Pax Britannica: Climax of an Empire

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Outstanding

Empires Compared

Pax Britannica: Climax of an Empire
Jan Morris
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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Farewell The Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat (Harvest/Hbj Book)

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress

The World: Travels 1950-2000

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Trieste and the Meaning of Nowhere

ASIN: 0156028018

Book Description

This centerpiece of the trilogy captures the British at the height of their vigor and self-satisfaction, imposing their traditions and tastes, their idealists and rascals, on diverse peoples of the world. Index. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-04-03

I picked this up on a whim in a used bookstore, but I'm certainly glad I did. Although I finished reading it months ago, it still stands out in my mind as an excellent book. This is not your standard history book -- there are no names or dates to memorize, and the focus is more on the common man than on prime ministers and generals (though you get some of those too). Rather, it is a portrait of an era. I have never read a book that did such a good job of conveying the *feeling* of a particular time and place -- even though that "place" covered something like a quarter of the earth's surface, and included hundreds of diverse cultures. It really gets you inside a British colonial of the era: their attitudes, their social status, what they read, how they felt about their place in the world.

On top of all this, Morris is simply an excellent writer. I understand from researching her other books that some people are thrown by her writing style, but in a book as impressionistic as this, it is entirely appropriate.

A slight warning: those looking for it might be disappointed that Morris does not spend more time on the more unsavory aspects of the British Empire. She doesn't whitewash anything, but be aware that this is generally a very positive view of the empire. If you're willing to accept it on those terms, you'll love this book.

Highly recommended.

Empires Compared.......2004-01-28

This book is an exemplar of historical writing, about the British Empire at its peak, that should serve to tell Americans of today some of the advantages and hazards of an accumulating hegemony. The central event, around which the book is organized, is the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, celebrated throughout the Empire in 1897. Full of pomp and circumstance of a proud nation, showing the world its power and glory, the celebration marks the pinnacle of its reach, though few sensed it at the time.

The Empire then included something like one quarter of the landmass of the earth, with a navy and merchant marine that dominated all of the oceans, and was without peer. Its control of communication through its vast network of telegraph lines and underwater cables was unchallenged. Britain was the main source of the industrial revolution of the 18th century, and its technology was an essential element to its domination of the less developed world.

In that Empire, 50 million British whites dominated 372 million people of all nationalities spread over an area some 90 times as great as the British Isles. Morris concentrates his attention on the atmospherics of the time, and happily does not get bogged down in a pedantic recital of meaningless names and forgotten events. This was quite a different sort of empire from the present day American effort and was probably more moral to boot.

The Brits had no notion of spreading democracy as our present satraps pretend, but rather were more interested in opening up markets for the factories at home, encouraging emigration of the less fortunate citizens, and spreading the gospel among the heathens provided an important moral impetus. The American neo-cons, on the other hand, have no interest in spreading Christianity, and are more interested in attacking the "fundamentalists" of other faiths. And they are content to see our factories shuttered and the jobs shipped overseas, and favor open borders at home.

Morris does an excellent job in his lively writing style describing the times. The book is rather lavishly illustrated, and it is certainly thought-provoking for anyone contemplating the imbecilities of the current scene.

Average customer rating:

Trilogy is a wonderful work on the British Empire

The Best Book on the British Empire

The Best Popular History I've Ever Read

Excellent panoramic journey into the Raj.

The perfect springboard to start a study of British history.

Pax Britannica: Climax of an Empire
James Morris , and James, Morris
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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Farewell The Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat (Harvest/Hbj Book)

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress

Heaven's Command: An Imperial Progress

ASIN: 0156714663

Customer Reviews:

Trilogy is a wonderful work on the British Empire.......2002-05-26

Jan Morris is a fascinating personality. She originally was a he, and he was a guardsman in the British army, an officer from a good family. He left the service, became a historian, and then went to Denmark or wherever, and came back a she. She now writes unusual, affecting, eccentric, entertaining books that are terribly British and a bit disorganized. The Pax Brittanica trilogy is her life's work, near enough, though she's done other books that are very good. This one, however, is three volumes long, quite involved and very detailed. The series includes Heaven's Command, Pax Britannica, and Farewell the Trumpets. The first generally deals with the Empire in the 1840s on, the second follows things through the thirties, and the third follows the empire through its disbandment.

As I said, Morris is eccentric. This means that though the books are sort of chronological, they aren't exactly sorted the way you would expect, and this isn't really a history of the empire or the era. Instead, it's an anecdotal collection of tales, incidents, and sketches, marvelously told. Sort of like the difference between going through a cafeteria once and a sumptuous buffet where you go back and forth, taking time with what you enjoy. I thoroughly enjoyed the books, though I would hesitate to recommend them to someone who wasn't clear on either geography, or at least some basic history of the British Empire. Since this isn't either of those, you need them to understand what she's talking about occasionally.

The Best Book on the British Empire.......2001-10-12

I bought the trilogy in 1984 and have re-read it every year since then. Morris's attention to the finest details is amazing! I especially love the footnotes that provide further details to the cast of characters or updates on places, bulidings or sites as they are today. Jan's travel writing background especially evokes the visceral, from the bright colors, smells even the humidity of far flung places.

Its the only series you will ever need to read on the British Empire!

The Best Popular History I've Ever Read.......2000-07-22

James Morris' PAX BRITANNICA, which uses the British Empire as it was in l900 as a framework, is the best work of popular history I've every read. Morris (who is now "Jan" rather than "James") is one of the world's great writers. This absorbing book focuses on the personalities, great and small, who shaped and controlled the Empire in its glory days. Of course there are many diversions, surprises and curiosities, and Morris fully exploits his brilliant talents as a teller of stories. Morris is as much travel writer as historian. Much of the pleasure (and credibility) of PAX BRITANNICA rests in the fact that Morris visited most of the places of empire and he describes many of them as they were when he was writing the book in the early 1970s. Nothing brings history to life like going to the places where it happened.

PAX BRITANNICA is part of a trilogy. Although the first in the series to be written, chronologically, it falls between HEAVEN'S COMMAND, about the creation of the Empire, and FAREWELL THE TRUMPETS, about the loss of the empire. Although quite splendid, in my opinion, the latter works lack the edge of inspiration, engagement and liveliness which make PAX BRITANNICA so special.

Other notable books by Morris include OXFORD, HONG-KONG, THE WORLD OF VENICE, AMONG THE CITIES and MANHATTAN `45. The versatile, wide-ranging Morris has also recently written a book called LINCOLN: A Foreigner's Quest.

Excellent panoramic journey into the Raj........1999-04-04

I just finished this volume. The writing is exquisite. I must confess that I found the first volume, Heaven's Command, better and more gripping. Here again, my only quibble, is that in the Harcourt set that I have there are no pictures!! That definitely takes away a star!!

The perfect springboard to start a study of British history........1998-12-01

This book focuses not only on the actions of history, but the aesthetics as well. It colorfully illustrates the lives of the "Imperial pioneers"; Kitchener, Rhodes, Churchill, Livingston and many more. It also covers the grandest moments of Imperial history- the beginnings of the mercantile empire in Asia, to the moral thrusts in Africa and the Carribean. It is part of a tryptich set, which includes "Heaven' Command" and "Sound of the Trumpets" Though thorough, the book is never preachy.

Pax Britannica (# Volumes, complete) Vol 1. An Imperial Progress. Vol 11. The Climax of An Empire. Vol 111. An Imperial Retreat

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Pax Britannica (# Volumes, complete) Vol 1. An Imperial Progress. Vol 11. The Climax of An Empire. Vol 111. An Imperial Retreat
James Morris
Manufacturer: Folio Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K5QECI

Pax Britannica Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica)

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Pax Britannica Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica)
Jan Morris
Manufacturer: Faber Faber Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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PAX BRITANNICA THE CLIMAX OF AN EMPIRE
JAMES MORRIS
Manufacturer: PENGUIN BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S72NJQ

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Pax Britannica The Climax of An Empire
James Morris
Manufacturer: A Helen & Kurt Wolff Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JJP6RO

Pax Britannica : The Climax of an Empire (Harvest Book Ser.)

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Pax Britannica : The Climax of an Empire (Harvest Book Ser.)
James Morris
Manufacturer: Harcourt Trade Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPPZG4

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PAX BRITANNICA THE CLIMAX OF AN EMPIRE
James Morris
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QXFFB0

Pax Britannica the Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica Trilogy)

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Pax Britannica the Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica Trilogy)
James Morris
Manufacturer: Penguin Putnam~trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIYOB4

Pax Britannica the Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica Trilogy) by Morris...

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Pax Britannica the Climax of an Empire (Pax Britannica Trilogy) by Morris...
Enid Blyton
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WEX9UM

Book Description

This is the completely revised seventh edition of Australia's best field guide, with more than 500,000 copies sold over its lifetime. In 132 color plates of remarkable beauty and precision, Nicolas Day has captured the details of all of Australia's 760 birds. Succinct text by Ken Simpson and other experts gives key points of identification, as well as information about the birds' abundance and patterns of movement. Every species text is accompanied by a detailed map showing the boundaries of breeding and non-breeding populations.

This updated edition includes sixteen new or revised color plates, all new distribution maps with subspecies shown, and more than 900 black-and white-illustrations. The Vagrant Bird Bulletin has been extended to include 74 species, while a useful breeding summary for every species gives immediate information regarding their annual breeding cycle.

All readers, whether beginners or experienced birdwatchers, ornithologists, students or travelers, will find Simpson & Day's Birds of Australia an unrivalled companion to discovering the unique birdlife of this remarkable continent.

Field guide section that offers key points of identification using the latest classification system
132 superb full color plates showing all Australian bird species, including 16 new or revised plates
All new distribution maps with subspecies shown
More than 900 black and white line illustrations, many new or redrawn
Extended breeding information
Vagrant Bird Bulletin with 74 species
Updated core library for beginner birdwatchers

Customer Reviews:

Too large to be a field guide.......2007-09-18

This book was my constant companion for just under 3 weeks birding in Oz. It's a very nice book, but a field guide it is not. The huge size (about 6 x 9 inches) means it won't fit in any pocket, so I had to carry it in a backpack--hardly convenient for field use. I also looked at every other book on the market, at B&B's, bookstores, and wherever I went. All but two are much too large to be field guides, even though many are labeled as such. Of the two truly pocket-compatible books, one is clearly superior: Michael Morcombe's Field Guide to Australian Birds: Complete Compact Edition (not to be confused with his earlier, larger sized books). This one is about 4 x 9 in and the illustrations are annotated with labeled arrows to diagostic features of the birds. Alas, I found this book in a bookstore only on my last day in Australia after having searched intesively for it after first running across it in a B&B library. I bought it anyway, hoping some day to return to Oz.

Great Guide.......2007-07-14

This is a really good book for people who are into bird watching. I looked at several guides and I'm really glad that I got this one. The book is logically laid out and the colour plates are great. It is a bit big Aprox 16cm x 22cm but the way it is laid out justifies it. This is a great reference book that will give bird watches many years of enjoyment.

Very Good.......2006-06-15

This guide covers all the bird species known to occur in Australia - not an easy task in a continent with as rich an aviafauna.
I found it very good - the illustrations are excellent quality and often cover distinctive subspecies separately.
The maps, conveniently placed opposite the illustrations also show boundaries of the various subspecies' distribution - something few field guides seem to bother with!
All the essential information about appearence, size, voice and habitat is also found along with the maps right opposite the pictures.
These pages make up the bulk of the book, followed by a "Vagrant Bird Bulletin", breeding information, checklists for off-shore island territories and excellent lists of local oganisations and recommended further reading - complete with the competing field guides!
Once you remove the color cover, the book is bound in a sturdy but flexible plastic one - making it ideal for carrying in the field without getting it torn or soaked.
All in all, an excellent book that served me very well on my trip in Australia. Recommended.

Peterson Down Under.......2001-04-15

This book never left my side while I was in Oz, although at times I thought about leaving it behind. My biggest complaint would be size; this book is a bit too large to be a proper field guide. It is as thick as Nat'l Geo, but about an inch longer in width and height. The plates were more than adequate, however few birds were shown in juv. plumage. Good text descriptions, notes on behaviors, and birds in flight usually shown. Very Peterson-esque. Half of the book is a handbook at the back. Plenty of good life history info. on the birds, but not necessary in the field. If only the handbook came as a seperate supplement . . .

Book Description

As a self-proclaimed twitcher—a birdwatching extremist who travels around the country trying to catch a glimpse of as many species of birds as possible—the author took a year off in 2002 with the goal of seeing 700 birds and thereby breaking the national record for most birds seen in one year. In this amusing memoir, he recounts his quest, including how he spent all of his inheritance from the untimely death of his parents to make his dream a reality. Populated by unusual characters and interesting species of birds, this part confessional–part travelogue for both bird nerds and the general population follows the author as he works out what it means to be normal despite his unusually avid compulsion toward twitching.

Customer Reviews:

Big Twitch.......2006-09-09

Australian birder Sean Dooley describes his Big Year, an effort to break the record for the most birds seen in Australia (and environs) in a year.

I loved this birding memoir. Dooley is a lively, humorous, engaging writer, and his Australian slang makes his voice particularly come alive, at least for this American reader. He conveys a passion for his pursuit and a concern for wildlife and the environment without sanctimony.

Clearly, there are scads of awesome birds in Australia, and undoubtedly they have the best common names of any birds anywhere. The species list at the back of the book is an entertainment in itself.

I am at a loss, however, to explain Mr. Dooley's difficulty in finding women who bird. Maybe it's a cultural thing?

Definitely recommended, especially for American readers to whom the language and most of the species will be engagingly exotic.

Average customer rating:

An essential
The standard bird field guide for australia

A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia
Graham Pizzey
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Australia | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0691084831

Book Description

This book is the most comprehensive work yet published in one volume on Australian bird life. Full details are given of the field marks, habits, voice characteristics, breeding and nesting habits, and range of each species. To enable quick field identification each description is linked by a serial number to its illustration and also to its relevant distribution map.

Customer Reviews:

An essential.......2006-11-09

There are quite a number of Australian Bird field guides these days. they all have merit. This one is right up there with the best and is an indispensible, easy to use essential. The Family summaries and short summary of classifications are succinct and informative - they certainly whet the appetite to learn more if the user is so inclined.
I have used Pizzey extensively ever since the first edition in 1981 (illustrations were then done by Roy Doyle). I actually preferred that first edition but it is now long out of print and this seventh edition is a worthy successor. The illustrations are sound and do help identification. The book is too large to fit in a pocket for a field trip but is certainly packable and although I do not use it in the field, it seems robust enough in construction to handle that if the user wished it.

The standard bird field guide for australia.......2006-06-20

As with any bird watcher, I have all the field guides to the birds of Australia. There are many and they are all good. However, my favourite (for the last few years...it does change with different editions, etc), is this, the "Pizzey and Knight". As a biology and wildlife based guide and educator in Australia, I travel all over the continent with school groups, tours and for my own recreation, so I 'road test" a lot of different field guides. I have found the illustrations in this book to consistently be the best, especially with the waders and shorebirds where it is most important. It also covers the family groups very well at the end of the book, which is important to gain a wider perspective on our bird fauna.
Damon Ramsey
www.educational-tours.com.au

Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm Field Guides)

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Non Fiction

Field Guide to the Birds of Australia (Helm Field Guides)
Ken Simpson , and Nicolas Day
Manufacturer: Christopher Helm Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

A large size and scale reference work about the avian life of our country. It does also include a section about the blow-ins and transients that appear from time to time, so that is helpful. Broken down by family, this reference book is an excellent guide, and has worked for me many times. Well worth it.

Slater's Field Guide to Australian Birds

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Non Fiction
Awesome Guide to Australian Birds!!

Slater's Field Guide to Australian Birds
Peter Slater , Pat Slater , and Raoul Slater
Manufacturer: New Holland Publishers,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1877069000

Book Description

Revised and updated edition of the classic Slater's Field Guide to Australian Birds. Now a household name among birdwatchers it is the book to which both beginners turn to and experienced birdwatchers rely on. Designed for field use it describes and illustrates approx 775 species recorded to date in Australia, nearby islands and seas of the continental shelf.

Customer Reviews:

Non Fiction.......2007-09-03

A really nice bird book. This is designed to be small enough to take around with you, and big enough that the pictures used for identification are actually usable for most people. In general, this field guide has struck a happy medium, and is quite a useful book to have for the bird fancier. A very handy publication.

Awesome Guide to Australian Birds!!.......2003-11-30

I just returned from Australia and used this guide exclusively for bird watching in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne! It is easy to use, both logical and very informative. The paintings of each and every bird are exquisite and very, very accurate!

If you want a comprehensive and user friendly bird guide, this is THE ONE to get...It's lightweight, sturdy and an overall excellent source while out and about either in the city or in the Outback bush! FIVE STARS for this one...you will love it!!!

Average customer rating:

Australia

Reptiles of Australia (Princeton Field Guides)
Steve Wilson , and Gerry Swan
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Australia | Australia & Oceania | History | Subjects | Books
Reptiles & Amphibians | Animals | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia

Birds of Australia: Seventh Edition (Princeton Field Guides)

Watching Wildlife: Australia

A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia

Australia: An Ecotraveler's Guide

ASIN: 0691117284

Book Description

Anyone interested in reptiles is interested in Australia. Reptiles of Australia is the most comprehensive and user-friendly guide available to every one of its crocodiles, turtles, monitor lizards, dragons, snakes, skinks, geckos, and other lizards. A vast expanse of land and coastline encompassing tropical, temperate, and arid environments, Australia is home to a rich and unique reptile fauna--nearly three times as many species as in North America. With the current count at 836 described species, and with many more unnamed, it is a fauna as diverse as any in the world. Compact and accessible, this guide features a full-color photograph of each species and authoritative text that describes key identification traits. Thumbnail outlines of each family group further enable easy identification.

Australia is a mosaic of habitats, each element of which is the favored environment for a distinctive reptile species: warm, shallow, turbid seas fringed with mangroves, clear coral reefs, freshwater wetlands, tropical rainforests and savannahs, arid stony plains and ranges, sandridge deserts, alpine areas, and cool southern forests and heaths. A square mile of desert covered with spinifex grasses may support more reptile species than an area of comparable size anywhere in the world.

Attractive, portable, and affordable, Reptiles of Australia is the ideal home or traveling companion for all reptile enthusiasts, whether pet owners, amateur herpetologists, or specialists of this spectacular aspect of natural history.

A portable, accessible, user-friendly guide to all the reptiles of Australia
930 full color photos, at least one for each species
Text describes key identification traits
Thumbnail sketches of each family group enable easy identification
Distribution maps for each species

Customer Reviews:

Australia.......2004-06-27

All the reptiles known on the Australian continent is covered. It is rather easy to identify them and it is a landmark for every reptile fan.

Kingfishers & Kookaburras: Jewels of the Australian Bush

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Kingfishers & Kookaburras: Jewels of the Australian Bush
David Hollands
Manufacturer: New Holland Publishers, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Birds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Field Guide to the Birds of Western Australia

Average customer rating:

Difficult to use in the field, incomplete.

Field Guide to the Birds of Western Australia
G. M. Storr
Manufacturer: Western Australian Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0724486984

Product Description

This is a great book for fielding. From Beginners to advanced. It is very easy to use. It is very colorful with very detailed illustrations and descriptions of the birds. Very light easy enough to take out into the field.

Customer Reviews:

Difficult to use in the field, incomplete........2007-01-11

I ordered this field guide just prior to travelling to Western Australia and used it there for two months. Although it is an attractive book with some nice plates, I found it often inadequate for identifying the birds that I saw. My specific criticisms are:
1. Incomplete - I saw several birds (e.g. Australiasian Grebe) that are not in the book.
2. No range maps - there are no maps to see if you are in a species' range. Thee verbal descriptions are vague and often unhelpful.
3. Some birds are not pictured, or the pictures aren't helpful. The Giant Northern Petrel isn't pictured, so one cannot compare it to the southern one, which has only a picture of its head. Key features of some birds are not well represented in the pictures. For example, the wedge-tailed eagle is very striking in real life, but its picture looks quite plain.
It is a disappointment that this book has these drawbacks, given how much information of birds is available. I would suggest buying one of the guides that treat birds for all of Australia, even if you are only going to WA.

Average customer rating:

A Field Guide To The Birds of Australia
Graham / Doyle, Roy, illustrated by Pizzey
Manufacturer: Princeton, 1980
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0002172828

Green Guide Birds of Australia (Australian Green Guides)

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Green Guide Birds of Australia (Australian Green Guides)
Peter Rowland
Manufacturer: New Holland Publishers,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1864363436

Book Description

This book poses questions and answers about common Australian birds, includes behavioural insights, action photography and answers to all your questions about the bird life of Australia.

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