Hunting Books

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.

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!

When it comes to writing from the heart, Joe Parry has few peers. His ability to weave a story in such a way that it brings out the true essence of our most basic emotions is a tremendous talent, for sure, but it also reflects the hard, agonizing work Joe puts into selecting just the right words to say exactly what he wants to say, when he wants to say it. It truly has been my pleasure to work with Joe for going on three decades, on the many features he's contributed to Pennsylvania Game News. Reading Joes's first book, "Of A Predatory Heart" was a tremendous showcase of Joe's talent, and I'm sure "A Rising Son" will be just as good-Bob Mitchell, Editor, Pennsylvania Game News.

This is a wonderful book, full of stories for anyone who enjoys or appreciates the outdoors! Joe Parry weaves a tapestry of wonderful tales in the stories contained within the pages of this book. Mr. Parry captures the very essence of the spirit of outdoors. His method of writing ensnares his readers, as he writes not only about the outdoors, hunting and fishing, but also of life, love, parenting, and fellowship between men. Fantastic work, Mr. Parry! Please keep them coming!

Reviewed by William Phenn for Reader Views (3/08)

Joe Parry is a Vietnam vet that is also an outdoorsman and a writer. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, son and daughter and writes his stories about this area. His stories have appeared in: Fins and Feathers, Turkey Magazine, Sports and Field, the Pennsylvania Game News, Field and Stream, Readers Digest, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Northwest Outdoors, the Philadelphia Daily News, and the Wellsboro Gazette.

Joe's stories on hunting, fishing and the outdoors cover so many areas of this lifestyle, from rip-snortingly funny to tear-jerking and sad. The tales that Joe recounts in his book are compelling and full of life. He mentions the torment within the heart of a hunter that has returned from the war, not wanting to kill again but missing the hunt -- taking that first shot and how it brought him back. Then there are the amusing tales of missed game, falling out of a tree stand and killing a tree with multiple arrows. The heartfelt stories of a young man's first hunting rifle. Joe introduced his children to the outdoors and instilled in them the appreciation of nature. He tells of his daughter being all excited about going hunting and the excitement of his son's first kill.

Joe does not limit his stories to just the people of the wilderness and outdoors, he also includes vignettes about his pets Bear and Tippy Two. He tells a very sweet story of how Bear saved his life by bringing him his Nitro when Joe left home without it. Out in the woods one day as the pain started shooting in his chest, who came to the rescue but his trusted hound Bear? Joe tells about his other hound Tippy Two, a little Beagle he bought for forty dollars. The story of her death is very sad and gives the reader an insight into Joe's feelings for his animals.

"Of a Predatory Heart" is a great book of the outdoors and it's more than just hunting stories. It is a book of love and feeling, sadness and courage, it is an emotional adventure. I enjoyed "Of a Predatory Heart" and gave it a very well-deserved A; it was an enjoyable read.

If you love the outdoors, you will love this book! Joe Parry is a phenomenal writer as well as a true outdoorsman. B. Krug

I very, very, very rarely read outdoorsy type books. I almost NEVER read hunting/fishing oriented books. The only type of book I read less is romance (and I never read them). So, why did I read this book? I'm not really sure. I stumbled upon one story and halfway through realized I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. So, I read another one. And ended up bawling my eyes out. Hmmmmm. After reading a third and then a fourth, I realized that hunting/fishing/outdoorsy or not, the stories in this book are addictive. It doesn't matter what type they are, they're stories from the heart and those stories work for anyone and everyone. So, whether you're an outdoorsy type who loves to hunt and fish or just someone who enjoys REAL stories that make you laugh and cry and just be glad that the author decided to share life with you for awhile, you really WILL love this book. Give it a shot, you won't be sorry.

An excellent, informative overview of this delightful breed.

This is a great book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about this wonderful breed.

I realize this is one of the definitive studies of the PBGV, but for the average prospective pet owner, it is just a slog. The first 200-some pages are devoted to the evolution of the breed from one country and century to another. Ho hum. It wasn't until page 243 that I finally found what I needed to know about the characteristics of the dog that would matter to me as a potential owner.

I just got my first PBGV in Augest of 2001 and before I got my wonderful little pbgv I bought this book and it helped me alot understand more about the breed and it also helped me in learning about the differnt begining kennels of the first PBGV's. It also help me understand how this wonderful breed came to be. If you are intrested in getting a PBGV or are getting one I would seriously recommend this book because of all the information it will help you with in the future.

From The English Dog World magazine: Breeders and exhibitors of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen round the world have been waiting for a definitive book on their breed, and here it is.

The authors have taken immense pains with the history, development and spread of the breed round the world, Many hundreds of hours of research and much traveling must have been undertaken to produce a volume of this scope.

The detailed discussion on the points of the breed will be of great use to those in PBGV, to those considering buying into the breed. and to any who essay to judge.

Mr. Proper's unwinding the mysteries of the Long Tailed Bird are very insightful, Past, Present and hopefully Future. This treatise is a most refreshing read, very well organized, subject thoroughly covered and that most important dash of humor and wit. He speaks of days past and the time of plenty as well as the harsh reality of today's condition's. A Hunter can relate to all the information, it was as walking along side Mr. Proper or envisioning the days past when a person can recall the very things he speaks of. A Great Bedside Reference or Fireside Friend, I will reread this often.

I had this book before I ever owned a pointer-read it, loved it...then my old faithful chocolate lab died after 13 great years and I waited for the right pup to come along. She did, a German Shorthair/English Pointer (by design) with a chocolate lab colored head. After one full season hunting wild pheasants with her I read this special book again. Certain chapters many more times.
"You may want to think your dog is hunting pheasants for you. He thinks he is hunting them with you. He does not reason well, but he perceives what you want before you understand it yourself. He also runs beyond your aspirations, and he knows something at which you can only guess: where the bird is. You and dog mesh. You are strong in what he lacks, weak where he is strong. No other team has so little redundancy of skill, such economy of baggage. The shared part adds no weight. You and your dog have the same emotions in the field. It feels odd to share things like that, uncomfortable, even, if you believe only one of you has a soul."

God bless Datus C. Proper

In addition to the other reviews, I can't emphasize enough that this book not only has great tactical, historical, and cullinary perspecitive, but is actually LITERATURE. I've read the book perhaps 5 or 6 times through now, and it's just a classic--easy to read and food for the mind. Although Datus Proper has passed on now, his story will live on. My style and thought on pheasant changed after I read this book. Critical to your hunting library!

The book is spot-on in getting to the essence of a hunter, a dog and a game bird that is every bit intoxicating in the mind as in the field.

But . . . there's this other thing. The recipe for cooking and serving roast pheasant at the back of the book. It's written like a passage from scripture. It tastes like the ascension into heaven.

In Pheasants of the Mind, Mr. Proper explores not only his personal, and quite entertaining, exploits while chasing pheasants, but he also covers the fairly esoteric subject of pointing dogs for pheasants and outfitting for a successful hunt, based on the culmination of years of experience. A fascinating read, written in fairly complex tongue. If you love pheasants and fine literature, then you should love Pheasants of the Mind.

Practical Networking is a valuable book for anyone looking for a job, and is equally useful for those new to the job search as well as those who may have been job hunting for a while. In fact, the book is unique because of the many creative networking ideas it offers the job seeker: there are more contacts out there than perhaps we may realize. The author encourages job seekers to think `outside of the help wanted ads' for a more inspired and effective job hunting approach. The author points out that networking is not a new idea, but the book's suggestions and tips for using business and social contacts goes beyond basic networking and practically illustrates how you can reach out to those you know. In so doing, the book also details how anyone can be helpful to another's job search. A highly recommended tool for creative job searching.

This is a book that goes beyond the tasks entailed in job searching, although it details this pretty comprehensively. Its value-added is imparting to the reader the winning attitude for getting the right job for oneself. Thanks to years of experience in helping friends find jobs, the author is able to empathize with the prospective employee and show her/him the "light" at the end of the tunnel.

This book is an enjoyable read that will help you learn the nuts and bolts of networking. The author provides a variety of real-life experiences that really help the reader to understand the networking opportunities that exists all around us.

The book is interesting and inspiring. It helps the reader realize the importance of all relationships and how they work to open doors for yourself and for others. I would recommend this book to anyone because reading it leaves you with a positive outlook on the vast array of opportunities that are out there just waiting to be found...through networking!

This book is a great read that truly offers practical advice on networking. It offers a variety of first-hand accounts of the author's own personal experiences seeking employment and helping others find meaningful employment. These personal accounts bring to light the value of networking. They demonstrate that connections are out there just waiting to be made to help you find the perfect job.

This book is entertaining and inspiring. It helps to prepare you for the task of finding satisfying work and gets you excited about the vast potential that is ready to be unleashed if you just take a practical approach to networking.

A fascinating first-person account by someone who's obviously made a life-long avocation of observing what really works when looking for a job. The author speaks from experience--of knowing how scary it is to be without a job, or stuck in a job that is not right for you. The solution to your problem may well be with the people you are closest to: your family, friends, coworkers, or other people you interact with frequently. (Your barber may also cut the hair of the very person you need to contact at your "dream" company.)

What you have to do is develop these priceless assets, and the author shows you how it's done, indeed, how he's actually done it many times. The book has an easily readable style and lots of nuggets of great information told through anecdotes. A secondary, but crucial, message that the book sends is that you can be someone else's job salvation, too. What goes around, comes around. I highly recommend this book.