David Gubernick takes the best photos of wildflowers that I have ever seen. I hike a lot in the forests and beaches of the Monterey Peninsula and have discovered the names of so many flowers I have seen on my way thanks to the great work and effort put into this wonderful book that portrays lots of familiar wildflowers and ones I never knew existed. It's fun to know that when I go out hiking, I can be searching for some of the flowers I've seen in his book!

This is such a great book. I originally got it for a Park Resource Management class while pursuing my Master's degree. This is definitely one of those books that you hang on to after you finish the class.

Wildland Recreation has so many different resources. There are pictures, charts, graphs, diagrams, and my favorite- case studies and examples of research. It is a great reference to use when writing papers or doing other research, because you can go look up the study. Not only that, but at the end of each chapter, all the references are provided, making it easy to search for what you need outside of this book.

Wildland Recreation is well written and understandable. The information is clear and straightforward, easy to comprehend. The chapters and sections are nicely divided into categories. This is a great book for anyone interested in any aspect of wildland management.

This book is well organised, well written and beautifully illustrated. Written by people who truly know the Galapagos Islands and all that exists there, including landings and information on what one can expect to see on arrival at any one island. I actually used three other guides whilst in the Galapago this month and only accessed this one at the end of my trip. I have continued to read this book since arriving home and highly recommend it.

I used Galloway's advice to comfortably run the Portland (OR) marathon three times. The concepts and suggested training schedules are unlike other plans presented elsewhere but they make eminent sense: if you want to run 26.2 miles you need to build your longest runs (every two weeks) to distances very close to that. But you don't need high weekly mileage. This book is full of sound information and is unique in many ways for those who wish to train for the marathon distance and survive the training without injury to body or family time. I did not experience any significant performance drop-off after the 20 mile mark in any of my marathons. I hope to use the program again for the 1999 Portland Marathon. (Fred Delgado)

I wish I'd read this book BEFORE my knee injury. Galloway writes as an experienced runner and coach. He provides training programs for most levels of fitness and experience. If you want to run, or continue running without injury, take the time to read this book.

The first section of the book, "Starting," provides a brief history of running, then moves into five stages of running development (Beginner, Jogger, Competitor, Athlete, Runner).

The second section, "Training," considers the physiology of running, planning a training program (including "running slow in order to run fast"), and keeping a log. This section concludes with an discussion about the need for rest and training programs.

The third section, "Racing," talks about how to run faster, how to adjust your pace on the race day, how to handle different lengths of races (these include specific training programs), and how to prepare for a marathon. A final chapter considers issues for the advanced competititve runner.

Section four, "Tuning," presents augmentations to a strong running program, including form, stretching & strengthening, running drills, will power, and a chapter on women' running, written by the author's wife.

The book continues with shorter sections, on injuries, nutrition and diet, shoes, and age issues. An appendix contains references, a reading list, and race pace charts. The book has an adequate index.

If you read Runner's World for a few years, you'll encounter much of this information. But it's more handy in one place. Don't pass on this book, your knees will never forgive you....

I have recommended this book to at least 15 people who have expressed an interest in starting to run or just to learn more about running. I don't know of any other book that covers so clearly and to the point what most runners need and want to know. Everything from starting to run all the way through the marathon. I can't tell you how many times I return to Jeff's book to refresh or re-learn the material. The book is written for any level of runner...there is something for each person. I am always amazed at how I can go back to this book and uncover one more idea/tactic for running that produces a tangible difference. I love the sport of running. Jeff's book, although published some time ago, continues to be the sole source for myself and for those that I come in contact with when the subject is running. As a corporate trainer, I know the importance of having a solid source for workshops I facilitate...get the book and I think you will also understand why I feel so strongly about the power of its content!

This glossy covered handbook is a treasure trove of information aimed at the beginner and amatuer astronomer. The quality of the production is what impressives me most. Wonderful diagrams and photographs throughout compliment informative text. The sky charts are easily accessible and make for a ready reference when identifying constellations. The other chapters include "Skywatching through the ages", "Stars and Galaxies", "Skywatching tools and techniques", "Understanding the changing sky", "A tour of the solar system" and "Probing the universe". This book would make an ideal gift for persons just starting out in astronomy, as well as the more experienced. Highly recommended and a bargain price to boot.

This richly illustrated and clearly written book is a pleasure to read. Its author, David Levy, (discoverer of many comets, including Shoemaker-Levy which impacted Jupiter in 1994)is one of the great amauteur astronmers, and communicates his love of the heavens well. The star charts are done by Wil Tirion, the foremost celestial cartographer and author of many important sky atlases.

The book itself starts with a valuable historical perspective, discussing ancient astronomy and classical and modern astronomers. It progresses through a presentation of our place in the solar system and the universe, and discussons of planetary and deep sky objects. Various types of instruments for observing are also discussed. Finally, there is a section on each of the constellations, and the objects within them, enriched by historical information and even a guide to pronouncing some of the Arabic and Latin tongue-twisters one encounters.

The quality of the publication is first-rate. The illustrations range from ancient Chinese star charts through medievil earth-centric maps to images from the Hubble space telescope.

This is a book that will capture your interest, and supply many hours of pleasurable perusing on cloudy nights. The only drawback it that its hardcover, fairly thick format makes it less that ideal for the field.

I just bought this book and found it very easy to read, as well as helpful with using my brand new telescope.
It starts off by giving a very entertaing general history of astronomy, with plenty of illustrations.
It then covers astronomy concepts, such as star types, azimuth, etc. Also included is a section on telescopes.
Then it has 12 or so full scale maps of the sky, for every time of the year in both southern and northern hemispheres.
The best section is the constellation section. It has at least one page for each constellation, with a map showing a detalied view of it and surrounding stars/clusters/galaxies. It gives the history of the constellation, other interesting objects to look for nearby, and a photograph showing what the constellation really looks like (without the lines connecting the stars). Very helpful.

Being a birder in India where we have Dr. Salim Ali's field guide, this book by Sibley is easily a monumental work. It will be helpful to most bird enthusiasts. Since many of the bird species in North America are new to me, this book should help me with the necessary facts for identification.

I find the illustations involving both flying and sitting postures to bring out their colors and also the features of juveniles as great ideas and extremely helpful.

However, I would've also preferred a table of the most common subspecies/ species based on a particular striking feature of a bird, e.g: long tail, legs, color, etc. and based on the comparison of the size with respect to common birds like sparrow, crow, raven, etc. Also, the comparison of sizes with the most common birds could've been mentioned under the particulars of each bird. This would've helped the beginnners to use this book more efficiently as a field guide to identify a bird since the most striking feature of a bird is the one which is usually seen first. This approach by Dr. Salim Ali in his book in India is very useful.

No doubt, Sibley has done an excellent job in doing all the paintings which is not easy. Thanks to Sibley.

I fell in love with this book the moment I picked it up and opened it. The pictures of every type of plumage and sexes were great in helping to more accurately identify different birds, however the lack of information on these birds disappointed me. I still have to use my husbands other two bird books "National Geographic Birds of North America, Vol. 3" and The Birders Handbook: A field guide to the natural history of North American birds". The Birders handbook has much needed information about such things like nesting, number of broodes, food types, etc. The information in the Sibley Guide mostly compares one species with another. Don't get me wrong this book is wonderful and is my favorite but I recommend buying another book as well if you want more in depth information about birds and their lifestyles.

David Sibley has written an excellent field guide. This book surpasses National Geographic's "Field Guide to Birds of North America" and the Peterson's Series of Bird Guides. It includes a greater number of illustrations and portrays more of the various ages of the birds. One has to appreciate the flight views of the many birds.

The colors of the illustrations are excellent. This corrects one compliant of the 3rd edition of National Geographic Field Guide. Advanced and beginning birders will benefit from the examples. The range maps have been adjusted in several cases. Sibley has taken great care in producing the most up-to-date field guide.

The accompanying text is very informative. It is packed with information about each species. Sibley "Guide to Birds" definitely shows that years were taken to produce this comprehensive reference.

If there is a downside, this book is heavy. Many pages were required to incorporate all the interesting and informative information contained in this fabulous book!

Sibley has set a new standard in Bird Field Guides. It will be years before this book is surpassed. Sibley's "Guide to Birds" is a must book for any birders library.

The trite things people say to promote a book, such as, "It will change your life" and "You can't put it down", are amazingly true for a book which takes you to the depths of serious issues of philosophy, language, anthropology and the analysis of empirical scientific methods. Abram is a magnificent writer, carrying you along smoothly with the consistency and clarity of his vision and the perfectly fitting poetic expression of that vision. I bought this book for my son who studies philosophy, read it for myself as a long-time student of language and culture, decided my son the physicist must read it too and kept thinking of more and more people I know who should read it. Abram's ability to connect seemingly all fields of study attests to the depths or heights of his message. He often uses the metaphor of a spider's web which is useful in describing the elegant web he has constructed to rejoin us to our living universe. It is also useful to describe the elimination of cobwebs which clutter our overly abstract, mechanical non-lives and disconnect us from our natural instincts. In the hopes of saving our environment, Abram gives us a world view which can add richness and meaning to our everyday experiences.

This book exposes how our Western worldview has evolved to be based on literacy, abstract thought, and separation from the body. By "the body" I mean not just our individual, animal bodies, but the body of the earth and the material cosmos. By removing ourselves from this sensuous realm, we have lost the connection to "the living dream that we share with the soaring hawk, the spider, and the stone silently sprouting lichens on its coarse surface."

There is a paradox here, because this is a book about the drawbacks of literacy and abstract, logical thinking. But it is itself a piece of very well-argued and logical written discourse. However, it works, and not just because Abrams' arguments are so convincing. It works also because Abrams is an artist; he has the gift of using words and imagery that can reach below the logical brain to inspire a more direct way of perceiving the world. The result is a book which is a moving combination of philosophical writing and pure poetry.

Abrams works from a phenomenological standpoint, and the beginning of the book includes a very understandable discussion of phenomenology's history and major ideas. This is the most readable introduction to this branch of philosophy that I have found. Abrams explains it in such a way that you want to put the book down and try out this sort of perception for yourself.

Abrams then proceeds to show how, starting at the time of alphabetization, the western mind began to grow away from direct physical knowing of the world and toward abstract, conceptual representations. Our language became removed from nature, and helped us remove ourselves from nature.

As a counterpoint to the Western use of language, Abrams then goes on to show how indigenous peoples use language as a way to connect with the body and the physical realm. In these oral cultures language "is experienced not as the exclusive property of humankind, but as a property of the sensuous life-world." In other words, the world-the animals, plants, stones, wind-- speaks a language that most of us can no longer hear. Abrams explores indigenous oral poetry and stories to illustrate this entirely other way of experiencing language.

My first reading of this book triggered a conversion, in the sense of that word which means "turning." It spun me 180 degrees mentally and spiritually, from the world of concepts to the world of my immediate perception. I'm on my third reading now and still incorporating teachings passed over previously. It is paradoxical, how this book on a return to "the physical" can catalyze spiritual perception so powerfully.

I read this and loved it. Afterward, it occurred on me that I wouldn't be able to find anything as good for quite a while so I immediately read it again. Sure its about the intertwined relationship of our perceptions, language and the environment. I expected that. What I didn't expect and was very surprised by was how, after reading 80 or so pages, I walked outside and the world looked very different, much more alive and involving than before. I think that maybe after a new kidney or heart for the sake of a transplant, this may be the best present I could get. Its a great primer for folks lost in the muck of analytic philosophy about the world they live in. And for the people that don't care about philosphy, its like a wonderful love letter to the earth. This book rocks. I am anxiously awaiting the next book from David Abram. I've been waiting for about 4 years now. Dave, are you listening? We want another book. Thanks.

This book tells you what Jane Gooddall went through to learn about the animals she loved. It is NOT the scientific account of that research, you can find that elsewhere. It's a fascinating story. I found myself caught up in the lives of the different chimps, wondering what Flo, David, Flint and Fifi were going to do next.

As a student of biology I feel it really narrows in on what it is like to be a field biologist--fascination!

Jane Goodall is such an ambassador for chimpanzees and all other life on this planet. Her hard work, insights, and drive are to be admired! This book is her beginning and a must read for everyone. She is a truly amazing woman!

IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, first published in 1971, remains one of the most extraordinary observations of chimpanzee behavior in the wild. Goodall begins with the story of how she arrived in Africa and her first days there, but wisely switches the attention from herself to the endangered chimpanzees she studies. She not only recognizes individuals but learns their distinctive personalities, describing in compelling detail the smallest of moments that illuminate who these great animals are. Unlike most scientists of the time, Goodall documents emotions and complex political behavior, the social hierarchy and parenting abilities, the aggression and the bonds formed between chimps that can only be described as friendships. In eloquent prose, Goodall tells the stories of these chimps - most notably that of Flo and her family - and will forever change the way you view chimpanzees.

The book contains several black and white photographs of the chimps, a real treat after getting to "know" these chimps in writing.

If you have any interest at all in primates or in animals generally, this is a must-have book.

Once again, David James Duncan captures most eloquently the inherent spirituality of nature. This collection of essays, speeches, and 1 song has moved me just as much as "The River Why", perhaps even more so, as this book is set in beautiful, raw, besieged reality. I dare you to read this book and not be inspired to make your corner of the world a little better, and a little more hospitable to every living thing. Duncan writes that he "became a nonfiction writer--after no apprenticeship whatever--at the age of 40. I did so not out of a sense of calling, but out of a sense of betrayal, out of rage over natural systems violated, out of grief for a loved world raped, and out of a craving for justice." This is the passion that forms this book, a book created in love for the rivers his writing sings for, and anger for the desecration of those same rivers. BUY THIS BOOK!

My Story as Told by Water covers a varied terrain ranging from environmental activism to the virtues of fly-fishing without a hired guide. The book is really a collection of essays (many published in other books and periodicals) about rivers in the Northwestern United States. Duncan shares much of his early life growing up in neighborhoods just beyond the growing tentacles of Portland, Oregon. He writes openly about this family, including his bitter confrontation over the war in Vietnam with his dad, and the loss of his brother. Given such a backdrop, it's easy to understand how Duncan turned to the solitude of fishing local streams to deal with the pain of his youth.

Later in the book, Duncan finds his stride writing about the not-so-bright outlook facing wild salmon along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. You can almost feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he describes their near exit from his world. He sums up the disaster of the salmon run on the Snake River this way: "The babble of 'salmon management' rhetoric has taken a river of prayful human yearning, diverted it into a thousand word-filled ditches, and run it over alkali. When migratory creatures are prevented from migrating, they are no longer migratory creatures: they're kidnap victims. The name of the living vessel in which wild salmon evolved and still thrive is not 'fish bypass system,' 'smolt-deflecting diversionary strobe light,' or 'barge.' It is River."

Duncan opens his heart to the connections he has to rivers and wild fish. But more importantly, he gives us inspiration for making our own connections to those wild places.

David James Duncan is one of those rare writers that leaves you forever changed after encountering their work. I know I will gratefully never be the same after reading this book. I walked into it one person, and upon completing it, was another. His perceptions of the world are so rare that the fact he can write them down with such fathomless talent, passion and care, verges on unbelievable. I only come across writing this powerful once every five to ten years and count it a true blessing when it happens.
The portion titled "A Prayer for the Salmon's Second Coming" should be read by every single American period. In another chapter called "When Birdwatching Is a Blood Sport" he writes, "When wild elk, to remain alive, are forced to wipe out wild salmon, it is time, in my book, to get sad".
This book woke me up to many things I'd slept through. If you are more fortunate than I, and already awake, the words in this book will make your own words even more powerful. Buy it, read it, treasure it, share it. You'll never regret it.

I used this book for an introductory couse on Electromagnetics. I like books which are concise and have a lot of pictures and solved problems because I am not interested in the details which are probably more important to a Physics Major. The sample problems are a must if you want to master Electromagnetics. I found this subject very difficult and also used Schaums Outline of Electromagnetics by Edminister for additional practice problems.

I had this book as my text book in Purdue University. Frankly speaking, most people will have no clue what it is talking after reading it for the first time because this book describes electromagnetism more from a mathematical point of view. From the start it just throws hypothesis, derivations and formulae to the reader and there are few examples, therefore readers without adequate and solid background in maths(especially in vector calculus) will be quickly confused by this book and lose the big picture. This book serves nicely as a reference but if you are not that familiar in this field, I would recommend other books. One of them is 'electromagnetics' by Kraus which is not as mathematical rigorous as this book, but more readable.

It is the most comprehensive book in this area I have seen yet,
specially for the undergraduate Electromagnetics course.