Pennsylvania Books

This review by Ron Pittaway was published in OFO News 22(3):2 October 2004, newsletter of the Ontario Field Ornithologists.

Guide to Hawk Watching in North America. 2003. Second Edition. Donald S. Heintzelman. The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Connecticut. ISBN 0-7627-2670-9. Softcover, 425 pages. US$16.95.

This guide gives descriptions and directions to 460 spring and fall hawkwatching sites in North America. It rates them as poor, fair, good, excellent. Fourteen sites are described for Ontario. Amherst Island is listed under other viewing areas. The Fisherville area for winter viewing should be listed in the next edition. Bald Eagle watching etiquette and viewing areas are described.

Every North American diurnal raptor is described under these heading: field recognition, wingspread, length, flight style, voice, nest and eggs, longevity, food, habitat, and range in North America.

Included is information on watching hawks such as judging size and shape, flight style and behaviour, distance from observer and viewing angle, light conditions, habitat, field equipment, owl decoys, etc. The chapter on migration seasons has excellent visual bar graphs showing the spring and fall migration periods for eastern North America and a fall bar graph for western North America. The chapter on mechanics of hawk flights discusses weather conditions, deflective updrafts, lee waves, thermals, thermal streets, squall lines, and leading-lines.

I highly recommend this informative and useful book. It is the hawkwatcher's companion.

Reprinted from my review in Wildlife Activist, Number 49.
Guide to Hawk Watching in North America by Donald S. Heintzelman. 2004. Paper. Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, CT. $16.95.
In 1979, Don Heintzelman published his first edition of A Guide to Hawk Watching in North America. This pioneering guide (based on his previous guides to eastern hawk watching) provided the hawkwatcher with the two major essentials of hawk watching: information on raptor identification, especially migrating (i.e. flying) raptors, and places and times to observe migrating hawks. A quarter century has passed, hawk watching has become one of the most popular branches of birding, and much has been learned about hawk migration and identification, leading to the need for this 2004 FalconGuide edition. Little is changed in the format from the first edition except that the section of raptor photo plates of the 1979 guide has been deleted. (This makes sense in light of the fact that several excellent raptor ID guides now exist and are referenced here, while none existed in 1979.) Although the format is unchanged, the text has been updated, especially with respect to raptor watch sites, with the number of sites nearly doubled (to 460) in the current guide. Each site account includes a description of the site, how to find it, and a rating for spring and autumn flights based on a unique rating system developed by the author. In addition to raptor migration sites, there are also sections of Bald Eagle observation sites and of other raptor viewing sites. The species accounts include wingspan and length, field recognition, flight style, voice, nest, eggs, longevity (this is new and quite interesting), food, habits, and range in North America.
For the novice hawk watcher, here is all you need to get started or improve your skill. For the veteran, the guide is a good refresher on hawk migration and gives you an endless supply of sites to visit in North America. So whether you are a relative newcomer or a seasoned veteran with a dog-eared copy of the 1979 book, it is well worth the affordable price to invest in this FalconGuide edition of Guide to Hawk Watching in North America. DRK

This book certainly comes in handy to anyone desiring to explore Lancaster county's Amish Country. It was full of useful facts and information needed to fully enjoy this beautuful and simple lifestyle and country. I highly recommend it to all readers.

Very detailed. Other PA guide books are too general and only have one chapter on PA Dutch. This is a whole book dedicated to just the PA Amish Country. My favorite part was the self-guided tour of the Amish farmland (complete with approx. miles, etc.) and the covered bridges! It includes places to eat and stay (including B&Bs). It's a great guide that covers all the bases. I've been visiting Pennsylvania Dutch Country since I was little and this book really gave me the information I needed to get the most out of a recent long weekend there.

An excellent field manual that elaborates on all the mammals of Pennsylvania from the common Eastern Cottontail to the elusive Martin and Fisher. Information includes animal description and photo, reproduction, interesting facts, adaptations, food, habitat, prey, predators, biology, reasons why the mammal is endangered or threatened, and behavior. Each description is in easy to understand language except for certain biological vocabulary. This is a must-have for hunters, Boy Scouts, students, environmentalists, and any interested resident of Pennsylvania. It is especially helpful to teachers of students of wildlife including those training Envirothon students.

Merrit's Guide is a very usuful book for those interested in mammals within the state of Pennsylvania. This book is easy to follow. The descriptions are straight foward and easy to understand. The diagrams and pictures are also very useful. I highly recommend this book.

It is Buber, who more than any other writer or thinker,made the works of Hasidism first known to the Western world. He found in their lives of devoutedness to God, in their holy simplicity a message for Modern Man.
In this work Buber outlines the principles of Hasidism, and provides us a picture of a whole way, not simply of seeing holiness, but of living in Holiness in the world.

Martin Buber recounts tales and parables of previous generations of central European hasidic Jewry to illuminate a life philosophy with appeal for today and tomorrow's interested generations.He communicates his vast love and respect for what he sees as a treasure trove of wisdom and insight into the human condition as found in hasidic lore.This book is very readable and speaks more directly to the reader without the dense philosophical phraseology which makes other of his books difficult to get into .I have heard criticism that one is actually hearing Martin Buber's humanistic philosophy of life with reference to his interpretation of hasidic folk culture.Be that as it may there is a universal self help appeal to this book.Martin Buber communicates the idea of humankind as consisting of free thinking individuals who can shape destiny,"every man's foremost task is the actualization of his unique ,unprecedented and never recurring potentialities,and not the repetition of something another,and be it even the greatest,has already achieved"This is a book that might change the reader's life.

Heirloom: Notes From an Accidental Tomato Farmer is the bestselling book at my local coffeehouse in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is the only book for sale at the Uptown. The author is a farmer who grows the vegetables they use in their savory soups and salads. Last week, along with the tomatoes and red beets, Tim Stark delivered a case of books. I picked up a copy of out of curiosity. I am not much of a gardener, no gourmet, never even pause on the food channel, but found this book to be quite extraordinary.

Did you see the YouTube video of the elephant painting a picture? The elephant holds a brush in his trunk and paints a self-portrait. It was one hell of a great painting for an elephant. I feared Heirloom would leave me thinking `great book for a farmer.' Well, my fears were groundless. Heirloom is a great book for any writer of English language prose.

Tim Stark writes with wit, economy, and remarkable style. I'm a big fan of John McPhee's nonfiction. Heirloom makes reference to McPhee's Giving Good Weight, which chronicled the early days of the Union Square Greenmarket where Stark sells his prize tomatoes. Among the farmers Stark talks to is Alvina Frey, the New Jersey bean grower McPhee described as the essence of that market.

But Heirloom reminds me more of McPhee's 1966 classic, Oranges. The back cover of Oranges quotes Roderick Cook's review from Harper's magazine, "This is a surprising book. You may come to the end of it and say to yourself, `But I can't have read a whole book about oranges!' But the chances are you will have done so... It's a delicious book... more absorbing than many a novel." Substitute "tomatoes" for "oranges" and those same words could be printed on Heirloom's cover.

While the book is mostly about tomatoes, there is a full chapter about the "misunderstood" habanero pepper and a killer chapter about a groundhog in the greenhouse. Most wonderful are the elegant descriptions of the land and the soil, and tender portraits of the people who grow the food we eat.

Take Milt Miller, for example. At first glance the description of the old farmer borders on a broad-brush caricature of the Pennsylvania Dutch. When asked what he likes to do for fun, Milt replies:'Plow.' It is clear, though, Stark holds Miller in high regard, "The damp sensual pleasure of bringing earth to light. The wormy aroma of satiny upturned clods drying in the April sun. That was what turned Milt on."

Highly recommended.

I just ordered this book today so I can't comment on it per se. However I met Tim in November of '06 and spent about a week with him at an Agriturisimo in Cortona, Italy and can say he was a wonderfully laid back, knowledgable and articulate character who had just had his first article printed in Gourmet Magazine. He also has a number of blogs on Gourmet's Epicurious site and has a very entertaining article in the newest issue of Gourmet itself about manning his pepper stand at the farmers' market. Without even seeing it I am sure "Heirloom" is well worth the read. I believe he's been writing even longer than he's been farming.

The Petersheims model family and church togetherness. Nancy and Omar have lively times with Sally and Andrew Fisher. Hemlock Hill Hideaway is engaging, entertaining, lively reading.

After waiting a couple of years to see what was going to happen to Nancy and her family, I was pleasantly suprised to find another book in the Whispering Brook Farm series. The book is relaxing and I really enjoyed reading it. As a librarian, I don't always find time to read, but these books I do! Please take time to read a well written book about the Amish that isn't a joke.

This is definitely the guide to have in your hands if you are touring Philly and surroundings. The author's humor makes it fun! fun! fun!

I've lived in Philly all my life and recently picked this book up off the clearance rack at Walmart. I've discovered places in in the city of brotherly love that I never knew existed. As a lifelong fan of butter cakes, I especially appreciated the tips on new places to go to try out these confections! C'est magnifique!

As a native of the Allegheny National Forest region and a lifelong lover of the area's recreational opportunities, I'm stoked that someone has finally created an authoritative and informative guide to hiking throughout this incredible outdoor resource. Pennsylvania hiking expert Jeff Mitchell is just the man to do it. "Industrialized" Pennsylvania offers a multitude of outdoor recreation and natural beauty that is often a surprise to non-residents, and even to the natives. The northwestern portion of the state is fortunate to contain one of the few National Forests east of the Mississippi, and Mitchell proves that the area features fun for all ages and levels of ability. In addition to Mitchell's gift for natural detail, and the book's usable maps, Mitchell has included many hiking opportunities that are perfect for beginners, or those looking for an easy and peaceful ramble in the woods. There are also many hikes that incorporate the unique natural features or important ecosystems present in the Allegheny National Forest, while a few more challenging backpacking trips make the book a resource for the serious hiker as well. So obtain this book, then explore and enjoy this very valuable and enjoyable national forest. [~doomsdayer520~]

a wilderness roadmap
book review by Chris Lareau

For the million hikers who come to our woods every year, choosing a trail might be a burdensome process, even if you grew up here like I did. Instead of wandering around in the forest, readers of Jeff Mitchell's new book can easily pick and choose at their leisure, ahead of time.
Camera buffs can find out which trails have the best views. Biologists can ponder over the four trails with the most wildlife. Like waterfalls? If you have read Hiking the Allegheny National Forest, Exploring the Wilderness of Northwestern Pennsylvania, you'd know there are five different spots that have waterfalls or cascades. (And I thought we only had a single waterfall! I'm such a dope.)
Mitchell, an attorney from Tankhannock, breaks down 201 miles of hiking trails for those of all interests: for people who want to see old-growth forests (we have some of the oldest in the East), for parents with kids, even for hikers interested in caves, rock outcrops, and large boulders or rock cities. Mitchell even gives his opinion on which places have the most to see.
In spite of its title, Hiking the ANF also includes important descriptions of trails in contiguous state parks (including Cook Forest, the Akeley Swamp, and Chapman State Park. For the first time, someone has finally put all this in one book. The state parks are a tremendous asset and so far they have been grossly overlooked. (A longer version of this review appears at [...])

If you are researching Pennsylvania's Civil War units or soldiers, this collection of information is absolutely essential. This multi-volume work (with companion index) contains not only short unit histories of every unit from Pennsylvania that served in the Civil War, but also complete rosters of the units (or as complete as possible). The information includes soldiers' names, ranks, muster-in dates, muster-out dates, death dates (if killed in action) and location, POW status, and notes on wounds, transfers, promotions, etc. The rosters are broken down by company and the books even detail what counties that the companies were recruited from. This is the single best reference source on Pennsylvania in the Civil War.

My family had LOTS of great-grand uncles in the Civil War and many fought with the Pennsylvania units, so all unit histories, the detailed rosters and the fact that is was printed so soon after the end of the war makes this book a perfect source.
In fact, it has been put online, EVERY page of it, so why buy it? Just surf the web! You can even print out the pages you want!

A valuable compendium of essays from international professionals discussing the substance, methodologies and thematics of human rights education.

HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION FOR THE 21st CENTURY is the essential tool for every individual and organization charged with the promotion of human rights awareness and understanding. HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION NEWSLETTER, Centre for Global Education, College of Ripon and York St.John.