Coined in 1922 by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ (1881-1955), in association with Edouard Le Roy and Vladimir Vernadsky, the word and notion of the NOO-SPHERE were introduced to the English-speaking world by Vernadsky's paper on "The Biosphere and the Noosphere" published in 1945 in "American Scientist" (Vol.33, pp.1-12). In "Fundamentals of Ecology" (1962:26; 1971:35) Eugene Odum said, "This is dangerous philosophy, because it is based on the assumption that mankind is now wise enough to safely take over the management of everything!" In fact, Teilhard assumed nothing about the wisdom of HOMO SAPIENS. But, whether we like it or not, we ARE increasingly responsible and accountable for the management and husbandry of everything, starting with Planet Earth but already extending to the nearest "islands" of outer space. As Mikhail Gorbachev said in 1999 in his foreword to this Reader, "We have reached the phase in cultural evolution where we must assume full responsibility for our power... Knowing and reaching our fullest potential within the constraints of the BIOSPHERE must be the ultimate goal - the driving vision of the 21st century. And the NOOSPHERE concept suggests a philosophy for such a necessary balance" (p.x).

With the possible exception of Blessed John Duns Scotus, no one since St John of Damascus has surpassed Teilhard in his reverence for the "stuff" of creation and of our incarnation. He was fascinated at the many forms of matter, culminating thus far in our genes and the brains that stem thereform. In the known {and knowable?) universe, they are unsurpassed in molecular complexity and reflective competence. Potentially linked together globally by a world-wide-web or internet of communications media, our brains constitute that form of reflective or "thinking" matter that Teilhard called "the NOO-SPHERE." It is concentric with the solid, liquid, gaseous and reproductive or "living" forms of matter, which Edward Suess described as Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere.

In this excellent collection of readings, Paul Samson and David Pitt have largely vindicated Teilhard's vision of the NOOSPHERE and will have opened the eyes of many to the depths that are yet to be seen in the mysteries of the universe.

This book has come to fill a gap and to present to students and lecturers an excellent tool for the handling of this subject in a serious and responsible way. I strongly recommend the book, particularly for ecology and environment courses in the social sciences.

This book is a 20 ct. diamond. I have used it for four years to plan birding trips. If you want to go where the birds are, this book is a must. It not only tells you where to go, it also gives you a detailed iteneray, tells you when to go, and tells you how many day to plan for your trip. If that isn't enough, it refers you to other more detailed birding books to help you plan your trip.

A do it yourself guide to birding trips around the country including detailed itineraries. Professionals in the nature tours trade may want to keep this book a secret since it allows anybody to reproduce many of their trips at a significant cost saving.

Excellent book for those who are grieving and for those who simply want an excellent book to read!

Every person born into this mortal existance will some day experience death. Most experience the emotional trauma of losing a loved one. I first read this book some twenty years ago. I have since referred to it several times to remind myself of the simple and comforting message of death being simply a birth into another existance of life we call immortality. With the understanding that death is not the end, there comes before us all a hope of the future. Sorrow, or mourning is but an expression of love. This book will enlighten that understanding, give clearer purpose to life, the value of death, and the hope for eternal life through the process of the resurrection. The book gives critical insight into the age old questions of "Where did we come from?, Why are we here?, and Where are we going? Pondering the messages of hope and understanding will give a sense of peace and purpose to the value and meaning of mortality and immortality. Since all have been born into this world and all must someday exit this earthly life, it bears reason to better understand the purpose of life as so beautifully described in "The Birth That We Call Death" The book compares exceptionally well with "The Gateway We Call Death", by Russell M Nelson, but more clearly and concisely focuses upon the critical questions as described above. Both give excellent examples of the purpose of life as defined by the meaning of death, now seen more clearly as an open door to life eternal.

Beautiful photographs and helpful guides and descriptions to every clam, mussel and scallop on the west coast. A must for any marine biologist or shell enthusiast! While this price is high, it is definitely worth every penny (and more).

If you have ever walked down the beach and noticed all the pretty shells and wanted to know more about them, then this is the book for you. It is a comprehensive guide to all the differnet species of shells that can be found from Alaska to Baja. You would probably not notice by looking at them, but there are tons of different species of shells. Even though they may look alike, there are amazing differences. This book will anwer neary every question one could possible want to know about the shells found along the west coast. Pick it up and head down to the beach!

I love this book, even though alot of the poems are songs that I've heard before, like "yesterday" and "maybe I'm amazed". I especially liked the poem he wrote for John (the title escapes me at the moment) and another called "jerk of all jerks". Overall, it's great, and I especially like the gold signature (on the normal version of the book).

It is one thing to hear the words being sung, but to read them is a completely different experience! It's almost like being able to see inside Paul's head and feel his feelings and emotions, think his thoughts and touch his life and experiences. To anyone else, it would be a book of lyrics, but this is without a doubt the true essence of modern poetry. Well done!

This is a great book Pam want to help a gril and her pony but it is not easy you read this book

IT WAS TERRIFIC! I like how the book ended. It was a nice book to read and I hope others enjoy reading it too.

This is a compelling "must read" for anyone accepting the challenges of being called "Christian".

This is an excelent book that tells the history of the Catholic martyr and how their examples led others to follow in their footsteps, creating many conversions and great growth in the church. I recomend this book to anyone who wants to grow in their faith and love for christ.

I am a mom to 5 boys and our family has been hooked on the adventures of the Sugar Creek Gang for a few years now! We originally discovered the stories through an awesome set of cassette tapes. The books were dramatized for an radio series by Paul Ramseyer of Northwestern College Radio in Minnesota and our family is now a part of the ministry, helping to produce the audio series for families to enjoy at home! Do you want your children to learn gentle lessons of courage, faith & friendship on THEIR level? Do you want to see real growth in their character? The stories are fun adventures with the truth of God's plans woven skillfully throughout. See the world through the eyes of Bill Collins, a freckle-faced, firey-tempered red head. You'll enjoy Bill's antics and the barefoot fun of all the boys in the "gang"! (As a side note, I do recommend the books be read in order. They tell an ongoing story from beginning to end.) From the back of the tapes: "Step back in time... to one-room schoolhouses, hot summer days of fishing, fun and barefoot boys. Sugar Creek Gang stories engage the imagination and draw a child's heart into a living relationship with God! Hymns, scripture verses, nature lore, poetry; sensitivity toward the disabled, the oppressed... and the courage and confidence to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ." --- Just the right recipe for training up a child!

I was pleasantly surprised at the strength of character this and the whole series brought out. Paul Hutchens books captured my 10 year olds imagination. While these aren't huge novels, they are just the right size for a 10 year old's attention span and the central theme never gets lost. This is a great reinforcement for any parent trying to present the correct values in todays world.

is there any mention in this book regarding the region of cosenza in calabria, my mother's hometown? i would be most pleased if i could find anything about cosenza in this book or any other you may know of. in the very near future my husband and i will want to visit and it would be nice if i could get any information prior to our going there. thankyou for allowing me to ask this question. linda tremonti

As an Italian who comes from Southern Italy I found the Blue Guide covering this area to be absolutely on target and extremely detailed. I have been so impressed by the Blue Guides, that it has become the first item I pack when ready for travel

Over the past few years, I have read several "cop books;" some good, and some not so good. I have been a cop now for almost three years, and I can honestly say that "Blue Truth" is the best book I have read regarding law enforcement...period. McDonald truly captures the emotions, fears, and predjudice that every cop, whether conservative or liberal, faces each day. Being a cop is not an easy job sometimes, and McDonald captures this wonderfully. Thankyou, McDonald.

i a ttended the broward police academy class 190 and cherokee was my report writting instructor and he was one hell of an instructor. he had told the class about his life on the beat and the things that he had been through during his carrer. well i purcased the book and read it and after that i have the upmost respect for mr. mcdonald. he opened my eyes to alot of things that could and can go wrong with your family life and the stress of the job pertaining to lawenforcement.