You didn't need to be told that humans are ruining natural environments all over the place. In the competition for survival, we are winning, beating out competitors, causing havoc, and claiming victory, however short term it may be. It is only particular aspects of the problem that are news, and we do need to be told of them for the purpose, if nothing more, of keeping our eyes open to the onslaught. Here is an aspect that you may not know about: green sea turtles are being killed off by a mysterious illness. A sincere and thoughtful book will tell you of the problem, if you can stand to hear about it: _Fire in the Turtle House: The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean_ (PublicAffairs) by Osha Gray Davidson. Davidson is a fine storyteller, and has pulled the history of sea turtles together with documentation about their current fate, as well as giving vivid portraits of the idiosyncratic turtle fans who are trying to do something about the turtles' problem. The particular problem for them is serious, and as Davidson's subtitle tells, it reflects a general and larger disaster.

The green sea turtle has survived for over a hundred million years, and it simply may not be around much longer. It has been overhunted, but as Davidson makes clear, overhunting is so cause-and-effect obvious that it is often blamed as the reason extinctions happen. However, a hundred years ago we were learning that the indirect methods of ignorance and indifference were far more efficient vectors of biological collapse by means of habitat destruction. We are also turning coastal waters into a breeding ground for a revolting disease called fibropapillomatosis, or FP for short. Tumors sprout on the flippers restricting motion, and around the eyes causing blindness, and within the guts causing eventual death. They are warty or smooth, and leeches live in them for the blood supply, and blood flukes lay eggs in them. In 1986 researchers were shocked that there were outbreaks of the disease in both Florida and Hawaii. The exact mechanism of the disease is in doubt, but what is not in doubt is that turtles with this disgusting and sad disease come from the areas which are most highly polluted, by fertilizers and sewage, or have sea beds gouged by trawling. Turtles from the few remaining pristine areas are so far unaffected, but no ocean creature will be unaffected by ocean temperature change, which is another way the sea becomes friendly to pathogens.

Davidson's work is full of facts and scientific information, and skillful portraits of people involved in trying to do something about this horrendous illness. If there is any defect in his book, it is that it spends its bulk explaining the problem carefully, and leaves only a few paragraphs for instruction on what we can do, and such instruction is general: "We could stop treating the ocean as if it were the world's largest garbage dump and start treating it like the sacred source of all life that it is... We could balance growth and development with habitat preservation. We could, finally, get serious about stopping global warming." Davidson is no pessimist, but sadly, it is probable that our "we coulds" are not going to change into "we wills" in time to stop this disaster, and the others connected to it.

....although the sea turtle problem is bad enough. I got this book for Christmas and read it in two days, it was that compelling. Davidson does a great job of describing the awful FP virus that is decimating the ranks of sea turtles all over the world. Sea turtles have been on this earth since dinosaur times, he notes, and it would be tragic to see them go extinct now. The problem affects other species too and it is caused by overfishing and polluting the oceans, and probably global-warming as well. I don't want to repeat the whole book here, but I just want to say that this is fascinating and alarming reading for anyone who cares about the oceans and for the beautiful and endangered turtles.

A well writen, easy to read, shocking and informative review of the epidemic plaguing the sea turtles of the world. A must read for anyone interested in sea turtles and/or the health of the world's oceans in general. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down.

An extraordinary book, not for its writing or ideas, but for the *very idea of it!* How could this have happened, and how could the book tell the story like this??? As a feminist I'm challenging the assumptions of white males who think they are in touch with African Americans, or with feminism. As a white Woman, I feel for the experiences of Black Women, and am sickened by the way white males mostly just don't get it. This is such a strange book you will be blinking hard for sometime afterward.

As someone who works for parity in this society, I look for materials that show clearly that poor white people have more in common with blacks and other ethnic/racial peoples than they do with the power structure that oppresses us all. This book clearly and beautifully illustrates that point.

It has always mystified me that more poor "white" men, in particularly, fail to see this. Every young white man who blames blacks for his inability to get a decent job, the meagerness of his life, or whatever, should read this book. Every petty racist should read the story of C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater and learn something about the real problems, not the cheap shot racist answers that many of us come to too readily in this society.

I've purchased five copies for myself and friends. A great book to give that relative, co-worker or acquaintance who persists in making racist comments and blaming blacks for the problems in this society.

A book well written and researched for the layman. The Enchanted Braid describes the addiction to the sea that many sport diving enthusiast experience. It provides a global perspective of the mysterious plight of our coral reefs. I read the book while in Bali, Indonesia. The well travelled author's feelings about the plight of the reefs is true to form from my perspective. The message is one we all should read and heed.

Even if you have no prior knowledge about reefs, this book explains and makes sense of the entire reef ecosystem. I would highly reccommend it, especially for teenagers with an interest in coral reefs and thier preservation, to spark thier interest in environmental issues.

I have read hundreds of articles and books about coral reefs, "The Enchanted Braid" offers one of the best introductions you could ask for into the world of coral reefs. The book features both biological and historical descriptions of coral reefs as well as reporting on what is happening today to coral reefs around the world. It is clear, well written and easy for us "non-scientists" to understand. SCUBA divers, snorkelers and anyone else who loves the ocean should read this book.

In the "Acknowledgments' OGD says he was advised to tell the truth, and he tried. But 'truth' is always accompanied by experience and opinion, which affect perception. "A Well-Regulated Militia: the Battle over Gun Control" is a better and more informative book.

Chapter 6 tells of the attempt to ban handguns in Calif (p.137); this was defeated overwhelmingly in the statewide referendum. It does name the multi-millionaire who paid for this attempt, but tells little more about the group. OGD explains Dukakis' defeat as due to NRA opposition (p.144), which provided the margin of victory to Bush I. Page 153 has some comments on the American Revolution. You'll find "What They Didn't Teach You About the American Revolution" a much better history book. OGD does not seem to understand the subject.

Chapter 7 deals with an NRA convention in April 1991; he seems to delight in media attacks on the NRA. Hasn't the monopolization of newspapers, radio, and TV been a factor in this? Whose side are they on? OGD notes that the 'Washington Post' attacked the right of the people to keep and bear arms for seventy-seven consecutive days in 1965! Was this just a way to control thinking and distract people from more important issues? Does anyone believe that they represent "public opinion" (p.168)? The bottom of page 168 mentions the willful ignorance of media workers. Those who work for a corporation learn their rules. Page 171 provides another example of OGD's censorship in writing about the attempt on President Reagan. he doesn't say if Hinckley was the son of Bush's best friend and business partner! Page 178 gives an example of OGD's twisted writing: the NRA did not support Bork because "he was unlikely to suppress the exclusionary rule" (bans evidence gained in illegal searches). What was that again? Bork's court favored the plaintiff with deep pockets; Bork resigned after this allegation.

Chapter 8 mentions the Brady bill, and quotes Sarah Brady as saying President Reagan was for it. Isn't that a self-serving statement? Didn't his biographer say he was senile in his second term? Page 202 mentions reports that were "almost uniformly exaggerated or wholly fabricated", an admission of biased reporting. Page 215 tells of the trick pulled to report out the DeConcini bill. Arlen Spector created the "magic bullet" theory used to explain the shooting of JFK and Governor Connally by a lone gunman.

OGD doesn't explain the politics of a "waiting period". This would prevent sales at weekend gun shows! Shutting down the computer would simply prevent all sales as well. Page 277 shows OGD believes Kellerman's story (a gun in the home was 43 times more likely to kill a family member than an intruder). Read the article yourself to see its limitations. In homes without a gun you are 99 times more likely to kill a family member than an intruder. Hint: most violent deaths in the home are suicides; "died at home" is a code word for this in obituaries. OGD again shows his prejudice when he says "gun violence" (p.282). Half of all gun deaths are suicides; they can't be prevented by a fantasy like "childproof guns". Maybe you would do better to read "Armed" by Kleck and Kates on this topic.

The author has written books on other topics; he has no background on this one. OGD did try to hold back his biases, but they slipped out in many places. Chapter 1 tells of "The Stockton Lesson" and how it was exploited by Gun Prohibitionists to further their agenda. The real lesson is that the Establishment refused to hospitalize a sick, deranged individual; they would prefer to exploit any crazy attack that occurs in a "gun free zone". How many other walking time bombs are being released in the hopes of another incident? OGD's criticism of the volunteer NRA (p.22) shows he doesn't understand "Democracy in America"; DeTocqueville stated that voluntary association was the basis of democracy in America. Pages 28-29 document no infringement on the right to keep and bear arms, then. OGD does NOT mention the name of the group that paid for "sweeping legislation to ban or regulate a wide variety of firearms" (p.29). Pages 35-39 show how the NRA is a democratic organization responsible to its members. Compare that to the "Million Mom March Inc.", or the major political parties! The 1968 Gun Control Act banned mail order sales of guns and ammunition, even though this leaves a paper trail, and provides a delay for cross-checking!

Pages 63-81 has a good summary on the passage of the McClure-Volkmer law, reports that are usually censored in the corporate media. OGD's writing shows his bias here. Page 69 shows the difference between the politically appointed Justice Department and popular elected House members. Page 50 mentions a description of ATF as "jackbooted group of fascists ... a danger to American society", but doesn't mention why. Could it be Waco? There is no mention of Ruby Ridge either. Read the book "Tainting Evidence" for good information on both events.

There is another deliberately misleading or false statement on page 121. The rate of violent deaths in America is less than in Japan, but ahead of Canada. See how OGD constructs sentences to hide this fact! This is the typical dishonesty of Gun Prohibitionists. OGD also mentions the high gunshot death rate among young black males. Does this underline their oppression in our society? Psychologists know that concentrating laboratory rats creates aggression and violence. Are urban ghettos a "kinder, gentler" version of concentration camps? Hubert Humphrey wanted "good jobs at good wages"; didn't he also attack the 1968 Gun Control Act when running for President? Since crime is very low in South Dakota and Vermont (no gun control laws), could "gun control" be a scheme to generate business for urban hospitals (p.122)? Since 1987, 33 of the other 48 states passed "right to carry" laws that overturned WW I era laws. The book "More Guns, Less Crime" reports the results.

Another dishonest statement is on page 129: "opinion polls have showed consistent support for gun control". The 1976 Massachusetts referendum to ban all hand guns was soundly defeated! The truth is that these polls are rigged to get the answer that is desired! Page 135 shows another deliberate distortion of the Second Amendment. Those who passed the Bill of Rights did NOT want only the Federal Military to "keep and bear arms". That quote by W. Burger suggests the contrariness that accompanies senility. You will find William Weir's "A Well-Regulated Militia: The Battle over Gun Control" a better and more informative book.

This is a must-read if you really want to become truly informed about the NRA. A statement near the end of the book clearly reveals the thesis of the author. The author says something like "The NRA is not the evil empire that its enemies claim but neither is it a super patriotic defender of the constitution." The author goes on to explain that the NRA is simply a special interest group. The NRA's understanding of the second amendment is flawed. If gun-control is really unconstitutional then why are there so many gun-control laws in some areas of the US? No court has ruled those laws unconstitutional. The NRA has often tried to demonize those who support sensible and moderate levels of gun-control. Instead of addressing the issue logically, the NRA is content to resort to personal attacks and name calling by referring to such people as communists and comparing them to Hitler.

On the other hand, the book tells of how the NRA was right about cop killer bullets and plastic guns. A ban on all types of armor piercing bullets would have included many types of hunting and sporting ammunition. Plastics guns that can fire real bullets is a myth. A ban on such weapons is unnecessary. So if you are looking for a book that tells it all, then read this book.