Reviews (15)

honest and heartbreaking
This is a very brave book. It tells the ugly truth in a compassionate, caring way. The thought that really gets to me me is that this is the account of only one week in one shelter. I agree with another review that mentioned the fact that this book may not reach those that need to read it most. However for all animal lovers it offers, as these lovely ladies mention, the oppurtunity to bear witness to the suffering. To shed tears for those precious animals that lost their lives through no fault of their own. If you love animals read it. It may just spur you into action.

A Must Read for Anyone Wanting a Pet!
This is necessary read for pet owners and those thinking about getting a pet.Although the book is a hard read and I cried through the whole thing, it is a revelation.When I gave one of my cats to a next-door neighbor/friend, I told them if they found they could not keep her for any reason to give her back to me.Instead, after almost a year they decided to just take her to the animal shelter by the time I found out they had closed for the day so I called the next day and found out that she was one of almost 80 cats put to sleep because they just did not have room!This book shows what our pets go through in animal shelters and really should be a required read for everyone!

Enlightening
This book is a great eyeopener on to what really goes on at an animal shelter. I had tears in my eyes the whole time reading about the wonderful cats and dogs that found new homes or unfortunately didn't. It woke me up to how much needs to be done so that no innocent creature goes to the "rainbow bridge" without a chance of ever having a happy home. A great read and I highly recommend it to all animal lovers especially if you are looking for a way that you can help. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Animal Husbandry    2. Anecdotes    3. Animal Rights    4. Animal shelters    5. California    6. Cats    7. Dogs    8. General    9. Nature / Animal Rights    10. Pets    11. Pets / General    12. Animal welfare    13. Cat adoption    14. Dog adoption    15. Nature   

Features

• Audiobook
• Compilation

Reviews (3)

Peterson Field GuidesBird Songs(Eastern Central)
Excellent sound quality.Very helpful.Entertaining too. I
Isn't that a house finch I heard?
The CD identifies the band containing the bird's call. I had gotten a tape from the library; to find the call you wanted you had to listen to the tape until it was identified. This CD give a number of identifying bird call for each species.

Detecting Birds
Most birds, like most wild animals, avoid humans; therefore their distinct songs & calls indicate their presence when sight can not.This collection of bird songs which is organized by habitat and family, is clear, enjoyable listening.It provides an introduction to 276 bird songs and a handy means of confirming bird species by song and call. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Birds & Birdwatching - General    2. Nature    3. Nature/Ecology    4. Unabridged Audio - Misc.Nonfiction    5. Bird Calls    6. Instructional    7. Nature / Birds & Birdwatching   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. African elephant    2. Agriculture - Animal Husbandry    3. Asiatic elephant    4. Captive wild animals    5. Diseases    6. Medical    7. Nature    8. Southeast Asia    9. Veterinary Medicine - General    10. Wildlife    11. ELEPHANTS    12. Mammals    13. Nature / Wildlife    14. VETERINARY MEDICINE    15. VETERINARY SURGERY   

Reviews (14)

Best in its Class
There are few books on animal tracks and tracking that even come close to the quality, validity and credibility of MAMMAL TRACKS...It truly is the best buy for the pages involved.If you want to begin to learn about animal tracks/tracking from a book--then get this one.

Mammal Tracks and Signs - the best
I have been teaching tracking for 30 years and found this to be the best resource yet. Only drawback - it is a bit heavy for backpacking!
Tracking down the best
At last, a thorough *and* readable reference for animal track and sign (including "scat")!Other books we have used have been smaller in scope, actually geared more for elementary age kids in scouting.Although a bit hefty, this tome is a *must* for hikers who want to know what they are seeing on the trail.National and State Park rangers have recommended this book to us, and we finally found it on Amazon!YAY! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animal tracks    2. Animals    3. Identification    4. Mammals    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North America    8. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    9. Zoology & animal sciences   

Reviews (1)

Nuts and Bolts of Equine Photography
She does a great job.Goes straight to the heart of equine photography and gives exacting tecnical detail on what to do and, most importantly, what NOT to do.
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Subjects:  1. Horses    2. Nature    3. Nature/Ecology    4. Photography    5. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    6. Techniques - General    7. Horses & ponies    8. Photography / Nature & Wildlife    9. Special kinds of photography   

Reviews (10)

At a Snail's Pace
I plodded at a tortoiselike pace through this tedious, monotonous work of fiction that sluggishly shares the assumed thoughts of a snobbish tortoise. Yes, yes. I get it. Klinkenborg deliberately paced his novel to evoke the slow-creeping crawl of Timothy, but, like this book, a dozing tortoise seldom holds my interest.

The Observer observed
In Timothy, Verlyn Klinkenborg gives voice to a tortoise. The real Timothy was a Mediterranean tortoise who found herself transported to England, where she was kept and observed by the late eighteenth-century curate and "pioneering naturalist," Gilbert White. But step by step and sentence by sentence, it is Timothy who explores the mind of her observer and assembles for us a portrait of Selborne village, Gilbert White, and her own views (or are they Klinkenborg's?) on life, adaptability, and nature. Timothy is a beautiful and deceptively nuanced book.

Unique and unforgettable!
I picked up this book because I'd read a review that compared it to GILEAD, one of my favorite novels of the past 10 years.While the stories are wildly different, the comparison is a good one.Both novels are meant to be read slowly, and will evoke deep emotions about life and humanity.
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Subjects:  1. American Historical Fiction    2. Fantasy - Historical    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. General    6. Historical - General    7. Human-animal relationships    8. Humorous    9. Literary    10. Naturalists    11. Turtles    12. Nature / Animals   

Editorial Review

The New York-bred journalist and television commentator Shana Alexander, who has written biographies of checkered-career socialites Bess Meyerson, Jean Harris, and Patty Hearst, may seem at first blush to be an unlikely student of Read more

Reviews (4)

Overall informative
I found this book comprehensive and informative. It was also enjoyable to read. Astonishingly Good Book !
Astonishingly good book by a gifted writer. Journalist Shana Alexander recounts her personal experiences with elephants beginning with 'Packy" born at Portland Zoo, and continuing into late 1990's. A Tough Read for Animal Lovers
The Astonishing Elephant by Shana Alexander is educational, well researched and written, and an absorbing book.If you love animals, though, it is heartbreaking to learn how cruel and unfeeling the human animal can be toward our earthmates--the animals.Read more

Subjects:  1. Elephants    2. General    3. Individual Species Of Mammals    4. Mammals    5. Nature    6. Nature / Field Guide Books    7. Nature/Ecology    8. North America    9. History / General    10. Wild animals   

Reviews (6)

Great book to get an overview on American Miniature Horses
This is a great book to purchase if you are looking at an overview of American Miniature Horses and what is involved with their care, upkeep and what one can do with these unique equines from keeping them as pets to having them as show animals.
Very Disappointed
I bought the book hoping to gain some additional insight into the world of showing & breeding mini horses.If you have been around the show ring at all and have some showing experience - especially in hand, then this is not the book for you.Clipping a bridle path is the same regardless of size of horse.It is this type of elementary subject material discussed in the book.As for breeding, the author recommends live cover as AI for mini's is almost non-existent.I believe you could gain more knowledge from the miniature horse registry than from this book.
A must have for serious miniature horse enthusiasts
This is a great book for beginners and seasoned breeders alike.Heaps of information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets    2. Horses    3. Horses - Showing/Training    4. Miniature horses    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Pets    8. Animal breeding    9. Horses & ponies    10. Nature / Horses   

Reviews (1)

grad students
I am an ecology grad student and I have returned to this text again and again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animal ecology    2. Animals    3. Ecology    4. Life Sciences - Ecology    5. Multivariate analysis    6. Probability & Statistics - Multivariate Analysis    7. Research    8. Research & Methodology    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Statistical methods    12. Applied ecology    13. Life sciences: general issues    14. Probability & statistics    15. SAS    16. Science / Ecology    17. canonical correlation    18. cluster analysis    19. discriminant analysis    20. forestry    21. ordination    22. wildlife biology   

Reviews (9)

Slips past our defenses and grabs us
"Two hours and yards of catgut later, we dusted the patched up peritoneal surface with sulphanilamide and pushed the entire mass back into the abdomen. When I had sutured muscle layers and skin everything looked tidy but I had a nasty feeling... The extensive damage, all that contamination- peritonitis was inevitable.
I would give all of his books more than 5 stars if I could!
If you want a book that will take you back to the country life and its people with all their foibles and admirable qualities and love animals then his books will be pure enjoyment!I love the way he tells his stories.In his stories, he doesn't ever claim to be the best veterinarian around (I think he underrated himself), but you know he is a wonderful, kind, animal and people loving person.The way he speaks about the people and animals he comes in contact with, come to life and you feel you are right there with him.You will laugh, maybe cry, and cheer him on as you read.If you have animals, or raise them, you will love his books, although you don't have to own any to appreciate them.

A Gem!
My first experience with the late James Herriot's inspirational books took place in a bookstore in Singapore, in the 80's. I was barely 14 & had not heard of this writer/vet. But as soon as I started reading All Things Wise and Wonderful - my very first JH book, I knew I had to get the rest of the series.Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. England    5. General    6. Herriot, James    7. Medical - Physicians    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Veterinarians    11. Yorkshire   

Reviews (25)

Engaging Style
This book shows people solving ecological problems as a community.Weisman engages the reader by showing the people involved, not only the ones with training in certain disciplines, but also natives with practical solutions for living in a Columbian village. Even the children got involved in problem solving in Gaviotos.
Not DIY
The vision described in the book is inspiring and very hopeful.The idea is to use our ingenuity in ways directly adapted to our environment so that small towns can be self-sufficient.Along the way, very clever uses of wind and water are discovered and described.If the reader is looking for great general ideas or approaches, this book would be hard to beat.On the other hand, if you are a garage-tinkerer and would delight in building the clever devices described, this book is close but no cigar.The drawings offered in the book purposely omit the most important details required to fabricate the devices in a proper working form.If you are a tinkerer and want to build these "goodies," you have three options.In the U.S., you can e-mail with the "Sustainable Village" web site and get the plans (eventually---they are not quick in responding).You can contact the Gaviotas offices in Bogota, Colombia.You can, of course, also take the basic idea and think through the details for yourself.That could take longer and be a little more expensive---perhaps. If you primarily want the ideas and the inspiration, then buy the book, by all means.If you primarily want to tinker and build, go straight for the plans.

interesting
In 1998, journalist Alan Weisman collected and presented information about a little known, yet quite monumental, village known as Gaviotas. To get there, one must travel 16 hours by car from the nearest major Columbian city, Bogot�. Even then the path there is not a smooth one; rough, muddy roads and severe political unrest serve as some major barriers in getting to Gaviotas. So why then is such an arduous trip worth it; in essence, Gaviotas is yet another tiny village located in a generally uninhabitable region and possesses none of the modern modes of transportation or communication that we are accustomed to. While in a sense these aspects may be true of Gaviotas, it is also undeniable that this community holds as one of the most efficient, supportive, and thoughtful communities on the planet.
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Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Colombia    3. Description and travel    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Environment    6. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    7. Environmental Science    8. Environmental Studies    9. Environmental conditions    10. Human Ecology    11. Nature    12. Nature/Ecology    13. Rural communities    14. The Environment   

Reviews (7)

Fascinating facts about the ocean.
The book is truly fascinating. Turning the pages of the book you will see the beauty that lies within the depths of water. Even in the most ugliest of blue whales you will find beauty which you will enjoy...

Water world
A wonderful book with absolutely staggering photography throughout.You can snorkle and scuba-dive without even leaving your armchair.Just flicking through it when it first arrived I saw page after page of creatures I had never seen before.Packed with information, beautifully presented on good quality paper. What else can you expect from a product linked to the BBC, David Attenborough, and Discovery Channel. DK publishing excel again.The authors Andrew Byatt, Alastair Fothergill and Martha Holmes deserve a round of applause. This is a much valued addition to my collection of books.

Truly a great book
After watching the 'Blue Planet' documentaries on TV I developed an interest about life under the sea.Some of the documentary footage was truly groundbreaking work in terms ofcapturing the animals on film and bringing it to our homes in such a unique way.Read more

Subjects:  1. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    2. Marine Life    3. Marine animals    4. Marine biology    5. Marine ecology    6. Nature    7. Nature / Field Guide Books    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Ocean    10. Oceans & Seas    11. Nature / Oceans & Seas   

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Diseases    3. Laboratory Animals    4. Laboratory Medicine    5. Medical    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Research    8. Veterinary Medicine (General)    9. Veterinary Medicine - General    10. Medical / Veterinary Medicine / General    11. Medical research    12. Veterinary science: laboratory animals   

Reviews (3)

Excellently Beautiful Book!
Such a wonderfully beautiful book. The photos and stories of odonata are just fabulous! I will definitely read it over and over again.

a gorgeous book
This is a fantastic book - everything you wanted to know about dragonflies, with pictures! There are pages and pages of gorgeous photographs and lots of interesting information about dragonflies, from science to folklore. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with interest in these beautiful insects.

Beautiful!
As soon as I heard this book was being released, I was dying to buy it.The authors have pioneered a method of scanning dragonflies on standard flatbed scanners and have produced some magnificent images of these insects, which they display online.As an entomologist and a woman fascinated by dragonflies, I have always admired their work and knew this book would be gorgeous if nothing else.I was not disappointed.The photos and scans of dragonflies in this book are spectacular.Even people who are squeamish of bugs could learn to appreciate the beauty of these magnificent insects after reading this book.Aside from the lovely images, the book also contains some very interesting information about dragonflies.I am particularly fond of the chapter called Dragonfly Tales, which covers dragonfly myths and folklore in more detail than I've seen in any other dragonfly book to date.Other chapters cover information rarely included in other books such as imaging, gardening for, and collecting dragonflies.It also discusses more commonly covered topics such as dragonfly life histories, structure, evolution, and development.
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Subjects:  1. Dragonflies    2. Insects & Spiders    3. Life Sciences - Zoology - Entomology    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Science   

Reviews (1)

A must have for every student of marine mammalogy!
This book is easy to use and provides comprehensive information for such a variety of topics that every student of marine mammals should have it in their library.I recommend it to students who are just starting their journey into marine mammal studies! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Life Sciences - Biology - Marine Biology    3. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    4. Mammals    5. Marine Mammals    6. Nature    7. Reference    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Marine & freshwater mammals    11. Reference works    12. Science / Zoology   

Reviews (12)

Do Dogs Go To Heaven?
Anyone that has lost a beloved pet like I have, should read this book! It just was so uplifting to know that God has my Chester in Heaven. I can"t say enough about Ms. Holmes book on God"s Creation.

Not uplifting
I did not find solace in this book - no tenderness or, in my opinion,understanding of how hurtful the loss of a pet is.
A Major Psychiatric Help for Me
Thanx for writing this book.I have not read it...yet, but have read a lot of entries here.I have lost my German sheperd, Chloe, in early August 2005.She died of old age.I have grand mal epilepsy & have noticed many times that she knew that they were coming on even before I had an aura or not.Sad eyes & all. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Animals / Pets    3. General    4. Metaphysical Phenomena - General    5. Pets    6. Pets / General    7. Religion / Christianity    8. Christianity    9. Future life    10. Religious aspects   

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Mammals    3. Nature    4. Reference    5. Reptiles & Amphibians    6. Leisure Interests, Hobbies & Sport    7. Reference / General    8. Wild animals   

Editorial Review

A favorite of birdwatchers (especially those who prefer photographs to illustrations), this field guide, revised for 2000, accounts for the 544 bird species that live in the region west of the Great Plains. The clearly printed color photographs capture birds at rest and in flight; preceded by black-and-white silhouettes, the plates are organized by visually based, intuitive categories--"hawk-like birds," "pigeon-like birds," and "perching birds," for example--that make on-the-fly identification a fairly simple matter. The images are matched by clearly written text that describes a given bird, gives an approximation of its voice, and details its habitat, range, nests, and behavior. Sized to fit in a jacket or backpack pocket, this is a valuable companion for any birding outing in the region. Read more

Reviews (10)

species misidentified
I regret that I cannot recommend this book because it contains easily caught errors.
North American birds, West.
If your going to be stuffing your field guide into your pocket, glove box, daypack or backpack, the "turtleback" binding used by Audubon is perfect. Personally, I don't use it that way. When I encounter a species I cannot identify, I take notes (usually of the mental variety) -- size, color and markings, habitat, song, feeding habit and so forth -- and identify it when I return home. So far as I can recall, the Audubon guide has yet to fail me, although one has to admit that sometimes all the guidebooks in the world aren't going to resolve the identity of some distant LBJ (little brown job). I have another guidebook that supposedly focuses more narrowly on 'local' birds (San Diego area) but I strongly prefer the more thorough and useful Audubon volume. The photos, drawings and range maps are all generally excellent.
Do not leave home without it!
We purchased our first Field Guide almost twenty years ago when my eldest son was in the fifth grade and during spring break his class had a contest to see which student could identify the most species. It just happened that week we packed our family in the car and drove from the deserts of Idaho, through eastern Oregon and the Mahuer National Bird Sanctuary to the Oregon coast.If my memory serves me right, we identified nearly a hundred species of birds.This started a twenty-year love affair with our Field Guide to North American Birds.We were hooked.So much so, after losing my book, I immediately purchased another one.To his day, my Field Guide and binoculars are by our dinning room window.Each spring and summer we try to identify new species to our area.Hey, birding a great hobby and it does not cost a lot of money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Birds    2. Birds & Birdwatching - Guides    3. Identification    4. Individual Species Of Birds    5. Nature    6. Nature / Field Guide Books    7. Nature/Ecology    8. North America    9. Reference    10. West (U.S.)    11. Birds (ornithology)    12. Nature / Birds & Birdwatching   

Reviews (10)

needs updating
this book is more of a minaturized field guide,..in size (it's about 6" x 4" wide) and in regards to information.there is not that much information but the line drawings help with identifying spiders.i would have liked to see more writen information on the spiders as well as actual pictures.overall for the price it's a nice book to have.i've actually used it several times to identify spiders in my garden.

What kind of spider is that?
This was one of the first books I bought with my own money when I was a kid.I have since bought an updated version since most of the pages have come unglued in the old one (from use, not poor quality).Typical golden book illustrations, not photographs.Easy enough for a kid to use but filled with enough spider species for any adult to use.I have only found one or two spiders in my life that were not in this book.

A Good Beginner's Introduction to Non-Insect Arthropods
I was introduced to the early "Golden Guides" in the 1950s.My very first book on insects was in this series and I wore out numerous copies of the various titles.Of these I have always especially admired H. W. and Lorna Levi's "Spiders and Their Kin."This little guide had (and to a large degree still has) the most complete systematic treatment of any of the taxa covered in the "Golden Guide" series.Few books were available on these fascinating creatures when this work was originally published and "Spiders and Their Kin" was a considerable improvement. The drawings of spider eye arrangements were especially helpful for identification.Read more

Subjects:  1. Insects & Spiders    2. Nature    3. Nature/Ecology   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (2)

Aquatic Insects Of North America
I am a fly fisherman who purchased this title to learn more about the aquatic insects in streams and lakes.I was very happy with the drawings (plates) in this book, but they and the text are a little above (graduate school level?) what most fly fishermen are looking for.The drawings are of insect parts, not the entire insect in most cases! What is helpful is the detailed description of the life of each insect, and what its behavior is and where it would be found in Lentic (lakes) or Loctic (streams) bodies of water.Before purchasing this detailed study of entomology, fly fishers should first read more practical titles such as "Caddisflies" by Gary Lafontaine, "Mayflies - Top to Bottom" by Shane Stalcup, or/and "Matching Mayflies" by Dave Hughes.The great thing about Aquatic Insects Of North America is that in this one text, it covers completely all of the insects fly fishermen will need to know...just put on your PHD hat before reading it.It is spiral bound and well indexed by families!

This is a dichotomous key to the American aquatic insects
While designed for the generalist working in the area of macrobenthic taxonomy, "An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America" stands as one of the classics in its field.Nine orders of aquatic insects are classified, generally to the level of genus.Some information is provided about collection, preservation, phylogeny, ecology, respiration, and developmental biology in the introductory chapters.Each key to the individual Orders contains additional information specific to that Order.All of the keys are extensively referenced to illustrations.Each section is supported by an extensive bibliography. The section on the Diptera is subdivided to cover the major families individually.The spiral binding allows the book to lie flat while the usermanipulates specimens under the microscope - an under-appreciated bonus. Some of the keys are a little buggy, but this is a 'must have' for aquatic entomologists of all levels of expertise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aquatic Ecology    2. Aquatic insects    3. Ecology    4. Entomology    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. North America    8. Applied ecology    9. Hydrobiology    10. INSECTS, AQUATIC    11. INSECTS_NORTH AMERICA    12. Insects (entomology)    13. Nature / Insects & Spiders