Outdoors Books

I bought this because we recently moved to the Rocky Mountains about 50 miles NE of Denver (9000 ft elevation), and there were many different kinds of birds that would visit our feeder. This book really helped me in identifying all the birds I've seen so far, and it also describes what kind of nesting the bird does, migration patterns, interesting facts about the bird, and general overall description. It is also sorted by the color of the bird for fast ID. The photographs are large and clear, and the bird's info is always on the page next to the photo. I am looking forward to purchasing the author's other 2 books on Colorado mammals and plantlife. I would reccomend this book for anyone living in or visiting Colorado, and is interested in birds!

Great book. Lots of pictures to differentiate between male and female birds (and also a description of immature birds). I found this book to immensely helpful in identifying birds in my backyard. It was everything that I was looking for in a book on CT birds.

Great birding book, however the "White-tailed Ptarmigan" and one other bird found in Colorado (can't recall the species) is missing. Waiting for the author to release a corrected edition.

This book is easy to use, well-organized, beautiful photos, chuck full of information. I highly recommend it for the novice bird watcher.

I love this bird book. It is divided by color and very easy to use. The Stan's notes section has interesting facts and useful information. The photos are close up and very helpful when identifying a bird.

I bought this book for my mom and she loves it! Especially, how identification is based on color. It makes it so much easier to determine the bird.

I bought the book "Birds of Ohio" because that's where I live. I really like using it because of the color coding used to find the bird identity and the great pictures. My son & daughter-in-law who recently moved to VA have lots of birds on their property so I looked for a similar book and found the authors had done one for VA. Because the pictures are so good, anyone can identify birds using it. My kids love it. It is a great book for the casual bird watcher.

Excellent field or home guide, fits a lot of information into a small package. Includes many species not found in some other books. Organized by color, which is very helpful. Unlike many guides, this one also has images of both male and female, a valuable plus since coloring can vary greatly.

Nice pictures on one page with the facts on the facing page. But contains only 140 of the 425 birds recorded found in Virginia. Too many missing birds for me.

very nice book, pictures of birds very good. i like how they have them separated by color makes it easy to look the birds up

I bought this book around the time it first came out about nine years ago or so. Not only is it useful for learning the kayak roll, the author also covers "old school" playboating maneuvers such as wave surfing, side-surfing in holes, 360's, enders, and pirouttes. The illustrations are diagramatic and especially helpful. Rolling techniques included are the "C-to-C" or snap roll, the sweep roll, back deck rolls, hands rolls as well as rolling stategies and exercises. Definitely one of the most helpful kayaking technique books I have read.

The Bombproof roll and beyond is an essential book for any novice or intermediate kayaker. This book does and excellent job of explaining through both text and illustrations the different steps involved in just about any roll imaginable (c to c, sweep, back deck, hand roll). It also provide excellent tips for identifying and correcting problems with rolls. An outstanding book. An essential in any kayaker's library.

This book was actually my first ever Amazon.com purchase almost 10 ago. It is a must have for anyone new to the sport of kayaking and just getting down the art of the bombproof roll, something essential for Class 4 whitewater or greater. This is a book with excellent illustrations and in-depth explanations, which allow one to visualize how a specific roll is done, even if there is nobody there showing you first-hand. This book has it all: the regular Eskimo roll, the two-handed roll, the one-handed roll, and even the no hands roll. And even non-roll techiques are presented here, such as wave surfing. Practically whatever you want to learn, it is in this book.

I heartily recommend this......a must-have to anyone new to the sport.

this book taught me to roll, on my own, no instructor. derek hutchinson's book is a classic but dutkey's is an instruction manual.
personal creed: if you cant roll, don't go further than you can swim to shore. ergo, if you sea kayak, buy this book.
forget the pawlata, it's impractical. go for the sweep roll and relish the freedom having a bombproof roll brings to your paddling.

I bought this book for my boyfriend, he has been using it for months and frequently goes out to practice what he has learnt from the book. He has become a skilled padler and almost everthing he has learned has come from this book. Its the best gift I ever bought for him.

Underneath the southern hospitality is a man who understands the importance of taking risks and managing those risks. I think what makes Bowden unique is his ability to keep his ego in check with a sense of humility and gratitude that's rare in leadership today. I always got the feeling that he's grateful for being in the position where he is today, be it family or his coaching career.

I have read Maxwell and a host of other leadership books, but there is a world of difference between a consultant or a middle-manager telling you about leadership...and the winningest coach in college football telling you about leadership!

The thing I liked the most is that rather than vague affirmations or ambiguous principles, Bowden gives us SPECIFIC, hard-won advice regarding handling staff, planning for success, etc.

The fact that he has done so remarkably well--with his job "on the line" based on each season's performance, not to mention every time he plays a strong rival--Bowden gives us a CEO/Chairman of the Board-level view of how to handle matters.

I bought it because I am an FSU fan. I kept it because it was the best book on leadership I had ever read.

On the football field Bobby Bowden is king! He is also a very inspirational and motivated person. This book is amazing, in ALL aspects. You don't have to be a Florida State or even a football fan, this book goes so far beyond any sport. This book basically tells you how too live a better life, and Bobby Bowden obviously has a awesome one.

I'm a Penn State grad and fan, but I enjoyed Bobby Bowden's leadership book. It's very easy to read and has lots of good advice. Also, I respect his religious beliefs and that he openly shares them throughout the book. This is a good leadership book!

i would recommend this book to anyone who has to manage people in any capacity...from managing your children to managing your employees...Coach Bowden has proven himself to be a true leader both on and off the football field.

An old boy scout boy with stuff in it that the new ones don't have.
Wonderful to read.

This book is a time capsule from the beginning of the Boy Scouts in the United States. Ecology? The Boy Scouts were there in 1911. Animal rights? Ditto. Of course, the specifics in this century-old text may not match current viewpoints, but the Boy Scouts were global before Globalism became chic! I showed the ads to really old boy scouts-those who were boy scouts during the 1950's-and they were reminded of the changes.

Don't use this book as a "how to" reference without first checking carefully. The advice on first aid includes procedures known to aggravate injuries-such as rubbing snow on frostbitten areas (page 272.) The section on constructing radio communications equipment (page 210) was written prior to the establishment of the Federal Communications Commission-in addition to needing licenses to build and operate the equipment, professional Morse Code operators are rare in the United States.

Some of this book is still current, too. Page 14 starts with the Scout Oath and the explanation of the Scout Law. The section on tracking is still good.

Get a copy! It's an inexpensive artifact from the end of America's frontier days.

This best seller needs no explanation as to why it has sold second only to the Bible. God is first Baden Powell follows. Remember this book has been read by Presidents, heroes, scientists, teachers, etc. Why not you...

This book is essential for everyone...not just boyscouts or boys even, it is full of practical advice on just about everything- safty, tons of fun activities, being a good person, etc. an excellent book that keeps everyone from being 'bored' and encorages kids to make up their own fun. definatly worthwhile.

Theres a lot of books written out there from SAS UK soldiers to the new tech Boy Scout manual.

But, this is the one to get.

It will keep you alive with the bare minumum, no high tech things, no GPS, no down sleeping bag that weighs 2.5#, no batteries, no gas stove, no matches, NOTHING. They didn't have that back then.

You will rely on yourself, no modern gadgets. & become a man (or woman) in the process, & develop morals, & know USA history quite well.

History includes: did the USA purchase the SW USA from Mexico, or did it steal the land as some would say?

Did the USA pay for it legitimately? Do you know your history?

Do you know the true answer?

This was common knowledge of USA citizens in the early 20th century. Seems USA citizens forgot it all. Read the book...

Welcome to real survival techniques. Survival is more than "living off the land".

It is knowing the truth & how to answer & defend yourself from the slings & arrows of people who want to take things that belong to you.

This is the classic guide book for the Tetons. Many pictures and topos are provided to help route finding, however most topos are for the more difficult routes. The text is very descriptive. The book is heavy so be prepared to make photo copies before your climb.

exactly what I was looking for. All the detail I needed and more. Please send my thanks to the authors for the great beta.

Excellent book. Clearly describes hundreds of routes with climbing topo's and ratings. Highly recommended.

If you are looking for a comprehensive, detailed, easy to understand reference guide to the history, approaches and routes of the peaks of the Grand Tetons...look no further. Complete with Topos, black and white Arial photographs, and hand drawn route diagrams, this guide is a "must have" in any mountaineer's quiver of guide books. The book opens with a history of the Grand Teton Range and introduces readers to the men and women who explored and developed many of the modern routes enjoyed by all today; particularly the "bold" first accents of the early Teton pioneers Paul Petzoldt and Glenn Exum. The meat of the book can be found in the remaining pages covering everything from, recommended equipment, mountain safety, to detailed accounts of the climbs and approaches on all the jagged peaks of the Teton Range.
As a climber of 20+ years, I found this book to be extremely helpful on my trips to the Tetons and highly recommend this guide to anyone entertaining the possibility of climbing or hiking in the Teton Range. Whether you are a seasoned climber, or are considering cutting your teeth in one of the most spectacular mountain ranges the United States has to offer, consider this resource a must!

A good climbing guide is a personal friend. You spend hours reading about possible climbs, adventures awaiting for you. There is much pleasure in browsing a climbing guide, remembering the climbs you have made, those climbs not completed due to severe weather or other reasons, and all those climbs you have yet to try.

My Teton guidebook has particular value as I always inscribe notes about my climbs: the date, my companions, the weather, route finding tips (or conversely, where I went astray), elapsed time, and other items of interest.

This third edition, 1996, is more than four hundred pages. It is much to bulky and heavy to carry on a climb. But it is a remarkable reference of virtually every climbing route in the Teton Range. The descriptions are detailed and well-written. I have not encountered any climbing guide that is comparable in detail and scope to this work by Leigh Ortenburger and Reynold Jackson.

The number of routes and variations on the favorite peaks can be overwhelming. The most commonly used route is highlighted. Route descriptions range from easy scrambles to difficult climbs requiring substantial technical skill on ice, snow, and rock. Numerous excellent black and white photos with climbing routes overlain are scattered throughout the texts. Also, there are many detailed ink drawings of more difficult climbs.

For climbers new to the Tetons, the authors have listed more than 130 of their favorite routes ranging from easy scrambles to severe climbs 5.12 in difficulty, as well as difficult technical ice climbing routes.

The introduction, some sixty pages, is quite good. Major topics include a history of Teton climbing, descriptions of great climbs and traverses, details on the national park service policy, and a discussion of the difficulty rating system. The section on Teton weather and climatology is both helpful and sobering. Also, on more than one occasion I had reason to appreciate Ortenburger's and Jackson's bushwacking hints for those canyons without maintained trails.

I have used A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range for many years beginning with the first edition dating back to the 1960s by Leigh Ortenburger. In the intervening years a condensed version, an extended version (volume 2), and a second and third edition have been published.

This third edition is really quite exceptional and I highly recommend this guidebook to anyone planning to climb in Grand Teton National Park.

This well-written book has added facts to my fears about the impact of an exaggerated emphasis on football. At some institutions it has had a negative impact on education of college students. It is definitely worth reading if you are afraid it could be happening at your alma mater.

Dowling, a Rutgers English professor, argues that commercialized division 1a athletics negatively effect the intellectual rigor and atmosphere of the colleges and universities that are involved in them.

In the book, Dowling states that he has witnessed the following in his 20+ years at Rutgers:
1) much larger classes
2) an explosion in the cost of tuition
3) classrooms in an ever-increasing state of disrepair
4) decreasing morale among the faculty
5) the elimination of a number of non-revenue sports, including men's swimming and the crew teams
6) at least 100 million dollars spent on the football and basketball teams (scholarships, coaches, perks, facilities, etc...)

Dowling inspired a number of undergraduate students to create Rutgers1000 in the early 1990's. The goal of Rutgers1000 was to remove Rutgers from division 1a sports and to make Rutgers a non-athletic scholarship university. While the students, faculty and alumni all had branches of Rutgers1000, Dowling focuses on the student and alumni groups in his book.

Dowling details some of Rutgers1000's explanations that are listed on their website in his chapter "Warriors on the Web":
1)most Div 1a football teams lose money - the few programs that make money put the money right back into the football program
2)there is a big difference between exposure (Miami, Nebraska) and reputation (Berkeley, Harvard) - big-time athletics result in exposure, not reputation
3)if Freshmen go to a school because of a final four or bowl game appearance, these are not the kind of students that a college or university wants
4)Michigan is one of the few examples of a good academic school that also has a good Div 1a sports program - supporters of big time athletics often cite Michigan; this is false logic, as Michigan is an exception rather than the norm

Dowling details a number of scandals that have rocked colleges and universities over the last 30 years. He explains that there is a common pattern in the way they are usually handled:
1)college officials express shock
2)an investigative committee is established
3)there is a protest that the scandal does not truly represent the university
4)there is an announcement that "nothing like this will ever happen again"

This timely and riveting book beautifully describes what happens when big-time college sports, in this case football, take precedent over the quality of education at an Eastern university (Rutgers). The author, a professor of English at Rutgers, describes the valiant student-led effort to return college sports at Rutgers to the era when football players were indeed student athletes (emphasis on student) and the opponents were Princeton, and the rest of the Ivy League, Bucknell, Colgate and other private eastern schools with colonial roots. He describes how funds are stripped from non-revenue sports (crew, fencing) to build "professional" sports facilities for the football team at the expense of resources for the non-athetlic student body. The role of the New Jersey legislature, the Rutgers Admmissions office and the Rutger's Board in enabling the diminution of the intellectual quality of a great university for a few apearances on ESPN is especially sad

To put my cards on the table at the first opportunity: I have recently retired from Rutgers, New Brunswick after 37 years on the Math faculty. For several years, I worked with Bill Dowling and the Rutgers 1000 to try to find a way of diverting the university from the cesspool that is big-time Div 1-A football. I am mentioned in the book in one or two places.

That said, I have to say that I don't miss teaching very much and that the atmosphere created by the dominant jockocracy, especially now that the "program" is a "winner", is an important factor in my indifference. Div 1A football is pure poison when one longs for an atmosphere where serious students predominate and their genuine intllectual curiosity flourishes. I have had such students, of course, and met quite a few of them in the defunct Honors Program, which Dowling accurately describes. These days, they seem like remnants of a doomed race.

Note that it's not jocks, as such, who now flourish in New Brunswick? The best and brightest of them--those who participate in the "non-revenue" sports as free individuals motivated only by their enthusiasm--have, in most cases, been victims of a wholesale purge (unreported in Dowling's book, alas, though it is the saddest and most ironic aspect of the moral rot that concerns him). Fencing, Crew, and Men's Tennis and Swimming have vanished without a trace, despite intense lobbying from outraged parents and alumni and universal bewilderment among undergrads. Why? The pretext is that they are "too expensive". But this happens as more and more cash is poured into a bloated and self-indulgent football program, in the form of luxury accommodations to entice recruits and astronomical pay-scales for coaches and administrators. If you need further reasons, such wholesale aboliton of varsity teams is a cheap and cynical way of "satisfying" Title IX requirements, so that there is no legal obstacle to providing the football team with all the cannon fodder it claims to need.

Likewise, the roster of listed courses continues to decline across the board, especially the small specialized courses that give undergrads access to serious scholarship and research as opposed to once-over-lightly survey courses. The physical plant is ill-maintained. Even the newest buildings, poorly designed to begin with, are allowed to decay in short order. The Banks of the Old Raritan are now tilted so that all the loose cash flows directly into the football program's coffers, with a bit diverted to basketball. The univeristy boasts of the academic success rates of its "student athletes"; funnny thing, though: I've never seen one in any of my classes and I strongly suspect that that if transcripts were on the public record, there would be little sign of anything that deserves to be called higher education.

Alas, the same is true of all too many ordinary students. The student culture has simply plunged into "party school" mode, which is why, as a previous evaluator notes, its a pretty rag-tag bunch, academically, despite the continued presence of a first class faculty. [By the way, to address another point brought up in the previous post, the reason Rutgers outranks such schools as Nebraska is purely a matter of faculty quality; there are still departments at the school that outshine anything in the Ivies. My own department has been consistently listed among the top 15 or so for decades (from a research point of view, of course).] But even the most loyal faculty get pretty disgusted at seeing some lunkhead of a football coach who is making ten times what they are (salary alone, excluding all the little side-deals that fill a coach's pockets when his minions do what they're supposed to and knock their brains out to get a bowl invitation without ever seeing serious money themselves). I know of a few cases where top scholars have gone on to other venues after long Rutgers careers, and I don't think the jockocracy can be let off the hook.

I think Dowling leaves some other factors in the decline of Rutgers (and universities in general) unvisited, since his focus is exclusively on the depradations of the Div 1A program. The snottiness, cynicism, and off-the-shelf nihilism of what may be called the postmodern turn in the humanities convinced many students that their teachers were self-indulgent and out of touch, blind to their own gullibility. So, too, the heavy emphasis on "identity politics" and all the machinery of mandatory righteousness (usually called "political correctness") that came with the package. Academic quirkiness of this kind drove off far more students than it recruited, so far as the life of the mind is concerned.

Equal blame goes to the ethos of pure utilitarianism that colonized much of the academic world utterly indifferent to the vapors of postmodernism. Too many programs and departments, along with their students, came to view their function as credentializing bureaucrats, technocrats, and corporate functionaries, without any concern for deeper cultural values unconcerned with the generation of high incomes and vocational perks.

But, still, there is something about the omniverous football culture that dwarfs everything else in determining the ethics and values that are commonly understood to characterize a campus. If you have a big-time program, you know damned well that sooner or later some high-ranking administrator is going to be caught cheating and lying on a grand scale, and that it will be the chief goal of the top dogs to paper the whole busines over and get back to business as usual. Meanwhile, the program will pass tons of meat on the hoof through the system every year, chewing most of it up past the point of usefulness, and sending the poor kids who signed up for football glory out into the world with no real education and a host of joint problems that will grow worse over the years.

As Dowling points out, the people responsible for this meltdown at Rutgers were for the most part local businessmen and politicians for whom access to a skybox at the stadium of a ranked team is the summum bonum of existence. President Bloustein, who might have known better, wasn't able to hold them off (I think Dowling treats Bloustein too generously, by the way). Presidents Lawrence and McCormick were in their pocket from the getgo. How a decent academic, like McCormick, decays into that forlorn state, I do not know. It's the American version of "Die Blaue Engel", I suppose.

In any case, Dowling has said what needed to be said. The jock-sniffers will howl, either because they are emotional cripples, or because they are cynical parasites who thrive on the crumbs that are dropped from the table of big-time NCAA sports. To hell with them.

Ever since it joined the Big East football conference under former president Francis Lawrence, Rutgers' rankings and admission standards have moved downwards. William Dowling here describes the battles of the Rutgers 1000 group (to which he belonged) against the corruption and cynicism of 'big time' athletics at Rutgers, and details the harm done by 'booster culture' to the intellectual and academic tradititons of America's 8th-oldest university.

For those who believe that universities exist primarily for the transmission of knowledge and free intellectual enquiry, this is not a pretty story. It details how, under a weak president chosen by a board of govenors concerned foremost with 'making it big' in sports, Rutgers withdrew from over a century of competition with schools like Princeton and Cornell and modelled its sports program on institutions like Virginia Tech and Miami. The consequences - including the flight of many of the brightest students, and a run down, crowded, shabby campus offset against the first-class athletic facilities provided for 'student athletes' are well documented in the book.

As a Rutgers student, it angers me that my university has thrown away at least $150 million over the past 15 years on football alone - money that could otherwise have gone into scholarships, new buildings, and facilities for ALL students. In these days of hype and hooplah over a 'winning' football program at Rutgers, it is worth remembering the price Rutgers has paid and continues to pay for such 'success'. I salute Professor Dowling for detailing the numerous reasons why many of us at Rutgers view div 1A football as an expensive sham that does far more harm than good to this great university.

the best surf related book ive ever read.
so funny down to earth and informative i felt i was there with the bull
buy it you wont regret

Greg is the biggest, baddest gremmie in the whole world! It seems like story telling but Greg is just re-telling his early life. Little tales throughout this book about and from his friends keep it easy to read...in fact I found myself reading it all night as I couldn't put it down. And then I found myself flipping back to chapters to re-read it time and again. If a book can do that, it's got to be a classic. And this is as classic as the man himself. If you had to have one book on the shelf, this would be it. If you have more than one, this is the benchmark by which all others are measured as to readable enjoyment.

Buy it? Heck, buy ten and get 'em for friends and family!!!

This has got to be made into a movie (especially after the success of "Riding Giants"...another "must see"!!!)

awesome book! for surfers and non-surfers alike! i really like greg's form of writing. he makes you feel as though you are right there on those beaches with him! i liked that alot!!

this is one of the first bios from a surf legend to come out;now it seems there is someone coming out with one every week.the stories are great.if you are into surf history get this.besides being a great surfer,craftsman,filmmaker....etc....greg is as humble as they get.i had the pleasure to meet him and he is a no bulls#!t guy.add this to your collection.

Da Bull grew up in Southern Cal in the 50s at the first wave of the surf culture. Obsessed with surfing, Da Bull convinced his parents to let him attend school in Hawaii with older surfers. The Da Bull describes finding the incredible surfing spots, which are so well known to the world today.

The highlights of this book are introductions to the legends that started big wave surfing and their wild and crazy lifestyle. Da Bull may have been the wildest and does a great job of relaying the stories without appearing cocky or self-serving. Da Bull gravitated to surfboard construction through many of the evolutions of surfboards before he finally tired of the scene and became a commercial fisherman. It's always interesting to see how these young men mature and I found Da Bull's journey very interesting. Never interested in surfing competition, Da Bull has virtually no contact with the surfing community other than old friends.

Read this book if you want to know the history of surfing and the talented but eccentric men who blazed the trail.

After Willie's unbelievable catch, I was born over a decade later. As a result, I never visited the Polo Grounds. Mr. Hano painted an awesome picture for me. It was awesome to read about baseball in that era.

I work part-time a local radio station, close to Yankee Stadium. After I read the book, I was able to contact Arnold. I wanted to interview him. I thought he would be too busy for me. He returned my call promptly! A week later, he agreed to do an interview. I was thrilled, I didn't want to go to sleep that night! I never performed an official interview before. This would be with an old-time baseball fan in NYC! One friday afternoon, we discussed the book in detail. Yes, we talked about Willie's catch, however, he emphasized to me he wrote the book as a fan. We discussed minute details such as: conversations with his wife the night before, bleacher fans in the Polo Grounds, Giant reserve player Joey Amalfitano taking batting practice swings that day, Dusty Rhodes pitch-hit HR to win the game, the Indian players during batting practice, intricacies of the Polo Grounds, the state of the game today, and his memories growing up with 3 ballclubs in the same city.

Speaking of living in the moment, Arnold was a pleasure to speak with.
This is not just another baseball book written in the 50's! A+ for Arnold!

ARNOLD DOES A GREAT JOB DESCRIBING GAME 1 OF THE 1954 WORLD SERIES PLAYED IN THE POLO GROUNDS. READING THIS BOOK I CAN PICTURE VERY CLEARLY, THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE THAT DAY. FROM THE TIME HE LEFT HIS HOUSE TO THE GAME ENDING HOMERUN, I WAS TOTALLY CAUGHT UP THIS DETAILED ACCOUNT OF "THE CATCH". HIS DESCRIPTION OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM, THE GAME ACTION, AND HIS THOUGHTS ARE PUT TOGETHER IN THIS GREAT READ. A MUST READ FOR ALL GIANT FANS AND BASEBALL HISTORIANS.

Did you ever wonder what it was like going to a game at the Polo Grounds? This is an inning by inning description of Game 1 of the 1954 series that covers getting to the park, who was sitting nearby, and of course the game itself. It is told from the view of a fan who knows and loves the game, but avoids windy philosophy and theory. It is especially grand to read in the depths of winter when baseball is either a memory or anticipated. I can't recommend it too highly.

Although I was still 10 years away from being born when Mr Hano attended the first game of the 1954 World Series, I thoroughly enjoyed his telling of his experiences attending the game. As a baseball fan, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, and it doesn't disappoint. I could imagine myself being there.

The book is a classic and one I will read again. My ONLY disappointment with the book is that it ends so abruptly. The last out is made. He looks around for the lady in the red hat. She's gone and he mentions the fact that he never got a look at the face of the Cleveland fan and basically, that's it. Book over. I was hoping he would end the book with his getting home and speaking to his wife about the game, the way the book opened.

My other disappointment was in the afterword. I was pleasantly surprised that Mr. Hano is still living. He ran down the list of where are they now from the '54 Giants, which I enjoyed. I kept waiting for any other recollections he might have had about that game, the way baseball was then compared to now, etc. And I was also hoping he would mention what happened to his wife; if she's still living or not. But he did neither, but that's ok.

All in all, this book is one that will stay on my shelf for a good long time. Well worth the read!

This book captures what it is to be a fan better than anything else I've ever read. I often read this book in the Spring, to cleanse my mental palate of a long dreary Winter of football, basketball, the off-season noise of player contracts, and all else that is life without baseball actually on the field and in the stands. This book always does the trick. I once lost my copy (probably loaned it to someone who never returned it) and had to live without it for years until I found another used copy. Those were hard times. Now it's readily available and I can give it as a gift. Glory, glory, glory!

I know, this doesn't actually tell you about the book, but I'm too thrilled to bother with all that now. Just get it. I've never lent my copy to anyone without them coming back singing its praises...except for that mystery s.o.b who apparently liked it too much to return it.

Giff did a great job on his dragonfly book! It's easy to read and to use!
I never realized that there were so many different kind of dragonflies!!!

Giff Beaton's book is comprehensive, understandable, and also beautiful. Buy this book if you are not interested in the subject, you will be when you read it.

This book sets new standards for odonate field guides. In addition to covering the Southeast this book is also useful for people living in the mid-atlantic states. Photographs are excellant.

Everything I wanted is in this book: beautiful photos, identification tips, larva information, possible locations, flight dates, and much more.

If you have even the slightest interest in odonates, you should buy this reference.

I have recently purchased this book and I am extremely happy with it. It contains a great deal of useful information and I actually found the quick key inside useful. I admit that am not very familiar with odonates, but this book has helped me i.d. a good portion of the dragonflies I have in my collection and has really encouraged me to pay more attention to them on my outdoor excursions.
Highly recommend this guide!