culinary history... A lively, informative farm-to-table feast." --Kirkus Reviews "What Mark Kurlansky did for Cod, Essig might just do for swine." --Shelf Awareness "Essig presents an entertaining perspective on pigs, especially as they relate to humans. After you read this book, pigs will never seem quite the same." --Library Journal "A thoughtful book about the fascinating relationship between pigs and people, from Leviticus to Charlotte's Web. I learned something new on every page: Essig has a knack for delivering reams of information with lightness and wit, even as he makes an eloquent plea for a reformed pork industry, one where the bacon we eat comes from 'a pig that lived like a pig.' Whether you eat pork or not, Lesser Beasts is a gripping meditation on the plight of pigs." --Bee Wilson, author of Consider the Fork "Forget the egg. It's the pig that's incredible and edible. And Mark Essig tells the remarkable animal's checkered history with a style and verve that's as irresistible as bacon itself." --John Donohue, editor of Man with a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers who Cook for their Families "Mark Essig tells a fine tale of the unsung exploits of the lowly pig, from the age of the pyramids and the wars of the conquistadors to the awful abattoirs and trendy restaurants of today. With clear prose and careful research, he redeems an animal that has played a seminal role in human history while enduring near universal disdain. This fascinating book provides a marvelous antidote to our unexamined views on the pig." --Andrew Lawler, author of Why Did the Chicken Cross the World? The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization "Lesser Beasts is a delightful romp through porcine history from the Neolithic era to the present. Mark Essig offers surprising answers to the question of why humans have had such a love-hate affair with the humble pig, and unveils many other unexpected insights. Well written and well researched, Lesser Beasts is a must for historians, pork lovers, and anyone who just loves a good read." --Andrew F. Smith, editor-in-chief, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America "Pigs are omnivorous. And so is Mark Essig. From a Roman recipe for salt curing and cold smoking hams that Cato favored, to the ignoble efforts of American industrial farmers who have shown neither their pigs nor their customers respect, he has sifted the archival record to write a smart and thoroughly engaging social history of the curious entwinings of pig and man." --John T. Edge, series editor, Southern Foodways Alliance Studies in Culture, People, and PlaceTable of ContentsPrologue. The Magical Animal One. Keep it Simple Two. Out of the Wild Three. "The Pig is Impure" Four. "Of Their Flesh Shall Ye Not Eat" Five. "Monstrosities of Luxury" Six. The Forest Pig Seven. "Swine Eat Things Clean and Unclean" Eight. "The Husbandman's Best Scavenger" Nine. "All the Mountains Swarmed with Them" Ten. "A Great Unkindness for our Swine" Eleven. "The Benevolent Tyranny of the Pig" Twelve. "Twenty Bushels of Corn on Four Legs" Thirteen. "The Republic of Porkdom" Fourteen. "A Swinish Multitude" Fifteen. "A Growing Prejudice Against Pork" Sixteen. "The Other White Meat" Seventeen. Vices Eighteen. "Back to the Start" Epilogue. Virtuous Carnivores
£19.80
Basic Books Why Birds Sing A Journey Into the Mystery of Bird Song
Book SynopsisThe astonishing richness of birdsong is both an aesthetic and a scientific mystery. Evolutionists have never been able to completely explain why birdsong is so inventive and why many species devote so many hours to singing. The standard explanations of defending territories and attracting mates don''t begin to account for the variety and energy that the commonest birds exhibit. Is it possible that birds sing because they like to? This seemingly naive explanation is starting to look more and more like the truth. Why Birds Sing is a lyric exploration of birdsong that blends the latest scientific research with a deep understanding of musical beauty and form. Drawing on conversations with neuroscientists, ecologists, and composers, it is the first book to investigate the elusive question of why birds sing and what their song means to both avian and human ears. Whether playing his clarinet with the whitecrested laughing thrush in Pittsburgh, or jamming in the Australian winter breeding gr
£27.09
John Wiley & Sons Chihuahua
£10.92
John Wiley & Sons Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs
£12.34
Turner Publishing Company Saltwater Aquarium Models Recipes for Creating
Book SynopsisThis book is your recipe for saltwater aquarium success. The key is choosing fish, invertebrates, seaweeds, and corals that coexist in harmony. This guide covers the basics of setup, maintenance, and design.
£13.99
John Wiley & Sons Grooming To Win
Book SynopsisThis is the definitive book on grooming your horse to catch the judge's eye. It features over 400 detailed drawings illustrating every aspect of grooming. Completely updated, it details current practices and requirements and covers conditioning, daily care, tools and supplies, and grooming for shows.Table of ContentsFOREWORD.PREFACE.1 Horse Management: Conditioning to Win.2 Skin and Hair Care.3 Grooming and Daily Care.4 Grooming Tools and Supplies.5 Mane and Tail Care.6 Bathing, Bandaging, and Other Procedures.7 Trimming and Clipping.8 Blankets and Horse Clothing.9 Final Touches.10 The Show Hunter.11 Sport Horses: Turnout for Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing and Driving.12 The Western Show Horse.13 The Pleasure and Versatility Breeds.14 Other Breeds.15 The Saddlebred,Walking Horse, Parade Horse and Other Set-Tail Horses.16 Grooming at Horse Shows.APPENDIX I: Trimming Styles by Type And Event.APPENDIX II: Trimming Styles by Breed.INDEX.
£21.59
John Wiley & Sons The Riders Fitness Guide to a Better Seat
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£18.99
John Wiley & Sons Goldfish
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£9.99
John Wiley & Sons Salty Dogs
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£10.99
John Wiley & Sons German Shepherd Dog
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£23.47
Turner Publishing Company Golden Retriever Happy Healthy Pet
Book SynopsisThis definitive guide to the Golden Retriever breed is an essential resource for anyone, from trainers and breeders to people buying their first little four leggedfriend. Golden Retriever, Your Healthy Happy Pet will show dogowners how to care for and pamper their beloved pet.
£11.99
Turner Publishing Company Pawprints of Katrina
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£13.99
John Wiley & Sons Pets and the Planet
£11.99
John Wiley & Sons Cocker Spaniel
£12.34
