Excellent source of information. The authors have obviously put an incredible amount of time and effort into research for this book. The writing style follows what I would call a "typical" scientific format: In other words the book is not one for casual reading. The amature as well as professional ornithologist can obtain very precise information about state records for every bird to ever enter (or think about entering) Missouri. This book is definiiely "solid" science with very little, if any, speculation about distrubution or abundance of each species of bird to grace the state with its presence. I feel this book would make a respectable addition to any collection of literature dedicated to ornithology.

This book provides color photographs, in-depth descriptions, and migration/nesting habits of many birds in the southwestern US.

Bird species include water birds, birds of prey, hummingbirds, songbirds, etc. that residents or visitors to the southwest may encounter.

The book is very well organized and is useful as a quick reference when viewing birds.

David Bird does a great job of introducing squeezes in a non-threatening, easy-to-follow manner. He explains the mechanics of the various types in a straightforward way and doesn't get hung up on the nitty-gritty technical details. Instead, he focuses on providing example hands that are followed by a thorough explanation and which clearly illustrate the principles being discussed. I especially enjoyed the "The Stars Come Out to Play" section of each chapter, which showcases hands played successfully by expert players using the various types of squeezes. The quiz hands at the end of each chapter are also well done and do a good job of reinforcing the lessons presented.

This book is an excellent source for all around information on the keeping of caged birds. It is also one of the most comprehensive and complete for touching on most breeds of caged birds and their specifics. An EXCELLENT reference book for different species of birds.

This is the fourth book in the series about the bridge playing exploits of the fictional Monks of St. Titus Abbey. It follows the format of the earlier books in that each chapter contains a small number of hands played by a common set of characters in a specific setting. A bonus in this book is the first appearance of Robin Hood and his band of outlaws playing against the Sheriff of Nottingham.

As usual, the stories have all previously appeared in assorted Bridge magazines and, for book publication, they have been honed by Reese working with David Bird the original author.

One of the best aspects of this series is that the authors add a liberal quantity of wit to lighten the serious bridge content. You can read this book for the narrative with the technical problems as a bonus but it is certainly well worth trying to work out the play problems before seeing how they are solved in the book. Most of the problems should be within the grasp of a good club player and, if you get stuck on them, the narrative gives an insight into the thought processes of the players who wrestle with the problems in the book.

Despite the fact that it is one of a long running series, this book is not stale. I strongly recommend it to any bridge enthusiast who has a sense of humour.

Chickadees,Tits,Nuthatches & Treecreepers is one of those outstanding reference books that are so rare to find. The first section contains extensive information on classification and biology of Chickadees,creepers, etc. It also contains magnificent color plates of the species covered with notes on identifying features of each species. The rest of the book contains detailed and comprehensive information on the range, habitat, breeding, migration, and distribution of each species. This is a must have book for the serious birder, ornithology students, educators, and researchers. What an indispensible reference book!!!!

Great failproof recipes. My guest have always loved the Stuffed Turkey Breast recipe on page 67. Really fun recipes for entertaining!

For a short time, I interned with the editor, Dr. Ellis. He is quite the crane expert and has a way with words that keeps a person interested. The book is filled with pictures and diagrams of all the kinds of cranes in the world. It also shares details on how cranes are cared for in captive breeding programs, such as the one at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland. I am not a bird expert, but the book was very easy to read and I enjoyed all of the diagrams and photos. Although this is not a book for pleasure reading, it is extremely informative and makes a great resource for any novice or expert ornithologist.

When I started reading the book, the first story seemed disappointing. As I continued reading the book I was fixated by the writing style and the way the stories interconnected. The subject matter is bleak and sometimes disgusting, but he seems to have a supreme command over his words.

This is the third book in the Monks of St.Titus Bridge series. As with the earlier works, the book follows the exploits of the Bridge playing monks in England and also, it picks up on the adventures of their missionary outpost in Africa. As usual, the format concentrates on play rather than on bidding. Rather than being presented as pure puzzles, the play unfolds in a narrative style. This is doubly useful. There is an opportunity to treat each hand as a not too serious double dummy problem but also, it is quite possible to just follow the narrative and allow the authors to expose the solution.

A book such as this can be quite dry but the characters and situations spice things up with a good degree of wit. Even if you have read none of the other books in the series you will quickly become familiar with the characters and their foibles. This levening explains why these books are able to appeal to readers with a range of abilities from beginners so callow as to present this reviewer with an opportunity for victory up to those who deign to partner me once a year as a special favour.

The authors are to be commended on one matter in particular. The books in this series lose none of their sparkle even after you have read all of them more than once. They are very good indeed.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for any bridge player and it would also make a great present for any bridge playing friend.