Hunting Books

If I could recommend one book about job hunting to all my students - this is it!

This book gets right to the point and gave me a whole new insight into the hiring process. After reading the section on negotiating I started my new job at a whopping twenty per cent more than the salary range offered! Thank you!

What I liked about this book is that every chapter packs a punch and there is not a bunch of meaningless filler between all the good information. I love the chapter 'Never go to an interview to get a job,' so true. The explanation about empathy is the best I have ever read. Great book Phil Baker!

I read alot of books and every once in awhile I find one where the author has turned an otherwise mundane subject into a creative and exciting read. After seven years in Human Resources I thought I knew all about interviewing and negotiation. Employer Secrets taught me some tricks and new insight into empathy and the art of persuasion. This is one of the most genuine self help books I have read.

Employers Secrets is a wealth of information. Anyone who will be looking for or changing jobs should read Phil Bakers common sense approach to finding and getting that dream position. Empoyers Secrets will be a reference book in my library.

"Grad to Great" is directed towards the "soon to be" or recent college graduate demographic (hence the title). To that end, a portion of the book does indeed specifically target people who have never conducted a job search, have not done many interviews at a professional level, etc.

That said, the book is full of success skills and straight forward career advice that is applicable and useful to anyone from large company employees to self-employed to "what AM I doing with my mid-life crisis" Baby Boomers such as myself.

Co-author Brown indicates a journalism background that is apparent in the text. The book is easy to read and doesn't contain a lot of fluff with straightforward chapters on networking, dealing with difficult people, getting people to listen to you and other subjects that will never go out of style. Included are some of the standard sections on following your passion, knowing yourself and goal setting. I see these as necessary for completeness as the authors are offering a handbook for grads who may not have seen any of the hundreds of business and personal growth books out there that address these axioms of success.

I have a son in college that will be getting this book in the next "care package" from home along with Mom's oatmeal cookies.

Mark T. Rafter, Author of "The Wealth Manifesto" series of books

Grad to Great is a must read for anyone entering the workforce - and would benefit anyone who is currently working and wondering why they're not more successful! The no-nonsense, practical advice provided by Brown and Zefo is spot on.

This easy to read book covers a wide range of information. The Grad to Great spend a great deal of time discussing knowing yourself and knowing your strengths and it is time well spent. It's great advice which applies to all but should prove especially helpful for new graduates. The section on interviewing contains solid information that will improve the chances of getting the right fit during the job search process. The material on how to conduct yourself in the work environment rings true every step along the way. And even the advice about how to leave the first job is important for the new grad to understand and keep in mind throughout the time he or she spends in that all important first job.

Brown and Zefo cover all this material in a way that is both meaningful and relevant. The quotations from various individuals in different professions sprinkled throughout the book also add charm and reinforce the messages that the authors communicate. With more than 20 years of management experience myself, I unequivocally agree with Brown and Zefo's recommendations and know from personal observation that they have indeed revealed the secrets to having success in your first career and beyond. It's amazing that such a great consolidation of sage, work-related advice comes in such a small package. I highly recommend this book to any new college graduate and plan to give copies to my favorite graduates in the years to come!

This book should absolutely be required reading for all job seeking students or potential employees entering the 'real' world: be it from high school, jr. college, college and beyond. It contains a wealth of useful tips based on real life experience of the authors.
Every placement bureau and business school at colleges and universities should be referencing it. It is so clearly written and has such practical advice, everyone can take something useful from it. Plus it's so well-organized that specific information is quickly found.
It's now the gift of choice for all my graduating nieces, nephews, and friends' kids. Excellent!

Grad To Great, is nothing short of great. Authors Anne Brown and Beth Zefo offer advice that ranges from solid basic and practical, to truly sage. More than that they do an excellent job of identifying audience segments so as to provide relevant guidance, more targeted and personalized in its nature.

To gain best use of Grad To Great, my recommendation is, read it during your junior year when its time to start your career research and planning your approach to your career choices. Then reread it again as you prepare to apply for your first full time job during or after college. Also, plan to revisit it throughout your first year on the job.

The results of your actions, relations with others, and your decisions during that first year will set the tone for making that first job a successful step toward a strong, lucrative and satisfying career. And, if you read and apply the advice in Grad To Great you will definitely make your entrance and success in the work place much easier, less stressful and perhaps just down-right enjoyable.

Allan Hay,
Career Management & Development Consultant
Author of: Memory Mining, Digging For Gems From Your Past Good Work

Grads... Please read this book!

I was recently recruiting MBA's at a major university looking for sales people. Throughout the entire day only two students could answer the following question:

"What kind of work are you looking for?"

The answers I received varied from "I don't know" to "Something in marketing I think." Oh how I wish those students had read this book "Grad to Great". The authors take you through a logical process of how to identify what kind of job you want and then how to put your best foot forward for any company you interview with (including how to answer the "What Kind of work..." question above).

As an HR manager I can tell you the chapter on how to answer interview questions is worth the price of the entire book. But on top of that you get guidance on career paths, office etiquette, dealing with difficult bosses and even 12 sure fire career success tips.

The book is long enough to cover the bases but not so long that it is full of fluff and filler nonsense. I loved this book and look forward to many more from the authors.

Thomas Singer will soon be twelve years old. For years, his parents have promised him he could go hunting with the men when he was twelve. His birthday present is to be a brand-new shotgun and an orange safety vest. Thomas's birthday happens to fall on the first day of hunting season.

But Thomas's initiation into manhood is much different that he anticipates. One day, while out walking in the woods he loves, he witnesses a poacher shoot a deer. He remains hidden, only to see an old woman lumber into the clearing, gather the deer in her arms, then murmur to it and stroke it. The fully-recovered deer bounds away. Thomas and the old woman also flee the enraged hunter.

Thomas learns that the woman's name is Emma, and they spend nearly every day together after that. At his insistence, she begins teaching him how to be aware of all living things. Thomas is naturally sensitive and learns quickly. He discovers that he can communicate with, and heal, animals.

Torn between his desire to go hunting with his father or honoring his new-found knowledge, Thomas makes his anquished decision on the morning of his birthday.

The Healer of Harrow Point is Peter Walpole's first novel, and it's engrossing from the first page to the last. It's a "coming-of-age young adult novel that addresses larger issues of spirituality and the connection of all life." Readers of all ages will find it compelling and impossible to forget.

Peter Walpole uses the imagery of a boy on the verge of manhood to mirror for us all the times of transition in our lives. Emma is Thomas' spiritual guru through his journey. Ultimately, the lessons he learns about himself transcend the simple physical healing that Emma strives to teach him. The book is beautifully written and captures the fire within all of us. Although it is targeted for "young adults" I think it will speak more directly to those of us who have already passed through various stages of our lives. This is a book to read with your teenage children to use as a springboard into a number of discussions about growing up and relationships.

This was an enjoyable book that reminded me of similar ones weread for high school English classes. I can imagine a teacher usingthis book to start classroom discussions on decision making as well ason the interactions between people and nature. The book started off a little slowly for me, but after the opening scenes were set, the pace quickened. The story was believable enough, yet still not too hokey as to make it seem forced. Reading this book was time well spent.

The combination of fantasy with real life contemplation of the value of life made this a really fun read. I particularly respected the non-judgmental way in which Mr. Walpole deals with the hunters in this tale and hunting in general. The very real consequences of the loss of a life are dealt with in a creative and thoughful way. I read the whole book in one sitting!

I am a 6th grade student and thoroughly enjoyed this book. Once engaged in this book the action is terrific. I stayed up past 10:30 p.m. to finish this magicial, heart-warming, book.I would recommend this book to anyone with a love for animals, or anyone that likes a believable fantasy.

Highly recommend this to both hunters and non-hunters. Richard Nelson did a great job in capturing the evolution of deer and people interactions in America. An enjoyable book!

This book is the most thorough, most comprehensive, most graceful study of deer I have ever encountered. It deals with everything from the natural history of deer to the animal rights movement to different approaches to hunting and management. There's even a section that deals with the ways in which the film "Bambi" inextricably has altered Americans' views about deer. Nelson is honest about his own biases and convictions; he tells us that he is a hunter and that he believes in a strict ethical code with regard to his own hunting, a belief he learned while working as a cultural anthropologist with the Koyukon Indians in northern Alaska. Despite his strong beliefs, he is remarkably even-handed when dealing with the many controversial issues surrounding wildlife management in America today. I understand much better now why animal rights activists and wilderness preservationists do not always make comfortable allies. I trust this author; he has integrity. I loved "The Island Within" for capturing the mist-ridden world of an island off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, and I loved this book every bit as much. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in deer, hunting, and the animal rights and environmental movements. It is balanced, fair, and majestic.

As a National Park Service Ranger and animal lover I've personally and professionally struggled with the issues surrounding deer management -- Bullets or starvation, which is more humane? Deer abundance or ecosystem biodiversity? Etc. etc. I've also read a great deal of literature spanning the entire HEART and BLOOD spectrum. This is the most accurate, fair, and comprehensive treatment on deer management I've ever seen.

Richard Nelson is the epitome of the professional anthropologist. He walks with as much confidence in the scientific and statistical world of biology/wildlife mgmt. as he does in the socio-political world of mass media, voters, and taxpayers.

The veteran scientist will regard the imagery in a few of his more vivid passages as "filler". These readers should be reminded that if the management of deer wasn't an emotional issue there would be far fewer researchers employed in such capacity. Hopefully they also realize that when Nelson describes tracking a food stressed doe in winter with "...at last I found her at the end of her tracks like a pencil resting in mid sentence," he didn't choose those words to impress an English teacher but to describe to the layperson exactly what it is like to pursue a starving animal.

On the other extreme the animal rights activist may try to skip over all of Nelson's nuances regarding deer behavior, physiology, and biochemistry. However, Nelson goes to great lengths to interject such information at a gentle rate and in very accessible terms.

With sincere unbiased reporting he describes opposing positions on classic bipolar debates. Then with his own arguments Nelson blurs the dividing line so thoroughly that animal rights activist will find themselves whispering "I can see how a hunter could be an animal lover too." and wildlife managers will end up muttering "I suppose individual animal welfare is worth the millions being spent on finding viable management alternatives to the bullet."

To say that this book has something for everybody would not only be cliche, it would be inaccurate. This book has everything for everybody. If you don't believe me, get a degree in Wildlife Management. Spend hundreds of hours tracking deer, thousands of hours pouring over scores of boring scientific research papers, EISs, lawsuits, and "blood-thirsty" calls-to-arms by animal rights organizations.

Or save yourself a few thousand dollars tuition and buy and enjoy reading this book. Allow Nelson who has already done the "BLOOD" work to take you directly to the "HEART" of the dilemma in a mere 400 pages.

Nelson explores deer history, management, and views in a thorough and unbiased review. He takes a personal perspective on values of hunting which will make the hunter and nonhunter alike ponder the marvels of the hunt.

Seriously, and I've met few non-fiction books that I can say that about. I'm not a hunter but I found this book quite engaging. Hunting is only one focus of the book. There is great appeal for readers interested in wilderness and conservation issues in the U.S. Remarkably detailed, intelligent, and colorful examination of deer across the U.S.; Alaska, Texas, Wisconsin, California, New York, etc. Very well-written; not a word is wasted and the whole is beautifully composed.

Being a very experienced recruiter of IT and telco professionals myself, and also having written books on recruiting, I appreciate this book. There is not many books on this subject, and this along with Hodges: Technical Recruting must rank among the very best. Having said that I think the part on Internet sourcing, as well as online screening/testing, could have been much more comprehensive for a book published as late as 2004.

Finally, a book that is focused on hiring technical people. Great read, very informative.

If you want to increase your ability to attract and hire people who will help build the company while avoiding costly hiring mistakes, Johanna Rothman's book, Hiring the Best Knowledge Workers, Techies & Nerds, can help.

The book is full of detailed guidance on each step of the hiring process, from creating a hiring strategy to making the new hire's first day a great one. The book provides templates and examples to help determine the required and desirable skills for a job, identify elimination factors, and articulate interpersonal and cultural fit qualities necessary for success.

Assessing skills in an interview isn't sufficient; it's how people apply those skills and adapt to situations that determine success. So Johanna details how to use behavioral questions and auditions to gain a clear picture of how a person is likely to perform in your context.

Hiring the Best will help you fine-tune your hiring process, make the best use of your time, and increase your hiring success.

Even if you have a lot of experience with recruiting, selecting and hiring technical people or managers, this book can help. I recently needed to hire a new manager. I already knew that behavioral questions give the most insight into a candidate's experience and potential fit with the hiring organization. However, Johanna's extensive list of behavioral questions gave me a head start on writing an interview protocol that our panel of interviewers could use. I selected several questions from her lists that only needed slight modification to work for the position we wanted to fill. Not only did we get a great manager to hire, all of our candidates told us how much they enjoyed the interviews! Several said it was the best interview experience they'd ever had. Thanks, Johanna!

As other reviewers have pointed out, this book goes all the way from first defining the open position through to the new hire's first day on the job. It contains extremely detailed information on how to handle each step of complicated processes like sourcing, handing the interview day, and making a final hire/no hire decision. Admittedly, her approach is very similar to what I'm used to from Microsoft, so I may be a bit biased, but this resonated well with me and what I've seen succeed in my hiring experiences.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's new to the hiring process or who is finding they're not able to fill open positions as quickly as they'd like.

As a hunter I've always marveled at how joy and sadness can dwell in the same moment, that moment when you reach out - with gun or bow or spear - and take the life of a wild creature. But there are many hunters who don't notice or care, and who treat this most awesome and mysterious thing as a sport like golf or car racing. The best part of "A Hunter's Heart" was spending time, so to speak, with others who see more and deeper things in hunting, and who can express it more vividly and truthfully than I have been able to. Each story is beautiful and eloquent and impactful in its own way. I reread the book often, enjoying it more each time, which is the best compliment I can give.

As a woman, and one who does not hunt, I found the essays in A Hunter's Heart intelligent, thought-provoking, and often moving. They suggest a complexity and ethic which underlie a sport often seen as cruel and mindless. They make a convincing case that those who hunt are more likely to respect nature than are those who buy their meat neatly packaged in plastic. The writers voice a genuine regard, even love, for the environment and for their prey. The authors may be more articulate and philospohical than those many of us think of as "typical" hunters, but if we admit that one may subscribe to an ethic without being able to articulate it, may live out a philosophy rather than expound it, the essays may make us rethink the motives and morality of those who take to the woods during hunting season.

This is an excellent collection of essays. The essays are honest, forthcoming, and thoughtful. I enjoy hunting not as a "sport" but as an activity that simply transcends sport. I love the environment, and perhaps this is why hunting is not merely sport to me. This work by Mr. Petersen is rare because it reflects the fact that many hunters do, in fact, love the environment and wildlife more than they love the hunt.

A few of the hunter-authors featured in Mr. Petersen's work don't hunt anymore, because they (like many sportsmen and sportswomen) have reached the "limiting out" phase of hunting, when a hunter no longer cares so much about bagging game, but cares mostly about the teaching of ethics and conservation to a younger generation of hunters. But when you read their essays, you can feel how much they loved the hunt and how much hunting taught them about the need for healthy ecosystems. On the other hand, some of these essays were written by active hunters. If you are a hunter, these essays will make your heart swell with anticipation for your next hunt.

Contrary to the review posted earlier by Mr. Seshadri, this book directly confronts irresponsible hunters. Admittedly, a few hunters do not love the environment and wildlife. Several of the essays confront unethical hunting practices head-on, including the use of overwhelming modern technology in the pursuit of trophy animals. Likewise, one essay condemns the use of live animals merely for target practice, undoutedly refering to the hunting of predators such as coyotes and wolves. Yes, this work is very honest. You get the good and the bad.

I am a 4th generation deer and elk hunter from the Rocky Mountains, and I think this book is a must-read for all hunters. My hope is that our wild lands, and our wild animals will be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations. We will need more conservation-minded hunters like Mr. Petersen if we are to be successful. Why? Because the golfers and couch potatoes don't care if another valley is buldozed for commercial developement. Habitat destruction is the threat to wildlife and wild land. The hunting community must stand up and make its voice heard, and this book is a good start.

This book is a collection of essays on hunting by some excellent outdoor writers, including former President Jimmy Carter. The writers talk about why they hunt. This book examines that question and finds that there are many reasons different people give to that same question. You may agree with some or disagree, but you'll definitely think long and hard about the answers given.

This book's thought provoking essays also force all of us to think about our own carnivorous instincts. Since almost all of us eat meat from the supermarket the book takes cows as an example and asks non hunters if the castration of bulls, the branding, the feeding of them in outdoor, closed in, excrement filled pens and the eventual slaughter of them is really somehow better than the hunter who shoots and kills a deer in the wild? It seems we all live with blood on our hands. But not to let you think this book is simply cut and pasted from the pages of American Hunter. The book also questions trophy hunting and whether hunting should even be considered a sport.

Since many hunters spend a good deal of time defending what they love to do, I would recommend that they pick up a copy of this book in order to be able to answer the question "why do I hunt?"

I am not a hunter. I bought this book out of an intellectual curiousity of what it is that drives some people to kill and enjoy the pursuit of killing. The essays within - while plain spoken, well written and introspective - tend to be repetitive around some common themes:

1) It is no less ethical to hunt your own food than to buy meat in a supermarket
2) In nature, very few animals die of old age anyway
3) Humans are genetically programmed to hunt; hunters are just following their inner, atavistic calling
4) City folk who disdain any type of hunting are hypocritical and should pay a visit to their local slaughterhouse
5) Hunters actually love the animals they kill

I am compelled to agree with most of the above reasoning, although #5 is a tough act to follow. That said, where the essays fail is in their inability to confront the irresponsible hunters who kill just for the thrill of it. There is no mention of the moral deficiency of those "hunters" who kill not for the meat, but for the bragging rights of having shot a (mostly tame) lion or (farm raised) trophy ungulate. Likewise, the authors carefully avoid taking on the barbarism of "sports" like fox hunting. It's almost like these good hunters are ashamed of all those black sheep lurking within their fraternity, although not without good reason. All that said, this is nonetheless a good read that can be enjoyed by all thinking people - hunters and non-hunters alike.

Jude of Doran has heard from his father that the village of Jude's uncle has been destroyed. Everything was burned, with no survivors. They wonder if the Scots were raiding across the border, but there were no tracks. Jude goes off to a neighboring town to buy a new bow and arrows, and returns to find his village burned, and his family dead. On his own, he joins a carnival family that had been performing in the town he visited. Events leave him in the company of a young Chinese woman, Jing-wei, who had been stranded in the country. He hears of more burned villages, and then sees the dragon. Jing-wei says that all dragons are not evil, but this dragon has acquired a taste for human flesh. Jude and Jing-wei go on a quest, and Jing-wei has a plan to deal with the dragon.

The story is told in a narrative fashion as Jude relates his story to a monk who is writing it down with a quill pen on parchment. It is interspersed with Jude's comments to the monk. It is an easy to read tale, and is suitable for older children. It does raise a question about dragons, as they show up in legends in various countries. I recall that one appears in Beowulf.

Jimmy Reuter
2/23/06
The Hunting of the Last Dragon
Sherryl Jordan-ISBN: 0-06-447231-0
"We'll not fail Jude, we'll not fail, said Jing-wei, taking my hand and turning me away so I could not see the burned solider." This great fantasy book is about a young man named Jude who is from the small, peaceful village of Doran. His quest is to hunt down and slay the last dragon because certain people believe it is his destiny. Revenge is also an issue seeing as to the fact that the dragon destroyed his entire village and killed his family. This book takes place Medieval England.
This was a great book because I love fantasy fiction and it really kept my interest the whole time, by adding unexpected events and action into the story. I would recommend this book to anyone, but if you like dragons, adventure, and even a little bit of romance you will love this book as much as I did. As I mentioned earlier I love fantasy fiction and that's maybe why I liked this book so much; plus dragons, to me, are great to read about because of all their power and mystery. In the beginning this book was kind of hard to concentrate on because of the writing. The narrator/ main character, Jude, is talking to his scribe Benedict the monk who is writing his story out. The reason this was kind of hard to follow is because sometimes the story is placed in the past, sometimes in the present and it switches off during the whole of the story. Overall this was a great book for all of the reasons above and if you like fantasy fiction as much as I do you will love this book!

Written down word for word by a monk under a vow of silence, as recounted by the unwilling hero Jude, this is a tale of England at the time of the Black Death, heavy with moral overtones, life's lessons, and insight into peasant life, as Jude tries to make sense of all that is happening around him.
Pity, compassion and a sense of justice compel him to set free a strange fairground freak, befriend and heal her, then together they rid the land of the terrible creature that plagues it. In doing so, Jude discovers how fear turns to hate, greed to cruelty, and friendship to love. As well as finding his inner strength and self-worth, he discovers that beauty is mostly inside and in the eye of the beholder.
Although simply and archaicly written, the narrative flows, carrying one along with the adventure, immersed in the plot. In the accompanying (sometimes bawdy) descriptions we learn a little cultural and social history, as well as what made the mediaeval mind tick. What takes a little getting used to are the stilted, one-sided conversations with the silent scribe who's been instructed to 'copy every word', that preface each chapter - but it adds a certain charm to this lovely, addictive book. *****

I liked this book a lot! If you don't like medieval books, then DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW ANYMORE! In this book a boy named Jude travels to a town to buy a new bow and arrows. When he's there he sees a circus. When he goes into the tent, He sees a man in armor with a great blade the man claimed it was the blade that hunted the last dragon. Next, was a little footed Chinese woman covered in hair, a freak. She claimed there was still one dragon left. Jude didn't believe in dragons. So, he left the village. When he returned to his village, it was gone. It had been burned to ashes. See what I mean? Isn't this an awesome book?!

"The dragon came nearer, its head moving low along the ground, side to side, sniffing. Every time it breathed, it scorched a trail of fire across the earth. Its neck was long, graceful, and glittering like gold. Its wings were folded close against its brilliant body, the wing sections shiny and ribbed like fish fins, the fine bones ending in sharp hooks. The long barbed tail was bent, the bones set crookedly, yet it coiled and uncoiled as slowly and smoothly as a snake. All the dragon's movements were smooth, fluid and fascinating, almost spellbinding in their beauty and their deadliness."

Everyone thinks dragons are extinct--until a fierce flying beast swoops upon the village of Doran, leaving it in flames. Young Jude survives only because, on the fatal day, he went to Rokeby to buy himself a new bow and arrows. Homeless, desperate, and wracked with grief and guilt, Jude joins a travelling fair, where he meets a young Chinese girl, caged and displayed as a freak. Jing-wei, in spite of her humiliating plight, is strong-willed, brave and cunning. She has her own plan for hunting the last dragon. But will it work? What if the dragon lands up merely wounded? Can she help Jude conquer his fear in time to save their world from destruction?

It is Jude himself who tells the story, set in 1356. And this is where problems arise. Jude is an ordinary villager (or peasant) and therefore cannot read or write. Sherryl Jordan's solution is to have Jude relate the story to a monk, who writes at his dictation. Unfortunately, this poses another problem. All Jude's greetings and asides to Brother Benedict are included, which tended to jerk me out of the story because, although they do add background flavour and an extra dimension to the story, their presence felt most unnatural in that Benedict simply wouldn't have been able to write fast enough to get everything down, especially since he would be continually having to refill his quill. But in the face of such powerful story-telling, not to mention the sheer beauty of Sherryl Jordan's prose, to complain about this seems like nit-picking.

I liked this book so much, I ordered another copy through Amazon to be sent to a dear friend, I met at the Redgreen lodge. I am waiting for the chance to see the documentary on most of our PBS stations again. Or Discovery, whatever they show it on. In either case, a good read for just about anytime. thanks, paul

Pack your bags and go along with Kenny as he ventures along the banks of the Mississippi River. You'll think you're right there with him.

I met Kenny and his stories are just as he is. He has a skill in telling stories that makes you wish you were there with him. I would recommend the book to all the people that enjoy the Mississippi river area.

Kenny Salwey's a talented storyteller with many Mississippi tales to tell! I recommend this author to all outdoor enthusiasts, & anyone that loves a good story. It's a MUST for anyone living in a little river town!

Wonderful book by Salwey...took me back to a simpler, down to earth time. Kenny weaves a profound story of man and nature.

If someone mentioned the name of Robert Hardy to you, you mind would probably bring to mind a picture of an English actor with a plummy-voice and tweed suit, who has appeared in countless television and theatre dramas and you would be correct. Many people do not know Robert Hardy's alter ego, the author and man who is interested in medieval weaponry in general and the English longbow in particular. Robert Hardy also has a long association with the Royal Armouries, so it soon becomes apparent that his love and knowledge of weaponry has been gleaned over a long period of time. With these qualifications it is only right and proper that people interested in the subject are more than ready to read what the author has to say on the subject.

I found the book both fascinating and informative. I did however feel that some of the photographs could have been slightly better, but this is a minor criticism and I suppose there are only so many ways that you can photograph a bow before the photographs begin to look repetitive. The book covers every conceivable question anyone could possibly ask on the subject of the longbow the medieval equivalent of the automatic rifle.

The book takes us from when the longbow was first used, possibly 8,000 years ago, right through until the present day. It gives detailed information on how to make a longbow from scratch, showing the tools and material needed. It covers all the major battles where either the outcome was decided by this fearsome weapon, or it featured heavily in the battle and even shows photographs of bows that were raised with the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's ship of war.

I found it fascinating to read about a weapon that virtually every Englishman had to practice using at some point during his life, much like the football practice that many young men religiously attend today. Although in the case of the longbow, depending on the period in history, we are talking about it was compulsory.

Robert Hardy's 'Longbow: A Social and Military History' is elegant, beautifully written. It permits old folks like me to re-live the glory days of youth, when we used to make our own bows and arrows and set out to see to it that good triumphs over evil, whilst enjoying the illusion of scholarly maturity. My wife and I read passages of Hardy's wonderful prose out loud to one another, and time stops - a good thing, at our age.

I read this book for a graduate course in medieval history.
Robert Hardy's book Longbow A Social and Military History. This is the third edition printed in 1993. It is enlarged to include information on the archery equipment found on the archaeological dive from the ship, "The Mary Rose;" a warship from the Reign of the English King, Henry VIII. Besides being a famous British actor, Mr. Hardy is an acknowledged expert on the longbow, including how it is manufactured. He is a longtime member of the Royal Toxophilite Society, which is the society for archery enthusiasts. In his book, Hardy has meticulously researched the history of the longbow, from ancient history through its greatest impact in warfare during the Hundred Years' War; specifically, the battles of Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt. Hardy even has chapters devoted to the longbow's use in hunting and as a modern day sporting weapon. In addition, his book includes a very scientific and technical appendix on all manners pertaining to the physics and ballistics of the bow and arrow, including their material and design, as well as the ballistic effects of arrows on armor.

Bows fall into two classifications-composite and wooden. Composite bows are made of wood and other organic components, such as horn or sinew. Since composite bows are short, the other organic materials used to construct them increase the bow's power. Composite bows were used primarily in Africa and Asia, and were most likely manufactured in reaction to the scarcity of wood in these areas. The longbow, as defined by the British Longbow Society, is no less then five feet long, for arrows of up to twenty-six inches in length, and no less then five foot six inches in length for arrows of over twenty-six inches long. It is a D sectioned wooden spring and not flat, and the limbs are to be made of wood and the bow is to be convex. The very best bows are made from Yew wood. This describes the sixteenth century bows found on the Mary Rose and from all historical indications, those that were in use during the Hundred Years' War.

Hardy opens his book with an informative history of the bow and arrow. In researching the early history of the bow, archaeologists have found arrowheads in Northern Africa from 50,000 years ago. They have also discovered cave paintings depicting men using several different shapes of bows while engaged in hunting. The Romans used short composite bows with their cavalry forces, since longbows were too cumbersome to use on horseback. Most of the Roman army's mounted bowmen where from Eastern Europe and Asia Minor. The Germanic tribes that the Romans found themselves fighting so often, used longbows against them to a devastating effect, which was reminiscent of the battle of Crecy from the Hundred Years' War. In 354 C. E., the Germanic shower of arrows prevented the Romans from crossing the Rhine River and thus, halted their expansion on the European continent. The oldest bow found in Britain is from Somerset. Radiocarbon dating shows it to be from 2,690 B.C.E. The bow was made of Yew wood and was over six feet long.

Hardy next turns his attention to the more detailed study of the longbow's genesis and development in Britain. It is definitively impossible to know when the longbow first came into existence in Britain. However, history does record several historical periods when we know that the longbow, or a weapon similar to it, was used and introduced by invaders of the British Isles. There is evidence that shows that the Germanic longbow made its way into Britain with the invasion of the Saxons in the fifth century. Viking law, from mid-tenth century, required that while aboard ship, fighting men must be equipped with bows and arrows as an addition to their other usual weapons that they employed in their raiding parties. One can still read Viking Sagas of the era extolling the use of bows and arrows as weapons. In 1055, Welsh bowmen while firing from hidden positions on mountain ridges, cut down the Earl of Hereford's Saxon cavalry with devastating effect. This action would be a great lesson lost on King Harold eleven years later, in his defeat at the battle of Hastings. King Harold did have some longbow men in the battle, if one takes the Bayeux Tapestry to be a true pictorial history of the Norman Conquest. Unfortunately, for the Anglo-Saxon army of King Harold, he had to travel very quickly over 250 miles south to engage the invading Normans, which prevented him from taking many archers on foot. In fact, the Bayeux Tapestry is famous for its depiction of King Harold being fatally shot in the eye by a Norman arrow, and thus, changing the course of British history forever.

Chapters three through six of Hardy's book cover Britain's celebrated history of the longbow, and are the chapters most germane to our course of study. It is during the fourteenth century in Britain that the longbow gains its reputation as a force multiplier in battle. In military terminology, a force multiplier denotes a factor, in this case, the longbow providing a technological factor, dramatically increasing the combat capability of a military force. In keeping with the theme of our course in comparing fourteenth century events to modern times, one can easily equate the importance of the longbow to fourteenth century warfare in the same way that one can compare the importance that the machine gun had on early twentieth century warfare-specifically during World War I. The longbow provided the English armies of Edward I, through the end of the Hundred Years' War, a distinct and singular advantage over the French armies and their cavalry forces.

Despite all of the early history of the longbow in Britain, it is Edward I who is the real progenitor of the longbow, as used in battle. Edward I keenly learned the tactics and logistics that were necessary to employ with great success the longbow on the battlefields of Wales and Scotland. He realized that the longbow was less expensive and awkward to use in battle then the crossbow, and with a moderate amount of practice, his Welsh bowmen could shoot more arrows in a given time then cross bowmen could. He worked hard at building a national army. In 1298, at the battle of Falkirk, most of his longbow men were Welsh. By 1346, most longbow men were English. They were well trained, well paid, and could be counted by the thousands. Longbow men where deemed so important to the army that they were given pardons for all types of offenses, including murder, in order to go off to France to fight. Their pay was comparable to that of master craftsmen. During the reign of Edward II, English military prowess was in decline. Although Edward II continued many of the recruiting and logistical policies of his father, his tactical decisions, and those of his commanders, were sorely lacking. He suffered an embarrassing defeat at the battle of Bannockburn at the hands of Robert the Bruce of Scotland. However, the lessons his son, Edward III, learned from that defeat put the British army in good stead for fighting in the Hundred Years' War. Those lessons, learned and used in such future battles as Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt, were insuring good organization before battle and good discipline of soldiers during the fight. In addition, cavalry without longbow support was useless against enemy spearmen. Conversely, longbow men who were isolated on the battlefield without support, would easily fall prey to enemy cavalry attack.

Crécy is emblematic of the successes that the British enjoyed at the battles of Poitiers and Agincourt. It was the sight of the first major battle of The Hundred Years' War and was a rousing success for the invading British army of Edward III and his sixteen-year-old son, Edward, also known as the Black Prince. Edward III had 12,000 men arrayed against a French force of between 30,000 to 40,000 combatants. Although heavily outnumbered, Edward's longbow men were the force multiplier that garnered a stunning victory for the British over the French. The record shows that the English longbow men were capable of firing ten arrows in a minute. Most estimates of the longbow tactics used in the battle, state that the over one-half million arrows fired by the British, easily cut down the French armored cavalry. The longbow, and the brilliant way in which it was employed, were responsible for the lopsided casualty figures of the battle. Although casualty figures are somewhat unreliable, most sources put the French losses at one-third of the French nobility-about 12,000 men in all, against the British losses of 150 to 1,000 total. In the battle, longbow men comprised anywhere from between five to one, upwards to three to one, of the English invading force. Hardy states in his book, and I quote, "They were some of the finest, most highly trained and militarily efficient troops that any nation ever put into the field of battle." So, why did the French when seeing the efficient destructive power of the longbow, not learn from the advantage it could afford them and emulate the English? Hardy postulates a few reasons, such as, the French culture of class snobbery made it difficult for the nobles to accept peasants as equals on the battlefield. In addition, cavalry and chivalry were too hard for French nobles to give up. Another reason was that the French King did not have the power to field a national army in the same way that his English counterparts did. French kings had to rely on their nobles and Italian mercenaries to prosecute their wars during this time; thus, they could not enforce regular training regimens, nor standardized battlefield logistics and tactics. In fact, the longbow reigned supreme on the battlefield until the mid-sixteenth century. By this time, other technologies such as better-tempered armor, cannon, and musketry, overtook the effectiveness of the longbow.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Hardy's book to any serious student of medieval history. Longbow A Social and Military History, is an excellent introductory work for understanding the significance that the weapon had during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It is well written and appointed with plenty of illustrations. The book is a very enjoyable read for anyone with even a casual interest in the longbow or the Hundred Years' War.

Recommended reading for those interested in medieval history, and military history.

Robert Hardy is most well known for his role as Siegfried Farnon on the long running BBC series "All Creatures Great and Small."
However most people are not aware he is an experienced in the sport of archery. Due to the love of the sport and the longbow Hardy has written "Longbow: A Social and Military History." The book takes you through the complete history of the longbow which is fascinating for those who love medevial history. Hardy also includes a section on how to craft your own longbow.
This book is a must read for everyone who loves the sport of archery.

LONGBOW: A SOCIAL AND MILITARY HISTORY follows the evolution of the longbow: a 6-foot weapon with a long-reaching history from ancient to more modern times in Britain. It became the most important weapon in the English military arsenal and won many battles: black and white illustrations throughout chart its progress and evolution.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I have read hundreds of hunting books, and rate this the most useful mule deer hunting book available. This book cotains more practical information that you can (and will) actually use than most hunting books on any species. Many of the techniques described in this book will work on any western or mountain game. The book is written in a very easy to read style and is entertaining as well as informative.

I also particularly enjoyed the photo section in which readers are given an opportunity to practice the "spotting" skills covered in an earlier chapter. I would like to see an entire book devoted to these kinds of "puzzles," as I believe this is a useful way to practice your spotting skill if you don't live where the game lives.

Congratulations to these authors. I hope to see more from them in the future.

I bought this book after reading the other positive reviews.
Now, I am happy to add my compliments to the authors for writing an excellent book.
I am going hunting for the second time this season.
Last season I was completely unsuccessful in locating any deer.
After reading this book now I have a couple of reasons why.
And I am now armed with some great tactics to use while in the field.
Great book, the authors earn every last cent paid for it.
Thanks guys.

Let me start by stating that I am fairly new to big game hunting (deer etc.). I've tried scouting without much succes--until reading this book. THe best part of the book (the main focus) is in helping hunters practice to know how to locate game in the field before spooking them. I've looked at a good amount of books on hunting deer and I this is the best I have seen, hands down. Get it and you won't regret it. P.S. I don't see why this book wouldn't help you in locating other game using similar techniques.

I've been an avid Mule deer hunter for about seven years and I thought that I new how to go about going after the "Gray Ghost". I was wrong, you learn some great techniques on how to look for, find, and stalk the trophy of a lifetime. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves to hunt Mule deer no matter how long they have been hunting.

I liked this book. It delt with "hunting" something that is lost, with todays "buying" a deer. the guide does the "hunting" and the "hunter" does the shouting. The authors did a good job of explaining, through pictures,what it is to "hunt" deer. This is a book that you will review every year!