Wildlife Books

For a short time I worked at a Florida lab helping to compile the USDA list of introduced arthropods. It was then I learned about a lot of obscure creature that had invaded the US in ballast, on plants, in clothing, and on wood, rock, sand, and just about any commodity or personal effect. The invasion has not stopped, but it is often not even known to be going on by the general public, except in some high profile invasions such as the Asian tiger mosquito!

John Leland, in his "Aliens in the Backyard: Plant and Animal Imports into America" presents us with many (but certainly not all) of these imported organisms, from starlings to Russian thistle and from dogs (first brought in by Native Americans) to anthrax. Some of these introductions changed history as they destroyed or interfered with crops, or were of medical importance. Smallpox, unknown in America, was used to kill Native Americans long before anyone heard of a virus by transferring contaminated blankets to the intended victims. Both diseases and destroyers of crops had their effects on armies and the outcomes of wars, as well as the physical and economic health of the hemisphere.

Despite a few irritating typos, I found the book to be basically accurate and I learned a few things as well, such as the fact that all species of human lice were already present in the New World when Columbus landed. Typhus may have been here as well.

This is one of those eye-opening books that should be read by everyone, especially if you are concerned with security. We don't need terrorists (although they can help things along) to cause major impacts on society. Nature and our own mobility can do it as efficiently or even better! We should also keep in mind that we, who evolved on the plains of Africa, are aliens to the New World as well! Indeed, John Leland drives this point home several times in this book!

We've all heard tales of the dreaded zebra mussel, rampant purple loosestrife, or prolific European starling, but if you think exotic species are the exception, even a quick browse of Leland's entertaining compendium of aliens will set you straight. You can't step into your backyard without treading on interlopers, like the favored Kentucky bluegrass.

From the hallucinogenic properties of hemp, morning glory, datura and more; to attempts to cultivate the silkworm; to rats, cockroaches and disease, Leland's essays offer an entertaining history of facts, rumors and squabbles on an exhaustive number of alien species. Whether purposely (often to rid the place of some other unwanted interloper) or accidentally introduced, aliens have long thrived in their new home and many have come to be considered natives.

A professor of English at the Virginia Military Institute, Leland ("Porcher's Creek: Lives Between the Tides") writes with wit and a certain wicked relish, and his research is dizzyingly thorough. But the sheer width and breadth of information is overwhelming. This is a book to keep, to dip into again and again a chapter or even a few pages at a time, so as to have some hope of retention.

With chapter titles like "Out of Africa," "Cowboys: And Their Alien Habits," "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time," and "Bioterror: Older than You Think," Leland makes an appreciative and entertaining case for the melting pot.

John Leland (Professor of English at the Virginia Military Institute) does a great job of pointing out which plants and animals are, and which plants and animals are not, native to America. He writes well with style, grace and wit, and he gives a lot of interesting information about how various animals and plants came to be incorporated into the America landscape and enterprise.

From apples to kudzu he details which aliens have been a boon and which have been a sorry bust. In the case of kudzu (Pueraria lobata, which I saw for the first time in a Louisiana swamp a week before hurricane Katrina hit), "It Seemed a Good Idea at the Time" (title of one of his chapters). That was before people realized that kudzu completely blankets "whatever it grows on in a smothering welter of leaves and vines" strangling trees and other vegetation to death. (p. 161)

Also not a good idea was the introduction of carp into America's waters. Leland opines that "Most fishermen and environmentalist regard its widespread introduction...as a disaster...," although there are some, including the Carp Angler Group, who have a different opinion. Similarly, people differ about whether it was a good idea to bring the starling (one of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's works) to America since it is now considered "a dirty, noisy, gregarious, and aggressive" bird that has displaced native species. Perhaps the worst of the "it seemed like a good idea at the time" species is the gypsy moth, brought to America as a possible silk worm. Leland goes into some detail about "well-intentioned dreamers of silken fortunes" in the chapter, "A Sow's Ear from a Silk Purse."

But these deliberately introduced species are relatively benign in the public eye compared to those that have freeloaded their way into our land and have more or less taken over in ways that we cannot control. The German cockroach, the Norway or brown rat, and the tumbleweed (surprisingly not native to the land of the cowboy but from Russia (with love)--oh, you deluded Sons of the Pioneers!) are three that Leland zeroes in on. He also has a few words to say about the American cockroach (probably not American--also called the palmetto bug) and the Oriental cockroach. Here in southern California we have all three, the German, the American and the Oriental. The German is the ever so prolific one that lives indoors in apartment houses and restaurants the world over, while the larger American and Oriental tend to live outdoors. I sometimes find one of the latter in my house dried up and dead in a corner or in a drawer, having wandered in and found nothing to eat and no moisture.

An introduced species that is perhaps an even bigger pest here in the southland is the Argentine ant, which Leland unaccountably does not mention. I recommend he take a study on it. There's enough material there to write a book and then some. Once the Argentine ant (small and black with only an occasional tiny bite) sets up shop inside the walls or under an establishment such as an apartment building or a college dormitory, it is there to stay.

What Leland does so very well in this book, and what makes it superior to some other books I have read, is integrate the alien species into the historical and cultural experience of the American people. In his chapter, "Out of Africa," he details "How Slavery Transformed the American Landscape and Diet." I had to laugh when I read that watermelon is not native to America but comes from Africa, as do peanuts and Bermuda grass, sesame seed and of course the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) also known as the black-eyed pea. I had to laugh because I recalled Randy Newman's satirical song encouraging Africans to come to America in the early days of the republic for "the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake"!

Naturally, it is not in any way surprising that many of our foods come from other lands since most of the world's cuisines have found a home in American. Rice is not native, although the so-called "wild rice" is. Wheat comes from the Middle East as most people know, while potatoes are native to the Andes in South American.

In the chapter "Cowboys and Their Alien Habits" Leland recalls the familiar story of how the horse was once native to America but had gone extinct here before Columbian times, and then was accidentally reintroduced by the Spanish explorers after which it revolutionized the Plains Indians' way of life. (p. 92) Also alien are the cowboy's cattle, including the Texas longhorn; and if we go back far enough even the "Indians," the so-called native Americans are not native. Sad to say many of the true natives, like the giant sloth and the cave bear and the great mammoth went extinct coincidental with the arrival of the first humans from across the Bering Strait.

The only problem I have with this book and others like it, is that there is never enough. The way plants and animals have moved around the world and the way they have changed the lives of people is a continual source of fascination. Leland's fine book adds to the reader's pleasure while not sating it.

Usually, I am leery, at best, about people who regard themselves as qualified to attempt to shape, influence, or form broad opinion about art. I find that more personal critiques of art (such as opinions shared by friends who have common interests) usually prove more palatable and valid. This is especially true when the art form in question is literary. An individual's collected experiences lend to a unique, and completely valid vantage or perspective when surveying literary terra incognita. Hence, more often than thinking about a book as being "bad or "good," I tend to think of books and their readers as being well- or ill-paired. After reading Ms. Ross's review of Mr. Gorman's book, The American Wilderness: Journeys into Distant and Historic Landscapes, I immediately thought Ms. Ross an ill-suited audience for this book. In her critique, I felt a significant injustice had been committed and felt that I would be committing a greater disservice to my fellow outdoorsmen, conservationists, and environmentalists, if I did not speak in favor of this book.

Succinctly stated, Mr. Gorman's book is brilliant! The photographs are, at least, gallery quality and the prose, quite near sublime. The book is an epiphany for the wilderness aesthete, for those few who are still capable of being profoundly moved by the beauty of the simple façade and the complex underpinnings of nature. I imagine Mr. Gorman as a modern-day Thoreau, complete with zoom lens, extolling the virtues of one of our last true Public Goods (the American wilderness). Often, it seems that Wilderness Advocates, like Mr. Gorman, speak to an indifferent or hostile audience. Having said all this, I believe that one must approach such a book with some intellectual curiosity and preferably the potential for appreciation, maybe even some great love or admiration of nature. Otherwise, one's comments are strictly academic, only as valid as the observations of an atheist on the nature of faith. Those who tend to agree with Ms. Ross's assertion that "... Perhaps nature is by nature boring," would probably be better-off proceeding to the "murder-mysteries" aisle. For everyone else, this is an insightful, well-conceived survey of the American wilderness.

This is a wonderful book. Unlike many other photo-essay/coffee table books, the prose is of the same high quality as the photographs. Indeed Mr. Gorman's writing is as light, airy and fresh as the snow beneath his skis during one of his midwinter telemark expeditions. His narrative is peppered with poignant historical sketches on the people and events that breathe so much life into the places he visits. These diversions add life and serve to frame his writings. Witness his harrowing descriptions of valorous US servicemen staring death squarely in the eye during the Battle of Midway. Similarly, his lively profiles of the picaresque outlaws and wanderers who have found refuge in the harsh landscapes of the Everglades and the Missouri Breaks add a heartbeat to such inhospitable regions. That Mr. Gorman finds wonder and beauty in these places and their people and so successfully communicates these feelings with pen and camera is a testament to his abilities as a writer, photographer, naturalist and historian.

I couldn't disagree more with the negative comments of your first reviewer. I devoured the text of this book and only hope that Mr. Gorman will continue to provide us with his thoughtful insights into the beautiful and historically important places this book makes accesible. His prose captures the imagination, and demonstrates Gorman's appreciation of and respect for the wonderful locations he has chosen for his subjects. The photographs Mr. Gorman has taken are, in a word -- spectacular. Any collector of photography, or anybody who shares Mr. Gorman's evident passion for nature and history will cherish this book. I am planning on giving copies of this book to all of my friends and family who are outdoor enthusiasts this holiday season.

Very informative book, covering an extensive range of animals. Descriptions have plenty of detail. Not just visual ID book, but a reference book on what makes them tick.

This book is the yardstick that all other field guides should be measured against. Detailed and concise, Hammerson gives an excellent account of Colorado herpetofauna. I have two copies, one for my car and one for home.

For those only mildly interested in snakes, lizards, frogs and other 'creeping things', this book will change your life's direction forever! The first edition of this book was a treat: a field guide to the herpetofauna of Colorado, complete with photos, descriptions and distribution maps. I was highly pleased with it, and looking forward to the release of the second edition (due out in 1998, I think). The wait was worth it! This new edition contains not only the photos, some breathtaking in their beauty and clarity, and distribution maps, etc, but also pretty much everything one would ever desire to know about herpetofauna in the Southwest. This book now contains chapters on biogeography, examining all the Colorado habitats, conservation status and legislation, human interactions, viewing methods, and each Colorado species has its own and very thorough entry. As a professional herpetologist, this book is invaluable to me wherever I happen to be, Colorado or no. As a complete amateur, this book would open up a mysterious world! It's too heavy for a field guide, that's why there's those terrible Audubon things (although Patterson is good), but terribly useful for when you get home again. Buy this book, now!

Excellent introduction to nonfiction for young readers. The author provides plenty of information, written in an easy-to-understand and fun-to-read style. Beautiful giant photos illustrate this book and serve to break up the text, keeping the interest of young readers.

The author includes brief facts about brown and grizzly bears on the last page, which are also well-written and interesting.

I highly recommend this book.

My daughter Katerine is studying Polar Bear's in her Pre-K class...This book gave her a good understanding of how they live, raise their young,and the dangers of pollution. The pictures are spectular!

My daughter Katerine is studying Polar Bear's in her Pre-K class...This book gave her a good understanding of how they live, raise their young,and the dangers of pollution. The pictures are spectular!

This is the best book ever written for identification of fresh and saltwater aquatic and wetland plants along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast.

I can't believe that it's out-of-print in paperback as this constitutes a great void in the available knowledge for the growing number of people who are becoming interested in learning about these plants and identifying which ones are valuable to wildlife, and which ones are detrimental.

I have found this book extremely useful for me an interested amateur with no technical background. I find the book very accessible. The illustrations and photos are very good and the text is excellent.

For anyone who does wetland delineations in Texas, this book is a must. All the pictures are well detailed, and the descriptions of the flora are first rate. It's an excellent field guide.

For those of us who are passionate about saving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this book presents our best arguements -the stories are from the heart and the mind, and address so eloquently the importance of the fight we are waging. For those who are unsure about the current fight over oil exploration and oil drilling this is a must read - the words here explain why there is no such thing as safe oil drilling because it is the human imprinting that will destroy this sanctuary. Buy the book for friends and use it to encourage support for the continued protection of "America's Serengeti."

Discover Magazine, August 2001: "In short (and sometimes quite moving) essays and poems, scientists, native Alaskans, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter warn against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."

San Francisco Chronicle, March 28, 2001: "...half a dozen of America's finest nature writers, our most distinguished ex-president and several members of the Gwich'in tribe are expected to gather on Capitol Hill and deliver "Arctic Refuge: A Circle of Testimony." If it succeeds, it may prove the most important book published all year."

The president and vice-president along with the House of Representatives and a host of unindicted co-conspirators in the oil industry have proposed to explore and drill in a pristine 1.5 million-acre coastal plain in northeast Alaska. It is the calving grounds for the Porcupine River caribou head; a critical onshore polar bear denning area; one of the last available ranges for wolves, numerous fish and other wildlife and, as importantly, home to the Gwich'in Indian tribe which depends on the caribou for food, clothing and spiritual needs. This area has been described as the biological heart of the Arctic Refuge. The book is a collection of essays dealing with the dangers of drilling in ANWR written by some of the best and brightest individuals addressing the issue. There are radicals and prgmatists, advocates and experts, wildlife biologists, Native Americans, environmentalists, and former workers in the Alaskan oil industry. Contributors include Jimmy Carter, Barry Lopez, Rick Bass, WEndell Berry, Bill McKibben, Art Davidson and 25 other thinkers and doers that will make you wonder about not only this proposal but our so-called energy policy in the U.S. Jimmy Carter gives a presidentail perspective on the importance of preserving the Refuge which was created under republican president Eisenhower in 1960. R. Glendon Brunk writes of his experiences working on the north slope and tells of the effects of such oil exploration and drilling on the environment which is chilling and perhaps prophetic for ANWR. Faith Gemmill has a moving essay on the religious importance of the caribou to the Gwich'in Tribe and culture. I will not soon forget Sarah James recounting of British Petroleum's sensitivity to the Gwich'in tribes concerns: "It is inevitable that these Gwich'in people will have to change." Kim Heacox writes of Stephen Ambrose's visit to Alaska and his position that restoration of nature must be the theme of the 21st century. Not exactly a tree-hugging, radical this Ambrose guy. The book is important not only for its defense of ANWR but for the proposition that it is truly time to begin moving toward a sustainable energy policy in the U.S. Issues such as global warming, the need to preserve this tryly magnificent place, and the possibilities for a sustainable energy policy are all included. It is a perfect example of environmental issues being more that political issues. There are cultural, artistic and historic issues and this book will provide the reader with a wide range of ideas and proposals from many who view the world through other than political, or profiteering, lenses. There are no scare tactics or doomsday predictions here. Just an attempt to give a voice to a place that relatively few Americans know or have visited but is worth saving for future generations looking for one of the last best places. This is one of the most important books of the year. Highly recommended. Milkweed Editions is to be commended for making it available at such a reasonable cost and in a most timely manner.

As a new resident, I had lots of questions about such a strange and beautiful land. Everywhere I turned for answers, I was pointed toward this book. So I bought it. The first night after it's arrival I opened it and didn't put it down until it was finished. It's not in my library, however. My wife and I refer to it so much we have to keep it closer.

This is a great book for anyone that wants to learn about this desert and the plants and animals that live in it. Unlike some of the other books about this topic that are written in an academic/textbook style, this book is written in a lively, question & answer format and is full of interesting and unusual facts. I've lived in this region for over 25 years and I learned quite a bit by reading this book.

I only saw this once in the bookstore, and just by flipping through it, I knew it had to be a part of my book-collection. Just moving to the desert southwest, I have been thirsty for more about my new eco-system and home........I may not have so many dilemmas now on critters and plants..........

There is something special about birds. Remember Jonathan Seagull? This calendar helps me to rise above the daily chores...and let go...and fly!Love it!Tom

I love eagles and this was a truly unique way to see them every day during my work day. The images by Jasper James are startingly dramatic. Can't wait for the new year to place it on my desktop. It'll give me a great feeling each time I look up on my desk and see it. Great idea for gifts as they are not intrusive and require little space. Everybody loves eagles except maybe salmon.

The work is totally professional and well put together. Unusual photos of eagles in outstanding poses and clarity. A must have for any eagle lover or nature love of any kind. Congrats to the publishers for the great product. A calendar that is easy to give as a gift and easy to place anywhere because of it's unique CD design for the desktop or any tabletop. Clever bordering on genius. Joe Scout

This book is a guide to trees one can encounter in the woods of the Northeast. It opens with a brief yet informative description of the science behind the changing colors of autumn leaves, including some suggestions for easy science experiments to provide further understanding of the processes involved. The main part of the book is divided into two sections: deciduous trees and conifers. In this section, there are short articles for individual trees, presented in order of which trees are most common and striking in their autumn glory, rather than in alphabetical or family order. The articles include common names, Latin names, and multiple high quality color pictures of autumn foliage, as well as notes concerning what the wood might be used for, well-known literary references, and descriptive information. At the back of the book is a short list of titles for further reference and an index. This book is not intended as a guidebook for tree identification, but more a celebration of northern trees when they are at their colorful peak. The depth and readability of its descriptions of individual trees, however, would make it a suitable supplement to a tree identification guide for readers who want to learn more about the trees they already know by sight.

Despite its small size and paperback format, this is one of my most treasured books. I am a resident of Michigan, and the fall is always a highlight of our year. Michiganders, as an army, await autumn leaves and "leaf peeping", as young children await Christmas morning. This is the ONLY book I've ever seen that really gives its reader a good understanding of this beautiful phenomenon.

The first 17 or so pages give a physical, chemical, and biological discourse on why leaves change, and on what goes into the makeup of the various colors. The next 100+ pages cover all deciduous trees of northeastern North America, in turn, with a good discussion of each species being attended by excellent four-color photographs of the subject tree in various formats, including group, solo, and partial shots. Finally a sixty-page section gives the same ememplary treatment to northeastern North American evergreens. These, too, form part of the fall patterns, albeit in a more subdued way.

If you live in the area bounded by Ontario, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, Maine, New Brunswick, and Quebec, or are planning to visit any states or provinces in that area this fall, buy this book now, and read it over. You'll be glad you did, this year and every year. I would give this book a ten-star rating if I could, and recommend it highly. An invaluable bargain.

This is really well done. There are numerous color photos (both closeups, some whole tree shots, and often a shot of a grouping of trees showing the characteristics of the tree being described. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting a guide to Fall trees or even for planning your plantings. It's also reasonably priced. My only misgiving is that it isn't longer and cover the entire eastern US!

I got this as a gift. The recipient absolutely loves it and has been raving about what an awesome gift it is.

Beautiful pictures, all sorts of animals, perfect gift, must see (better have) one.

The book is small but heavy - it's a high quality print, contaning hundreds of pictures of baby animals by themselves or being cared for by their mothers. The selection is very good, and makes for a great reading with my little kids.