Environment and Nature Books

Jane Langton is one of my favorite authors. I enjoy both the adult Homer Kelly novels, and the Hall Family chronicles, which are geared towards younger readers. They are all charming and thoughtful reading experiences, and this latest is no exception. I am hoping for a new Homer Kelly soon!

Like no other book, "Drawing Lines in the Forest" gets down to detail on how wilderness areas came to be protected, focusing on five case histories in Oregon and Washington. I saw some of these events myself, first as a student in Oregon in the 1950s, later as a federal land management official in Washington DC. Professor Marsh digs deep into archival sources to tell us how dedicated citizens managed to save wild forested valleys that had been slated for logging. They had to overcome bureaucratic opposition from the US Forest Service, reach compromises with the timber industry, and persuade the US Congress to act. You will read about their frustrations, their wit, and their perseverance. Right now, people all over the country are following in their footsteps with a new round of wilderness proposals. I highly recommend this book to the next generation of wilderness defenders and everyone who loves wild land.

I'm very surprised there were no reviews posted. I read this when I was in law school, probably in 1995, as an optional supplement to our Public Resources Law class, and it made a huge impression on me. I didn't mark up books then like I do now, so giving a detailed review is impossible. One passage I did run across, speaking of the public trust doctrine: "We must press the agencies to acknowledge the trusteeship, and its high duties, as a matter of administrative policy. Officials in the federal land agencies ought not to mince words. They ought to say, with force and pride, 'Yes, we are trustees of the nation's wonders.' Those kinds of pronouncements will help set higher standards and create a climate for principled actions." And, the reason I pulled it off the shelf tonight was because of Ch. 10, "Toward an Ethic of Place." That chapter still resonates with me, 10 or 11 years after reading it. Highly recommended.

Early Southwest Ornithologists 1528-1900 by Dan L. Fischer is a fascinating history of the study of birds and the ecology of the American southwest, influenced as the science was by more practical matters such as the Mexican-American War. An expansive bibliography and selection of maps help chart the course of compiled ornithology over the centuries. Overall, Early Southwest Ornithologists 1528-1900 is a fact-filled sourcebook, and very highly recommended reading for anyone with a keen interest in American Southwest birds and those who have studied them.

In "Earth for Sale", social ecologist Brian Tokar brilliantly exposes the co-opting of mainstream environmental organizations by corporate interests,then outlines alternative strategies and theories for preserving the earth. Activists involved in environmental justice campaigns, organic agriculture and/or forest issues will glean much wisdom from this intelligent book. Importantly, like Murray Bookchin, Brian Tokar does not pit labor against the trees, but instead offers a holistic vision of ecological and economic solidarity, thus healing the rupture between human communities and the land.

At a time when quieter books for children are sadly few and far between, reading Ellen Jackson's EARTH MOTHER is especially rewarding. The illustrations illuminate her lyrical text, with phrases such as "a robe fringed with falling rain" and "placed a piece of summer in a flower's seed." Earth Mother smiling and walking on with no verbal response to the complaints from Man and Frog is as it should be, and my 4-year-old nodded along approvingly. She already knows, as Jackson does, that Earth Mother knows best.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in sharing the beauty and wonder of the world with a child.

This is an excellent review of our last centuries developmental problems. The author examined all the problems now most cities and developing countries have and suggested excellent solutions.The way to go for economy and policy in the biological point of view.

I'm looking forward to using this book this semester. It's loaded with great information.

If you are looking for a book that shows the intricate details of nature and the relationship between women and the earth, Earthcare is an excellent choice to buy. You won't be disappointed and you will finish the book with a feeling of enlightenment and joy.

Who says environmentalists need to lighten up? I do. Jeff McNeely and Paul Spencer Wachtel demonstrate how you can, and should, have fun with a serious and often inaccessible subject. The book makes a great primer for the eco-naive, and a wake up call for the enviro-grinches that take themselves too seriously. Full of great cartoons by John Caldwell and facts you can actually remember. Great for that next one-hour flight with a window seat. Take a good look.