I have dozens of books on fish and this is one I can't live without. It's an encyclopedia of fish illnesses and treatments that includes wonderful illustrations and photos. It's simple to understand and yet useful for us advanced aquarists. I answer hundreds of e-mails from my web site every year about fish illness and often refer people to this book. It's interesting enough that sometimes I look it over again!

One of my gouramis fell ill and a day later pop-eye set in. After trying to diagnose the illness(es) through various fish-related web sites- with no luck- I dosed with both gram-negative and gram-positive antibiotics. Two days later the gourami died, and the other was getting worse. Then, I got this book. In less than a minute I was able to diagnose the remaining sick gourami. In fact, page 162 has a picture of him! Very cool. Now I know what to do to save him (and protect the other fish, too).

This book has excellent discussions on all the important things: water pH, hardness, temperature, the biological filtration cycle, and more. Plus, the photos are real-life, not stupid inaccurate line drawings. I just wish I had bought it two years ago when I started the hobby. It would've saved me a lot of money, both in fish and equipment! The book at first seems pricey, but considering the amount of money you'll save with the information in it, it's cheap! I suggest getting it- and reading it- before buying any fish. But if you already have fish, it's a god-send.

This was one of the first books I bought when I started keeping fish and 12 years later it's still a wonderful book. This book takes you through how to keep your fish healthy, but more importantly it helps you through the inevitable times when you have sick fish.

With a chapter on recognizing your sick fish, to a chapter on the most common diseases and parasites this book will help you figure out what's wrong with your fish.

Finally there is a chapter on how to treat each type of illness so you don't have to guess on what to do.

This is definitely a book that every fish keeper should have.

This book is so well written, so cleanly designed and so perfectly illustrated that it is required reading to all nature lovers, particularly those interested in the strange, beautiful and other-wordly life of the deep sees. Brilliant and sure to appeal to ages ranging from 8 to 80 years old.

This is probably the best book published when it comes to describe the marine world.

Impressive.
Very Impressive.

It seems as though there could not possibly be any place left on the planet that is yet to be explored and exploited. Nevertheless the world's highest mountains and deepest caverns remain unexplored under the seas, many out of human reach. In fact, 60 percent of the oceans' waters and inhabitants are more than one mile below the surface. This book, a companion to the BBC/Discovery Channel television series and also available on video, is a feast for the eyes, with page after page of remarkable photos of grotesque, exotic creatures and beautiful landscapes. Chapters delve into man's attempts at exploration, the science behind the tides, the sea's prehistoric survivors, and the ecology of the various habitats seashore, trenches, polar regions, and coral reefs. The book covers the oceans' diverse plant life; plankton, the microscopic diatoms that produce the majority of oxygen on the planet and without which humankind would never have evolved; the sociology of whales; the ravages of pollution; and much more. The attractive layout includes myriad fascinating facts and well-written, accessible text. The index can be used to research a particular topic or the book can simply be browsed to gape at the amazing photography, typical of a DK publication. Even those who find underwater creatures creepy are guaranteed to exclaim aloud in amazement, no matter what page they pick. The coffee-table-style format is well worth the price tag.

Andrew Isenberg's "The Destruction of the Bison" shows that the interaction between ecology, culture and economy contributes the the destruction of bison. Unlike most historians who contributes the environmental degradation to Euro-Americans, Isenberg shows that Native Americans also play a role in modifying the ecology. He is able to show how introduction of horses, made Native Americans became more mobile and therefore were able to hunt the bison while riding their horses.

Initially, the Natives hunted for subsistence but later were drawn into the market-oriented economic system and were trading the bison's skin for other European products. Gradually, bison became nearly decimated.

This is an incredible book in this survey of the history of the North American bison population and is very well-written. He organizes this book well and is very readable. Even if readers who do not have prior knowledge of bison or is unfamiliar with the field of environmental history, this book will not pose any difficulty for understanding the complex relationship between human and the environment around them.

So often, we tend to think of the near-extinction of the Bison as having been solely caused by overhunting by the fur trade. This book shows the intensely interwoven cause and effect relationships that led to massive changes, not only for the Bison, but for the Native Americans as well. The scope of this book is so much larger than just the destruction of the Bison - it addresses the full range of effects that Westward Expansion had on the plains. To gain a better understanding of the ecological dynamics at play between the Bison, the indigenous tribes, the settlers and the environment - this book is a must.

You don't have to be a Princeton professor to enjoy this book. Isenberg, who is in fact a professor of history at Princeton, is erudite without being arcane. I am looking forward to his next book, on the social and environmental consequencs of the California Gold Rush. Meanwhile, do read Destruction of the Bison. Here is a book in which everything is interconnected, just as it is in real life. Everything the Indians do affects the settlers, and the Indians lives are shaped by economic developments far from the great plains. If you enjoy, Isenberg's style, you might also want to read, Diana Muir's Bullough's Pond, a book that interweaves complex and disparate events in a satisfying narrative.

This book is by far the best book I have read on identification of psilocybian mushrooms. It has good information as well as some interesting perspectives on psilocybes. A must have for anyone who is serious about this stuff!

This book is a must for any enthusiest of Magic Mushrooms. The Photographs and detailed descriptions of the various species make this book a definite must for anyone wanting to identify Magic mushrooms, including deadly look alikes. The book is a complete guide, from history, experiences and all relative information that you could want. Paul Stamet's is "The Man" of mushrooms and a lot of his time and effort has gone into making this book factual and interesting. Hope you enjoy this book a much a I have.

"Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World" has been selected for listing in "Religion and Psychoactive Sacraments: An Entheogen Chrestomathy" http://www.csp.org/chrestomathy

I bought this book during a trip to the Gulf of Maine, and found it to be an extremely useful guide to the invertebrates, vertebrates, and algae of the NE coast of North America.

Photos in the field guide are composed well and show detail needed to figure out what you are looking at. Each photo in the book is accompanied by a brief summary of identifying characteristics of the organism itself, a description of habitats where they are likely to be seen, the geographic range for the organism, and brief comments that will help you look in the right kinds of places to see things.

Though not a comprehensive guide to marine life of the region, this book provides a great introduction to marine biota. The author even provides room in the book for you to write down where and when you saw each entry. There is also room for brief comments.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are planning a trip to New England or the Maritime Provinces.

Good stuff!

This book has many outstanding pictures. This book is a great picture identification guide with a lot of clear descriptions of subjects and their habitat. It has a place beside each picture to keep track of when and where you saw each subject making you want to find more and more of the featured subjects. It covers from seaweeds to sharks and everything in between. It shows all the ocean life you are likely to find as a diver, snorkeler or beach comber.

This book is a great picture identification guide with a lot of clear descriptions of subjects and their habitat. It has a place beside each picture to keep track of when and where you saw each subject making you want to find more and more of the featured subjects. It covers from seaweeds to sharks and everything in between. It shows all the ocean life you are likely to find as a diver, snorkeler or beach comber.

"Adirondack Mammals" is a wonderful publication that goes into depth on the behaviors of the mammals that make the Adirondack Mountains their habitat. All the information you'll want to know about the animals of the park is in this book.

Adirondack Mammals is a thorough guide to the animals of the Adirondacks. If you would like to know what month a certain mammal gives birth to its young, or what a certain mammal eats, this is a great guide to have. There are 54 mammals included in all and they range from tiny mice to the moose. This guide is a necessity to people who live in , or plan on visiting the Adirondacks.

This is an excellent state work, with detailed and accurate text, excellent photographs, precise maps, and up-to-date scientific nomenclature. Common names are those standardized nationwide since 1978, with the exception of the names used for snakes of the genus Tantilla. Purchasers of this book should go to page 307 and simply cross out the tongue-twisting "black-headed" and replace it with Blackhead (so much easier pronounced; it just rolls off the tongue -- truly a common name). Highly recommended. Certainly the best book on the subject, and a must for all herpetologists. Buy it quick before they run out of copies.

There are many, even myriad, good things about this book. However, there are a few things I did not like and which, if corrected in a future revision, could turn this book into a world beater in the field of herpetology. First the "bad" things: 1. This book needs a topo and political map or several. Places and physical features are constantly mentioned but, other than the tiny range maps associated with each species account, there is only one map at the front of the book which shows the counties and major cities, that is if you consider Animas and Hobbs to be major cities. 2. The glossary needs improvement. There are many terms which are used constantly which should be defined but are not. For instance, in one species account, a lizard is described as having scales which are "imbricate and mucronate." Just for kicks, I looked in the glossary. "Mucronate" is defined - "imbricate" is not. 3. Find another way to arrange the "List of scientific and common plant names used in the text." There is no arrangement whatsoever to the list. Plants are listed alphabetically by genus under the family. However, the family names are haphazard. Thus, if one does not know the family name, one has to peruse the list from top to bottom to find the plant named in the text. Woe be unto the reader who doesn't know that Helianthus is in the family "Compositae," the last named family. Pardon me for saying this but it appears as if the authors used their college botany texts to research the family names. After years of not complying with nomenclatural convention, the botanists finally joined the world and changed family names to agree with convention. Thus, Compositae became Asteraceae and Gramineae became Poaceae, for example. Also, ALL plants mentioned should be listed, even aquatic plants. Plants are keys to finding reptiles and even subtle differences in plant denizens of a habitat may make a great deal of difference in the animals found there. NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF The standard items are all found at the beginning of the book, e.g., Foreword, Preface, Acknowledgments followed by a concise Physiographic Sketch of New Mexico (Words, not pictures) which in no way can take the place of a good physical map of the state. One of the best features is a "Brief History of Herpetology in New Mexico" in which the authors give insight into the historical aspects of herpetology in the state. This theme is repeated in the text of the species accounts with interesting snippets of history intermixed with the drier facts of science. A checklist of NM herps is provided and this is where disagreements are going to arise. The authors utilize what some would consider "old" or "controversial nomenclature." However, if one reads the species accounts, all disputed uses of nomenclature are explained. Even though I disagree with some of the generic nomenclature used, the authors gave good and valid reasons for using what they did. There are good keys to all the major groups of herps in NM and they appear detailed enough to lead a novice to the right creature, as long as the scales are not imbricate. The species accounts are very well written except for the occasional typo - "then instead of than", for instance -and give loads of information. Virtually everything one would want to know about an animal is in here. The species accounts follow a format similar to the SSAR Catalogue species accounts and that is not at all bad. It might be good if a majority of this type of book were to follow a similar format. A very fine section of glossy photos is found in the midst of the species accounts. It seems that this is the way publishers are going to make books now so, take it or leave it. The photos, by the way, are arranged in the same manner as the text for fairly easy location. Degenhardt, et al, have compiled a magnificent bibliography with everything you ever wanted to know about New Mexico Herps and where to find it. The authors have years of experience in New Mexico herpetology and have used every one of those years in producing an outstanding volume. It's a little large to carry out in the field but it is worth every penny and when in New Mexico, should be at least carried in the vehicle. This book would be a bargain at twice the price.

As a fromer Marine, I like to keep up with Marine Corps PT. This is a great book for anyone who wants to workout like a Marine or someone who is getting in shape for boot camp or OCS. These are the same workouts that Marines use daily and while on sea duty. The rifle PT section is excellent and you do not need an M16 to make full use of this workout. The book explains more than just workout routines. It does have other information that one may not use. Semper Fi

If you are thinking about the Corps, going back into the Corps, or are in the Corps, this book is a good guide for the physical fitness that one must achieve and sustain. As a prior Marine attempting to get into the Officer Corps, I am finding this book indispensable in my daily routine of trying to get back into shape. I do however suggest that you photocopy the workout pages and laminate them for ease of reference and in the name of keeping the book together in one piece. Good luck in all your endeavors.

This book is just really the best I've ever seen of its kind. Workout books never really did much for me in the way of motivation, but this one truly did/does.

The book is full of easy-to-follow writing that provides good information both for the workout and about our Marine Corps. With full and detailed walk-throughs of both enlisted and OCS physical training courses, the book covers just about anything that anyone considering the USMC would want to know.

The workout itself is clearly laid out with pictures of each exercise being executed with proper form and with schedules that work for beginners and advanced alike.

If you want a general information book about physical training in the USMC or if you just want a solid, easy, all-over body workout...you have GOT to look into this book.

For the most part, I am enjoying this book. The diet is based on the food pyramid, and the exercise program has do-able daily choices. My only complaints are the following: First, the page quality is very poor. I felt like I had to be really careful turning the pages or they would tear. Second, some of the exercise photos show very poor form, like knees extending past ankles is lunges. All in all, it's a good book.

Based on official guidelines from the Surgeon General and CDC, Combat Fat! by fitness, diet, and exercise authority Andrew Flach is a solidly written, "user friendly" guide to healthy eating, proper exercise, and a medically sound weight loss plan to improve personal overall fitness and health. Body-mindful recipes, stretches, workouts, and more fill the pages of this handy and very highly recommended informational resource.

This is an awesome program. I have been confused by the complexity of other programs. I read the entire book in one day and found the advice straightforward and easy to implement in my everyday life. I am losing weight and getting fitter than I have been in years.

A volunteer at VISION Community Services, A Division of the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, a lovely 85 year old who is legally blind and severely hearing impaired, mentioned that she was interested in the Guide (as the result of reading a review in our newsletter). I loaned her our library copy and here's what she had to say: "Spent several hours with the Field Guide. Every low vision person should have access to it. One bonus I reaped was a comprehensive description of major suppliers, what they supply and differences between them. Also, Leibs gave a useful assessment of assistive devices. This is bewildering to the newcomer to the field. In the end, I copied out several titles of Great Books to improve my mind. Several times I've tried Huckleberry Finn and quit in boredom. On the other hand, the Toni Morrison title caught my attention, I've been meaning to sample her. Don't expect to like it, but I might be surprised." She adds that it was also good to know the approximate cost of having a book reprinted in large print, and the major LP companies. Despite being legally blind, her vision is better than her hearing so she reads large print books. Her vision loss is due to glaucoma, so she retains some decent central vision.

I picked up this book for the first time a few nights ago and was immediately hooked. As a legally blind consumer and as Director of Rehabilitation Services at an agency whose mission is to empower blind and visually impaired individuals, I was immediately moved by the significance of Mr. Leibs' work. I read late into the night, and my last thought before drifting off to sleep that night was that I wished that this book had been around 30 years ago -- it would most certainly have saved me and a lot of others who live with severe vision impairment or blindness a whole lot of struggle and grief!

This book is the only of its kind I've encountered. The information, both concisely and engagingly presented, opens a breathtaking vista of literature and learning to the lives of the visually impaired in providing guidance to independent access of the printed word!

This book is NOT another "how to live with a disability" book. It focuses on a very important aspect of life, the ABILITY to read, to INDEPENDENTLY access the written word. Leibs has put together an extensive listing of resources to empower the visually impaired reader. In addition, the personal experiences he shares in the book brought back a host of memories of my own educational odyssey. Like Leibs, I and many others with low vision have experienced much hit-and-miss in the process of learning what we needed to know to gain the access we desire and need to succeed. Leibs has put together all the pieces of a complex puzzle into a user-friendly guide that paves the way for others to learn the rudiments of what it takes to access our literary world!

In my opinion, this book should be put into the hands of every visually impaired child in this country. Leibs also targets librarians with this work, as their awareness of these resources may enhance their own knowledge and skills in providing support for visually impaired consumers. I would additionally recommend this book to seniors who constitute, by far, the largest population of visually impaired readers.

Many thanks to Mr. Leibs for a significant contribution to the education and quality of life of blind and visually impaired people!

This book is the "needle of a compass" for the blind and dyslexic. Kudos to Leibs for providing the best resource guide for the blind and dyslexic I've read! He's not only gathered countless resources and provided those in an easy to navigate format, but he's added his own personal struggles and discoveries that finally lead him to experience the sheer joy of reading. I've placed this book in a prominent location in my office and will refer to it often as it's truly the work of a research genius. Special attention should be paid to the Introduction as Leibs takes you on a poignant journey to his discovery of reading and shares his excitement as well as disappointment while uncovering the bliss of reading. Additionally, Leibs provides a "suggested reading" list with contact information on how and where to acquire these books. Truly, his passion for reading will no doubt inspire your own, whether you are a fully sighted reader or not. Kudos to Leibs! A gem of a book, and long overdue!