Air and Sea Land Books

She's Just Another Navy Pilot: An Aviator's Sea Journal is absolutely one of the most authentic and personal accounts of what its really like to wear Navy wings of gold. Reading this book, you'll be there when she's about to land on a pitching deck... It's an absolute page turner. You'll love it.

This was a great book! Open, honest and to the point. There is no sugar coating here, just straight simple truthful writing. I recomend it to anybody who wants a dose of reality about trans-gender issues in a hostile environment.

I was recommended this book when I shared with a friend my interest in the Air Force and Army. I never read much, but this got my attention. Her discription of life at sea, and all the little things she had to deal with, that civilains never think about on land. The author made it easy to understand her emotions, and her life style. It was an excellent resource to how woman were integrated into the Navy, and how difficult it was. It was facts, and also her opinions as she lived through it. I loved it!

Before reading "She's Just Another Navy Pilot", I knew about the author from Jean Zimmerman's "Tailspin: Women at War in the Wake of Tailhook". I had seen her letters of rebuttal to reactionary editorial in the San Diego Union Tribune, and to unfavorably slanted articles in Newsweek. I knew her name as a successful Naval aviator and very credible advocate of women in her profession. When I received her book from Amazon, I opened it immediately, and did not put it down until I had finished it. What a fascinating autobiography of a most extraordinary person! Loree Draude Hirschman was one of the US Navy's first female fighter-pilots to transfer to fleet combat operations. She describes the early opposition to women in the jet-jock community and the sometimes open hostility she encountered. She details her first deployment, in which female aviators were isolated and ostracized. By the end of that cruise, one had been killed, another grounded for poor performance, and another had turned in her wings. But with perseverence and dignity, the majority of the sixteen women in the pioneer group had succeeded. By her second deployment, female aviators had already begun to find acceptance -- especially after one new F/A-18 pilot won the "Top Nugget Award" for best score in qualifications. (Loree herself earned placement in the Top Ten.) I hope this book will be read by opponants of female aviators. The author exposes the distortion of fact they have presented to the public. Yet she is refreshingly frank about problems which still exist in the gender-integrated Navy. I hope her book will be read by aspiring pilots in search of a role model. Her descriptions of flying and the flight deck are vivid, and make the reader feel right there with her. And her pride in her Naval service is inspiring, even though she relates her accomplishments with modesty.

While books like Jarhead become best-sellers, this
well-written account of a female navy pilot has remained
hidden from the mass market. And that's our loss.

Loree Draude Hirschman, daughter of a Marine general,
joined the aircraft carrier Lincoln as an S-3 pilot, and thereby made history. That year the Lincoln was the first West Coast based ship to depart with an integrated male-female crew. Hirschman flew jets off the deck of the carrier and brought them back -- a test of skill and professionalism. And she describes, in detail, life aboard a carrier, where the frustrations come more from living under a microscope than from battling with the enemy.

She probably pays more attention to details a woman would notice -- and enjoy reading about. For example, pilots work crazy hours, yet the mess officer was adamant that no cereal would be distributed after 10:30 AM! Four women in a cramped stateroom have to work to get along, especially when one brings her "boyfriend" home, in defiance of the rules.

Hirschman was ideally suited for her role. She knew how to be one of the boys and she genuinely enjoyed navy life. She has moments of doubt and despair, but overall she cares about her crew and manages to make a tough situation seem easy. I suspect she left only when her husband became medically disqualified; otherwise she'd probably be on her way too becoming an Admiral.

This book has been checked out from the library at least 10 times before we found a copy of our own. We also have another David Peters favorite in "Strange Creatures", and can't wait to get a copy of our own. I only wish that someone would put out a new edition of the books, so we could get them new. With the scale pictures, and the wonderful drawings, it keeps our 8 year old reading for hours (and it has since she was 5). If you get a chance to get your hands on one, grab it.

This incredible book first caught my eye in the school library when I was in 4th grade; this same book is now found fascinating by my children ages 6 and 7. The illustrations are beautiful and the text is written in a way that even a young reader would understand. I find it really saddening that the book is out of print, because I would really like to replace the well-worn copy that I have handed down to my kids. Trust me, this is a book that you can certainly pass down for future generations to enjoy (no exageration)!!!!

This is a book that transcends generational barriers and age barriers in language and content. I got this book when I was eight and the way Peters fluidly coalesced extinct and extant creatures into one book influenced my entire outlook on life! I still refer to the book in university now that I'm an ecology major.

This book, although texted for the 10-15 yer old reader, is excellent enough to be enjoyed by readers of all ages. It briefly examines all manner of large creatures, both extinct and living, and by full-color, scaled drawings, with a man and and woman for visualization, shows how truly huge such things as apatosaurs and blue whales really could be. One of the interesting features is that each and every creature is drawn in the same scale, so such things as triceratops and modern rhinos, and mammoths and elephants and tyrannosaurs, may be compared. You will receive some surprises. I recommend this book to all readers.

When my boys were in grade school, they LOVED this book. Now they are in high school and college and they still love it! It is filled with wonderful illustrations drawn to scale and an informative easy to read text. A delightful book for all ages.

My son has LOTS of dinosaur books, and this one is by far the best. At first, I was disapointed at its smaller-than-usual dimensions, but then I realized it was a GOOD thing! It's easier for his to carry and to look through, and easier on me if I have to shlep it to a restaurant. I can't recommend this highly enough.

When I bought this book I think it would be so and so. Now imagen this, a book that blasts all other books millions of miles away. I loved the book it tells you about not only but "dinosaurs" but other "prehistoric creatures", it even tells about dinosaurs that aren't known well. Each animal in this book has a beautiful watercolor suggesting what the animal may have looked like. The only flaws is that the print is tiny, it doesn't go back waaaaay to the time the first animals lived, and it only covers "vertebrates" not "invertebrates." The flaws are only minor to the excellent illustrations. I would recommend this book to anyone is a starter to dinosaurs or would like to know.

I just recently purchased this book so I haven't read it cover to cover. However, from what I have looked over I will say that I am pleased with my purchase. I have just started to get into dinosaurs. It is just a random intrest that I seemed to develop for no particular reason (as I am known to do). Whatever the case I think this is a good starter book. I was first drawn to it because of the format, simple, readable, unintimidating. I am a novice science nerd so I appreciate the books accessibility. It is organized by time period and shows the progression of prehistoric animals. There are photos of each animal that are paired with individual descriptions. It is also covers basic background material, talking about the different biomes, tracing the lines of ancient species, and presenting the various theories for the dinosaurs extinction. Don't be put off by the fact that amazon doesn't show you the cover photo! I know that most individuals like to see a visual before buying a product (I know I do) but in this case I think it is wise to take a chance. This is an awesome book and the amazon price is less than what you will pay in the bookstore (or at least compared to what I payed)!

I bought this book thinking it was complete... and it was! The author describes every dinosaur or prehitoric creature perfectly, he also did an excellent job on the illustrations. This book (I think) is the most complete reference guide to Prehistoric Animals/Dinosaurs. It is hardcover which makes it even better, and it's less than 20.00$. Who wouldn't buy this book?!?! It has the animals in the time period they lived, and it gives alot of information on one animal. It has a color coatted map that tells where the animal lived! The only flaws is that the print is tiny, but that's probably the only HUGE flaw. The author is correct in every sentance he writes! I recommend this book for people that are starting to learn about Dinosaurs/Prehistoric Creatures or others who want to learn more about them!!

Both my boys loved this book when they were about four years old. They'd want to hear the stories over and over again. The art is good, too. Be aware that some of the stories are a little bloody but in all cases the main subject of the stories makes it through okay.

This book contains a series of short, "day-in-the-life" stories of different dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Even my son, who takes his dinosaurs very seriously, loves these real-life-type tales. The authors put human emotions and feelings into the personalities of the dinosaurs, and while I as an adult find them a little silly because of that, my son loves them!

Great adventures. The authors were pioneers in showing a variety of ways and modes traveling Baja's land, seas and skies. I learned from the planning and laughed at their misadventures. After reading the book, I found myself eager to plan my own adventures, hopefully, crossing paths with the Patchens. Their journeys by jeeps, hiking boots, canoes, yachts, kayaks, helicopters, airplanes and other unique modes were proof that Baja offers an exciting variety of adventures.

This book is a must if you are reading any of the other books on the Falklands War. When a book mentions a place during the war, use this book to find the location and other information that happened at that location. Unless you were there this book is a must companion while reading other books on the Falklands War.

Here is an exciting memoir of a seasoned Military man, who had a great advanture before entering the military, then for years with the military rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Learn how he flew missions for SAC, the Strategic Air Command, his memories of the Cuban missle crisis, and much more. Here is what the right stuff is all about. A great read, and once you've picked up the book, you won't be able to put it down.

This is one of the best books made on military binoculars yet. It covers the early use of galilean field binoculars, and proceeds to Prismatic binoculars, covering both ordinary hand held, as well as large aperture fix-mounted binoculars. The author is german, and the book concentrates on german 20th century military optics. French, russian, UK and US binoculars are covered too, but not extensively. Pictures all have german AND english texts, and some parts of the book is written in english. Basic reference material is included, like German production codes, and some Zeiss serial numbers. I have had this book for two years now, and being a binocular collector, I can only recommend this as excellent!.

This wonderful reference book recreates World War II like no other book, battle by battle. The pictures and diagrams are fantastic and present information in an easy to understand way. Historians familiar with the subject will really get a charge out of this complete source. This nifty book of "war maps" will also excite newcomers to genre (history of war). It will give a new appreciation for the complexities of war strategies to those not versed in the practices of war during WWII.

Another Beautiful Book in the Art of Nature Series by the joint effort of Merrell Holberton, Publisher and the Natural History Museum, London. This book focuses on the Life of William MacGillivray, a artist and ecologist who was one of the first to show wild animals and birds as living creatures inhabiting their own environment, rather than as dead specimens. This book is one of the first fully illustrated books of MacGillivray's art. If you are interested in the life of a friend of Audubon, who was a great help to Audubon in editing his Ornithological Biography and beautiful natural history illustration of not only birds but fish and mammals as well, you need to get this book. This book is not just a picture book but a interesting account of MacGillivray's life and work as a teacher, naturalist and orinithologist. Enjoy!!!!!