Environment and Nature Books

I have spent over 30 years in wildland fire, 29 of those on the line. Most of my work has been as a Division Supervisor or Type 3 IC. This book hits the nail on the head in the fact that the bureaucrats will always try to blame the line personnel for any entrapment/burnover incident. I was in a shelter deployment once and was crucified for it. Of course that's a long story, but I was vindicated in the end. But before that, judgment was passed by those without the experience to know what they are talking about. Maclean does a good job digging into this phenomenon. Blame the dead people is standard operating procedure for the agencies in wildland fire. Ken

John has a very easy writing style which makes it an enjoyable reading experience. The content in the book provides a lot of lessons to be learnt and studied. The issues discussed don't just focus on this one incident but can be applied worldwide. A must read for any Wildfire firefighter from the rookie to the leaders of these men and women. John discusses some of the "Human factors" that contributed to this disaster.

This is a comprehensive review of the ThirtyMile Wildland Fire in 2001 that claimed the lives of four Federal Forest Service firefighters compiled from all the survivors, investigators, government officials, witnesses, and families affected by this incident. The Official Report of this fire laid blame on the firefighters themselves for the loss of there lives, and the report made was taylored to protect upper-level managers and the Forest Service from blame.

Mr. Maclean sorts through all of it and presents a clear picture of the events that transpired before, during, and after the incident where the time of the fire, the lack of resources, communication breakdowns, environmental rules, fatique, failure to follow fire safety rules, and tunnel vision lead to this tragedy. This book addresses questions that were not asked in the official report. It goes onto describe what happened to those in charge, and what did not happen to those administrators involved.

As a result of this fire, along with the 1994 Storm King Fire that killed 14 federal wildland firefighters, this book describes how through legislation the investigation responsibilities for large incidents shifted from in-house Forest Service to unprepared and unqualified outside government investigators. As a result of this political shift an overzealous US Attorney leveled four charges of manslaughter and five charges of lying to investigators about what happened at the fire, almost five years after the incident happened.

Mr. Maclean also chronicles the almost absolute abandonment of the firefightes and survivors involved in this incident, the heartless measures the Forest Service showed to families involved, and the failure of the wildland fire system involving the US Forest Service.

This book is important to all firefighters because the potential exists now for Fire Incident Commanders to be criminally charged if an injury or fatality occurs on a wildland fire incident, and what it may lead to in the future. Anyone involved in wildland / forest firefighting should read this book and learn from it.

John Maclean is an excellent writer and it shows once again in this book. It's obvious he's done his research on the Thirtymile Fire. As a wildland FF who studies fatal fires and near miss incidents, I devoured the information on this fire and the lives lost from the day it happened. I waited several years to get more than just news articles and investigation reports. Thankfully John Maclean stepped up to the plate. This read has been fascinating and educational. Most importantly, this is not just a book about a fire or mistakes made at a fire. This book is about four "kids" who lost their lives while living out their dream.

I am a helicopter pilot who was sitting on the ramp at the smoke jumper base in Winthrop the day this tragedy happened. This story is very real to me. I personally saw how the forest service screwed up, at least from an aviation (or lack thereof) standpoint. Maclean could have been more harsh on the management of that fire, in my opinion. Otherwise a good story with enough technical stuff to appeal to firefighters, and drama to appeal to the general public.

This is a superlative book; I recommend anyone living in the USA to read it. It is short, but each sentence is informative, there are no wasted words, no fat. It is scientifically and historically acurate to the smallest detail, but never dry. Outwater's writing style is flowing and musical, and each sentence takes you further and deeper into an Alice-in-Wonderland journey of the magic and marvel of each of the ecosytems she describes. She uses water as the vehicle for each journey, from molecules to the ocean. She describes the balances of Nature and how humans have fit in, or destroyed, these balances. I am a longtime outdoorsman, photographer, and conservationist, and had thought I was reasonably observant. But reading this book was like having a film removed from my eyes and being fitted with ultra-acute vision and hightened understanding and appreciation of our history and environment.

Water....
I have never read a book like this before, that brought me to an element and made me know it and feel it and understand what it is, how it is all about us....our changes made to water, our actions and consequences. Exceptional writing...leaves you somewhere between lost in imaging and mining your soul. Highly recommended !

This book is a must read for everyone. It was well documented and interesting, covering a lot of information in a small, easily read book. It's the type of book that should be used in classrooms as required reading, for it promotes a greater understanding of our world.

Many of the books on the increasingly common water shortages spend a great deal of their time listing mind numbing statistics. This author is authoritative but has the sense to pick a few key reasons why our entire US water infrastructure needs the help of nature. Beavers and prairie dogs may be what we need, at least in this country, to improve the percolating powers of the earth to clean what science alone cannot remove from our water. This is one of the few books in this area that is readable by anyone over mid-teens. I highly recommend this book for a history of why the Clean Water Act is not enough.

This book opens one's eyes about water, the way the water cycle was before the continent was despoiled, little things like water percolating through leaves and big things like the beaver dams constructed by 200 million beavers...now, there are 200 million people! We are ordering extra copies to give away, to inform and to intrigue people in all walks of life.

A more than 8 pounds book will not make you an expert in energy efficiency.It is especially true from an Chinese perspective.It is more or less for facility operators,and everyone knows without top management commitment,nothing will happen,regardless of how many measures you know and are applicable for your facility.

You can find all of them in DOE BestPractices,and you won't have to carry this huge manual.

Buy Handbook of Energy Engineering,or Plant Engineer's and Manager's Guide to Energy Conservation,they are better.

Despite the intimidating name and size of this tome, I found it fascinating to read. It covers everything from light bulb selection to rooftop chiller maintenance. The depth and breath of coverage is amazing.

This is not a hippie guide to backwoods eco-conservation. It is a practical manual, firmly grounded in science and economics that explains different strategies for maximizing comfort while minimizing energy use. In every case, the author examines both the pros and cons of the measure, and calculates the expected payback term. It is so helpful to have a book that is realistic in its treatment of energy conservation. Lots of books outline promising energy saving techniques, none I've read before talk so frankly about the problems you will encounter when you implement them.

Quite technical in many places, the text excels at explaining important concepts that are often ignored in other texts. I have a background in physics, but not until reading this book did I have a good grasp of the operation of absorption coolers or how the spectrum of a light bulb affects the visual comfort of the scene it illuminates. The concise overview of heat transfer mechanisms is more thorough than any thermodynamics textbook I've ever read.

Most important of all is the practical advice that is clearly based on a huge body of real experience. As the book so frequently points out, energy saving measures are useless if they break or are defeated by building occupants. Hundreds of (non-obvious) examples of these failures are given, with pictures.

This book would be great for anyone with responsibility for designing or maintaining buildings of any size. If you are hesitant to pay the high price, find it at a local library. I don't write many Amazon reviews, but after reading this book I felt compelled to strongly recommend it.

I nodded my head in agreement while reading Wulfinghoff's philosophy about energy savings in commercial and light industrial facilities. He distills 20+ years of experience in this field with practical, no-nonsense how-tos to gain energy and dollar savings in a wide variety of facilities and end-uses: lighting, water use, steam systems, space heating, water heating, air conditioning, scheduling, pumps, energy management controls: its all here in a well-written, well-illustrated book.

Perhaps best of all, the author goes beyond theoretical considerations of high-tech efficiency products, with precautions of what works and what might fall short. He also reminds facility managers to be mindful of the human factors that can foil our best efforts. He offers suggestions on how to plan and manage efficiency upgrades complete with information for building operators and occupants, so that the savings persist.

Highly recommended for anyone managing energy use in facilities, ranging from individual buildings to college campuses to government facilities. [I am a local government energy manager myself.]

Superlative!  The ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL by Donald Wulfinghoff is a "must have" for professionals, libraries, facility managers, policy makers, homeowners, and anyone else who is serious about saving energy and cashing in on lower energy bills. It is the ultimate energy saving resource for businesses, industry, and government. PLUS, it will save money and reduce pollution, satisfying corporate bottom lines, policy makers, and environmentalists all at the same time. This book is unique. Highly informative, illustration-rich, and user-friendly, it is treasure trove of everything you need to know about energy efficiency from A to Z. Don't bother looking elsewhere -- the ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL simply has it all. This book will pay for itself almost as fast as you can spot a hot air leak or install an energy-efficient light bulb!

-- Amy Vickers

As an energy auditor I'd almost call the Energy Efficiency Manual a secret weapon, except it has so many good ideas that I can't help but show it to many of the customers and prospective customers I meet. The diagrams are very useful, as is the self contained but well cross-referenced way in which each improvement measure has been written. For example, talking to the maintenance manager of a hospital, we looked at the diagrams of hot/cold deck multi-zone systems while discussing the pros and cons of upgrading a constant volume air conditioning system to a variable volume system. It is by far the most useful book on energy management that I have ever read (well, in the case of the Energy Efficiency Manual, that I have partially read - its an enormously large book!), and the ratings of each of the measures are particularly useful, along with the practical, no-nonsense approach. The book is extremely well cross referenced and Wulfinghoff has covered an enormous body of knowledge in writing the book. As someone fairly new to the field I'm grateful that he went to the effort of documenting and making available his knowledge and 30 odd years experience in the Energy Efficiency Manual.

This is an outstanding volume. Informative and well written, it stands alone but also goes especially well with volumes that offer more detail on the nitty gritty of global environemntal politics, such as those by Chasek, Downie or DeSombre.

That there is a global environmental crisis is indisputable, and the first part of the book gives much relevant statistics: the rates of desertification, deforestation, the collapse of fisheries, ozone depletion, the melting of glaciers due to global warming that threatens the freshwater supply of many countries etc. Its causes are also obvious: too many people who enjoy (or want to) too high a standard of living, a unit of which takes too much input from the biosphere and generates too much waste. The first factor can be reduced by a pandemic such as AIDS or by coercive government policies such as those of China (and India during the 1970s State of Emergency) or by the emancipation of women (which is why the birth rates in Western Europe, Russia and among white people in the USA are below the replacement rate). The second factor can be reduced by an economic depression such as the 1930s depression in the United States and Europe and the 1990s depression in Russia and Ukraine, or a less drastic economic decline. The third factor and the ways of responding to it is the most complicated one, and the fact that this book does not address its complexity adequately makes it far less than what it could be.

I wonder why Speth is claiming that poverty is a cause of environmental degradation. When a Congolese man cuts down trees in the rainforest for firewood and kills forest animals for protein, he is of course destroying the environment. If he were given a kilowatt-hour equivalent amount of natural gas and a calorie-equivalent weight of broiler chickens, the environmental degradation caused by extracting this gas and raising these chickens would be much less - however, he would be just as poor as before. If he were given as much energy and protein as an average American consumes per a given time period, he would no longer be poor, but I suspect that the environmental degradation caused by his consumption would be greater than when he was chopping down the rainforest. You can fight against poverty, or you can fight for the environment; both are worthy goals, but they can come into conflict. There is a reason Kenya's president-for-life ordered all ivory poachers shot on sight. In the United States, a dollar-per-gallon increase of the gasoline tax would do wonders for reducing the consumption of gasoline, but guess whom it would hurt more - the rich or the poor?

Speth is proud of having contributed to stopping the breeder reactor program in the United States in the 1970s as a young lawyer. As they stand now, breeder reactors are far more dangerous than light-water reactors, and the electricity from power plants built around them is estimated to be several times more expensive than electricity from ordinary nuclear power plants. If a concentrated research effort (using real reactors, the construction of which Speth did so much to derail) could address the first shortcoming adequately, and concern about global warming could force the public to accept the latter, wouldn't the world be a better place despite people like Speth? Moreover, breeder reactors can be run in such a mode that they do not breed plutonium, but on the contrary, burn it up: about a thousand tons of plutonium has accumulated worldwide from a half-century of operating light-water plants; wouldn't the world sleep better knowing that it will be burned up and will never fall into terrorists' hands? The fact that Speth mentions weapons-grade plutonium and breeder reactors in the same paragraph proves that he doesn't know what he is talking about. Speth quotes the well-known charlatan Amory Lovins on several environmental-technological issues. No, Virginia, "tripled-to-quintupled efficiency cars" are impossible to make at reasonable production costs; in order for the United States to consume less gasoline, people need to drive less, and consume fewer goods, and/or consume proportionately more locally-made goods (so truckers would drive less).

In any case, it is obvious that the Earth's environment is in a poor shape as we speak, and it would be in a far worse shape in 2050 (I will be 77 if I am still alive then, and my daughter will turn 46) if nothing is done - in fact, if nothing drastic is done. Not reducing the consumption of natural resources (of oil, in particular) and invading countries sitting on top of these resources on false pretexts in order to install client governments there is even worse than doing nothing.

I agree with every good thing said about this book in the eight Amazon readers' reviews below. I have read a great many of the books about our planetary crisis over the years. In terms of impact per page, I think this is the best yet. In just a bit over 200 pages it portrays the threats, the driving forces that underlie them, the transitions needed in our society if we are to overcome them, and a great variety of approaches to producing those transitions. It is compellingly urgent and at the same time pragmatically hopeful.

I'm going to buy multiple copies and send them to friends and relations who need to read it!

A gripping book. Yes..ANOTHER global warming book..but it does link habitat loss, ocean health and sustainability all together similar to Paul and Ann Ehrlich's "One With Nineveh". Comprehensive. My favorite type of "global catastrophe" book. This author is extremely knowledgeable (he should be being a Yale Dean, I would hope so). He is hoping to reach younger people, like myself, but I don't think this is quite the book to accomplish this. It is a little dense and packs a huge intellectual punch in almost every paragraph. I had to often stop and digest the rich text. I loved it but I don't know how we're going to reach young people on these types of issues. The resources at the end of the book for concerned citizens is excellent. The author's experience observing global treaties on these issues is sobering and excellent. Everyone in the world should read this book. But..they won't. It amazes me that our best minds of today are incredibly concerned for us and our planet's future. I find this extrordinary. But the adverage Joe hasn't got the foggiest clue. We're probably doomed. Why did this civilazation fall? Because we were just too stupid and arrogant to listen to the best minds of our time.

At little more than 200 pages (of primary text), this important book is hardly a boring textbook. In a concise manner, it explains what exactly is going on in the world today. I love the author's ability to define complex environmental trends and organize them into useful lists (10 Negative Environmental Trends, 8 Ways to Change). He takes the vagary out of the science that often indimates us from truly grasping environmental issues. Warning: now that you understand, you will feel forced to act.

One of the author's recommendations is for environmental education to increase, so the gap between environmental science and the average person will close. Read this book and the gap will lessen for you. Futhermore is his collection of resources for those inclined to take action (websites, books, etc.). I found these resources an excellent start for all, from housewives to students to policy makers.

Lester Brown et al have written an alarmist book. I grew up during the years when the word "environment" came to have meaning. Over the decades, I have read a number of books on the state of our environment.

Lester Brown et al write what amounts to saying that we are "going to Hell in a handbasket." The truth of the matter is that each age thinks it is on the "eve of destruction." (Don't remember that song? Okay, you are not as old as I am and
you do not remember how seriously we took this matter when this song came out.)

BTW, the picture painted by Lester Brown et al is one-sided. For example, I noted an AP article about the thickening of the Antarctic ice which means that the polar ice caps are not shrinking. The reader may not expect this type of information from this book. If one looked at _World Balance Sheet_ among other books, one would not see this type of driven agenda.

The world has always known people who were concerned about the shape of the environment. Some BCE writers are known.So are we on the "eve of destruction"?
or are we having to make decisions as we have so often before?

The main intention of the book is to show the world's standing last year. It has not changed much since then, yet we still have the same goals and duties, as citizens of the earth. The authors provide scientific evidence that we ourselves are destroying Mother Earth and that our responsibility is to take care of it and improve ecology today.

I have read other books on the subject of the world's state today and it is interesting and frightening at the same time, to see that they were all proffessing the same message.

Each chapter provides statistics and facts from history in introductions and throughout chapters. Stunning information made me realize how we ourselves have caused deterioration in ecology and society. We, as citizens of the earth have polluted the air, causing global warming, shortage of resources and water, that has led to starvation and other disasters. It is comforting that each chapter does not end on a sad note, after presenting disturbing statistics. Instead, authors provide solutions and steps we could and should take to save the world. We have to work together to willfully stop the degrading cycle. Great book!

This book, like none other, has lain out for me a clear picture of the state of our environment. I use it as a reference to communicate to others the importance of modifying our lifestyles to promote a healthier planet, not only for people but for the other creatures with whom we share our natural resources.

I give good marks to each of the scientists providing their viewpoints. Each was thoughtfull and concise in his or her viewpoints.

Since 1984, the State of the World reports have been published, and since 1984 the overall tone has been one of impending doom avoided only by the most drastic of human changes.

If you picked up this book expecting to get an authoritative understanding of environmental and population trends, then you have made a big mistake. This book tells one side of the story- clearly the most attractive as it pulls on that side of us that feels lost in a world we don't understand. If you *really* want to find out both sides of the story, you should search out the counterpoints in scientific litterature. Kudos to you for trying to find out everything about the subject before going on. I recomend Earth Report 2000- a counter publication written specifically in response to this book.

After reading both books I am quite convinced that, as a percentage of all there is to know about the planet, we basically understand as much as we did 40 years ago. The information provided in this book is based on theories that, as a young human race, we can not validate for many years to come.

Read this book for ideas, but not answers. That is unless you are a doomsayer looking for an amen experience- in which case this baby is right up your alley.

If you want to learn more about ecology and the present state of the planet, then you HAVE to get this book!!!! This book is invaluable.

My son has been fascinated with this book. He understands so much more than I gave him credit for. He's only 2.5 years old, but he's EXTREMELY verbal and very bright when it comes to books. However, I agree with the english teacher/mommy that it is NOT for the average toddler. I think a bright preschooler or for the child who is fascinated with plants and flowers, it is quite appropriate. I can see an OLDER child in first, second or third grade getting more out of it science wise, but that doesn't mean that a toddler can't enjoy it. I remember reading books and understanding more and more of the details as I got older, which made it a "new" book for me with each passing year, if that makes sense. I re-discovered the story or read it in a new way with more life experience with which to process it. So with that in mind, I think it's a terrific book overall. I do not find it at all disturbing that a seed should drown or burn up. It's a fact of life that seeds don't all survive. If you think of it in terms of humans, sure it's disturbing, but I think that's a paralell that cannot and will not be drawn by a toddler, preschooler or even a young elementary school child. In my view, the English teacher is reading too much into that and reading the book from the viewpoint of an adult with a whole lot more life experience. HOWEVER, I totally agree that the book ends abruptly, which is why I add my own ending when I read it to my child which goes something like this, "and off the seeds sail in the wind to hopefully become beautiful plants and flowers NEXT spring. The end." I'm kind of surprised nobody told Eric Carle or his publisher that the ending was too abrupt. But it's not a big deal. Eric Carle's biggest hits with my son have been "Head to Toe", "The Very Hungry Catepillar," and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," as well as this title. The rest have been a flop. Luckily we check them out at the library and do a test run on them first. :)

Did you know that the tallest sunflower in the world is 25 feet tall? Well,now you know. This book, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, might give you an idea how that happened. This book may also give your girl or boy a message, that if you're strong you can do almost everything.

I think this book is fine, but not for the preschool crowd. I would use it with older children -- elementary age -- to discuss the life cycle of an annual, the role of the seasons, and the challenges of reproduction which must be overcome by all plants. The Tiny Seed introduces us to many of the hazards faced by seeds and seedlings as they attempt to grow (from falling in water and drowning, being eaten by birds or mice, being overshadowed by large weeds, being stepped on by children, and more) and shows how the ideal environment is a necessity. It covers the role of sunshine and rain, how the seed swells and bursts open, how the plant develops as it grows, and how it produces and disperses its seeds to carry on the next generation. It's not a book for small children, though, since its mostly non-fiction tone is dry, the phrases are stilted, and it doesn't read aloud well. I find it difficult to "cheer on" the tiny seed; where others see him as a hero facing difficult odds, I think the book is too grimly determined to be educational and becomes boring for the youngest child. If you want a book to introduce a unit on seed dispersal, this is the one. If you want to talk with your three year old about the cycle of the seasons, you'd be better off with the Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter collection by Gerda Muller.

I absolutely adore this book! It is soooooo well written! Its pictures are absolutely beautiful! This book is a must for anyone with children! It is just that good! You should buy this book right away! I PROMISE that you will LOVE it too!

I understand the power of overcoming adversity, but as the seeds travel, one of the "drowns," one dies in the desert, one is eaten by a bird...I think it is a disturbing little book, actually. It certainly should never have been made into a board book. There are too many words on the page to keep the attention of a toddler or preschooler. The ending seems abrupt as well. I haven't been impressed with the Carle books I have read.

I like Mr. Glennon's book very much but I did think the writing style was just a little dry. I understand the theory behind "the Tragedy of Law and the Commons," but I think at some point in the future population growth will outstrip our ability to take care of our water needs regardless of laws or rights or where the water is located. I think most of the world is being fooled. Every one seems to be thinking oil and the price of gasoline at the pump. Water and not having it is the world's biggest problem. Some research I've read suggest that the population of the United States could grow as much as another 100 million by 2043. Where are we going to get all of the water for them? This book and others about water are an important subject for any family man concerned about his family and the future. Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

A well written and documented account of the tremendous pressure placed on the Earth's ability to continue to provide water for humans, communities, farmers, industry and recreation. No doubt, many of the Earth's citizens, no matter their country and location, are more concerned with the daily challenges and needs for themselves than for the future conservation of natural resources. It certainly behooves a minority of Earth's people, such as this author, to share information that directly and indirectly will have a serious consequence for the majority of earth's population if positive and reasonable action is not taken to provide for the future conservation of Earth's natural resources.

I gave this book to a friend who just completed an environmental science degree. She said she thought it should be required reading. She learned about some major water concerns in this book that she wasn't taught in classes she took on this same subject. If you are at all concerned about the future of our water supply, you must read this book. While most of us cannot fight the big battles that this issue requires, we can stop buying McDonald's french fries, farm-raised salmon, farm-raised blueberries, etc. Even if you aren't majoring in environmental sciences, read this book. It is an eye opener. We are all going to be affected by a water shortage in the near future. We need to be educated about this very severe problem. Those who control the water will control the world.

If we say "Glennon covers all the ground" in a book about water, will the reader be confused? Let's take the risk, since that is precisely what the author does in this excellent study. From the ways in which water collects or flows on the land's surface to the movement of water deep in the earth, Glennon carefully explains how water accumulates. He describes farm, mining and even water for scenic tourist views.Water consumption has been an economic, social and legal issue since the colonies were founded almost four centuries ago.

The legacy of those early efforts to distribute water to thirsty farms and communities is a central theme of this book. As settlement moved westward, readily available water waned. Contention arose between early settlers and those arriving later. Farm use of water was challenged by mining and industry as communities grew. In the West, as available surface water was used or claimed, fresh sources were sought. These proved to be buried deep beneath the surface - "ground water". Ground water was a mysterious resource to many - it still is, according to Glennon. Although it's known that, like streams, ground water reserves must be "recharged", only a little is understood about the rate of inflow or, too often, the source of refreshment. In a nation that consumes over 5000 litres per person per day, the availability of fresh water is a major consideration.

Glennon presents a string of vignettes of water issues in the USA. The selection process allows him to present a spectrum of issues surrounding water availability and use. Although naturally focussing his study in the West where availability and variations in types of demand complicate an already complex area. The stops include San Antonio, a minor river in California, mining in Arizona and Nevada. The East isn't ignored - rivers in Massachusetts and Florida are impacted by groundwater pumping. A Florida case is most enlightening. Groundwater pumping drained moist soils, putting houses at risk and drying lakes. The lake problem was addressed by re-filling the lakes - with more groundwater!

Nearly every case demonstrates the level of ignorance surrounding how water moves and impacts its environment. The legal issues Glennon discusses air this problem admirably. The law considerations range from "the commons" [where all have access] to those who settle first gaining full rights which followers must adapt to or contest. Western court archives are stuffed with litigation records over access. In too many cases, decisions have rested on who needs the most water - the biggest pump often wins. Glennon explains how the science of hydrography and legal decisions over water are often at best disparate. In other cases the two disciplines are sharply at odds. His conclusion suggests these divergencies can be overcome. A number of compromises will have to be reached. The biggest problem, however, is establishing realistic priorities regarding consumption. The biggest problem is data. Collecting it while water is being consumed at astronomical rates won't be a simple task. The water is running out faster than reserves can be measured. When the USA runs out of water, they will seek it elsewhere - a fact all Canadians are well aware of. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Glennon writes in plain English to warn Americans of the growing danger under our feet. We are pumping groundwater, the gift of fresh and wholesome well water, at an unsustainable rate across the country. Glennon ties groundwater to surface water and illustrates in terms that are as accessible as they are urgent that the United States is headed for a crisis of our own making.

Using a number of case studies, Glennon gives us a glimpse of the American approach to ground water. Throughout much of the US, ground water is considered legally separate from surface water. Within this legal framework, there are few restrictions placed on the use (and abuse) of a critical resource that respects neither property lines nor political boundaries. Indeed, the law encourages abuse with a use-it-or-lose it philosophy to ownership of ground water. Whoever pumps the most wins. Unfortunately, we are pumping so much ground water that rivers, lakes, and ponds across the nation are running dry--ruining many local ecosystems in the process and setting ourselves up for major economic ramifications. With the studies Glennon has chosen, he shows us the consequences of unrestricted ground water pumping for lawns, for agricultural uses, and in support of mining. In every case, Glennon demonstrates that we are doing grave damage to ourselves with our profligate pumping.

This book belongs on the reading list of all high school and college students, regardless of major or course of study.

So just before I went to Honduras I bought Adventures in Nature, and you know what? I found myself borrowing the Honduras Handbook and the Lonely Planet guide left and right. While Adventures in Nature provides an interesting read, it is almost useless as a travel guide. For one, it has extremely limited coverage. For example, I was going to Comayagua and found *nothing* on this wonderful, fairly major colonial mountain town. It instead refers you to another publication put out in Honduras- which I certainly didn't have when I was planning my trip. Further, even for the cities and towns it does cover it provides you with only the very high end or the very cheapest hotels and eating establishments, and not a lot of them. Nor does it contain a listing of essential services, such as where to go in the event of a medical emergency for decent 24 hour care(pretty essential information which most Hondurans on the street cannot provide you with as I found out one Sunday evening), or the number to call if you need to get in touch with the local police, or other such services. It contains NO maps for the towns that it does include--including such biggies as San Pedro and Tegucigalpa. It also fails to provide you with decent information on how to get to one place or another without renting a car--that is where the various busses leave from and go to.

In short, Adventures in Nature may be just great for those looking wanting to read about Honduras, or who are looking to spend $100-300 a night in Honduras while staying in accommodations that make it just like the U.S., but for those who actually want to go to Honduras and have a real Central American experience (or who simply travel/live on real budgets) it is a very poor choice. You can get more or less the same background material and a great deal better practical information in the Honduras Handbook or the Lonely Planet guide. Even being a few years out of date they were FAR more useful. I am only grateful that my travelling companions chose better guidebooks than I did.

I am the author of two other guidebooks in the "Adventures in Nature" series (on Belize and Guatemala) of which this is a part. I was originally asked to write the Honduras guide, but declined on the grounds that I didn't know enough about the country to do a good job. I'm happy to report that Ron Mader and Jim Gollin have done a BETTER than "good" job...in fact the results of their combined efforts are excellent in all respects. Their intelligence and insight come through on every page, along with a genuine affection for the people and places of Honduras. I have been to the country twice in recent years, and my experiences are congruent with those reported in this book. I particularly appreciate the straightforward and honest appraisal of hotels, restaurants, and outfitters, as well as the indepth material about the natural wonders of this underrated and underappreciated Central American destination. Put simply, this is the best guide to the country I have ever seen. Buy it!

For those venturing to discover the hidden secret of Honduras, this is the best guidebook you can have. It's not your ordinary where-to-eat-shop-stay book; rather, it caters to the ecotourist who comes to appreciate the sublime beauty of this lesser-traveled country. Honduras is a land of many treasures, few of which I've had the fortune to explore; but this book has inspired me to go back for more. From the helpful tips and sidebars to the excellent details about the wonder of Honduras, this book will lead you off the beaten path to discover this fabulous country on your own. Don't go to Honduras without it!

So-called Tour Guides, despite fancy price tags, frequently turn out to be worth the dime of that cliche ending in the word "dozen." James D. Gollin's and Ron Mader's recently-published HONDURAS is a brilliant exception. This, I know because I'm an accidental expert on the guidebook genre. In 1998 I logged 120,000 air-travel miles, commuting to various foreign outposts on business-related tasks. My library includes hundreds of travel books containing pretty pictures and little else of substance.

Early in '99 I received an unexpected assignment to Honduras, unfamiliar territory for me. With a mere few days' notice, there was little doubt that I'd arrive unprepared. Gollin's and Mader's extraordinary work interceded.

Obtaining HONDURAS only hours pre-flight, on the plane I scribbled pages of notes which were to prove invaluable. Two weeks later, the paperback published by John Muir Publications (in itself an endorsement) was tattered and torn. Not because it's poorly bound but, rather, as further testimony to the superb quality of this Gollin-Mader joint endeavor. Having agreed to volunteer services for a Hurricane Mitch Relief organization, I met up with others on the same mission. In turn, each tended to leaf through my book during long road trips and cargo flights carrying medication and food to stricken areas. Inevitably I saw impressions similar to mine, attention riveted, pens drawn from pockets containing tiny spiral notepads. Many among the various groups were professional journalists and long-time Honduran expatriates, hungry for reliable data and background.

What's so different about this work?

Care. Detail. Depth. Knowledge. Reliability.

Sudden unexpected paragraphs offer that rarity called Real Insight, the type which inspires well-earned "Ah, so!" reactions. Like, "NOW I've got it."

HONDURAS keeps working for those of us who, since our return, have ordered additional copies. Example:

In February, N. American media skimmed over an amazing story: Honduras' El Cajon power plant caught fire. The inferno took out electricity over most of the country for five days, finally soliciting US assistance in the form of Alabama super-firefighters, who joined Mexican counterparts. Despite my recent return, I had no idea of El Cajon's location, much less what might have led to additional devastation for a population already done in by this century's worst disaster. On page 88, I found a complete summary entitled "Solving the El Cajon Problem." It includes this quote from a Honduran project spokesman: "It's insane... They spent the better part of a billion dollars on the dam, but not $5,000 on protecting the watershed."

Ron Mader is a well-known and -respected journalist. Fortunately, I knew to ask my local retailer whether he had tackled a book on the country of Honduras; that's because I possess Mader's also-excellent book MEXICO. Mr. Mader's commitment to C. American, and his deep knowledge base is further evident via his website Planeta, a nonprofit resource of more than 8000 pages.

James D. Gollin is a renowned philanthropist, writer and award-winning photographer whose far above-average work has appeared in publications ranging from the New York Times to [Rodale's] Scuba Diving.

Together, Gollin and Mader have fashioned a work which we who volunteered nicknamed The Honduras Bible. We wanted to make a meaningful contribution, and HONDURAS made a big difference in accomplishment of that goal. Understanding the country of Honduras, as well as its neighbors, is important for more than humanitarian reasons. Many N. Americans have yet to grasp the following critical political-environmental point:

As the welfare of C. America goes, so too does ours.

I spend alot of time in Honduras and own just about every guidebook for that country. Adventures in Nature is by far the most worn. It is a well researched book and provides countless ideas of places to go for the adventure traveler/tourist. I recently started running mountain bike tours in Honduras near La Ceiba and while setting them up last year and mapping out routes this book was always with me. If you're looking for a hotel, food, transportation, logistics, etc. book you may want to have another guidebook with you as well, but don't substitute it.

What a great job of telling the story of the American Bison and the ecology of the Great Plains! Dale Lott writes in such a pleasing style, the book was a pleasure from start to finish. Having recently moved to a spot in Wyoming where bison are roaming around my house, I wanted to learn more about them. The book delivered beautifully. Buy it!

I searched for this book in my local library to read before buying. After reading it, I decided it was not worth my money.

I first must say I have quiet a bit of expereince with Buffalo since I have raised them for almost 15 years. Actually you could say they have taught me how to satisfy their needs so they don't leave my ranch. My herd started at two animals and grew to over 50 at one time.

I was hoping to read a more indepth description of buffalo biology and behavior. Unfortunately I consider this a rather shallow explaination of buffalo behavior. There are parts of the book that I must agree, however. Buffalo are wild animals therefore are often unpredictable. They are large, fast and protective of their young. A buffalo can kill you very quickly and anyone who thinks they have tamed a buffalo can be seriously surprised.

The author seems to believe that the only real buffalo is a wild animal fenced in a national park. In numerious pages he speaks negatively of ranchers who raise buffalo for meat or other products. Any reader should understand that 90% of all buffalo in the US are privately owned. The original surviving buffalo were privately owned. Governements, both US and Canada have only a small portion of the existing population.

One item of interest to me is how the scientific community estimated the maximum herd size of the American Buffalo. The process is rather shallow in its data and the estimation procedure. Several of the assumptions used in the calculation do not reflect actual buffalo behavior.

Oh well, enough of my critisizum. If you want to learn about buffalo read this book but do not consider it complete or accurate. Search out a buffalo herd and visit it. There are herds in every state including AK & HI. Private ranchers will tell and teach you more indepth knowledge than this elementary primer on the subject.

This is one of those books that should leap into your shopping cart even if you're not inherently interested in the topic. This is easily the best book I've read on any animal, though some books on wolves come close. Given the totemic role of the bison in American culture and history, it's an important book as well.

I'm not particularly interested in bison, and used to see them as dumb cow-like animals you see everywhere in Yellowstone. I now have much greater respect for the animal. I've also learned the answers to burning questions such as "why, if they are both prairie grazers, are pronghorns (usually) territorial while bison are not?"

Lott likes to tell stories as a way to present natural history. This strategy is very effective. He is a professor emeritus of natural history but wears his learning lightly, in part because of these stories.

Lott is also uniquely qualified to write this book. He grew up on the national bison range, so he has been around these animals all his life. It's easy to imagine walking the prairie with Lott, listening to his stories about bison. He tells stories and explains nature as well as Bernd Heinrich, though Lott is less quirky (which could be either a good thing or a bad thing).

Though the book is short, it's pretty exhaustive in its coverage of the bison. He covers habitat, behavior, some other animals in the ecosystem (badgers, coyotes, black-footed ferrets, prairie dogs), relations with humans, and conservation issues.

I don't normally praise a book's production values, but kudos to the University of California Press for making a beautiful trade paperback. You can get a sense of this from the cover picture here at Amazon. The layout and organization, the photographic plates in the middle of the book, and the pictures at the head of each part (group of chapters) look great. It's a pleasure to hold in your hands as you read it.

The book makes an argument for a large grasslands park, probably in conjunction with Canada's Grasslands NP. This argumentation isn't particularly effective, though. If you're inclined to favor such an idea, Lott will have an emotional appeal to you. If you're opposed, you won't get any hard-nosed arguments that will try to persuade you to change your mind. (In either case, I would recommend Manning's "Grassland" as making a more powerful case for such a park.)

Anyway, check out all the other reviews. Everybody loves this book and you will too.

Not just a book about the American Bison (commonly called Buffalo)itself but also just about anything connected with them. You'll get information about herd ranges- past & present, current population estimates (and worries about the future of the herd, and scholars best guesses about what historical numbers might have been.
Dr. Lott writes extensively about behavior of the bison, some of this comes from 3 generations of personal family experience and includes items I hadn't read or heard of before. You'll even find extensive material about plant and other animal life that live with these animals and how many of them are interrelated.
He even covers the human/hunting aspects and their effects on what the bison was/is. Someone out to hunt buffalo might get some hints but the book isn't aimed at them.
If you've ever seen a buffalo you'll want this book, you really ought to consider it even if you don't ever plan on looking them up (That is the skimpiest part of the book, finding out just where the remaining bison herds are today).
I gave $40 for the hardcover, I think the paperback is $11.95, not cheap but a pretty good value for one of the best bison books I've got.

I can't believe it's true, but it was the best book for me in 2004. Of course, I have a particular interest in bison and prairie wildlife but most of the books I read on those subjects are pretty dull and a chore to work through.

In stark contrast, Lott's book is a joy to read. Just because a species is interesting doesn't ensure that a book on it will be. Lott gives these amazing creatures the treatment they deserve. The reader can tell that Lott really enjoyed writing this book. His writing is entertaining, humorous when appropriate and packed with a ton of information.

Eveb if you're not into wildlife, bison or the prairie, I'd still recommend this book. Bison are an important part of the ecology, history and psychology of this nation. Lott reminds us that bison are in our blood.

The book has much information debunking various hazards to mankind and has good examples of real solutions to modern envoirnmental issues. Chicken Little Agenda is a little hard to read because it is not smooth flowing in it's construction. It's a good document but a slow read.

I would like to recommend this book. It covers a wide ranging canvas of topical subjects.

It is written with zest humour and authority. The author holds degrees in oceanography meteorology and engineering. He was worked in all those areas giving him, I would argue, the perfect blend of knowledge and experience. He covers everything from the global warming myth, to nuclear power, nuclear weapons and the US education system.

I laughed out loud at his letter to the IRS.

It is a true debunking of "Experts'" lies.

No scientific training is necessary to follow his arguments and it will give you ample ammunition against the "The End in Nigh" doomsayers.

We are being constantly bombarded by predictions of environmental doom, coming at us from various media and from people with a political agenda. Apparently, anything needed to sustain our standard of living, and mercy be, even extend it to the rest of the world with its 6 billion population - is hastening the destruction of planet Earth.

Dr. Williscroft says, "Not so fast!" His account of the environmental gloommasters needs to be read and digested in the light of scientific reason. Yes, there are problems, but not to the degree predicted. Yes, we can have clean energy, if we are willing to overcome prejudices against nuclear reactors. Their track record isn't that bad. It's well to have some scepticism towards the doomsayers, and a trust in human ingenuity.

Chicken Little Agenda: Debunking "Experts'" Lies

What a wonderful book! Using scientific facts, Williscroft explains away the would-be dire issues trumpeted by today's alarmists. To my delight, he applies that same good sense to a wide variety of other subjects, including morality and ethics, that are extremely relevant to the manner in which we live.

This is a "must read" for anyone who seeks the truth in this upside down world. I highly recommend it.

Robert G. Williscroft wrote an interesting little book, The Chicken Little Agenda. In it he attempts to "take on" environmentalists and pro-government liberals. His methodology is the simple isolated case.

For instance, he takes on the "Green Revolution" by relating the mistakes, exaggerations, and intentional sensationalisms made during the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill by environmentalists and by journalists. Then he relates personal anecdotes from his experiences meeting or interacting with people he lumps together as "greens." Finally based on his personal examples and the Valdez he declares victory over all environmentalists claiming expertise on their motives, methods, and results. Similarly he tackles the greenhouse effect on climate change, the ozone hole, and opponents of nuclear power.

I understand that Williscroft had his own agenda to support and just like the opponents he presumably takes on, he had to cherry pick his research, but his book does a disservice by ignoring true scholarship and validity of research. In order to make neat and clean conclusions, he pretended that all research and opinion was as invalid as his isolated examples. Pretty sloppy if you ask me, which he didn't.

The rest of his book hinges on basic assumptions and isolated anecdotes eschewing scholarship in favor of agenda. To say I was unimpressed would be correct.

That isn't to say the whole of the text was offensive. His experience and his stories are fun and competently written. The book isn't a challenging read, and I was able to finish it in a couple hours. It's just that his title was a bit too indicative - addressing an "agenda" with an "agenda" doesn't do service to the subject matter.

- CV Rick.