Book Description
In his introduction to The Best American Science Writing 2003, Dr. Oliver Sacks, whom the New York Times has called "the poet laureate of medicine," writes that "the best science writing ... cannot be completely 'objective' -- how can it be when science itself is so human an activity? -- but it is never self-indulgently subjective either. It is, at best, a wonderful fusion, as factual as a news report, as imaginative as a novel." It is with this definition of "good" science writing in mind that Dr. Sacks has selected the twenty-five extraordinary pieces that make up the latest installment of this acclaimed annual.
This year, Peter Canby travels into the heart of remote Africa to track a remarkable population of elephants; Atul Gawande shows us the way doctors learn their skills by performing supposedly routine procedures on unsuspecting patients. With candor and tenderness, Floyd Sklootobserves the toll Alzheimer's disease is taking on his ninety-one-year-old mother, and is fascinated by the memories she retains. Marcelo Gleiser asks: If we are the universe's sole intelligent species, then what must we do to be good citizens of the cosmos? Natalie Angier writes about the challenge of traveling to distant stars. Gunjan Sinha explores the mating behavior of the common prairie vole and what it reveals about the human pattern of monogamy. Michael Klesius attempts to solve what Darwin called "an abominable mystery": How did flowers originate? Lawrence Osborne tours a farm where a genetically modified goat produces the silk of spiders in its milk. Joseph D'Agnese visits a home for retired medical research chimps. And in the collection's final piece, Richard C. Lewontin and Richard Levins reflect on how the work of Stephen Jay Gould demonstrated the value of taking a radical approach to science.
As this series firmly attests, science writing has achieved a central place in our culture, and one can posit that the reason why has to do with the special thrill of discovery that a cogent piece of science writing can elicit. As Dr. Sacks writes of Stephen Jay Gould -- to whose memory this year's anthology is dedicated -- an article of his "was never predictable, never dry, could not be imitated or mistaken for anybody else's." The same can be said of all of the writing contained in contributions to this diverse collection "that can be enjoyed by laymen, scientists, and writers alike" (Nature).
Customer Reviews:
Great for browsing........2005-01-14
I have been on a bit of a binge reading science writing lately, and I really enjoyed this collection of essays. You can pick and choose the topics that most interest you--my favorite was the essay about crackpot amateurs who dedicate themselves to promoting their own theories. I kept the book by my bed and read a new essay more or less every night.
Delightful Range of Essays on Current Topics.......2004-09-09
This is a great collection of issues and debates in science that those of us out of the field -- or even involved in other research fields -- will find interesting. They're as clearly written as editor Oliver Sacks' works and each has at least one topical issue to catch the reader's interest. Some have several.
Each story has something fascinating about it:
* "The Forest Primeval" tells about an area of the Congo which humans hadn't penetrated -- and the impact of the wildlife on the ecology. There are some surprising elements to it, including that it might once have been populated by humans.
* Mann's article from Atlantic Monthly goes through what the New World might have been like prior to Columbus -- and highlights a debate between new historians and traditionalists over whether the continent was empty -- or whether Old World diseases killed up to 90% of the population before colonists began arriving.
* "The Learning Curve" deals with the practical skills of learning to be a doctor. Don't let me in the hospital any time soon . . .
* "Notes from a Parallel Universe" deals with the people who try to convince scientists of bizarre theories. At Berkeley they even keep the crackpots papers.
* Learn about Seattle's Yuckies in "Shadow Creatures."
* Gunjan Sinha's article on voles indicates that what you might be experiencing isn't love but a hormone called oxytocin.
* The article from New Republic titled "Fighting Chance" is a great story of research -- and how a scientist's career decision got made.
* "Why Turn Red?" unravels part of a mystery for why leaves turn red, an energy-consuming activity that often occurs when the leaves are at the end of the photosynthetic life.
* If you want a GREAT theme for a scary kids story for a fiction class, the stuff in "Got Silk" has the raw material for good science fiction.
* The essay on Hawking is interesting, if only because the bet that it refers to from 1997 was just settled about a month ago -- with Hawking admitting that he was wrong.
* Cassuto's essay from "Salon" portrays the impact of a scandal on the science world, where the collateral damage can be as broad as in the financial world.
* And finally, the last essay does justice to the career of Stephen Jay Gould, as a biologist, essayist and ardent enemy of creationist influence on public policy.
* Plus, you can even learn which TV show retired lab chimpanzees prefer.
I'm a sucker for the "Best American Short Stories" collections issued each year, but this collection of science essays exceeded my expectations. So much so that I sent it to my daughter at college.
Not quite blue ribbon.......2004-01-07
It would have been interesting to follow Oliver Sacks' selection process in assembling this collection. Today's "science writing" covers a multitude of topics and a spectrum of writing styles. This book provides a mixed bag of both, with some vivid winners and less captivating also-rans. While that can only be expected in such a diverse collection, it would have been enlightening to know what was set aside in the selection process.
The twenty-five essays collected here cover most fields of science. With Sacks' background, medicine is given slots, but the articles reflect more personal considerations than either research breakthroughs or even public health issues. It's evident that doctors must train, but reading confessions of ineptness in the apprenticeship don't inspire confidence. One essay, which must have caused an uproar when published, describes the life of two deaf women who decide to bear children - preferably deaf children. It's a vivid description of a sub-culture that must be recognised and understood.
Another essay about relationships centres on the prairie vole. This intriguing little animal provides some interesting insights on the concept of "love". Voles select mates, build a nest and settle down. The relationship, seemingly monogamous, may undergo some interesting twists under various conditions. Those conditions produce severe chemical changes in the voles, changes driving unexpected behaviour. Two chemicals, which are present and active in humans, drive voles to violent confrontation or endearing attraction. While little furry creatures may seem to have little to do with human behaviour, further studies indicated just how similar human chemistry is with the rest of the animal kingdom.
On a more practical note, the ongoing disputes over the condition of American fisheries have brought together the fishers and the government rule-maker. Lobsters, unlike cod and other foods harvested from the sea, appear to withstand the growing demand for their meat. When administrators sought to control the take, lobstermen objected. A new programme of lobster "census-taking" brought surprises. Using the latest technology, researchers wandered the ocean bottom in submarines or remote probes to better understand the lobster life cycle. Their studies may help save the fishery and perhaps point to new studies of other commercial fish resulting in fewer idle fishermen.
As a conclusion, a paean to the late paleontologist and science writer Stephen J. Gould is provided by his colleagues. Whatever one may think of Gould's theories, he made an immense mark in educating the American public to science. The heroes and pariahs alike of science came under his scrutiny and were illuminated by his prose. It is a fitting end to this collection. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
A Fine Overview of American Science Writing for 2003.......2003-11-30
Guest editor Oliver Sacks does a fine job assembling an intriguing array of essays pertaining to science and medicine in the latest installment of HarperCollins annual series on the best American science writing. His terse introduction pays homage to his friend Stephen Jay Gould. The first two essays, Peter Canby's "The Forest Primeval" and Charles Mann's "1491", are undoubtedly the best. The former is an engrossing look at a tropical ecologist; the latter is a compelling explanation for the rapid decline of Native Americans on both American continents soon after Columbus' "discovery" of the New World. New York Times science writer Natalie Angier offers a whimsical look at interplanetary exploration in her essay "Scientists Reach Out to Distant Worlds". Nobel Prize-winning Cornell University chemist Roald Hoffmann - a talented man of letters too (Incidentally he is also one of Stuyvesant High School's three Nobel Prize laureates) - examines why simplicity may not be the best reason for "Why Buy That Theory?". On a somber, poignant note, this essay collection closes with "Stephen Jay Gould: What Does It Mean to Be a Radical?", an eloquent eulogy summarizing the late paleobiologist's career by his Harvard University colleagues Richard Lewontin and Richard Levins.
Okay, but you can do better........2003-09-29
To give you the viewpoint from which I'm coming from, I read Scientiic American, Discover, American Scientist, New Scientist and two journals of mathematics, and still enjoy reading a Springer Verlag book. I am a science junky, and so I am always delighted to see a book like `The Best American Science Writing'. Every year I read it, and every year I have mixed feelings about it.
Let me get to the bottom line first:
If you read any of the magazines I've listed and you are looking for the same sort of articles in this book you'll be disappointed. If you however, you read these magazines, but like lighter articles on science, a change of pace, or a different perspective, this book is a decent buy. If you are on a tight budget, I recommend skipping this book, and going for the other `brand': The Best American Science And Nature Writings XXXX' by Houghton Mifflin Publications. If you are literary minded or have but a small interest in science, and want to know a bit more about it. This book is a better value for you.
That is it. But for those wanting a bit more detail, continue reading, at least skip to the section where I list some articles that should have made publication. The general characteristic of most of these articles is not so much science, but how science fits into the larger context of society. So the pattern goes, introduce a small bit of science. Next show how that science impacts a particular individual or group. Then see the economic and social impact that science or the group has. Then talk about relevant worldly demographics. And finally, muse over some vague connections with other parts of science.
You'll notice that any `factual' science comprises maybe a fifth of any article. This may or may not be a good thing. It's up for you to decide. Most of these articles I gave 3 stars, and the average of the whole lot, I would give 2-3 stars. There are some fives, and there are some articles which I am shocked to have made it into publication of a magazine, and then published twice in a book!
I have a few complaints of every generation of this book. One is there is too many articles from literary magazines. The first few publications contain no articles from American Scientist. There are no pictures or graphs which came with the original publication of the article. Mathematics is not represented at all. Too many headline science articles makes the book `feel' the same every year: like a literary version of the five minute science segments found on your local 30 minute news.
I've decided to list some articles that haven't made any of these books but should have (I base it on the same criteria they use, fashionable, and accessible):
-Statistics of Deadly Quarrels by Brian Hayes (American Scientist Vol 90, No 1)
-Health and Human Society by Clyde Hertzman (American Scientist Vol 89, No 6)
-Influenza by Robert G. Webster, and Elizabeth Jane Walker (American Scientist Vol 91, No 2)
The first two articles provide much to think about, and are very informative. In addition, they are freely available on the internet. The last article came out this year and is an excellent summary of the flu, where it comes from, and how it mutates.
Because of the amazon word limitation, I could not place my entire review here, but I deem it wise to at least mention that the first two articles. These articles were by far the best in the book, and some of the facts contained in the book -I believe- deserve a much wider and expert audience! Particularly striking to me is how an Arfican tribe can hunt like child's play using their vocal chords. The implications for human evolution and linguistics can be enormous. Also, the mentioning of terra preta which can have profound impact on agriculture across the world, if is indeed true.
The rest of articles after the first two are so-so. And some abysmally bad.
Book Description
Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reads pieces from hundred of periodicals, then selects between fifty and a hundred outstanding works. That selection is pared down to the twenty or so very best pieces by a guest editor who is widely recognized as a leading writer in his or her field. This unique system has helped make the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2003, edited by Richard Dawkins, is another "eloquent, accessible, and even illuminating" collection (Publishers Weekly). Here are the best and brightest writers on science and nature, writing on such wide-ranging subjects as astronomy's new stars, archaeology, the Bible, "terminal" ice, and memory faults. Natalie Angier Timothy Ferris Ian Frazier Elizabeth F. Loftus Steven Pinker Oliver Sacks Steven Weinberg Edward O. Wilson
Customer Reviews:
Brief yet thorough..........2004-09-27
Part of what makes this collection so interesting and of lasting value is the wide range of topics addressed. Each of the selections honestly and expertly examines the issues at hand, many of which most people would not even think about if left to themselves. The political and religious articles were of particular importance and relevence. A superb and absorbing collection from some of the finest minds writing today.
Mixed bag ý exactly as it should be.......2004-05-30
The best thing about a collection of essays like this is that you get to read articles by writers you've never heard of, on topics you never realized could be at least interesting and sometimes even compelling. The writing ranges from dry and technical to almost purely emotional. I can't think of a single dud, which is little surprise, given the editor.
So, read it for elucidation or inspiration. You will come away with a few previously-unfamiliar names firmly lodged in your head for future reference, like Ian Frazier. The end of his (quite literally sensual) ode to icebergs is so beautiful it almost hurts. Here it is in full:
"A lot of what is exciting about being alive can't be felt, because it's beyond the power of the senses. Just being on the planet, we are moving around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour; it would be great if somehow we could climb up to an impossible vantage point and actually feel that speed.
"All this data we've got piling up is interesting, but short on thrills. Time, which we have only so much of, runs out on us, and as we get older we learn that anything and everything will go by. And since it all go by anyway, why doesn't it all go right now, in a flash, and get it over with? For mysterious reasons, it doesn't, and the pace at which it proceeds instead reveals itself in icebergs.
"In the passing of the seconds, in the one-thing-after-another, I take comfort in icebergs. They are time solidified and time erased again. They pass by and vanish, quickly or slowly, regular inhabitants of a world we just happened to end up on. The glow that comes from them is the glow of more truth than we can stand."
Hoping for the Best.......2004-05-05
Early in the forward, renown autthor/scientist Richard Dawkins writes " In a single glimpse of Andromeda, then, your eyes capture light that encompasses a span of 150,000 years, which is roughly equal to the length of time that humans have walked the earth. What holy book, what myth, can match the grandeur of that reality? In the face of such sublimity, why would any of us want to cling ot the old tales...the ones with the answers but not many questions?
That phrase captures what is best and least about this book. The grandeur of science opening up an infinite series of new questions on the one hand, and on the other, being challenged by the mundane world of people who would prefer to read "self-help" and "new age" books, a phenomena that scientists cannot fathom.
In the best sense, there are articles about science and scientists that stretch you mind by light years. "Ice Memory", tells of studies of cores of Greenland ice showing that earth has undergone dramatic changes in temperature in decades which dwarf the current exterpolations of global warming.
But the least of the book are the essays on science fighting entrenched interests or wayward passions. Some writers seem to miss the point or are fighting straw dogs. The problems of "recovered memories" in not really abused childern and lack of historical basis for the Bible are not so new to me. As Dawkins is an important writer on evolution, he probably has to deal with the conflicts between the science and peoples attitudes and beliefs more often than I do.
But I enjoyed almost every essay, learning that a sperm whale's head acts as a punching bag, and that new telescopes have returned the amatuer to an important role in astronomy. I even enjoyed some of the science vs politics stuff such as Gary Taubes exploration of the idea that poorly researched nutritional guidance from the government may have even triggered the fat epidemic.
There is food for thought in this smorgasbord, even if it is not a feast. As another reviewer said, the level of the science is at the more popular end of science reading -- but it is there. A good book to nibble at on many short commutes.
solid collection.......2003-12-19
There's little I can add to the reviews that the other reviewers haven't already said, and said well. I'll just chime in with my opinion: it's a solid collection of essays and I'd recommend it.
Not as good as 2002, but still very good.......2003-12-05
This is a great series. This year the selection seemed to have more of an anti-religious and political tone, but most of the selections are still well-written, educational and thoughtful.
Book Description
This year’s worth of the most powerful, the most startling, the smartest and most astute, in short, the best crime journalism. Scouring hundreds of publications, Otto Penzler and Thomas H. Cook have created a remarkable compilation containing the best examples of the most current and vibrant of our literary traditions: crime reporting.
Included in this volume are Maximillian Potter’s “The Body Farm” from GQ, a portrait of Murray Marks, who collects dead bodies and strews them around two acres of the University of Tennessee campus to study their decomposition in order to help solve crime; Jay Kirk’s
“My Undertaker, My Pimp,” from Harper’s, in which Mack Moore and his wife, Angel, switch from run-ning crooked funeral parlors to establishing a brothel; Skip Hollandsworth’s “The Day Treva Throneberry Disappeared” from Texas Monthly, about the sudden disappearence of a teenager and the strange place she turned up; Lawrence Wright’s “The Counterterrorist” from The New Yorker, the story of John O’Neill, the FBI agent who tracked Osama bin Laden for a decade—until he was killed when the World Trade Center collapsed. Intriguing, entertaining, and compelling reading,
Best American Crime Writing has established itself as a much-anticipated annual.
Customer Reviews:
A Mixed Bag of True Crime.......2005-05-27
This book is a compilation of a number of true crime articles written during 2002. The influence of 9/11 and terrorism is abundant. But many of the other stories delve into a more "bizarre" area of crime and the criminal mind. While none of the articles blew me away, all were solid and interesting. Anyone looking for true crime from a slightly different angle should look here.
This Collection is Hard to Put Down.......2004-01-24
Simply stated, the "Best American" series is a national treasure. This is only the second volume of the Crime Writing entry, and it is already up there with Best American Mystery Stories and Best American Sports Writing in terms of quality. All of the Best American books feature great use of the written word, regardless of subject matter. In that sense, this book is a home run.
The book starts out with "Big Shot," the tragic tale of former NBA star Jayson Williams, and of the less famous man he unfortunately killed while showing off a gun in his home. "The Counterterroist" is about a wourld renowned FBI counterterrorism expert who retired to become head of security at the World Trasde Center, only to die in the attacks two weeks later. "The Last Ride of Jesse James Hollywood" is a disturbing spectacle of bored modern youth. "The Enron Wars" provide a great insiders view of that scandal. "How Two Lives Met in Death" is a heartbreaking tale of an Israeli and Palestinian teenager, one of whom killed the other in a senseless suicide bombing. And "The Bully of Toulon" describes how a psychotic resident of a small town instituded an atmosphere of fear among his neighbors until it exploded into violence.
These great tales and much more await those who decide to sit down with the 2003 edoition of Best American Crime Writing.
'Blah' is the word you're looking for.......2003-12-27
Eh. A bit disjointed, uneven - not every story is good, no story is great. This being my first foray back into crime writing since renouncing the genre after a bad meeting with an account of the Bernardo murders (I believe they were known as the Ken and Barbie killers in the Yoo Ess of Aye), I swore I wouldn't bother again.
But this collection seemed sedate enough, with credits from such magazines as GQ, Harper's and Vanity Fair. The pieces collected are well-written for the most part, but vary from being only mildly interesting to boringly lurid.
I'm looking forward to my next read.
Book Description
The Best American Political Writing 2003 preserves the most incisive, controversial, and entertaining writing about the notable events and people of 2002. In a year engulfed in political controversy, from President Bush’s plans for a preemptive war on Iraq to the Enron and Adelphia scandals, American politics provided no shortage of fodder for debate. Gathering from the nation’s leading publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, the New Yorker, the Nation, the Atlantic Monthly, the Weekly Standard, Foreign Affairs, Vanity Fair, and Salon.com, as well as writing from such think tanks as the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institution, Royce Flippin culls the best writing on the year’s most talked-about topics. In a year that saw Karl Rove stealthily engineer the decisive drubbing of the Democrats in the 2002 midterm elections, as well as continuing debate over the controversial U.S.A. Patriot Act and the creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, America's finest political reporters — including Joe Klein, Jeff Greenfield, Robert Kagan, Christopher Hitchens, Paul Krugman, Ron Suskind, Elizabeth Kolbert, Michael Ignatieff, Sir John Keegan, Meryl Gordon, Senator Robert Byrd, and Jeffrey Toobin — produced some of the most passionate, disparate, and controversial writing in decades.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I had hoped........2005-02-09
Be aware that this book is not from the same publisher as the well regarded "The Best American Series" by Houghton Mifflin. I had hoped for equal, in-depth and fair analysis of political issues that would increase my political IQ. Instead I felt that each essay was based more on opinion than facts, although selective facts can be used to support just about any opinion. And I don't think they were chosen with balance in mind. There is only one article which is negative about the Bush tax cuts but not a corresponding positive article. There are 6 articles on Gay Marriage however.
If possible, look closely at the sources of the articles (listed in the table of contents) and read the brief descriptions by the editor at the beginning of each article before buying this book.
Nice to know some still care.......2003-10-12
This book is filled with topics that should be at the forefront of the national conversation but are falling on the deaf ears of an apathetic populace. Doesn't anyone care anymore? This is the important stuff, folks. Hard facts and important ideas on the issues that are vital to our future are being drowned out by the legions of bickering, partisan loudmouths with an axe to grind. This book is one of the dying breed that is not for only conservatives or only liberals but for AMERICANS, lest we forget we're all in this together. Highlights for me included the essays, such as Paul Kruger's "For Richer," that reveal how the interests of the wealthy have hijacked our government to a degree never seen before and why our politicians play along, despite overwhelming public opinion against it and the damage it does to our country. Also recommended is Robert Kuttner's reminder of all the promises George W. Bush made to us during his campaign opposed to what he's actually delivered. There could hardly be more distance between the two. Since it helps to know something about your reviewer, I'll tell you that I'm a Democrat, but you'll find a mix of serious conservative, liberal and independent voices here, though not from the extreme fringes. There's no shortage of other books you can look to if that's your thing. Left, right or center, you will find that the writers whose essays make up this book care deeply about which they write and that's what we could all use a lot more of; more caring and less squawking. If you care about your country but are tired of the shrill war of words and conspiracy theories that pass for political writing these days, this book is a beacon in the dark night.
Something for everyone.......2002-12-24
I know what they say about yesterday's newspaper, but these pieces from 2001, beginning with that mind-bending election and with a special section on September 11, are a slice of history such as we hope not to see again. And besides, many are think pieces from magazines like "The New Yorker" and "The Nation," "Vanity Fair," "salon.com" and "The Atlantic Monthly."
The book is divided into six parts, each followed by a "National Conversation," with column-length opinion pieces. Election 2000 includes five pieces from the likes of Vincent Bugliosi (liberal) and Charles Krauthammer (conservative); Politics in the Bush Era features Margaret Carlson and Nicholas Lemann, with columns from Molly Ivins and Paul Krugman. Lani Guinier and Frank Rich sound off on (Not) Politics As Usual, then Barbara Ehrenreich and David Brooks give their View from Main Street. The second half of the book concentrates on September 11 and the War on Terror and we hear from Richard Perle, Fouad Ajami, Richard Rodriguez, Jeane Kirkpatrick and Henry Kissinger. Among others. The writing is lively and forceful, of course, and if the predictions are sometimes wrong, it's nice to know such opinionated people aren't right about everything. For political junkies of all persuasions.
Average customer rating:
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Voice From The Wilderness
Raymond Ching
Manufacturer: Swan Hill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1853105163 |
Book Description
Over 100 full color paintings and drawings by artist Ray Harris-Ching, one of the leading bird artists in the world. The seventh book of his work to be published addresses the artist's concerns and fears for our fragile earth and for the animals that live here with us. Format is 11 inches by 11 1/2 inches.
Book Description
For the first time in softcover, Edward Abbey's last book, a collection of unforgettable barbs of wisdom from the best-selling author of The Monkey Wrench Gang.Notes from a Secret JournalEdward Abbey on:Government"Terrorism: deadly violence against humans and other living things, usually conducted by a government against its own people."Sex"How to Avoid Pleurisy: Never make love to a girl named Candy on the tailgate of a half-ton Ford pickup during a chill rain in April out of Grandview Point in San Juan County, Utah."New York City"New Yorkers like to boast that if you can survive in New York, you can survive anywhere. But if you can survive anywhere, why live in New York?"Literature"Henry James. Our finest lady novelist."
Customer Reviews:
Bumpersticker Abbey!!.......2001-12-03
A great service was provided Edward Abbey fans with the publication of this marvelous little tome. Now we anarchists have a handy source of short bits by Abbey to plaster on our webpages, our mail, and even our car bumpers! Up with nature, down with Empire!
4.5 is closer to it........2001-06-26
This is not Abbey's grand work nor was it intended to be. This is a small collection of one-liners and pithy observations of a highly talented, self-admitted misanthrope. "Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell" is a prime example.
Abbey was a truck riding good ole boy and was about as politically correct as a punch to the head. His backpack was not designed by Gucci and his boots were mostly army surplus but he spent a life time outdoors, not behind a desk finding fault. His writings, his actions and his public appearances brought more awareness of nature and its plight to the public than did the combined number of his critics by a factor of 1000.
Borne just before the depression, he did not see all wild game as Bambi or Thumper but, as a child, watched as his father hunted for the table. Abbey may not be for everyone, but, by the same token, neither is Mr. Rogers.
If you have read a lot of Abbey this is a great book........2001-03-14
If you have read only a few of Abbey's books these quotes might not mean anything to you. This is not a story but is just a collection of quotes. Although he likes to make broad generalizations like 'all rebels are good' that is part of what makes Abbey so endearing. He doesn't sugar coat his opinions. I may not agree with all he says but I do respect him for at least putting it out there and not backing down. It also gives a lot of insight into his writing and reveals some specfics that you would have to read every book of his carefully in order to understand. It does make for a great reference and is interesting to see him contradict himself. You could very easily write 'Down the River with Abbey' by using this book and it would have much the same feel as his book concerning Thoreau. A great book for just thumbing through or reading out load to friends on a long car trip.
Skip it!.......2000-06-07
Edward Abbey is quite possibly the most overrated author of the 20th Century. For proof, look no further then this little book of pseudo-wisdom. You'll have the pleasure of watching as Ed spouts tiresome untruths (all government is bad, all science is bad, all rebels are good, etc.) with the petulant attitude that he is the very first person in history to say them all, and that it makes him great. Environmentalists who think that Abbey was some kind of hero might be shocked by the elitist arrogance of this "man of the people" (he thanks nuclear physicists for inventing the atomic bomb) or by right-wing moronics worthy of the most brainless militiaman ("the rifle and handgun are 'equalizers'--the weapons of a democracy"). Abbey even puts the s-word in print and brags about it as if he were the first person on the planet to do it. If you are an environmentalist (like me) and you want inspiration, read Emerson, read John Muir, even read Wendell Berry--but skip Edward Abbey.
Vox et Abbey! Fantastic little book!.......1996-12-02
After Ed's passing, there were many holes, despite the prolific nature of the self proclaimed bastard. This small book offers a wonderful insight into the man behind the Monkey Wrench. Through his journals, poems and other unpublished work, another ray of desert sunlight falls upon Ed's hulking form. We miss you Abbey, but this eases the emptiness a little
Book Description
With her distinctive, impassioned voice and familiar felicity of language, Terry Tempest Williams talks about wilderness and wildlife, place and eroticism, art and literature, democracy and politics, family and heritage, Mormonism and religion, writing and creativity, and other subjects that engage her agile mind—in a set of interviews gathered and introduced by Michael Austin to represent the span of her career as a naturalist, author, and activist.
Customer Reviews:
One-of-a-kind reflective memoir........2007-01-06
A Voice in the Wilderness: Conversations with Terry Tempest Williams is a selection of interviews with naturalist, author, and activist Terry Williams, as collected by Michael Austin. The discussions cover Williams' love of wildlife, her reflections upon eroticism, art, family, literature, democracy, politics, Mormonism and much more. A mind-expanding and highly contemplative reflection upon the multifaceted dimensions of life, A Voice in the Wilderness draws the reader in with its succinctly worded insights into the foibles and paradoxes of daily life. An index allows for quick reference to key subjects in this one-of-a-kind reflective memoir.
Book Description
Stranded on the Arizona plain, beautiful Margaret finds herself at the mercy of a handsome young cowboy. But can she trust him?
Grace Livingston Hill is the beloved author of more than 100 books. Read and enjoyed by millions, her wholesome stories contain adventure, romance, and the heartwarming triumphs of people faced with the problems of life and love.
Customer Reviews:
Good Read but.........2007-04-19
This is a worthy read of Ms Hill's but having read most (I'm ashamed to say) I don't think this is one of the best for one reason--I don't think she developed the relationship between the main characters in this book. But if you like a book about a young untouched, innocent girl who goes off into a world of the untamed to teach, is immediately rescued by a handsome cowboy from trouble,, she has lots of trials and adventures then you might enjoy this too.
Great reading, many humorous parts!.......2000-11-18
This is one of the best Grace Livingston Hill books I've ever written. It's great to see how Margaret befriends a bunch of rough-acting cowboys and they become her most loyal friends, even rescuing her when a jealous teenage girl plays a cruel trick that leaves her stranded alone in the desert.
One of the funniest parts is when several cowboys take a very bad excuse for a Presbyterian minister out and dunk him in a water trough after he preaches about how you don't need God in your life as long as you do good otherwise. Lance proves to be a good man time and again, although he tries to convince Margaret that he's not that wonderful.
A PAGE TURNER.......1999-10-01
LANCE GARDLEY IS THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN AND HERO. HIS FRIENDSHIP AND GROWING LOVE FOR MARGARET IS WONDERFUL. LANCE'S FRIENDS HAD ME LAUGHING ENDLESSLY, BUT THE BEST OF IT WAS THERE CHANGE WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED MARGARET. THE PLOT SET AGAINST MARGARET BY A JEALOUS STUDENT WAS VERY INTERESTING. MARGARET ONLY HAS EYES FOR LANCE, BUT ROSA (THE STUDENT) THINKS MARGARET IS AFTER HER ADMIRER FORSYTHE, WHO USES WOMEN AND WANTS TO BE MORE THAN A "FRIEND" TO MARGARET. ROSA WAITS FOR HER CHANCE AND SO SETS OUT A WELL LAID PLAN. A BEAUTIFUL STORY. YOU'LL WANT TO READ IT OVER AND OVER.
Book Description
By the time Anna Howard Shaw was barely twelve years old, she had crossed the stormy Atlantic (one and a half times), survived a grueling journey from Massachusetts to the unexplored woods of Michigan, and helped create a house and home in the middle of nowhere. By most measures, Anna Howard Shaw's life was hard and filled with struggle.
But a life in the North American wilderness also had many pleasures. Anna was young, happy, and strong. What Anna didn't have was school.
With incredible fortitude and purpose, not only did Anna go on to teach school herself, she also accomplished a great many other things, including helping to win the right to vote for women. With his magical storytelling and radiant artwork, Don Brown welcomes us into the pioneer life of a most extraordinary woman.
Customer Reviews:
Again, Brown tells history with expression and accuracy.......2001-09-08
This book reads smoothly and the illustrations are beautiful. The illustrations add to the text. They are riveting. As I read this story, I felt as if I was "Anna" as she travelled through her journey. The author note at the end was beneficial and children have the opportunity to locate additional information on Anna Howard Shaw.
Anna, the protagonist empowers children to feel they can make a difference in our country.
Book Description
Long-time Chicago Tribune columnist John Husar dedicated his life to the outdoors, his and columns and actions directly contributed to the opening of thousands of acres of park land across the midwest; for the first time ever his best columns and stories are collected for outdoor lovers to enjoy.
Customer Reviews:
read it - you won't regret it.......2004-05-31
John Husar's writings don't only apply to fishermen, hunters, or any denomination of people, but to anyone who loves to experience travels, adventures, or living in general, because he wrote not just about the outdoors, but how extraordinary life is. This book is a must-have for anyone who likes good stories told by an exellent storyteller. And who knows, you might learn somthing. Read it, you won't regret it
This book is inspiring!!.......2004-05-19
Reading this book filled me with inspiration to get out and enjoy the outdoors. John Husar's writing is absolutely poetic. He was an artist who painted with humble words. It's an easy read -you can pick up any page and start from there, because it's a collection of his columns. Thank you for making this book!
After reading a few columns, I took my kids out for a walk in the woods for the first time this year. This book is not just for the fisherman/hunter, it's for anyone who loves the outdoors and appreciates natural beauty. It's timeless and classic. I even gave it to a few friends for Father's Day.
A must have book.......2004-05-14
The writings of John have been missed in the Chicago Tribune. Thank you for the wonderful book ! I look forward to the next book with more stories.
He has taken me on advertures around the world with such respect for nature and the environment.
Great stuff!.......2004-05-11
Mr. Husar was an avid hunter and fisherman but this book should appeal to anybody who loves the great outdoors. He didn't write about how to catch big fish but about how to have fun while doing it.
I really like that it's a collection of newspaper columns -- you can grab it and read one or two columns at a time, depending on how much free time you have, or read it straight through.
I'll keep this one on my shelf for a long time.
John Husar - A Voice In The Wilderness.......2004-05-05
What a wonderful book.....Mr. Husar has a way of capturing the essence of the outdoor experiece in a artfully brilliant and often humerous way......showing great respect for all God's creatures.
Customer Reviews:
Wilderness and Spotsylvania battles made real.......2000-12-28
I live near the Wilderness and Spotsylvania battlefields--this book has helped me understand this nearby history greatly with its intriguing combination of firsthand sources, context-setting storytelling and tactical analyses. This series is a must.
Average customer rating:
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Voices in the Wilderness: Public Discourse and the Paradox of Puritan Rhetoric
Patricia Roberts-Miller
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 081730939X |
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