Editorial Review

Born in 1915, the mountaineer and outdoorsman David Brower has arguably been the single most influential American environmentalist in the last half of the 20th century; even his erstwhile foes at the Department of the Interior grudgingly credit him with having nearly single-handedly halted the construction of a dam in the heart of the Grand Canyon, and he has converted thousands, even millions, of his compatriots to the preservationist cause through his work with the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and other organizations.Read more

Reviews (30)

identity and idealism
This is not a hagiography, and readers who think McPhee is portraying John Brower as a hero are not reading deeply enough.McPhee presents Brower as a human with faults.But this too is not his purpose.All ideals need champions, and Brower was the environmental champion of the 1970s.That he was a hypocrite to his own cause bears little relevance to his symbolic importance.McPhee carefully establishes Brower's identity such that the reflective reader can draw parallels to their own self-conception and ideas of perfection.Oh, and it's readable too.

hello
Part one is very informative. It talks alot about the characters, their personalities, and their backgrounds. We didn't like the fact taht
A balanced, highly readable book on environmental debates
What a wonderful book!McPhee gives us both sides of the environmental debate by letting the protagonists discuss the issues.
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Subjects:  1. Conservation of natural resour    2. Conservation of natural resources    3. Development - Sustainable Development    4. Essays    5. Natural resources    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. U.S    9. Wilderness areas   

Reviews (22)

The Kalahari!
Gripping and enthralling:A narrative of the adventures of two nascent scientists in the vastness and rapidly disappearing Kalahari region of Botswana.
Cry the Kalahari
The story is riveting, heart warming and inspiring. Mark & Delia's tales of courage. commitment, gile and passion are an inspiration for all.

Top of the line for lovers of nature adventure romance ...
Everyone should read this book.Having said that, here are some goods & some bads about THE CRY OF THE KALAHARI.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography And Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Botswana    5. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    6. Environmental Protection    7. Kalahari Desert    8. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    9. Nature    10. Nature/Ecology    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Special Interest - Adventure    13. Zoology    14. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    15. Nature / Wildlife   

Editorial Review

Master how-it-works writer John McPhee has instructed his readers in the arcana of how oranges are commercially graded, how mountains form, how canoes are built and oceans crossed. In Read more

Reviews (24)

People's Efforts, People's Errors
McPhee examines three recent attempts by man to alter natural changes on the surface of the planet.The first is the Corps of Engineers attempt to control of the flow and course of the Mississippi as it heads, with ever increasing power, toward New Orleans, or Texas if it had its way.And if you think that there was not some early warning of eventual problems in New Orleans, note that this book was written in 1989. The second is the partially successful effort by the Icelanders to use water from fire hoses to halt the flow of lava from a very destructive volcano.Finally, the third is the battle between Los Angeles and one of natures weapons of mass destruction, the debris flows coming down from the San Gabriel mountains that, with the Pacific, frame the city.McPhee has also written intriguing books about the geologic histories of Nevada (Basin and Range), Wyoming (Rising from the Plains), California (Assembling California) and about tectonic plates, ice and oil (In Suspect Terrain). In the process he has portrayed the important English pioneers in the discipline such as Hutton and Lyell, in addition to Agassiz and his fascination with glaciers.
Read this one for pleasure
There are books that should be read for the value of the information they contain.There are books that should be read for the beauty and power of their language.There are few that achieve both.This intensively researched page turner never fails to combine clarity and eloquence.Mr. McPhee clearly loves the people and places he describes, and treats them in a witty, friendly way that left me laughing and wanting more.

Nature Bats Last
This is among my favorite McPhee books. Not only does he bring his superb skills at description, characterization and narrative flow to these three linked stories; he manages to set out a subtle subtext without ever being explicit.
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Subjects:  1. Environment    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental protection    4. Government policy    5. Human Geography    6. Influence on nature    7. Man    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. United States    11. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection   

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Agronomy    2. Agriculture - Soil Science    3. Engineering - Civil    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Soil Management    6. Soil conservation    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Water Resources Conservation    10. Water Supply    11. Water conservation    12. Agriculture & Farming    13. Conservation of the environment    14. Technology / Engineering / Civil   

Editorial Review

Published in 1949, shortly after the author's death, Read more

Reviews (52)

A must read
A beautifully written account of Aldo Leopold's awakening to an environmental consciousness.

Galaxy (Oxford) edition is worth the extra money
This review does not relate directly to the information in the book which has been discussed in detail in many excellent reviews.This book is truly for the person who loves the outdoors and is in itself 5 stars
a book for meditation. . .
I had to read a science book for English class, and I wasn't the most thrilled. Reading the first parts of A Sand County Almanac, I wasn't sure if I was going to finish reading it, because I found his intense love for nature a bit extreme; however, as I continued reading, I found it very thought-provoking -- comparable to Thoreau -- and made me appreciate nature and its wonder. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Essays    3. Natural Resources    4. Natural history    5. Nature    6. Nature conservation    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Outdoor books    9. United States    10. Nature / Natural Resources   

Editorial Review

A young woman named Julia Butterfly Hill climbed a 200-foot redwood in December 1997. She didn't come down for 738 days. The tree, dubbed Luna, grows in the coastal hills of Northern California, on land owned by the Maxxam Corporation. In 1985 Maxxam acquired the previous landlord, Pacific Lumber, then proceeded to "liquidate its assets" to pay off the debt--in other words, clear-cut the old-growth redwood forest. Environmentalists charged the company with harvesting timber at a nonsustainable level.Earth First! in particular devised tree sit-ins to protest the logging.When Hill arrived on the scene after traveling cross-country on a whim, loggers were preparing to clear-cut the hillside where Luna had been growing for 1,000 years. Read more

Reviews (78)

Interesting Read
I read this in one day, it's almost as if reading a letter from a friend. I had heard about the woman who sat in a Redwood Tree in California, and after seeing the documentary about it, I had to read the book. The writing isn't outstanding, but I got everything I'd hoped for: A detailed description of life in Luna, which is amazing to say the least, and a much better insight on the activism to preserve old growth forests. I couldn't put it down. Read it for another perspective on life, and to learn more about Julia Butterfly Hill: A truly amazing activist.

Saving our environment
I had seen the documentary and was interested to read the book.It was enjoyable, well written and an interesting report of a woman's total belief in what she was doing, along with her lessons in dealing with the very personal issues and fears that arose in her.An easy read and worthwhile.
Julia Butterfly Hill:A Woman Literally Up a Tree
Julia Butterfly Hill's father taught her a good lesson early in her life.The lesson was to stand up for what you believe in and not to give up.Julia obviously took this to heart.In her mid twenties she was looking for a meaning in her life.So she sold many of her valuables, "hit the road", and came into contact with an organization that was involved in the fight to save the redwoods.One of their main actions against the chopping of these trees is to put people up in a tree on a small platform for about a week.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. California    4. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    5. Environmental Protection    6. Forest Conservation    7. Humboldt County    8. Luna (Calif. : Tree)    9. Nature    10. Nature/Ecology    11. Old growth forest conservation    12. Regional Subjects - West    13. Specific Groups - General    14. Women    15. Women conservationists    16. Biography & Autobiography / General    17. Conservation of the environment   

Reviews (4)

What a story and I am not a nature book reader!
I should preface this by saying that I read voraciously but nearly all my books are international intrigue, mystery and sci fi.Occasionally I will branch out and read something different and usually it is non-fiction.I happened upon a copy of Return of the Condor and was struck by the cover. Having never seen one live and not even really knowing anything about condors, I flipped through the pages and looked at the magnificent color photos.Went back and read the first chapter and I was hooked. Although it is a true story it reads more like a novel with both intrigue and tenderness.I read it in one sitting and found myself wishing it had continued on past its ending.This is an excellent read even for someone who has little or no interest in birds or nature.It is fascinating, extremely well-written and engrossing.

Informative and Entertaining
Condors are North America's largest birds, with wingspans of nearly 10 feet.They are also highly intelligent-and extremely rare.John Moir's passionate writing shows how a team of dedicated scientists pulled this fascinating creature back from the brink of extinction (in 1982 there were only 22 CA condors left in the world).But it wasn't easy, and the process was fraught with bitter controversy between those who wanted to leave the birds alone and let them live "free" versus those who argued in favor of collecting data by radio tagging some birds and capturing others.
A great read
This book is not only a remarkable tribute to the condor and the scientists who have worked to save it, but a captivating story as well.
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Subjects:  1. Birds & Birdwatching - General    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Nature    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Wild Animal And Bird Protection    6. Birds & birdwatching    7. Conservation of wildlife & habitats    8. Nature / Birds & Birdwatching   

Reviews (6)

The home water supply
worth the price, will save you a fortune, if you have the need for water.

Lacks Basic Data
This book doesn't contain the data needed for developing even a simple design for a home water system. For example, there is no data to calculate friction loss from water moving through pipes. The book notes that friction loss is easy to calculate using a table. The book includes a table that lists friction loss for valves and fittings in equivalent length of pipe. But, I can't find a table on friction loss per length of pipe. A third of the book and most of the bibliography is devoted to the author's opinions on water politics, he is no Marc Reisner.

A great source for home water system design and storage.
This book covers nearly every situation one may encounter in water procurement,perhaps the only subject not covered is hauling water to a completely dry site.Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Handbooks, manuals, etc    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Reference    7. Water Supply    8. Water-supply    9. DIY    10. Nature / Water Supply   

Reviews (1)

A complete primer on sustainability
"The Sustainability Revolution" is a thorough review of the evolution of sustainability. For a text loaded with facts and details, Andres wrote it so it would be understandable for those who are new to the history and principles of sustainability. The resources section is especially helpful because it lists organizations and contacts mentioned in the book along with brief descriptions about them. I'm sure that many of our customers -- for the DVD "Architecture to Zucchini: The people, companies and organizations pioneering sustainability" -- would be very interested in this book. I highly recommend it to higher education, consultants and business leaders. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Development - Sustainable Development    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental aspects    5. Environmental policy    6. General    7. Multicultural Education    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Social change    11. Sustainable development    12. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection    13. Sustainability   

Reviews (10)

Brutal. Brutal brutal brutal.
In contrast to what others have written, this book is brutal. It isn't that Ms. Shiva doesn't have passion, she does. It isn't that she cannot write, she can. The book is brutal because it is painfully one-sided, seemingly written for no other reason than to pander to those that think as she does.
Right Versus Left
Vandana is an entertaining writer. She is passionate about injustice. Shiva is a welcome antidote to the rantings ofright wing ratbags from noisy think-tanks.
Earthy Wisdom About Water

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Subjects:  1. Environmental Science    2. Environmental Studies    3. Nature    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Pollution    6. Real Estate - General    7. Water    8. Water Supply    9. Water resources development    10. Water rights    11. Water-supply    12. History / United States / 20th Century   

Subjects:  1. Animal Ecology    2. Animals    3. Bears    4. Description And Travel    5. Endangered species    6. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    7. Essays & Travelogues    8. Human-animal relationships    9. Mammals    10. Nature    11. Travel    12. Nature / Bears   

Reviews (3)

Good ideas, however it disobeys its own first suggestion :-(
Good photos and points made, but #1: Recycle?
Great Green Gift Book
I have ordered this book as a gift for numerous friends and family members.It is a beautiful and thought-provoking introduction to environmentally-friendly behaviors in a time when most Americans aren't thinking about the problems we have created in our environment.

365 Ways to Save the Earth is a wonderful book
I bought 5 copies as gifts for Christmas.
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Subjects:  1. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    2. Individual Photographer    3. Individual Photographers And Their Work    4. Nature    5. Nature Photography    6. Nature conservation    7. Photo Techniques    8. Photography    9. Pictorial works    10. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    11. Conservation of the environment    12. Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection    13. Photography / Individual Photographer    14. Popular science   

Reviews (1)

Corridor Ecology
I highly recommend Corridor Ecology for anyone who is interested in corridors, land fragmentation, and species conservation.It is the most comprehensive literature I have come across in terms of the role of corridors, corridor design and implementation.As a current graduate student working on a corridor project, this book has been incredibly helpful in planning my field work in ground truthingLeast-Cost path corridors.Especially the chapter, Corridor Quality: Continuity, Composition, and Dimension.It has really helped me understand better how to evaluate potential corridors. My advisor has been so impressed with the book that she is going to order some for the library and a biodiversity center that is being set up at campus.I also feel that this would be an excellent text for conservation courses as it covers issues such as metapopulation theory, edge effects and focal species considerations.The book also covers issues and potential problems that need to be dealt with when designing a corridor, which is very valuable.I also think this would be a excellent source for land management agencies and the Department of Transportation to utilize. The authors do an excellent job in bringing together all aspect of corridor ecology by utilizing the most current literature, valuable study cases along with their incredible field and research experience.
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Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Corridors (Ecology)    3. Ecology    4. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    5. Landscape    6. Nature    7. Applied ecology    8. Architecture / Landscape    9. Conservation of wildlife & habitats    10. Science / Ecology   

Subjects:  1. Conservation Of Natural Resources (General)    2. Conservation biology    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental Science    5. Life Sciences - Biology - General    6. Nature    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Wildlife    9. Science / Biology   

Reviews (5)

The Living Landscape
The Living Landscape has made a lasting contribution to ecological planning through its detailed documentation of this planning process and thoughtful comparison of the process's application in case studies.Dr. Steiner demonstrates in his book that ecological planning is just not a static plan-making process, but rather a dynamic process that requires consistent and meaningful input from stakeholders.In addition, he sees plan-making as a process that has implications for different scales of the environment, from the nation to the neighborhood.He stresses that the ecological planning process does not end when the plan is finished, but rather the process continues through the linkage of planning concepts to physical design. Given the strengths of this book, it is an essential volume for the library of any professional or student in the disciplines of the built environment and environmental management.

A Unique and UsefulContribution
It is a rare planning book that outlines a detailed process for guiding landscape change in a deliberate and ecologically sound manner.The Living Landscape accomplishes this in a robust, clear and convincing way.The second edition improves on the first by including more landscape design information, updating case studies, and deepening the planning method (for instance, by including more on the use of Geographic Information Systems).The liberal use of cases is a strong asset of the book; each step in the ecological planning process is illustrated and explained by way of 'stories' from real places around North America.The Living Landscape is useful reading for students and practitioners in landscape architecture, architecture, environmental planning and natural resource management.

From a landscape for living to a living landscape
The second edition of The Living Landscape has came out nine years after the first. The first, in fact, was published in 1991, it received an ASLA Merit Award for Communications in 1993, and then it was translated into Italian in 1994, where it was very well received among scholars and students of planning as well as in the schools of architecture throughout the country. Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    3. Environmental aspects    4. Land Utilization    5. Land use    6. Landscape    7. Landscape Architecture And Design    8. Landscape architecture    9. Landscape protection    10. Nature    11. Planning    12. Applied ecology    13. Architecture / Landscape    14. Management of land & natural resources    15. Regional & Area Planning   

Reviews (1)

A highly recommended contribution to Environmental Studies
The collective and collaborative effort of Gary K. Meffe (Adjunct Professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida), Larry A. Nielsen (Fisheries biologist and Den of the College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University), Richard L. Knight (Professor of Wildlife Conservation, Colorado State University), and Dennis A. Schenborn (Chief of Planning and Budget for the Bureau of Fisheries Management and Habitat protection of the Wisconsin State Department of Natural Resources), Ecosystem Management: Adaptive, Community- Based Conservation is an intelligently organized, "reader friendly" textbook which is an ideal resource and teaching tool for discusses a wide range of environmental issues including: genetic diversity in ecosystem management, landscape-level conservation, single-species land management, the skill and art of keeping fragile ecosystems in balance; methodology, examples, and mathematical models. An astute presented and detailed college-level text, Ecosystem Management is a welcome and highly recommended contribution to Environmental Studies reference collections in general, and Ecosystem Management curriculum reading lists in particular. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Conservation Of Natural Resources (General)    2. Ecology    3. Ecosystem management    4. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    5. Environmental Science    6. Environmental management    7. Life Sciences - Ecology    8. Life Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Science    11. Conservation of the environment    12. Management of land & natural resources    13. Science / Ecology   

Reviews (2)

Pretty good
A very good, highly scientific review of the redwood forest ecosystem.I found this to be a genuine effort on the behalf of the Save the Redwoods League to provide a comprehensive view of the forest, the issues it faces, and how it might be better managed.
The Redwood Forest - An Ecological Synthesis
This is the first widely available publication that attempts to describe the ecology of the redwood forest ecosystem. It is aimed at a wide-ranging audience from environmental professionals to the general public with adeeper-than-average interest in redwoods.Thirty-two contributing authorswere involved writing separate sections of the book with Dr. Reed Nossdoing the editing. The nine chapters cover paleocology, human history,flora, fauna, forest ecology, stream ecology, conservation planning, andforest management.As a first attempt at compilation of redwood forestinformation it is welcome and long overdue since there is scant elseavailable.The book includes many new research findings includinginteresting discoveries by biologists working in the forest canopy ofold-growth trees.Unfortunately there are some significant gaps in thecoverage provided (the soil ecosystem is a major one, the importance oflarge down logs is another) and some minor, but annoying, areas ofmisinformation.A more complete review of this book appeared in theJanuary 2000 issue of "Fremontia", the journal of the CaliforniaNative Plant Society.It may be viewed online at the CNPS web site. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Coast redwood    2. Ecology    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Forest conservation    5. Forest ecology    6. Forests & Forestry    7. Life Sciences - Ecology - Forest Ecology    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Science    11. Trees & Forests - General    12. Conservation of the environment    13. Deforestation    14. Technology / Agriculture / Forestry   

Reviews (2)

An amazing little book.
I saw this guy on the Today Show and he was very captivating and creative.His book is the same way, with pretty cool ideas on how to make gatherings unique using "green" products.It makes a great gift, too.

Great gift!
I just received this book today and was so impressed by its presentation and great ideas.The size of the book is somewhere between a paperback book and a coffee table book so it's perfect to carry with you as well as a great little gift to give.I'm planning on buying more so I can give them out as housewarming gifts.The ideas are fresh and innovative and keeping in mind with being eco friendly.Highly recommend getting it!And will wait to get the follow up book, Simply Green Giving. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts And Crafts    2. Cookery    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Decorating    6. Entertaining - General    7. Entertaining - Party Planning    8. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    9. Environmental aspects    10. Handicraft