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 Whisnant coined the term the "politics of culture." He provides an application of a theory of "systemic cultural intervention" in this book. Essentially, Whisnant argues that cultural intervention is a process in which specialists work to create change in a community. He looks at ways that positive interventions can bring about positive as well as negative effects. He also provides ways to examine how cultural intervention can be developed for negative purposes. Whisnant is a folklorist, and he examines how wealthy northerners went to Appalachia to promopte folklife programming in settlement schools and festivals. The book is very useful for examining how outside interventionists need to understand the culture and political dynamics in communities that they enter. At times, however, there is a degree of cynicism in Whisnant's writing that seems to emerge from a nativist stance by Whisnant himself. The lines he draws between "outsider" and "insider" are too neat and rigid, and the analysis would be improved by recognition that the case histories that he examines had far more complex issues at stake. Nevertheless, I highly recommend reading this work to understand fascinating aspects of Appalachian history and to consider ways to work more effectively in contemporary communities.

I read this book in college for kicks and it opened my eyes about many things. Moonshiners were not just crusty old mountaineers who wanted to get drunk and have a good time. This book explains how the social and economic aspects of an agrarian sub-culture led to an era of Americana that has been immortalized by icons like the Hatfield/McCoy feud, Snuffy Smith, and characters from "The Andy Griffith Show". Maurer shows how a seemingly innocuous pasttime like making illicit liguor grew from an immigrant tradition to the sport of NASCAR. Anecdotes, pictures, illustrations, and testimony brings it all together. A good read for anyone intersted in a often misunderstood piece of American history.

It's a hardcover, so not the most comfortable field guide to throw in a backpack, but I don't have any other complaints about this book.

Animal profiles are accompanied by excellent color photographs, basic statistics about each animal (distribution, habitat, abundance, etc.), and a shaded map outlining just where each animal's distribution is. Entries for each animal are detailed enough, but don't seem to go on so long that a person would lose interest.

One more gripe: pictures of the animals feet, so that pawprints could be identified easily, would have been a welcome inclusion here. The Simon and Schuster's Guide To Mammals, by Boitani, is an inexpensive book that includes this feature. It might be a helpful second book to get on the topic.

It's an exciting book for young naturalists, too, who will likely get stirred up just by seeing some of the photos (star-nosed mole, northern flying squirrel, big brown bat, etc.).

Essays on conservation, the region, and tips on observation precede the main body of the book. The essays are short and well-written. They should be helpful to anyone who wants to scout out some mammals in the Carolinas, Virginia, or Maryland.

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David Cloud is a [...] leader in the "KJV-Only" movement. I have read this work and many others by Cloud (their contents are all available for free on the web), and they are all deceptive. They use the best techniques of pseudo-science: selective use of quotations, outdated studies, etc. The methodology of this and other works by Cloud is similar to Holocaust Denial, Flat Earthism, UFOlogy, and every other wacky piece of "documented evidence" out there.

Cloud is threatened by the SBC because he fears that many independent Baptists - a group he preys upon with his KJV-Only doctrine - will join the SBC. Once they do that, they won't be open to be manipulated by him, Peter Ruckman, D.A. Waite, and all his other doctrinally-aberrant, sub-Christian cohorts. They'll stop buying his books, and stop sending him money.

Here's the crux of his argument - a study in the 1960s showed that seminary students were being led to doubt their faith by liberals in the SBC's seminaries. These same seminary students must have become SBC pastors, and are still out there, preaching liberalism in the SBC.

Nonsense. The SBC definitively rejected any form of liberalism; their 2000 Baptist Faith and Message is so conversative that it's better labeled "Fundamentalist" than "Evangelical." Liberals have opted out - they're in the CBF. Of course, Mr. Cloud does not distinguish between the CBF and the SBC, and he's more than happy to harp on the CBF as if that proves the SBC is liberal.

The Independent Baptist movement was a failure. It led to nothing but the degeneration and doctrinal decay of northern Baptists. With folks like Brad Phelps of God Hates Fags and Greg Dixon of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple now claiming the spotlight for independent Baptists, it's time for all northern Baptists to re-evaluate their polity and re-join our brothers in partnership, mission, and the Great Commission. That doesn't mean we should join the SBC - it's too Southern. But there are the Baptist General Conference, the North American Baptist Conference, Conservative Baptists, the GARB, and literally dozens of conservative, evangelical denominations that can be excellent homes for our congregations, and help keep us all safe from WOLVES like David Cloud, Gail Riplinger, Sam Gipp, et. al.

As a former Southern Baptist, I can thank Brother Cloud for his accurate and timely report. There are "pockets of resistance" to the liberalism in the SBC, but all too few. What drove me from the SBC was its weak stand on many issues that Brother Cloud brings out in his book. Is this a salvation issue, NO! Is this a seperation issue, YES! Keep exposing liberalism.

Regardless of those who personally attack others for standing for the truth at all costs, David Cloud has done an excellent job in bringing the truth about the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) to the surface.

What is at stake? Many claim that they are following Christ, but yet deny him by their lifestyle. Believers like Paul, Peter, John and others today, including David Cloud love others so much, that they speak the truth. The fact is, there are deceivers among us, and loving others is sharing with them about who the deceivers are so that others will not be lead astray. (Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.) People purchase smoke detectors, alarms, and other protection devices, but yet, don't consider a protection device for their soul. Deceivers are among us believers, but do you know if you are being deceived? By definition, to be deceived you have no idea you are deceived, you believe you are in truth and correct. But, when those expose error and compromisers, people hate them.

The fact is, the redeemed children of Israel in the wilderness praised Abraham and persecuted Moses. The people of God in the days of the kings praised Moses and persecuted the prophets. The court of Caiphas, the high priest, praised the prophets and persecuted Jesus. The church of the popes praised the Saviour and persecuted the saints; and multitudes now, both in the church and the world, applaud the courage and fortitude of the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles and martyrs, but condemn as stubbornness or foolishness the same faithfulness in standing for truth today.

Read this book and others by David W. Cloud and you will be blessed. Most importantly, read the Word of God; and if you love God. (1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.)