Parks Books

What's not to love about Carl? This is the best of the Carl books, save the original Good Dog Carl. In this book, Carl has to watch the baby and a new puppy in the park. The illustrations are multi-layer -- adults will pick up on things that kids won't (like the different art schools of the painters in the park). Adding the puppy is a fun twist. I was really glad to see this story in a board book for toddlers.

These are fanatastic books for any child (or adult!) who loves dogs. The illustrations are beautiful, and since the stories are told only in pictures, there is plenty of room for creativity when reading the book with your child(ren).

This is a book for very young children, but the illustrations are so lovely and detailed, and the situations depicted so full of wit and little hidden jokes, that I never get bored with it, even after "reading" it over and over and over again with my toddler. This is my very favorite of the Carl books, because the activities are totally non-materialistic and wholesome (riding a merry-go-round and a train, sharing an ice cream cone, getting sprayed by a hose), and because the park is recognizably inspired by beautiful Balboa Park in my native San Diego, where Alexandra Day lives. It's worth it to get both the board book and regular hardcover editions, just to appreciate the greater detail of the images in the larger format.

And I have to add just one more, mildly tongue-in-cheek comment: as for the "lesbian couple" alluded to in a veiled way by a previous reviewer -- well, I just have to giggle. Yes, there are two young, attractive women having a picnic on the grass as Carl and his charges go by. But it never would have occurred to me to impute homosexuality (or any kind of sexuality) to them. They're fully clothed (albeit in pants), and they're just sitting there -- hardly a lascivious scene no matter what your prejudices. Now if Tinky-Winky were pictured sitting with them, well, that would be a whole different story. I guess this just proves what everyone says is so wonderful about the Carl books -- you can interpret the images however you like.

I justed picked this book up at the library. I think it's great to have the majority of the book with no words, just gorgeous, colorful pictures. The more detail in the pictures, the better, as my almost-two year old loves to "find things" in them. With no words, he and I can make up our own story, it lets him decide whats happening. I plan to buy a few of the series to have around all the time.

Carl is such a great dog, and the pictures are just beautiful.

There is "no" story line with words so you can talk all about what Carl does or you can say as little as you like to.

Great series books!

Very informative. Gives very good details on full-timing.

This is an older book on RV living and as such it doesn't have much if anything in the way of solar for power, satellite dish for TV and computer use or other off the grid living information one needs in 2007+. But the information on mail, medical, fees for various things, and what type of floor plan for an RV vs a trailer are helpful. Am still looking for a newer book and one that speaks to the single woman who travels in an RV and alone.

My husband wanted to try full-time RVing, but I was too attached to having a house. Anyone trying to make that decision, needs to read this book.
It helps you figure the costs of such a lifestyle and how to deal with mail, licenses, and medical issues without a home base. Two chapters cover selecting an RV for full-timing. Then it addresses adjusting the RV to your special needs and what to do about storage. Five chapters cover the care of the RV (electrical systems, water, sewage, etc.). There are sections on driving, security, and selecting campgrounds.
We're talking about more than 500 pages of solid information here. It's essential for full-time RVers and quite useful for even part-time RVers.

This is a comprehensive work that provides the pros and cons of life on the road. Although some of the material is out-dated the core message is complete. I found the information on licenses, vehicle registration, and voter registration to be very thought provoking.

This book is full of great information. Every chapter is very detailed. What I like most about the book is that it discusses things to consider when looking for your RV - things you might not have even considered had you not read this book. Also contains a great section on customizing/modifying your RV for full time RVing. A great book to read if you are considering the full time RV life style.

I wish Josh Lanyon's books were a bit lengthier because they read so very quickly. In fact, I read this one in just a few hours the very day I got it from Amazon.

Interesting sleuths are not as easy to find as you might think, and gay ones are even tougher to locate. That's one reason I wish these were lengthier--when you find a sleuth you like, it would be good to really read a lot more about him. Alas--Adrien English comes and goes far too quickly, at least for me.

I like various aspects of this novel. One is that Adrien gets away from the bookstore he owns and which was the main setting for the first novel. This time, Adrien gets away by going to a ranch he'd inherited from his Granna. You'd think that means that Jake Riordan won't be an issue, but he is. He follows Adrien to that ranch when English gets into trouble (he's remarkably good at finding trouble and rolling about in it to the point that his life is in danger), and the relationship they've both been dancing around becomes somewhat closer to reality. I won't spoil it for you.

That's one of the strongest parts of this second book in the series: Adrien and Jake actually get to interact in meaningful ways, and as a result, they become far "rounder" characters. Neither is a stereotype, and that makes the book a far more successful one than it's predecessor.

Another thing I like about this book is that the setting is interesting and different from the staid, predictable bookstore. We get introduced to non-LA characters, and while some of them ARE mere stereotypes, at least they're different from the LA stereotypes.

What don't I like? 1) the length, as I noted before; 2) the bad proofreading throughout (argh! just because it's a small publishing house, that doesn't mean that the proofreading should be crappy!); and 3)the relatively-easy-to-unravel plot (well, except for the very end, which I didn't see coming in some respects).

All in all, a successful effort from Mr. Lanyon. I can't wait for the fourth book!

A Dangerous Thing is the second of the Adrien English mystery series. This is a very entertaining book and series, possibly one of my favorite finds in the past six months. As an avid reader, that's saying something. Lanyon's series is cleverly and humorously written from Adrien's perspective as he relates his personal feelings and the events of the terrific mystery he finds back at the ranch. Adrien's complicated relationship with Jake is particularly interesting and authentic. This is a witty, moving, and highly recommended series. A Dangerous Thing is my favorite in the series so far which currently numbers three with a fourth book due later this year. The author's other work is also highly recommended. Enjoy!

Book two in the Adrien English series and this one really moves! Adrien, book seller and author, decides to get away from the city and his closeted cop, would-be boyfriend, Jake. But of course murder and mystery follow him out to his family ranch, as does Jake.

It's wonderful to see these two characters working together, thrashing out their relationship as well as the identity of more than one dead body. The characters of Adrien and Jake are very well realized--the chemistry between them is perfect-- and the mystry is full of fun little twists, red herrings and discoveries.

It's a great book in an wonderful series.

I loved the second book in the series and I loved the sexual tension created between Adrien and Jake! Tortuous, beautiful but worth the wait! Even I was getting anxious! We get to know a little bit more of Jake - but not enough for Adrien or the reader! A good murder mystery. Well-developed characters and plot. Looking forward to next book and next book.

I just read the previous version few months ago, when i read that Josh Lanyon has redited and revised it, I decided I just have to read the new version again. That's how much I love this series.

It's a quick read, witty, well plotted and fast-paced. On top of that the central characters - Adrien and Jake are higly addictive. The revised (may I say - further improved) edition will satisfy the readers who can't get enough of the "on/off relationship" of Adrien and Jake. The added part made the book more erotically (and emotionally) charged... it also allows readers to understand Jake better (if that's possible, cos he's such a mysterious, misunderstood character).

Very cute book, lovely illustrations. My kids loved this book when they were younger, so I bought it for my niece's little girl and she loves it too.

This is a superbly lovely book for pre-schoolers and children in the early grades. After seeing it in Australia, I ordered three copies, one for each set of grandkids. My grandgirls, 5 and 7, made me read it to them twice, even though they both can read most of it, and I even caught the 9-year-old eavesdropping. It is one of those books whose illustrations match the charm of the text, and both text and pix are simple, straightforward, yet colorful and delightful and totally enchanting. It's the story of how Hush, a little girl possum, is made invisible by her Grandma Poss's magic and their subsequent search to make her visible again, which they do by cycling around Australia (and sailing to Tasmania in an umbrella) and eating the various specialty foods. Just naming them will make any Ozzie homesick: pavlova, lamington, vegemite, minties, etc. Even a Yank tourist like myself gets a little misty-eyed. The only thing the author left out was Victoria Bitter, but it is a children's book, after all.

A wonderful picture book with a delightful story line and engaging illustrations, Mem Fox provides a culinary tour of the "best of Australia" in her book Possum Magic. Young people will learn about the geography and foods of the Land Down Under as they travel with Little Possum and his grandma searching for the foods that will make him visible again.

This is a classic Australian picturebook which is becoming popular again as those of us from the generation who were kids when it was first published (1983) now are buying it ourselves and reading it to our children or nieces and nephews. Granted there's always the hey I remember this book when I was kid factor that drives up sales but unlike a lot of books which have this factor of when you get home and read them you remember that you never really liked that book back when you were kid because it is infact not that good, Possum Magic is remembered and was popular back in the 80's because it was a good book. Although some of the food (remedies for Hush's invisibility) inside are no longer uniquely Australian (which is a good thing), learnign about them along with the uniquely Australian wildlife inside this book would make an ideal gift or purchase for any Australian now living overseas to read to their kids and teach them a bit about their heritage. For anyone whose not Australian it is a great opportunity to learn something about Australian culture.

The basic tale of this book revolves around a little girl possum called Hush whose grandma (named Grandma Poss) who was an expert in bush magic turned Hush invisible to prevent her being eaten by snakes (now of course in reality snakes don't use sight like we do to find their prey but see the heat from the body like someone wearing night vision goggles does so being invisible wouldn't have actually helped Hush but anyway this is a fiction book and that's a discussion/lesson probably left for an age group older than this book's target market). Although Hush gets into a few dilemmas as the result of being invisible such as being sat on by a koala she still gets up to lots of fun like riding down the back of kangaroos like a slippery dip. Hush however wants to know what she looks like so asks Grandma Poss to make her visible again which Grandma Poss has of course forgotten, although she remembers it has something to do with human food. This is the tale of finding the cure and travelling across (with a bit of poetic licence by riding a bike and in a floating umbrella the vast distances of) Australia to find it.

Other good children's books about invisibility if that's what you were after include My Best Friend Is Invisible (Goosebumps) by R. L. Stine, You Are Invisible: CYOA #48 by Susan Saunders, The Invisible Day by Marthe Jocelyn, Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex, you can even get an illustrated version of H.G. Wells 1897 classic The Invisible Man (Great Illustrated Classics).

Delightful book with illustrations that takes kids 3-6 on an imaginative trip to Australia. I could identify with the main character, "Grandma Poss."

I lived in San Francisco in the early 70's and this book brought so much back to me. We took it all for granted and thought it would never end. It seemed so regular that we did not see how extraordinary those carefree, yes careless days and times were. There were very few consequences of being young and sexually liberated in 1970's San Francisco.

The author creates several great characters and I (like most reading the book) was enthralled by the two main characters Ryan, the narrator and non-hunk, and Kick the love object and the biggest hunk of all time. I thought the discussion about masculinity in the homosexual world was fascinating and am surprised this issue is not more discussed. I think many men get lost in being gay and forget that underneath there is a desire to the best man he can be first and best homosexual second. The author differentiates between gay and homosexual in an on going discussion in the book that I found completely though provoking.

He also goes into length about the difference of loving someone and being in love. I have been thinking about that for days and think many other readers will as well.

If I have one objection it is when the final big confrontation happens in the car. It has been building for many pages and comes to an end before any real explosion happens and really in just a few words. I was looking for something grander and bigger as a release for poor Ryan and all he had been accepting. I wanted him to shout "enough" but it happened in a quiet way and this was the biggest scene in the book.

The secondary characters were fully formed and developed in their own way. Ryan's friend, the pornographer Solly, was like a Greek chorus chanting what Ryan did not want to hear. The sister was a complex character although I cannot forgive her for sleeping with her brother's lover. Hurrumph! That awful Logan just vanished-perfect-but I was hoping to find more details about what really happened to Kick and how he felt looking back on the relationship. He had to have realized how loved he had been although he had not been in love.

It's more than 500 pages but it flew by and my regret is that I finished it. My other regret is that I do not have more photos of my own from that long ago and often remembered "Golden Age". For those of you not there this might give a glimpse into when it all seemed possible and, boy, was it ever.

I won't wax poetic here...just want to pass on my accolades about this magnificent book -- one of the most accurate, descriptively stunning, brilliantly written time capsules ever put into print. I've worn out my previous copies (owning my third now!), have bought several to give to friends, and was fortunate enough to meet the amazing Mr. Fritscher and have him personally autograph my most recent copy.

If you lived and loved through this decadent time period, this book will take your breath away. Love it, love it, LOVE IT!

And what a movie this book would make!! YOWZA!

"The hardest thing to be in America today is a man."

I recall seeing the movie "The Boys In The Band" in college and being so put out by the loathsome men depicted in it that I was easily confined to the closet for another five years. Back in my high-school seventies, when the bulk of the activity in this book took place, I was just a kid with a confused identity. Even in college, I read about Moscone/Milk with a mix of confusion and anger, wondering why good men could get gunned down for little more than being who they were, while all the time I was denying to myself who I really was. It took me another decade or so to come to grips with it all, and to discover what one of the basic premises of "Some Dance To Remember" sets forth. It makes me wish I'd come across this book in the seventies and not viewed "The Boys In The Band."

From "Some Dance To Remember;" "Every gay man is a homosexual, but not every homosexual is gay."

Jack Fritscher has created a world in "Some Dance To Remember" that goes from romanticized to mythologized to the aftermath of when paradise crumbled under the corrosional erosion of AIDS, drugs and too many Peter Pans. Ryan O'Hara is the hero of the story. He publishes MANUEVERS magazine in pursuit of the romanticized masculine man, engaging in rough and tumble leathersex and disdaining the hordes of men who come to San Francisco only to give up any male traits and begin acting like Junior Judy Garlands. He publishes a book titled "The Masculinist Manifesto" and sets the feminests and the SF Queenly majority into a convulsions. (Any similarity to MANUEVERS and Mr. Fritscher's residency at the legendary DRUMMER magazine are purely coincidental.) A cast a characters surrounds Ryan and form his support net; his sister who is a high profile cabaret star, his best friend and porn-king Solly Blue and his hustler's paradise, pop culture critic Magnus Bishop, and finally his ideal man, the southern-bred Kick Sorenson.

Throughout the novel, real life men and women drop by, such luminaries as Moscone and Milk, Dianne Feinstein, Tony Travorossi and Armistead Maupin all get name checked during the decade that "Some Dance To Remember" winds through. But where this book really shines is in its portrayal of the whole San Francisco gay liberation scene of the seventies. The first two acts of the book made me long for a time machine, for the chance to enter a golden age of freedom and possibility, before AIDS, before Iran-Contra, before Bush and Dobson and Falwell and Phelps. The descriptions of both the fictional and the true legendary places sinks in deeply, and even the side characters are all exquisitely detailed. "Some Dance To Remember" is almost a mirror reflection of Maupin's "Tales Of The City" (before the endless sequel books splattered into absurdity), with the characters more exclusively masculine and a lot tougher. Both books capture the very essence of the heady times of San Francisco's madcap dance through the get up and boogie years.

Alas, and much like the cautionary ending song/tale the album from which "Some Dance To Remember" takes its name, O'Hara discovers "to call someplace paradise is to kiss it good-bye." His friend Solly Blue has told him repeatedly how all hustlers are the same, just with different packaging, and as Ryan discovers the world he tried to design is undoing, the story reaches its conclusion in the fog of AIDS, steroids, and the real world that invaded The Castro as the Age Of Reagan ascended.

Probably more identifiable for me than those endless tales of coming out and the subversion of masculinity that most gay books churn away; "Some Dance To Remember" relishes its maleness and shys not from looking into the darker areas of the male psyche. Rich in depth and lovingly detailed, spellbinding in its vocabulary (Jack Fritscher is a master of catchy phrases), "Some Dance To Remember" deserves a place on the pantheon of great American gay novels.

Queer culture is always the leading edge. Long before today's professional athlete "doping scandal" with headlines about BALCO and Barry Bonds, gay men as far back as 1977 were using oral and injectible steroids according to this book which is, as far as I could find, the first book to deal with steroids and gay men.
In my medical web research about clinical steroids, I came across this book that frankly reveals how steroids in the 1970s were the most abused drug out of all the drugs used by gay men as party favors. In fact, the main character in this tale about the "size of masculinity" shoots so many steroids he becomes a gay Frankenstein monster whose normal soul cannot fill up his abnormally huge body. It's very interesting.
If lessons are ever learned by anybody, anyone thinking about taking steroids should take this book as a serious cautionary tale of what steroids do to a person and a personality. Real violence arises to abuse queer love.

Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance and Jack Fritscher's Some Dance to Remember. Two wonderful novels that read more real than fiction.

I want to thank Stephen Ashley for writing a book through the eyes of the disabled so that we can finally enjoy going to walt disney world with our families. The time taken by the author, obviously alot of time, actual experiences and accurate accounts of the different aspects of the park make this book a must have for anyone with a disability or going with a family member, friend or someone with a disability. This wonderful book will make walt disney world a wonderful trip which could not have happened otherwise.

Loved this book. Having Fibromialgia myself and with the back pain both of us suffer this book is just what we needed to plan for our trip.
We now have both ordered ECV's from one of the offsite rentals as recommended in the book. This is not only saving us money but lots of problems trying to get them from the limited supply at Disney.
Even changed the resort we planned to stay at and took their suggestions regarding room placement and calling ahead.
Also helped us determine which rides we can enjoy.
Highly recommend this book for anyone with physical issues that's planning a trip to Disney World.

I discovered this great book last Spring, and I love it so much I'm ordering the revised edition! Mr. Ashley does a wonderful job in explaining what to expect. On our last visit to Disney World, my sister, who has Down's Syndrome and isn't able to walk long distances, came along. This was our first experience dealing with a wheelchair at Disney. While it is very true that Disney World is probably the best place to vacation if you or a family member has disabilities, the amount of knowledge needed to easily navigate all the parks, shops, restaurants, and attractions is immense. Other guide books were helpful, but oh how I wish I had had this one then! It literally takes you through each attraction and park and tells you how to manage, not only with a wheelchair, but with other health issues also. We go back in January, and I'm looking forward to a much more relaxed and fun trip this time! Thank you Stephen and Sarah for sharing your experiences!

This book has lots of good suggestions for visiting Disney World with a disability. I liked that they had good descriptions of the rides so you can judge for yourself if the ride will be appropriate for certain disabilities. We had a great trip and used a lot of the tips in this book.

I book a lot of Disney World vacations for clients and bought this book as a resource that I figured I would use occasionally. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and scope of issues addressed within the book. The authors did a really good job of listing every attractions and describing elements that might create an issues for guests with various needs.

For example - you expect a book specializing in disabilities to address wheelchair access and loading proceedures. You don't automatically assume that it will mention that a musty smell might be an issue for someone with respiratory issues or that a strobe light might be an issue for an epileptic or a migrain sufferer.

Instead of using the book from time-to-time, I've found myself flipping through it regularly to help clients address a wide spectrum of issues - both mild and serious - and even to warn parents about frightening componants of various attractions. The book also has a lot of information for guests with food allergies.

This book will be a fantastic resource for the individual traveler but it is also a great ready reference for travel agents who really try to go the extra mile to insure a good experience for their clients.

If you really want to know the history of Coney, this book is a must. I grew up in Brighton Beach during the 50s, and this book was a wonderful read.

The Terra and Belgenio patriarchs arrived in Coney Island at the turn of the 20 th centuty--legend has it that they got on a train and got off at the last stop--Stillwell Ave. This wonderful book put me in touch with them and my parents who lived and died on 15 th and 17 Streets between Mermaid & Neptune Aves. up until the mid 70's. My grandfather Anthony Terra sold ice in the summer and coal in the winter while his wife Maria ran a fruit & vegetable store and raised 6 children--one of whom was my father George, who knew everybody and everybody knew him. This book --the narrative and photos--ignited so many memories for me that I cannot read it without shedding some tears --as I am doing now. Buy the book--you'll love it! Dr Anthony Terra

This is the best book I've ever read on the history Coney Island and I've read every one I could find. It is extremely well researched and written, has incredible photographs and graphics, and a personal story that's moving and deeply felt.

Like many of the other reviewers of this book I grew up in the Coney Island area (Brighton First Street). Coney Island has an almost magical draw for me, so much so that I recently completed writing and illustrating a novel called, "Coney Island Book of the Dead" that takes place in 1956. Charles Denson's book proved to be an invaluable source of facts, lore, and pictures, but, even more importantly, of inspiration. If my novel ever gets published (I'm looking for an agent as of 6/08/07) I hope all of you coneyislandaphiles read it.

Also, you might also be interested in a new book by Charles Denson called "Wild Ride! A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family." I just ordered it.

I actually got a copy of this book from my grandfather -- who was featured in the book. I enjoyed this book so much that I have since bought this book for every friend and relative who has moved out of state. This is a great gift for any occassion... for any Brooklynite.

Like many of the other reviewers, I'm a Coney Island native. Unlike them, I grew in Trump Village, located on the border between Coney and Brighton. Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, central Coney was always a bad neighborhood and I'd only heard vague stories about how great it used to be. While I have since read books and seen documentaries about Coney, Denson's book goes even deeper, especially with his wonderful use of oral history.

I had always been told that before Trump Village and Warbasse, there used to be nothing but empty land in that area. Thanks to this book, I have finally learned the truth, that there used to be a vital, functioning and even happy lower and middle income neighborhood called the Gut, before Fred Trump, Robert Moses and other developers and politicians came along and destroyed all that. Despite it's unfortunate beginnings, Trump still ended up being a decent, affordable place for many middle class Jews and Russian immigrants to live, thanks to this book, I'll always see the ghosts of the homes, theaters and people who came before everytime I go home.

For anyone who is interested in Coney Island or the rise and fall of a city neighborhood, this book is most definitely recommended. And if you grew up in or even near Coney, this book is a must-read.

And not that my expectations were low, either, since bestselling novelists Garth Stein and Jennie Shortridge heartily endorse Thor's book. So, were the tear tracks on my face as I finished the book from laughing or crying? Both. Thor is a master at blending the two emotions -- and everything in between -- in this well-crafted, poetic story. While I never forgot that every word, every event, every emotion was true, the book reads as smoothly as a brilliant piece of fiction. But it's not. And that's the book's majestic legacy. As seemingly impenetrable as the forest he writes about, Thor Hanson pierced the barrier between fiction and memoir -- incorporating traits of the former to the benefit of the latter. Huge kudos to the self-described "eco-nerd" with the soul of a poet, the heart of a giver and the eyes of a very wise man.

I always know it's a good book when I can't help but stop continuously to say to my husband, "Greg you have to hear this." I did that a lot with this book. Thor may be a scientist but he writes clearly, engagingly and with lots of humor, not always common with scientists. His interactions with the gorillas were very interesting, but what I found most fascinating were the interactions with the people of Uganda. Thor has a good eye for interesting (some poignant, some funny) similarities and differences between our cultures. Whether you ever plan to travel to Uganda or explore gorilla eco-tourism, or not, this is a worthwhile read.
---Kathie Hightower, co-author of Help! I'm a Military Spouse -- I Get a Life Too! 2d Edition

I liked this one. I hope to travel to Bwindi in the next few years and this book is giving me the incentive to keep my dream alive. I can't wait to see in person the places the author describes. And I can't wait to see the gorillas in their native habitat. What a story.

I chose this book after seeing recent television shows about mountain gorillas. This author is sensitive to the people of Bwindi and the mountain gorillas and the issues of ecotourism, conservation and the effects these programs have on the local communities. While I hope that the mountain gorillas survive and thrive it is just as important that prosperity does not destroy this corner of the world for the farmers and other people who live there.

Most Americans wouldn't be able to cut it in a small rural village in Africa. "The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda" is Thor Hanson's reflections on his suffering for his craft as he stayed in such a village in order to further his studies on the endangered species of the Mountain Gorilla. A candid and vivid account about all the difficulties he had to face, "The Impenetrable Forest" is a riveting tale that will please primate lovers seeking a story of a man's dedication to science.

Jane Goodall needs no introduction, she cares for nature, earth and all the creatures on it. Some critize her seemingly unorthodox methods and her supposed "cult of personality." However, reading this book made me fascinated by our closest living relatives and how they are really so similiar to ourselves. It made me remember that we too are animals, but we are intelligent and the dominaters of the earth. But with that role, we have to protect the voiceless. Both scientific and thoughtful, the narrative of this book is good for any science class, home library or bedside stand. The most interesting parts for me were the chapters about alpha-male battles, the emotions of chimpanzees and the conclusion which discusses how we must be stewards of the earth.

I am going to read the rest of this amazing woman's books.

Jane is amazing!

*****/***** for Through a Window

To anyone old enough to remember the first field reports from a brash girl named Jane, who chose to live alone with a troop of chimps in Tanzania, way back in the 60s, it has to be a little boggling to realize that she has kept at it for 47 years (as of this writing). Oh, sure, we've seen the TV specials and the magazine stories, and some of us may have read her account of the first decade, IN THE SHADOW OF MAN. But, we do have our lives to attend to, and Goodall's ongoing work easily fades into the background noise. In our long struggle to understand the locus of humanity in nature, there is surely no work more crucial than this. Goodall's discoveries about our closest genetic cousins have uncontestably shown us our place. We are not much different than chimps, merely more so. A young woman, too naive in the ways of science to "know" that animals don't have personalities, saw them clearly. Her honest reporting, championed by her mentor Louis Leakey, overturned a system that harkened back to Descartes (who, we must remember, kicked his dogs often to demonstrate that their mechanical reaction bore no likeness to human pain). After Goodall, animals are "its" no more, they are "whos." THROUGH A WINDOW, is the story of the evolution of one girl's dream into a research center, with dozens of assistants, who have tracked and documented a chimpanzee society through the years. It is the report of political change, as different chimp leaders come to prominence, of family loyalty and discord, and of the look in chimpanzee eyes searching our own for ... understanding? It is equally a reminder that her happiest times remain the hours she steals to spend a day alone with the friends she knows so well: the aging matriarch who was a chimp babe in arms in 1960, and her grandson now moving toward dominance of the troop; older siblings teaching youngsters to fashion tools to 'fish' for termites; the deposed leader racked out in a leafy hammock - remembering his glory days? Coupled with work done by others, partly inspired by Goodall - such as the teaching of American Sign Language to captive chimps, who in turn, TEACH THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO SIGN, manipulating their babies hands into words while pointing at objects - the idea that anyone presumes to defend vivisecting these fellow earthlings is incomprehensible. There is far more going on in chimpanzee heads than was, for instance, in the severely mentally handicapped humans I houseparented years ago. Our staff spent years trying to teach some of our clients a single hand sign, and when they did occasionally manage it, it was seldom clear if there was understanding attached. Chimps create their own sentences, even invent combinations to describe novel experiences. Yet no one (these days, at least) suggests it is ethical to give AIDs to developmentally disabled children to see what happens, or to lock them in isolation chambers where they slowly go mad. It is no wonder that Goodall's work in the late 90s began to focus more and more on ending all captive experiments on the creatures she knows so well. (See my review of her later work, BRUTAL KINSHIP, Aperture Foundation, 199, which focuses on that effort.) THROUGH A WINDOW is an inspiring look at the joy, satisfaction, heartbreak and struggle of one scientist who has changed our world.

Ever since reading Jane Goodall's book "Reason For Hope" (which is another highly-recommended one on my list), I have called her "Our Lady of Hope"; she truly has paved the way for a brighter future in her study of the animals and plants. And with her optimism and positive outlook, how could I not be floored by her work?

This book takes you on an emotional roller-coaster; tenderness (Flo's natural mothering instincts and her care for her children and her daughter, Fifi, imitating her mother), sadness (Flo's death and her son, Flint, pining away before dying; the short, tragic life of the unfortunate, long-suffering Gilka), horror (Passion and Pom savagely killing and eating their own community's newborns; the brutal warfare in the mid-70s), and amazement (at how very much like humans that animals are).

This book is simply a gem. And the images are marvelous: sometimes grim, sometimes tender, but seldom dull.

When I picked up this book it was because I randomly chose it from a pile of recommendations a friend gave me. I had no desire to read it, and the only reason I actually went through with it was that a) I would have to give the book back someday and b) she always recommends good-to-decent books. And despite the obvious reputation that Goodall has, I still had no desire to read it. Having recently picked up (and put down) Rachel Carson's The Edge of the Sea, I was in no mind to read another nature-based book. That gives you a good indication of my mindset going into this.

I'm glad I was wrong. I enjoyed this book much more than I would have imagined - it's a fascinating read. I say that having had virtually no prior interest in chimpanzee's nor Jane Goodall. I doubt I would have read this book on my own, since there are a million books begging to be read every time I open my eyes. Sometimes you need to go where you don't necessarily want in order to find a jewel.

The title of this book refers to the window that Goodall gets when she observes the chimps over the years. Through this window she gets an idea of how we, humans, have evolved from where we were to where we are. It gives her a glimpse of the similarities - sometimes uncanny - between chimps and humans. This window often leads to observations you can never expect. Goodall's observations and her way with words fully draw you into the narrative.

Goodall writes anecdotally, attempting to illustrate her point with examples of behavior she observes in the field. These instances make the book much easier to read than a pure scientific approach. Through the text you grow to like (and dislike) some of the chimps in the narrative, as well as easily finding yourself drawn into the various elements of (nearly human) chimp behavior.

The thing I find most surprising is that the stories which transpire between the "actors" are just as dramatic as a work of fiction. They say that fact is stranger than fiction. I don't know if I agree, but it can undoubtedly be interesting. It's certainly a surprise how similar the chimps are to us - or maybe it's not, which I guess is one of the points of the book.

If I have to take on the other POV, which I usually force myself to do in an effort to be fair, I suppose I have to say that despite all she has seen, she does at times force the issue that chimps are better than people. One thing I worried about was that Goodall would constantly laud how amazing the animals are and how we humans could learn from them. For the most part, she doesn't do this. From time to time she seems to be on the verge, but she balances it out with fair observations on both sides of the fence.

In all, it is a riveting book that is well-balanced and, to be sure, well researched. Goodall's years of experience no doubt come through with this book, and her ease behind the keyboard is surprising. I did not find this clunky in the normal vein of science texts at all. In fact, it was a smooth read, almost to a word. Granted, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the subject matter discussed in Through A Window is sure to entertain most people who pick it up. Excellent book and highly recommended.

Jane Goodall's contributions to our knowledge of chimpanzees has been remarkable. Because she first arrived in Africa completely untrained as an observer of animal behavior, she was able to bring a humanist's instincts to her work; her natural ability to see details and connections, as well as her affection for her subjects, culminated in published results that rocked the scientific community. THROUGH A WINDOW picks up her observations where IN THE SHADOW OF MAN left off. Here, she follows the lives mostly of the children of the original group. She has organized her chapters by theme: Mothers and Daughters, Sons and Mothers, War, Power, Love, and more. Within these chapters, she explores the specific lives of the Gombe chimps and their relationships with their relatives and group members. By tackling specific topics of behavior, she is able to fully integrate the range of her experiences, from first observations to those made thirty years later. As Goodall is quick to point out, what she assumed at first did not necessarily prove to hold fast over time.

No less fascinating than IN THE SHADOW OF MAN, this book is extraordinary for its insight into chimpanzee personalities, relationships, and culture. If you have never before read Goodall's books, you will be surprised by the strong echoes of human behavior in these wild and highly individual chimpanzees. Goodall has made enormous contributions to our understanding of non-human primates, and should be widely read.

This book, as with all the World Almanacs, contains so many interesting facts and statistics over a broad range of topics.

This book is so full of useful and interesting facts and trivia on every subject imaginable! It is a wonderful tool for all our writing projects!

This is really a great publication. Has so much valuable information.

My dad always bought me The World Almanac when I was a kid. No matter what the topic was, research for school assignments always found me first reaching for this volume for orientation. The information found in the Almanac lets you hold the whole world in your hands.

It is suprising how much you get out of a book like this. Excellent.