Once in a while you find a book that stuns you. Its scope leaves you breathless. This is such a book." — John White, San Francisco Chronicle Explore the inner world of plants and its fascinating relation to mankind, as uncovered by the latest discoveries of science. In this truly revolutionary and beloved work, drawn from remarkable research, Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird cast light on the rich psychic universe of plants. The Secret Life of Plants explores plants' response to human care and nurturing, their ability to communicate with man, plants' surprising reaction to music, their lie-detection abilities, their creative powers, and much more. Tompkins and Bird's classic book affirms the depth of humanity's relationship with nature and adds special urgency to the cause of protecting the environment that nourishes us.
This book looks at the world's naturalised (successfully introduced) species of bird. Many species have been introduced to countries outside their natural range by people, either deliberately or accidentally, with varied consequences for both those species themselves and the native fauna of their 'new' homes. In Britain, the introduced Canada Goose has quickly become ubiquitous at every lake and riverside, while the Golden Pheasant remains a scarce and unobtrusive inhabitant of a few scattered, remote woodlands. The House Sparrow and Common Starling, both in decline over parts of their native range, are thriving in a naturalised state in North America and elsewhere in the world. Naturalised populations of Mallard in various parts of the world are threatening a total of seven other duck species with extinction through hybridisation. This book discusses each species in turn, describing how, why, when and where its introduction took place, how it became established, and the ecological and economic impacts its presence has had in the country or countries it is naturalised in. Each account has a map, showing natural and introduced range, and there is a wealth of beautiful line drawings of the species concerned.
A prizewinning poet and nature writer weaves together natural history, biology, sociology, and personal narrative to tell the story of the lives, habitats, and deaths of six extinct bird species.
Bird dog performance events may not be what many people believe they are. This book takes the reader behind the scenes across the span of two years campaigning. The author reports from chapter to chapter on the progress of two dogs, one already a field champion, the other a dog just getting started in field trials. More importantly, each chapter examines various elements of field trialing not directly connected to the dogs. Most of these elements are common to all breeds of bird dog performance events whether they be the pointing dogs, the flushers or the retrievers. This book looks at the interplay between the clubs sponsoring the events and wildlife managers responsible for the grounds on which they are held. It looks at the friendships and conflicts between dog handlers. This book also looks at the elation of winning field trials, but shows the follies which occur as well, and much more. If you are a hard core field trial handler you will nod your head as you read saying to yourself, boy if that isn't the truth. If you have never been to a bird dog performance event and have wondered what they are really about, this will tell you the story.
Deep in the English Channel lies the wreck of a US Navy vessel sunk during the Battle of Normandy. Her rotting decks and silt-filled chambers once staged a human drama that may have inspired Herman Wouk’s World War II novel, The Caine Mutiny. This is the true story of the USS Partridge and the real-life heroes who served aboard her in some of the most treacherous waters of the war. The crew’s struggle to serve under a captain losing his grip on command brought them to the brink of mutiny, just as the ship was facing her greatest mission yet. From the submarine-infested Caribbean to treacherous North Atlantic crossings to Normandy beaches, A Bird in the Deep tells a story of friendship, heroism, and the true nature of leadership during a time of war.
The classic guide to the birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti—now fully revised and updated Field Guide to the Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti is the essential guide to birdwatching in these tropical countries. This completely revised and updated edition provides thorough accounts for more than 300 species, including details on new and endemic species. Now conveniently organized by facing pages, the book features a wealth of images that includes 150 new illustrations by renowned artist Dana Gardner and range maps based on the most current data. Species descriptions present facts about key field marks, similar species, voice, habitats, geographic distribution, status, range, and local names used in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The guide underscores the importance of promoting the conservation of migratory and resident birds, and building support for environmental measures. Fully up-to-date text and maps Superb images include 150 new illustrations Facing-page treatment features more than 300 species
In this exciting adventure and follow-up to the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Honor award-winning classic, Knight Owl makes an unlikely friend in the over-zealous Early Bird—who hopes to be a brave knight, too. Early Bird wants to be brave and protect the castle, just like Knight Owl. But she falls asleep on the job and then keeps her hero up during the day with her enthusiastic chattiness, well-meaning questions, and cheerful owl impersonations. But there are strange happenings in the forest, and soon Knight Owl and Early Bird find themselves in the throes of danger. Will these two learn to work together to keep themselves and the kingdom safe? Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestselling creator Christopher Denise delivers another endearing medieval tale that shines with warmth and goodwill, and shows just how important teamwork is to saving the day.
Chuang Tzu uses grand metaphors and charming parables to help us to stop identifying with this and that thing, and to instead identify with our horizon-spanning field of consciousness and our embodied sense of spirit or energy. This frees us to be present with, and to playfully engage with, whatever things happen to appear before us. His remarkable book, written in Ancient China sometime around 300 BC, has lain hidden for millennia in a sprawling morass misleadingly known as the Chuang Tzu. Now, at last, it has been excavated. Here for the first time in over two thousand years is Chuang Tzu’s actual book: crisp and poetic, structured and elegant. A philosophical and literary work of art.
Seeing himself through the recorded memories of his adversaries gives Daniel a unique, nearly omniscient perspective. No tragedy, comedy, or embarrassment is lost to his memory or hidden from sight. Despite being culturally distinct from his neighbors, Daniel does everything in his power to be near them. His self-hating behavior and the inevitable rejection he suffers at the hands of those from whom he seeks approval ends in violence. The events of his life mirror those of a flawed biblical character. However, technology creates the cultural rift in Daniel's world. The tension of his world can be seen even now in the stares of smartphone users as they gaze upon those with inferior devices. When the line between human and device is blurred through electronic and genetic engineering, a mindless, homogenized, socially awkward future is assured; and, nature dictates, the survival of only the fittest.
In Christopher David Rosales' debut novel, Silence the Bird, Silence the Keeper, he creates a completely unique vision that seamlessly blends tropes of magical realism and dystopian fiction in a portrait of power in America that we've never seen before. Imagine it as the communal love child of Marquez, Bolaño, and Orwell, a child who inhabits an America that resembles Pinochet's Chile, and yet feels uncannily (and frighteningly) familiar to present day Los Angeles. A world in which street assassin Tre, a young and much beloved brother and son, finds himself caught in a city where all its citizens, even its most dangerous, are potential targets in the on-going power struggle between an authoritarian military regime and a not-so-community friendly guerrilla force. As Percival Everett says, "This novel treats revolution, love, betrayal and magic with equal adeptness and intelligence. In a world that is at once ours and foreign Rosales makes characters that will be remembered when the novel is done. This is a truly fine piece of work.
With over 1,250 alphabetically arranged entries, this is a comprehensive encyclopedic handbook for all lovers of birdlife in the United States and Canada. Illustrated with accurate and beautifully detailed drawings, this easy-to-use reference guide features complete lists of species and bird families, essays on conservation, bird anatomy, and behavior, and much more.
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