Outdoors Books

Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide, Second Edition

This book has really helped me to identify birds in my backyard. The pictures are great and I think it's extremely helpful to have the book categorized by colors. I would recommend this book to amateur bird watchers as it has provided me with a lot of joy.

This is a nice, concise book for beginners like me. The size and pics are well done and the book is packed with info & easy to use. If you have small children who are interested in birds this book is a good choice. It only takes a few seconds to flip through the color coded pages to answer-"What kinda bird is THAT?" It will fit easily in the diaperbag or your pocket while walking.

I got this book as a present for myself, and I have been able to recognize more birds with it than the previous 2 I was using. I cannot wait for spring and the chance to become more familiar with the birds in and around our yard.

I rarely write reviews, but I LOVE this book! You can actually find the bird you want to identify! I started with Stan's "Birds of Illinois," which was great. Now I am learning the Birds of Wisconsin (some overlap, of course). And with the addition of the CD, now I can learn their calls too. Stan tells you exactly the identifying feature that helps you tell the birds apart--features that you can actually see! And the book is small enough to carry with you when traveling. Thanks, Stan!!!

Very easy to find the birds your looking at even if you don't what they are. Also includes interesting tidbits about the birds.

This book is a pleasure to read from cover-to-cover. The author clearly loves her subject matter and infuses the history of cheerleading with fun and good humor. I especially loved the photographs. The book would make a great TV documentary. Since reading "Cheerleader", I have ordered all of Ms. Stein's other books.

I loved this book! The pictures are great where did she find them? It's a great gift for anyone interested in cheerleading and a fun read even for people who aren't.

From matching sweaters and pompons to coke and candy posters and ads, the allure of cheerleads in culture and advertising has long been evident in American culture, and here is captured by Elissa Stein in her visual celebration Cheerleader: Ready? Okay! From a history of cheerleading to cheerleader fashion, Cheerleader: Ready? Okay! captures the energy, excitement and changes of the best.

The photographs are amazing. The content is witty and well researched. A great gift for anyone who was a cheerleader--or for those of us who just looked on from the bleachers.

I loved this book! The great illustrations brought back memories of freezing at the big game, yelling myself hoarse when our team made the goal, and thoroughly enjoying myself. It's a must to take to your reunion.

I haven't had a chance to read the whole book however what I have read has been helpful and informative. The book itself was shipped in excellent condition and, like many of the books I've bought through Amazon, I think I purchased it used and it looks new. And, I don't plan on just using it to balance out my washing machine ;-).

I've been running since I was in high school and continued during and after graduationg college. It wasn't until recently that I decided to run my first half marathon. I have read lots of material on training and nutrition, but none have been as complete and informative. The first eight chapters are devoted to all endurance athletes. The last few chapters are each devoted to a particular endurance sport. This book has taught me how to fully prepare and train to successfully reach my goal. I would suggest this book for anyone interested in endurance sports.

Suzanne knows her stuff. I've been an ultrarunner and endurance athlete for nearly 25 years and I find Suzanne's wisdom and advice both on target and incredibly helpful. In fact, as I get older, which I am, her advice is seemingly even more relevant. Following her advice on everything from hydration to nutrition to stretching has been vital to me being able to keep doing what I love to do. The bottom line is that proper nutrition is key to optimal performance and the information in this book can ensure you're geting both.

This is a serious sports nutrition book for serious athletes. It is packed with information for the endurance athlete or those coaching endurance/elite athletes. In addition to providing a complete nutritional overview for the elite athlete, Endurance Sports touches on other related subjects such as hydration, the effectiveness of supplements, food intolerances, eating disorders and even optimal eating for the vegetarian athlete. As a nutrition writer, this book is an integral part of my reference library.

I am in my mid-40s and have toyed with the idea of doing a triathlon for quite some time. Somehow, when I would begin to really get the training ramped up, I would run in to a problem. I believe that I was probably bringing on the problems with less than ideal nutrition. So, though I harbor no aspirations of being a serious athlete, I have found that nutrition is an important--and often overlooked--aspect for even recreational athletes like me. Using the information in this book is allowing me to push my training farther than I ever have before and will get me across the finish line for my first triathlon sometime this summer.

Great for any Internal Martial Art's practitioner, this book can be understood on a different level as your level of understanding increases. This book is one for beginners and experienced IMA practitioners alike.

A wonderful little book of thoughts and peoms to go with T'ai Chi. It's title is extremely apt. I would recommend it to all who love T'ai Chi

Great book! It showcases the Tai Chi Classics from centuries of martial masters.I highly recommend this to all martial artists.

The tai chi classics are essential study for any halfway serious student of tai chi, martial arts, or life in general. There are now many translations of the classics - when this one was published there were few or none.

The nice thing about this version is that the translators let the words speak for themselves. Most others include commentary by the translators (which is, ultimately, their own opinions, and may or may not be helpful). Here you let the words sink in, you ponder and reflect, and gradually gradually develop your own sense of these important ideas.

I found that this book contains the best writings on Wing Chun available. It was recommended to me by my teacher's teacher. I know it's about Tai Chi concepts but the astute Wing Chun practitioner will benefit immensely from it. No it doesn't show any forms. It's not a "how to" book. It's a "learn deeper things about what you already know" book.

This book is just about everything you will need if you are looking for swimming workouts. It takes you right from the very basics to advanced workouts. It also helps you correct swimming positions. I've already decreased my free style lap time just by making little adjustments. Simply Great!

Swimming is one of those curious beasts of the American athetic sports scene: vast multitudes participate (recreational, summer, competitive, etc.), but very few really know how to improve. As in other sports, many parents wind up coaching as their children get involved in swimming as there are too few coaches available. There is much to learn! Stroke technique, using the clock, training the aerobic and non-aerobic energy systems, how to author and conduct a productive and interesting workout, etc.

To those who might feel intimidated by all this, this book brings help in the form of workout structure. The workouts range from basic beginner to advanced workouts for accomplished swimmers. I have used Marianne's book to keep my workouts (as an age-group coach and Master's swimmer) interesting and my swimmers are always eager to swim.

I highly recommend this book for coaches and swimmers who are self-coached.

Like many triathletes I had a bit of swimming in my background when I started racing, but certainly not enough to be competitive. I occasionally swam with organized groups but my consultant travel schedule made sure that was infrequent. I got a copy of The Fit Swimmer, read it cover to cover and made up about a dozen workouts from the suggested routines. The section on open water racing was particularly valuable. While training diligence was definitely part of it, this book was the #1 resource for me in competitively placing in events ranging from local races to National and Ironman distances. Ms. Brems meets 2 imperatives: she explains things simply and she gives you the tools you need to progress from a relative novice to a competitive swimmer. Like a craftsman and apprentice, she leaves it up to the reader to figure out how to best use the extensive toolset in the book. I found that creating about a dozen workouts on 3x5 cards from her suggested routines and rotating them did the trick (store them in a ziploc bag for use poolside). You can experiment with different routines to test how your body responds. I now coach people on an occasional basis, and strongly encourage each of them to read the book before we start.

A good book for intermediate swimmers but offers little technique or help for people just starting out in the sport.

This book has really helped me improve and vary my workouts and make the masters swim class I teach more interesting.

It is a wonderful reference book! The pictures are great and it is easy to identify the culprit in the garden. The recomended treatments are easy to understand. It is a must have book for every gardner.
I also feel that the price for this book is fair for the information that it contains.

Being a certified nurseryman,I have found this book to be an invaluable tool for customer service and to boost sales. I just wish Ortho would take the professional edition and split it into maybe four books to make it more manageable.

I bought this book and the pictures are outstanding. They are all life like, not sketches. It is very easy to read. This book talks about insects, climate and soil and other topics to numerous to remember.

This is the paperback version of the hardback you will find at most gardening stores. You will find all answers. You look up the plant you are having troubles with in the index. Then go to the plant page. It gives the typical pests/ailment with photos for clear identification. And an easy fix. Great for someone just getting into gardening.

I simply am not sure if I could garden without this one. This is one of the best, most comprehensive works addressing the hundreds of problems one who grows plants encounters. I particularly find the section of plant disease most helpful. The discriptions and photos are be best that I have found in any work and the solutions, when there is a solution, is always quite on the money and most helpful. The text is not overly technical and easy to follow. The book is arraigned and organized in a way that you can actually find what you need. Unlike many such publications, Ortho does not exclusively push their own products (they do, but not to the point of being obnoxious about it) and I find this rather refreshing. They also are quick to point out that if a problem is a lost cause, then it is a lost cause. I appreciate that too. I am quite glad I have this one in by collection of plant care books and do highly recommend it.

Good book. Worth getting.

Boy, this one really brings back the memories! But it also gives one pause for reflection on what real martial arts training is all about.
A wonderful book. I've already read through my copy several times...

Kris Wilder has put together an excellent book of anecdotes and learnings he has gained from the floor of his karate school. These lessons are important philosophical approaches for all martial artists, but they are also great lessons for life in general.

I read the whole book in a single sitting, and recommend it highly to all martial arts instructors and practitioners.

Kris Wilder shares his hard won wisdom through a collection of poignant tales and pithy vignettes. This is a book I can pick up for a few minutes or a few hours and gain something new each time. It is thoroughly enjoyable and easy to read yet thought provoking and profound. I recommend it without reservation.

This book is about so much more than martial arts. It has something to offer anyone seeking wisdom, insight and shared knowledge. I am not a martial arts fan or practitioner but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will reread it for the gems of wisdom it bestows.

I almost fell over in my chair when I found this book was still selling. I believe I purchased it over 30 years ago. It really is an amazing book and leads one to believe they really could live a relatively simple lifestyle.

My life in the intervening 30 years has not been simple. For some reason, one of the main things I remember from this book was after delivering your baby through natural childbirth, which I did in a hospital, you can either bury the placenta or cook and eat it to restore your strength. It really takes one back to another era, a time when we all thought everything was possible. Then the 80's came upon us and it was all over.

For anyone who is interested in sewing, another of my favorite books of that time is "Son Of Hassele-Free Sewing". It explains in a simple manner how to copy clothing you already own to make new clothes. It is an excellent book, which I still refer to.

Peace.

This is one of the best books EVER written. It has helped me to survive and thrive on this Earth and gives me advice on practically anything I need to know! Perfect for those who need to settle down and be more in tune with their bodies and Mother Nature. Alicia Bay Laurel is an amazing artist, activist, and author that I look up to much indeed.

After waking very early this very morning, I started to read Living on the Earth and was halfway through by breakfast. While I had considered a hand-lettered book to be more difficult to read, I could not have been more wrong.

The hand lettering brought a sense of comfort and the contents reminded me of my childhood in Africa. If you lived in a rural area during the 60s and 70s, many of the items in this book will be very familiar. If you love handwritten letters from friends, then this book will quickly find a place in your heart.

So, there I was stirring a 5-grain oatmeal mixture for breakfast and I looked down and caught a glimpse of my painted toes reflecting in the glass oven door. Suddenly I was transported to the years of my childhood where we build our own tree houses, watched carrots grow, milked cows, raised chickens, learned how to sew, experienced tick bite fever and snacked on friendship cake while walking barefoot on the warm earth.

Living on the Earth is an enchanting read filled with lyricism and whimsy. It is written in a spontaneous style and the topics range from soap making to building rocking cradles out of barrels. Alicia Bay Laurel has illustrated the entire book and it is a completely personal experience.

Some of the highlights include backpacking tips, making hammocks with macramé, making your own soaps, sewing peasant blouses, making your own moccasins, and building a kiln for making pottery.

There is also information on how to make candles, bamboo flutes, bean bags, clothing, rose petal jam, organic diet soda, vanilla extract, dried fruits, nut butters, ice cream, sunflower milk, miso, roasted soy beans, smoked fish, bread, beef jerky, sour dough starter, steamed acorns, plum pudding and herbal tinctures.

As I sit here with my lovely cozy heated blanket and fluffy slippers I can dream about living out in the wild as my washing machine swishes about with the Seventh Generation laundry soap I recently found at a health food store. This book has many ideas you can incorporate into your normal home life. You don't have to live in a commune to enjoy the information about essential oils, nature-inspired products or environmental issues. The author recommends things like hemp paper and explores the many uses of apple cider vinegar and pumpkin seeds.

To say the least, I was intrigued. This is definitely a must-read book for everyone interested in natural remedies. There are recipes for making herbal tinctures and you may find yourself looking for "myrrh." If you love to cook you may be intrigued by the recipe for Plum Pudding.

Alicia Bay Laurel is writing a modern sequel for the global family. "Still Living on the Earth" will be published in 2005. This book was updated in 1999 and is filled with useful addresses and websites. I loved the list of "more books that are still valuable 30 years later!" A helpful index completes this fun guide to living on the earth.

I loved reading this book! While reading you may find yourself becoming nostalgic, enthusiastic about hiking or even making lists to buy a variety of herbs.

~The Rebecca Review

I discovered this book in a book store about a week ago. It was $18.95 and sold out! I went home to Amazon and found them here for $5.99!! I bought 15 copies for X mas presents and a few just to have for emergency purposes. This book is not only filled with amazing ways to live a better life here its also filled with beautiful illustrations. This is one book I will use forever and pass on for generations to come. No matter if its 1969 or 2069, this hippie bible will always come in handy!

Amazing to think that she was a teenager when she began writing this "Bible" of natural living. Not only does it still hold up after 30+ years...but it makes even more sense now in the 21st century.
I would give it to my children or grandparents with equal enthusiasm.
Alicia Bay gets the ultimate hippie chick award!

I was very pleased with the service and the delivery of my order! It was processed in a timely manner!

I found this book to be loaded with helpful information.Everything you ever want to know about barbeque is in Mastering The grill.

Do you enjoy using a grill? Or do you aspire to begin grilling? Want to expand your storehouse of grilling recipes? If yes to any of those questions, this book is a treasure. It is massive and a bit unwieldy, but its contents make up for that. I first learned of this book when the authors were guests on the Food Networks "Emeril Live." Emeril introduced the two authors and then proceeded with an hour of grilling. After that, I felt the need to acquire this volume.

The upfront stuff, in some ways, is really important. I sort of bumble along on my gas grill, learning by doing, using recipes that I like, experimenting on different ways of cooking. But I really only know a handful of ideas and techniques (Including some simple maxims as some things need to be cooked on the side without flame; others are to be cooked directly over the flame). The authors assert that there is something unique about this book (Page 10): "In this book, we approach the grill from the perspective of science and mechanics. Our goal is to impart an understanding of what occurs during grilling, so that you can make better-tasting grilled food."

Introductory sections in Chapter 1 discuss the type of grills that can be used (from hibachis to gas grills and so on), how grills work, grill cleaning and maintenance (oops; I learned that I should do a better job cleaning the grill grates), requisite grill tools (I have a bunch, but could probably add some additional items, based on their discussion).

Chapter 2? "Mastering Your Technique." This explores what I always thought of as exotica, mastering the fire, the science of heat transference (conduction, convection, and radiant heat), grilling techniques (e.g., indirect versus direct grilling, and so on), and mastering temperature (judging doneness and making sure that one let's what is grilled "rest" at the end). Resting? Goodness. I take the food right off the grill and on to my family's/guests' plates. Not good! Grilled food (and other typed of cooked foods) should rest a bit, so that you don't get parts that are too dry. I am now trying to be a batter cook and let the meat thus cooked "rest" for 5-10 minutes.

Chapter 3 looks at the different foods that you can grill and a boatload of information about each.

Finally, the piece de resistance! Recipes! There are a lot of these; the text notes about 300 of them. They are divided into sections on burgers and their like; steaks and chops; roasts, ribs, and slow food; major, complex cooking projects; vegetables and side dishes; fruit, dessert, etc.; marinades, glazes, rubs, and the like.

The one downside of a number of recipes is that they take a great deal of upfront work and are complex. I prefer interesting but simpler recipes. However, for those who want to experiment, there are plenty of opportunities to do so with the recipes in this book. A few quick examples of recipes.

Buffalo blue cheese burger: Based on hot Buffalo wings. I'm interested, since I used to enjoy visiting the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, home of the chicken wing! Create a hamburger by mixing together ground chuck, celery seed, onion, garlic, blue cheese in a bowl. Then, separately, melt butter and mix in hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco Sauce). Put the hamburger patties created from the hamburger mix on greased grill grate. Cook. Put burgers in the hot sauce, coat, and eat with knife and fork (although I might be inclined to put the resulting burger in a nice Kaiser roll!).

With steaks, there is a nice looking recipe for Porterhouse au poivre that captured my interest. Or Tandoori chicken with Vidalia chutney (a little more complicated than I'd like, but boy does it sound yummy!), grilled summer vegetables with brown-butter vinaigrette, grilled maple-crusted apple rings. . . .

This is a terrific resource for those who want to go beyond simple grilling without really knowing what you are doing (that's been me!). Some of the recipes are over the top, I think, but these will doubtless appeal to some who are likely to be rewarded for their efforts. Worth a look!

I read this book like I read most cookbooks: I consider them to be guidelines or inspirations for flavor combinations. This book provides a good introduction to the science of grilling as well as over 500 recipes. Honestly, I'll never make one of the recipes exactly as written but they inspire some good ideas. There's a whole section on rubs, brines and marinades which is very usefull. On the other hand, I dont need 30 hamburger recipes.

If you're tired of charring food when your wife asks you to grill, and if you're tired of the same old barbecue sauce or marinade, this book is for you! The authors expertly lead men, their intended audience, through the science of grilling, so that men better understand the various techniques -- before, during, and after cooking -- that can make grilling real fun. The section on brines and rubs is excellent excellent excellent, though a word of caution: I've found that I get better rubs using these recipes if I cut the salt and sugar down to half or even less. Follow the directions, but don't be afraid to experiment. This book will change the way you grill forever.

Excellent book. I am not a golfer, but admire Phil Mickelson because it has always seemed to me that he has his priorities straight. His wife and his children are uppermost in his list of what life means to him. Must confess that I merely skimmed the details of the hole to hole play in the Masters tournament being described since I had purchased the book to read about his personal life. However, my husband, who IS a golfer, very much enjoyed the "play by play" in addition to more information on the personal side of Phil. This is an athlete children can look up to and admire without parents fearing an ugly, hidden side. That simply doesn't exist in this athlete. I have always enjoyed watching him play; now I will enjoy those tournaments even more.

This was a very personal book that brought you very close to the life of Phil Mickelson. When he describes his final round at the 04' Masters you feel like you were there with him every step of the way.

It was so good I got a audio copy for my husband.

i find this book very good , iam a golf player and i think that every golf player will enjoyed to read this book , phil mickelson biography is very interesting for a golfer , phil teach : thinks can do when you work hard .

If you are a golf fan, this is a must read. My wife read it too and she doesn't even like golf but she loved it too. Great insights into Phil's personal life, family, and values. Definitely worth the read.