I recently purchased three new books on birds, and I did not buy them from Amazon and I could have saved a bundle, but I am an impulsive book buyer... One of my new books, WHERE THE BIRDS ARE, was published by the National Wildlife Federation--you know Ranger Rick and the other backyard buddies--and I do live near the NWF headquarters, and they do have a gift shop.... WHERE THE BIRDS ARE lists the 100 best locations for watching birds in North America outside your own backyard. Amazingly or otherwise, the NWF lists places to watch birds in every state, as it turns out two of them here in Virginia. One of these places is Great Falls Virginia, just up the street. Guess I'll look more closely next time we visit. Each section of the book contains a description of the site including a little map, visiting hours, and other entrance information as well as the types of habitat to be found at the site and the kinds of bird life. At Great Falls Virginia, we can observe Robins and White Throated Sparrows as well as vistors on the Eastern flyway such as the Northern Parula. In fact the book says 34 types of warblers have been spotted in Great Falls. Since the NWF book does not show any other species than the three I've named, you may want to invest in a book with a more comprehensive listing of birds which brings me to one of my other purchases -- BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA from the Smithsonian. I've been a Petersen devotee for years, and love the Petersen Field Guide, but the Smithsonian book is quite good too. It contains photos and other information which will help you identify the birds you sight after you follow the NWF guide and locate your bird site. For the curious, the third book I bought is THE AUDUBON BACKYARD BIRDWATCHER and yes, I have spotted the Robin and White Throated Sparrow in my own back yard as well as a few of those confusing fall warblers Peterson lists. Still, our yard abuts National Park land which forms a contiguous chain with the Great Falls nature preserve. So, it's not surprising we should be able to spot some of the same birds.

A must for every family.

"Where The Birds Are" is yet one more delightful installment of the seemingly eternal "Where's Waldo?" concept.

On every page you get to scour the scenery for the birds of America. Question "Where's the Red-Crested Twaddle?" Resposnse: "There it is!" Yes sir! No sooner are you about to give up all hope than you find him tucked away in a cute little baby stroller, misguidedly trying to regurgitate the morning's catch. Darling!

And the scenes themselves are as smart as they are colorful. Whether it's a gritty crime scene in New York or a babbling brook in Ontario (I've never been but I hear Ontario is lovely and probably looks a lot like the picture, but, again, I can't really speak first-hand) or a mesa somewhere in New Mexico, there's something for everyone.

It's fun for all ages, except for the really, really old with poor eyesight or the really, really young who might not grasp basic concepts like "birds."

I highly suggest buying this book, even if you must skip a meal in order to afford to do so. Maybe being light-headed from skipping a meal might even let you enjoy the book more. Who knows? There's only one way to find out.

Whenever I travel on business or for vacations, I try to see the local highlights that interest me. Over the years, this has helped me to enjoy many museums, concerts, gardens, golf courses, and national parks. As an early riser, I often find myself with nothing to do before 10 a.m. on business trips. I am consciously aware that very few places I visit offer good bird watching, of the sort that I know how to find near my home. This volume is a perfect addition for me. I can now plan bird watching excursions as part of these same trips. This will add enormously to the enjoyment I will gain from my travel.

Can you name 100 outstanding places to watch birds north of Mexico? If you are like me, your list is pretty short. This guide now gives me places to look in every region of the United States and Canada.

Each site contains a brief overview, a description of the habitat, the birds you are most likely to see (which includes some fine color photographs to help with identification), a description of the bird life in the area, suggestions for visiting, and highlights of seasonal events. In addition, you get the basics about how to get to the site (driving directions), hours, cost, whether camping is available or not, ways on get more information by telephone and on-line, and the availablility of local motels, hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns. I checked out several places where I had been before, and found the information to be accurate and appropriate. For those who want to make more detailed plans, you will probably want to do more research before you visit, using the references here.

There is also a micro mini-field guide in the back for the birds you are most likely to see. But you will want to bring your own field guide, I'm sure. That's almost as important as a good set of binoculars and broken-in walking shoes. If you are new to bird watching, the introduction also contains useful information about how to prepare.

Conservationists will be pleased to see that the book contains much information about how not to disturb important nesting areas.

Whether or not these are the 100 best birdwatching places from your perspective, I urge you to get this book and use it to extend the range of your viewing. If you are a retired person with the health and resources to travel, this book could add a great deal of happiness to your life.

After you finish reading this book, I suggest that you plan a bird-watching trip to take advantage of this information. Then, go on to think about what else you like to do which might be seen on the same trip. Do some research, and add those activities to your trip. After all, the best bird-watching is often over by 8 a.m.

Enjoy the world we inhabit with our animal friends!

this is a very informative book with both technical and real world useful info, well written

this review is about the english version, though relevant to the spanish as well. we finally remembered to donate it to the salvation army so we would no longer have to read it to our child. pure sap. c'mon, the elderly mother drives to her grown son's house, scales a ladder to his room and rocks him back and forth, back and forth...touching? creepy! read it at the library before spending the cash!

The book is so touching that makes you cry. It goes so deep into details, in exactly how many good mothers feel about their sons. I recommend this book to all mothers and sons because their life will change once they read this work of art. I've read many books but this one is special. I read it to my son who is 10 years old since he was 6 years old very often.

when i was a little boy my mom used to read this tome and it allways made me cry because the mom was sick and to this day it still makes me cry and now im 15. so this is one of my favorite books and i will read it to mi child and he/she will read it to there child. it makes me think about the way i treat my mother. well all i have to say is "i'll love you for ever, i'll like you for alway, as long as i'm living my mommy you'll be" i love you mom

I enjoyed this book. In addition to covering material on the two most famous brothers in history, it provided a good source of quotes from both men. These quotes are good tools to research the thinking and expressions of these two very different brothers.

Robert Kennedy was regarded as being less articulate than his older brother. Be that as it may, he was by far and away the most passionate and deeply moving speaker. His voice was really the voice of everyone; he was the man who spoke for minorities, persons living in poverty and for civil rights. Robert Kennedy provided a voice of hope to many during the last half decade of his life. He was the man who not only climbed the mountain [in 1965], but the man who would later move mountains with his focus on curing societal ills.

What a great book to have on your desk. I refer to it constantly for all the great quotes. It's for speaking and living.

This book is one of my favorite Nora Roberts novels. It is also one of my favorite contemporary romance books. Montana Sky has everything: love, laughter, fear, romance, greed, passion... it doesn't disappoint in any respect.

Montana Sky is the story of the three Mercy sisters: Willa (the main character of the story) who was raised on Mercy ranch with her jerk of a father, Tess, the oldest who was raised in california and thinks Montana is as out of nowhere as any place, and Tess, the middle sister, who was in an abusive relationship and is on the run.

Montana Sky focuses on the three sisters and the men in their lives: Ben, Nate, and Adam. Each man is definitely dream man material, and are very strong characters. The woman are also strong, and are not willing to be ruled by their men.

The book tells about the year the sisters are forced to live on the Mercy ranch, in order to inherit, as stipulated by Jack Mercy, their father. Nora Roberts definitely did her research on ranch life, because as far as I could tell, it was all very accurate. She brings to life the hardships that occur being a rancher, especially a woman rancher, and she also manages to showcase the beauty that is Montana.

This is a wonderful novel that celebrates life. Though death is involved, and in a very grotesque way, it is a novel of finding family, and finding love. I was very surprised by the ending, as I had had no idea who was the killer. I have reread this book many times and enjoyed it more and more each time. The three sisters differences make an enjoyable cast of characters that any romance reader will love.

I bought this book when it first came out, mostly because it was by Nora Roberts. When I started reading it the book grabbed me from the very start and the more I read, the more I enjoyed it. Roberts isn't just telling a story about 3 sisters and their romances, she's giving you the whole package ... the ranch, the ranch hands, Ben's family, the mothers of these 3 sisters and Montana. I fell in love with the characters in this book. As I read this book, and re-read it, I felt like I knew these people. The dialogue is great and the action "cat-fighting" scene had me visualizing it and laughing out loud. And let's not forget about the sexual tension between Willa and Ben, whew! But when Ben learns that Willa is a virgin, he backs up a little to give her some space and the time she needs. What a man!

This book is probably my all time favorite, I honestly don't know how many times I've read it.

My hat is off to you Nora Roberts, thank you for writing this book, I absolutely love it!

Nora Roberts has never dissapointed me...I've read almost most of her books and she always manages to captivate me. This book is one of my favorites..Montana Sky is a truly great book.

The "Women of Mercy" are wonderful characters. Tess with her bold, independent, devil-may-care attitude would have you envying her for her strength and attitude. Willa with her capable strength and her iron will..the way she shoulder every day problems is remarkable. Lily with her quiet strength which helped her survive every gust of bad luck that faith delt her.

Ahh..and ofcourse their men..Ben with his balant sexuality could make your toes curl and Neathedral ways is perfect for Willa's stubborn ways.

Nate with his smooth..charming cowboy ways is perfect for Tess' restlesness.

Adam with his calming, tenderness, and patience is perfect for Lily's battered soul.

The mystery is great..it just keeps you guessing..I do adore mystery but my heart belongs to romance...and mix is a great thing!

I first read this book when I was working as a pre-school teacher (I'm now a stay at home Mom). It was given to me with the warning of "read it to yourself before you read it out loud to the class". Well I didn't listen and by the end of the book I was crying. It is a wonderful and touching story of a mother's unconditional love for her child and how the circle of life continues. I buy this book for EVERY baby shower I attend. This is my 2 yr olds favorite book we read it every night before bed. I recomend this book to anyone with children. Young children love the antics of the little boy as he grows and goes through changes. Wonderfully illistrated. Just one warning: Read it to yourself before you read it to your children, you don't want to be crying at the end.

I just read this book yesterday (the French version, actually!) for the first time. It was a gift from a friend, so I read it aloud to my 7 month old son, and by the time I reached the end I was in tears! I can't believe that anyone could actually find this book offensive or misguided in any way, it is a pure expression of a mother's limitless love for her child. Sure, it's preposterous that a mom would really drive across town with a ladder on the roof of her car to sneak in her son's room and rock him and sing to him while he's sleeping, but I think any loving parent can relate to the sentiment! It's only a story, people! I think this is one of the most heartfelt, sweetest books I've ever read, and I would highly recommend it for children and parents alike!

This book is not meant to be taken literally, as if we are all supposed to climb a ladder to our grown children's bedrooms and hold them at night. The lengths the fictional mother goes to to hold and rock her child are humorous, and are a metaphor for the way many mothers feel about their children. (The illustrations showing the son at various stages of his childhood are also humorous.) When the son, as a grown man, later returns the favor and rocks his ailing elderly mother on his lap, the book takes a touching turn as the love is reciprocated. Later, he goes home and rocks his own son. I have read this book numerous times and have never been able to finish it without getting all choked up. Luckily, my daughter understands. It is a wonderful way to show children the "circle of life" and how love is woven through generations.

Like everyone else who has had the opportunity to read this book, it touched me! It made me realize how precious the love for a child is. It made cry! I think is important for kids my age to read this book, so they can value the love from their parents.

This book is such an enjoyable read. The first time I read it was while babysitting several young children. I did not make it to the end of the book before I started shedding a tear. It is just so touching. It is the best book in demonstrating just how important a mother's touch is and the appreciation that the son has for his mother. He in turn, does the same for her as she ages. I am 22 years old and I love the book so much that I bought it for myself. I too hope that someday it affects my children the way it affects me.

THE FIRST TIME I READ THIS I WAS IN A DEPARTMENT STORE WITH MY TWO CHILDREN, 9 & 10. I CRIED WHEN I READ THIS BOOK RIGHT THERE IN THE STORE. I BOUGHT IT AND READ IT AGAIN TO MY CHILDREN AT BEDTIME AND CRIED AGAIN. IT REALLY TOUCHES THE HEART OF ANYONE READING IT. IT MAKES YOU REALIZE ANEW WHAT IS REALLY INPORTANT. LOVE. IT ALSO REMINDS YOU OF THE FACT THAT THE SEEDS YOU PLANT ARE THE ONES THAT YOU WILL HARVEST. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY LOVELY BOOK. IT WILL BE TREASURED IN OUR HOME FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. I ENJOY READING IT TO MYSELF JUST TO REMIND MYSELF THAT THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS THAN MONEY, JOBS, CHORES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE BOOKS OF THIS NATURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I've been eating "health foods" and taking nutritional supplements for 40 years due to the advice of my grandmother who had a long and vigorous life and was years ahead of her time. Many well-known scientists, among them Linus Pauling, have written of the devastating health affects caused by diets high in refined flours and sugars.

I had never had to watch my weight until about 5 years ago. I started using a low-fat diet and was exercising (I've always been active) like a fiend. I had a horrible time keeping my trim figure, and even though I eventually did lose weight, my body fat was higher than it had ever been.

A friend suggested I try the "Sugar Busters" diet, which I did with great results. Then I found this book and was ecstatic to discover a thoughtful and convincing guide that addressed both my interest in nutritional supplements with my desire to eat a healthy diet, and keep off the fat! I recommend this book highly, and will continue to use it as my dietary "bible".

As a side-note: take a look at the difference in sugar content between the regular and low-fat versions of many pre-packaged foods. You may be as amazed, and angered as I was to discover that the food processors are making up for the bland taste of low-fat products by cramming them full of sugar.

Dr Atkins has synthesized all off the latest research on nutrition and aging and has put together a up-to-date plan to help extend your life and improve the quality too. This is the best book on the subject since the bestselling classic, Life Extension, by Dirk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, from the late '70's. The difference with Atkins book though, is that he cites a lot of credible research that will become accepted at some point by the medical community. He is ahead of his time as usual. The gist of the book is to tell readers what steps they need to take to promote heart and brain health, mostly through diet and readily available nutritional supplements. He contends that many of the most common diseases can be delayed or avoided by following his regimen. This is an important book, a gift from Dr. Atkins to people interested in their own healthful longevity.

I must say that anyone, who has tried this diet and failed, did so because thay didn't follow it correctly. I have been using the plan from Atkins other book New Diet Rev. and have lost 50 pounds in three and a half months. This new book teaches about healthy herbal supplements that further increase energy and well being. If you are a person who has tried one of the propaganda diets from someone who adheres to what everyone else says, then try this one. At least it comes from a man who is brave enough to go against the establishment, which I must say has failed to help anyone be happy eating lettuce or to lose weight, and show his plan which is backed up by researchable medical facts to the world .

The collection is inspired and intriguing. The range of emotions created in readers by the poetry of Emily Dickinson is demonstrated through the variety of thematic works presented. From the humorous (Emily Dickinson Attends a Writing Workshop, and Emily Dickinson's To-Do List) to the introspective (The Deconstruction of Emily Dickinson), to the wishful (Emily Dickinson, Bismarck and the Roadrunner's Inquiry)--each gem is carefully chosen by the authors. If the reader is not familiar with Dickinson's work, this book will inspire a thorough reading of her poems. For those who know her work, the recognition of the power of her work will bring knowing smiles and memories. A note to the previous reviewer: the Billy Collins' poem, Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes, is included in the collection (p. 13-14).

An interesting thematic collection that sometimes is a homage to Emily and at other times (As in X.J. Kennedy's poem) gently pokes at the Emily cult. It seems that almost all poets pass through her writing at some point and at least take a sip if not a full glass. They really should have included Billy Collins' poem "Undressing Emily" which is funny, sad and, I think, lovingly done.

This was informative for the aspiring wedding photographer. It was however a bit dated in both its style and the included photographs. The author needs to write an updated version and include photographs from this decade!

I was asked by my sister to photograph her upcoming wedding. I had been "fooling around" with photography for a number of years and at one point considered becoming a professional photographer. Well, life has a way of altering our plans and I have remained an amateur photographer. But I wanted to do a good job for my sister and produce solid photographs.

I looked at dozens of books and finally stumbled across "Wedding Photographer's Handbook, The Complete Guide". I will admit, the book could use an update, but the basic information is all there.

The first thing I liked is that the authors put all the really important information right up front. They discuss the "Four Photographic Categories" a photographer should address at a wedding such as "Command Photographs" and "Must Get Photographs". The authors also provide the reader with a "Wedding Candid Checklist", which can be used when sitting down with the bridal couple to identify which photographs they would like taken.

The book also discusses how a wedding photographer should conduct themselves during the job and even offers suggestions for how a wedding photographer should dress when attending the wedding. And all of this information is in the first chapter!

Chapter two goes on to discuss the equipment that will be needed. They discuss types of flash units and what types of filters will be needed. There is a wonderful section on the "Five Lighting Choices", which includes easy to understand instructions for correctly lighting your subjects.

The next six chapters of the book divide the wedding into events such as the "Wedding Ceremony", "Back to the Altar" and the "Cocktail Hour and Reception" to name just a few. Each chapter outlines the activities associated with each event and how to ensure you capture these activities photographically. The chapters end with a summary of the photographs that should be taken for the event discussed in that chapter.

The final chapter outlines the "Business of Wedding Photography" and gives the reader advice on building a portfolio, how to let the world know you're a weddding photographer, booking a wedding, preparing the wedding proof book and, most importantly, getting paid.

This book has a wealth of information. There are other more current books out there, but none of them, from what I've seen, provide the level of information you'll find in "Wedding Photographer's Handbook, The Complete Guide".

I would have given this book five stars, but as I said previously, it could use some updating but don't let that stop you from purchasing this book. Take my advice, I've looked a just about every book out there on this subject and this is the book that has it all.

I write as an intermediate amateur photographer (with no intention of turning professional) who is about to photograph my first wedding. The Hurth and Hurth book has over 100 photos of weddings, many of them classy, but I think the photos have two problems. First, many are too small to show important details. Second, less than a third of the photos are in color, and the color is not reproduced very vividly. On the other hand, I liked the extensive text, especially the grey "Shooter's Log"s with anecdotes about things that go wrong at weddings, and the grey "Reader's Note"s in the sidebars with helpful hints.