Birds Books

John McDermott's FORLORN HOPE on the White Bird Canyon battle was originally published in 1978 by the Idaho Historical Society, 101 years after the battle. McDermott does an excellent job of recounting in an engaging way the events prior to the battle, the actual engagement itself, and its aftermath. Each chapter is preceded by a page entitled "What They Said" that contains direct quotes from participants in the events subsequently described. Indeed, this reliance on original sources throughout is a noteworthy attribute of this fine book.

The battle at White Bird Canyon heralded the opening of the Nez Perce War, resulting in a stunning defeat for two companies of the First cavalry sent out to interdict the Nez Perce, some of whom had killed white men, women, and children as the result of rising tensions described in the first chapter of the book. The military was totally unprepared for the fighting ability of their foe. The author examines the charges of cowardice leveled at Captain David Perry of the First Cavalry but personally feels there were other factors at work in the defeat other than the perceived failing of the senior officer in charge. These reasons are described in a chapter near the end of the book that I found to be most useful in their application to not only this battle but other engagments in the Indian Wars. Among his conclusions:
*The loss of trumpets left the cavalry companies unable to communicate effectively in a way that would have stemmed the panic retreat of many of the enlisted men (A similar problem beset G Troop of the 7th Cavalry when Reno ordered their departure from the Valley fight portion of the Little Big Horn battle).
*Judgment-Perry allowed armed citizen volunteers to occupy a piece of high ground guarding his flank. When these citizens quickly fled the fight, the Indians began to outflank the troops, contributing to their fearful and disorganized retreat.
*The troopers (many were urban recruits) were poorly trained in both horsemanship and marksmanship, unlike their Nez Perce foe to whom using guns and horses came quite naturally. It should be noted that the 1873 Springfield Trapdoor carbine (the same weapon that many like to blame for Custer's defeat the preceding year) is described by the author as "the best military rifle in the world." The problem with the weapon was that those who were trying to use it did not know how to do so effectively. One non-commissioned officer who survived the White Bird Canyon recalled that many of the pieces were rusty and foul, thereby degrading their effectiveness before the poorly trained troopers could even attempt to fire them. Furthermore, at one point in the battle, the troopers attempted to fire their weapons while MOUNTED, a difficult proposition for the even the best trained troopers, which these men were not.
*Perry underestimated the ability of his foe. It must be remembered that in this battle, as well as those such as the Little Big Horn, the soldiers lost in large measure due to the fighting ability of their foes.

The author has included thirty pages of the 1878 Court of Inquiry testimony from the inquiry convened to investigate Perry. The court ruled in his favor, that no further adjudication (i.e.,a court-martial) was necessary. This section will be very helpful to those who thrive on unedited first hand accounts. In all, an excellent book that includes numerous photographs of battle participants.

The story opens almost like a typical western movie where a tribe of Indians is wronged by whites and retaliation starts slow by a few angry young men who turn vengeance into a small scale war. The author tells the story of the Nez Perce and the ranchers who live side by side so well that the reader literally cringes when three young tribes men decide to retaliate against any white that mistreated them as they are being forced to accept another move off of their land. The initial phase of the book tells a thrilling and frightening story as each ranch or store is subject to attack as each set of occupants is isolated. After securing more tribesmen, the young Nez Perce drive most of the whites to the frayed security of small towns. Requiring a demonstration of force, General Howard sends an ill prepared set of cavalry companies in pursuit of the Nez Perce along with civilian volunteers. the result is a force of over 100 men meeting the Nez Perce in a rugged canyon that causes a total loss of coordination between the two companies particularly after the civilians give way. The battle quickly turns into a route with a series of short and isolated rallies resulting in one officer abandoning the field, one leading a platoon into a ravine of death and the commander doing his best to stem the tide of panic but eventually giving up the field. The terrain and the riding and fighting ability of the Nez Perce successfully defends Chief Joseph's initial flight. The small book does not complete the campaign but familiarizes the reader with one of the greatest plains disaster for the US Military after Little Big Horn and the Fetterman Massacre. The book includes a transcript of the investigative hearing which is interesting since the officer that abandoned the field attempts to press charges of incompetence against his field commander. I only wish the lone battle map was clearer since the terrain is confusing and the battle description could utilize a more simple map to show movements on the field. The author gives you a good feel for what the conditions and participants were like using first hand testimonies that start each new chapter and you experience the story unfolding virtually as the ranchers saw it and as the soldiers and participants may have seen it from their own point of view.

The Battle of White Bird Canyon at the beginning of the Nez Perce War ("Chief Joseph's War") was an intense and unusual fight that confounded the U.S. Army's expectations of how Indians fought. McDermott's _Forlorn Hope_ was a thorough and perceptive study of the battle that did and can serve as a model for writing on Indian wars engagements. The style is clear, the subject interesting, and the maps are unusually good. Unfortunately, the old hardcover edition has been getting harder and harder to locate. Having this reprint come out--and at an affordable price--is very good news. Dr. Michael A. Hughes, Founding Editor, Journal of the Indian Wars.

Forlorn Hope: The Nez Perce Victory At White Bird Canyon is the true story of one of the worst defeats that the American military encountered during the Indian wars. The Nez Perce won a victory at White Bird Canyon that raised their hopes of keeping their homeland, and led to a four-month, 1,000-mile running battle that came to an end with Chief Joseph's surrender at Bear Paw, Montana, only 100 miles from safety. Presenting the White Bird Canyon battle from both Indian and white points of view, Forlorn Hope is a well-researched, riveting account of a landmark event of the western Indian wars.

I loved this book! Freeman A. Freelander has an adorable plot and a wonderful message. Written in verse, Reece writes a warm, creative story that keeps the reader interested. One of the best children's books I've read in a long time.

Freeman A. Freelander is a wonderfully written and illustrated book that will be enjoyed by both children and adults alike. It is encouraging to those who want to be a little different and is inspirational to those who strive to succeed. I cannot recommend this book enough! Perhaps you should purchase one for yourself and one as a gift for another special child. All will be blessed by Freeman A. Freelander.

Freeman A. Freelander is a wonderful children's book. I am hoping this is the first in a series of many more to come. The story is well written and the illustration by Todd Gallina is SUPERB. I purchased one for myself (yes, I am a kid at heart) and a few for my nephew's and niece's. We all love the book and look forward to the second in the series.

This book has a great underlying message about utilizing the gifts and capabilities that you have been given. It's easy to read and the print quality, coloring and artwork are excellent.

A great book for both children and adults that I wold highly recommend to others.

I bought this book for my 18 month old because we like birds and the illustrations looked cute. I love the sweet story and the singsong rhymes like Dr. Seuss. Such a fun story and great illustrations - it didn't take long until I had memorized the whole thing, which is nice because my daughter can hold the book and turn the pages and jiggle the eyes while I recite the story to her. Highly recommend it!

We read to our children every day and I look forward to reading this book especially. It is so enlightening and a joy to read. I wish more stories had such a positive inspiration as Friends of a Feather!

An adorable book that easily catches your eye as well as the eye of your child. Arlen Cohn writes in a Dr. Suess like style which children and adults will enjoy together. An imaginitive story that introduces your children to different kinds of birds, with a summary at the end, giving a non-fiction description of each bird in an interesting way that is sure to keep your childs interest. The illustrations by Don Sullivan are absolutely fantastic, sure to make for hours on enjoyment! Highly recommended!

A wonderful book, both the pictures and words, and it really informs you about lots of birds. A sense of adventure that's mixed with suspense, the joy and the fun of the book is intense. The story is brilliant, the drawings sublime, and they manage to carry it off all in rhyme. So buy it, enjoy it, it's full of surprise, and not to forget, it's got googly eyes. Now the author's my brother, I have to confess, but that won't mean that you'll like the book any less.

I absolutely loved this book on many, many levels.

The illustrations are colorful and at the same time incredible simple AND incredibly complex.

I love that Bill Cosby and his daughter, Erika, collaborated on it.

And then secondarily, reading the reviews from the others, I also see the richness of the whole concept of "Fables" as well. Each reviewer has taken away a special - and different - nugget from the book.

Here is what especially intrigued me:

Hog compared the "raves and applause" that Feathers received
to what he received.... nothing. He craved what Feathers received.
He judged himself unfavorably and risked his life to
have the applause, like Feathers.

Feathers didn't care about the applause. He was just doing what
he loved to do, which included being an excellent friend of
Hog.

The most inspiring moment for them came when they flew out
of the "applause range" and could simply enjoy flying and being
together.

It would be fascinating to read this as a family or a group of friends and see what they people walk away with... my guess is that each would walk away with something inspiring, something different, and some significant unique message especially for them.

Read it to hear your significant message.

This is a great story about what being a real friend means.
Feather is beautiful and hog admires the attention Feather garners when he flies. What hog didn't understand was that just because he wasn't as beautiful, didn't mean he's not just as good. (or maybe better)
Friends of a feather reminds everyone about being yourself and supporting friends.
The story is written in a playful style that engages the reader in moments of humor and a bit of drama while telling an effective story that I'm sure most will enjoy.

Written by comedian and humanitarian Bill Cosby, Friends Of A Feather: One Of Life's Little Fables is a children's storybook with an underlying moral about the importance of having the courage to be oneself. The eye-catching, brilliant style of color illustration by Erika Cosby (Bill Cosby's daugther), present avian characters as if they were paper shapes, in this original story of a pair of stunt-flying comrades faced with choices about how much value to put on the limelight versus one's own goals. Friends Of A Feather is recommended for grade school and community library picturebook collections for young readers.

In the beautifully illustrated children's book, Birds of Feather, author Bill Cosby tells the story of three birds, Blank AKA "Slipper," Hog, and Feathers. Slippers serves as the narrator and tells the tale of how the birds all flew together in an area called "Beach by the Rock." Hog is the most talented of the group, but Feathers, whose sheer beauty entices people from all over, overshadows his stunts. Initially, Feathers enjoys the attention that the crowds of people bestow, but soon just flies for the fun of it; however, Hog wants some recognition and begins to perform death defying stunts in hopes of pleasing the people. In the end his stunts may end up costing him his friendship, his pride or even his life.

Bill Cosby has written a book that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The pictures are stunning and accurately portray the tale of the birds. What I enjoyed most about this story is that it teaches several morals. Issues such as peer pressure, insecurities, and competition are dealt with in a kid friendly way so that even the youngest of readers can understand. I highly recommend this book as it will be a welcome complement to any home library.

Reviewed by Latoya Carter-Qawiyy
APOOO BookClub

"The Frog House" is a refreshing story. The voice of the author is sincere and creates a feeling of innocenece. The story couldn't be any sweeter making one want to befriend all the animal characters. My children love the book and it gives them a very homey feeling when we read it.

The Frog House is an amusing story that is enjoyable for both the older child-reader and the younger child-listener. All ages will be intrigued by the delightful frog and his use of 'squatter's rights' to maintain residence in his new-found home.

My grandchildren loved this story and the illustrations. The especially liked the idea that a frog could actually live in a house. The visitors to the frog house were all charmingly portrayed.

With fishery and wildlife science as his main interests, Mark Taylor draws upon an actual experience to pen his first book for children. A red birdhouse built in the shape of an apple was once given to his family.

In his story a family puts a bird house in a tree - a very special birdhouse "made to look like a big, ripe red apple." As a little green tree frog watched he was amazed that people put an apple on a tree rather than taking one off to eat. His curiosity got the best of him. When he climbed around to look at the apple he found that it had a hole and was made of wood. So, he popped inside and promptly set up housekeeping.

The story's narrative involves the mistakes other animals make when they, too, spy the red apple. A robin comes along and starts pecking on it for worms, and a crow tries to take it to his nest.

Young readers can be assured that all ends happily when a beautiful female tree frog sees the house and considers it the best house she has ever seen.

Barbara Garrison's folk art illustrations add to the story's naturalness.

- Gail Cooke

I bought this book for my 2 year old son and he just loves it! He often requests it for bedtime. It's a very sweet, classic story with beautiful illustrations and thoughtful, creative text. He loves the ending when the lost little duck find his mother and brothers and sisters and enjoys counting the ten little ducklings. He loves all of his classic Golden books, but I think this one seems very special to him because of its large size. The larger size also helps him to closely examine the pictures. I would highly recommend this book for any young child.

I purchased several of the Big Little Golden Books for my grandson because of the memories I have from reading to my now grown children. I do not have any of my original Little Golden Books so this was a wonderful find! Same story, same pictures just a bigger version. I believe these are timeless.

In this children's book there is a little fuzzy duckling who wants to go for a walk.The duckling asks 2 colts, then 3 cows, then 4 roosters, then 5 geese, then six lively lambs,etc...
But no one will go for a walk with him. the motto for this story is,"When you can depend upon no one else, you can depend upon your family."For ages 4-7.I hope you enjoy this wonderful story book.

This book is an adorable, classic Golden Book. The illustrations are beautiful, the story is sweet, and it also teaches counting and animals. The duckling encounters 2 colts, then 3 cows, then 4 roosters, then 5 geese ... and so on until the lost little duckling is reaquainted with his mommy and 9 little brothers and sisters, making 10 little ducklings! A darling, and educational, little book.

Superbly written with eloquence and humour in a style that is accessible to all readers. Presents the concept of wildlife conservation as fundamentally logical and intelligent, without the preachy jargons. Gripping and exhilarating.

The audience cannot help but root for the wildlife conservationists, or risks identifying with corrupt, incestuous, drugged-up, violent imbeciles who choose to disregard conservation to wallow in greed and callous destruction just to satisfy their uncontrollable basal excesses. Thoroughly enjoyed his unrestrained, non-PC disgust with humanity!

Sadly, with a little thought, the audience must realize that it has much more in common with more depraved examples of humanity than with those too rare and few individuals who dedicate their lives to wildlife conservation.

Having read Reisner's Cadillac Desert, I couldn't wait to read this. This book is different - and probably more readable to more people. There's more of a defined storyline, and has a more limited number of engaging characters. He follows 3 attempts to protect wildlife from poachers. The style is reminiscent of John McPhee (which I mean as a BIG compliment). If you can find this book, get it!

Simply the best wildlife conservation book around. Follow game warden Dave Hall as he works undercover among good ol' boys in Lousiana, Hell's Angels in Alaska and the mafia in New York City in an amazing, accessible (if you can find it) true story that'll be bound to raise your blood pressure over what poaching has done to our wildlife.

Reisner is an exhaustive researcher, who then parlays massive factual data into readable, entertaining (sometimes disturbing) prose. I found Game Wars to be more reader-friendly than Cadillac Desert in that the book moved faster and showed me a very human side of wildlife law enforcement. Through Reisner, I was taken along on numerous exciting U.S. Fish & Wildlife missions, including several life-and-death encounters between federal agents and big-time commercial poachers. As usual, Reisner imparts a sense of what the law is, how it works, and where it needs shoring-up. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in animals, law enforcement, or conservation.

"Gender and Health" is both a vital reference and a good read. The book is well-written, understandable for the lay person and expert alike, and indispensable to any health policy discussion, The authors argue persuasively that gender differences in health can only be explained through an interdisciplinary study of both social and biological factors. They focus on gender-specific social constraints which affect life choices which contribute to differences in disease processes in men and women. The book's explanations and arguments are well-organized and clearly presented. Well-crafted tables and figures add vital information to the narrative.

This book will soon become required reading for researchers, policymakers, and others interested in understanding men's and women's health.

This is a wonderful book! The authors have done a tremendous service by pulling together insights and evidence from a remarkably diverse range of literature and science. The result is a clear and straightforward overview and discussion of the complex interplay between forces routinely affecting individuals' and groups' well-being and health. Rather than a laundry list, the authors' review and discussion provides a plausible and easy to understand framework that will help inform choices we all make. Though the book includes discussion of some cutting edge science and policy issues and will be of benefit to scholars and policy makers, it will also be of interest to and enjoyable by readers without any special training or knowledge.

For years I have searched for an excellent book on Gender & Health. Bird & Rieker do an amazing job of analyzing the current literature & setting a framework for future studies. The book is well-written and innovative, a must-read for researchers and students interested in this topic. Professionals from multiple disciplines (demography, sociology, gerontology, health policy, public health, psychology) would benefit greatly from reading this book.

I thought this was an excellent, clearly-written book that provided an interesting discussion on health disparities by gender in a social, cultural, and biological context. It's a great primer for understanding how social policies filter down to individual-level health and behavior. It's often difficult to convey complex topics in a simple and clear manner, but the authors do so effortlessly by providing examples of real-life situations that everyone can easily relate to, making it highly accessible to the general public, as well as health researchers. This is the book to buy if you're interested in gender and health!

This story was my litle sisters favorite back in 1986, and my daughter found her book. Now it is my daughters favorite;so much so, that I had to buy a replacement! Geraldine's Blanket is a story about a girl and her "blankie". Her parents think it's time for the blanket to go - it's getting old. Gerladine has a bit of a stubborn streak in her, and finds inventive ways to hold onto her blanket!
This is a good bedtime story, showing ways to compromise within a family!

This has been one of my favorites ever since I was little (and I never had an extreme attachment to a blanket, stuffed animal, etc.). I still have my original copy, although it's very tattered and hard to read (with the cover and pages coming apart). I'm now purchasing a new copy for my daughter. I highly recommend this for any little girl.

As a future elementary school teacher and a student in a children's literature class, I came across this book accidently in the library one day. It caught my attention immediately, and I couldn't put it down. Like many, many children, I too had a baby blanket that I couldn't give up (and it looked JUST LIKE GERALDINE'S!) I read the book once, then twice, then to my mother and friends and then to my literature class. I loved it so much, that I had to buy it after I returned it to the library. All the people I read it to could relate to how Geraldine was attached to her blanket and the extreme and clever measures she takes in keeping it with her always. My mom especially liked the mom and dad in the story because she was just like them too. This is a book I will keep on display and in my heart just as I will keep my baby blanket as a treasure of my childhood.

Over the years, I have purchased over 300 books for my kids library, this being one of them. My sister recommened this book because her daughter like it so well. This book soon became one of my then 3 years old daughter's favorite, probably because she was a "security blanket kid" just like Geraldine and could relate to Geraldine's struggle to retain her blanket. Even when she was in early elementary and passed the blanket stage, she would often pick this book to read from her many early readers. The pictures are darling and the story line is clever so this book isn't a "yawner" for parents to read to their kids. Now that my daughter is eleven, I have given many of her kids books away, but she insists on keeping this one. She loved it that much.

I originally bought this book for my young nephew who is interested in birds. I am glad I took up this book myself, borrowing it from him a few days after giving it to him, before he could start on the book himself.

Reading Going Wild had the effect of exploding the natural world, seen and heard through the prism of birds, before my own eyes and ears. Being a life-long resident of suburbia myself, for the most part living in northern Virginia close to the Potomac River, I had had some memorable encounters with birds, most notably perhaps when a Bald Eagle played tag with me (there's that anthropomorphizing). What is inspirational about reading Going Wild is that it revs you up for even more bird interaction than you've been accustomed to. And you can't blame a dearth of bird experiences on living in a suburban setting. Once you read about Robert Winkler's adventures, from dodging a maternal goshawk to watching the life-and-death scenes unfold around the backyard bird feeder, you'll be eager to rack up your own.

Going Wild is also an excellent primer on birding, full of practical knowledge deftly delivered. I am lucky to be introduced to this world (my own world, it turns out) by someone as uniquely gifted as Robert Winkler.

This is an excellent book describing what birding is all about;well written by someone who has , if they pick it up in their youth, maintains the interest the rest of their life.Winkler is very typical, even though hardly any two birders are identical and all alter the area of their interest as the years go on.He talks mainly about his birding experiences in the general area around where he lives in Connecticut;but it reflects the same things a birder partakes in no matter where he/she lives in North America.If Winkler were to relocate to Key West,Tucson,San Francisco,Detroit,Denver,Vancouver,Halifax or where I live,Toronto,he would be able to pick up his birding in a very short time.I guess it's a bit like fishing;where there's water,there's fish;and where there is outdoors there's birds and all that nature provides along with it. I also believe that it is the great variety of activities that come under the umberella of Birding that makes it so attractive.Winkler touches on a lot of these things and there are many more.Just to name a few; many birders "get into"..banding,club activities,Hawk Watching,photography,drawing,listing (building the greatest list of species you can in an area,town,county,state,your own property,from your car,country,life or year,winter list-total species from Dec 1-Feb 28,..it is up to the individual to choose and make the rules.
That is the whole idea of a Rare Bird;a new one for your list.
So you can see volumes could be written;but this book gives a person a real smattering of this hobby,sport,activity,interest,pastime, or as some might call it an obsession or madness.
There is another aspect of birding that probably transends all this is the friends one makes.As a matter of fact,birders often meet another birder in the field and strike up an acquaintace immediately.They enjoy sharing what they know or have found.
Winkler also shows that along with birds there is the great experience of being outside and enjoying all the other nature and animals that go along with it.If one travels ,you will encounter all kinds of interesting and wildly different areas.What comes to mind is being in a small boat out in the Gulf Stream,on the trails in the mountains of Yosemite,walking along the banks of the river at Niagara Falls in the winter,in the heat of the desert in Arizona with the snakes tarantulas and lizards,in the Everglades or your own local spot as Winkler talks about.What he really does is show that the enjoyment can come wherever one lives.
Overall, this is a book every person will enjoy whether you have been into it for a number of years or just thinking about it.
His experiences are just like any other birder who has been doing it for years.It is all there ,just for the taking.
The only shortcoming of this book is there was no photo of the author.You can read all the description of a bird you want,but nothing compares to a picture.Come to think about it,looking at birders is great sport when the birding gets slow.

Robert Winkler's Going Wild: Adventures With Birds In The Suburban Wilderness presents the experiences of a veteran birder and nature writer who observes literally hundreds of birds from within a few miles of his suburban Connecticut home. Funny encounters, intriguing observations and natural history blend in a whimsical yet educational gathering of birding wisdom and lore which makes for light, delightful reading.

Going Wild is a fascinating and detailed account of one man`s birdwatching forays into the suburban wilderness. The narrative ranges from anecdotes about him being attacked by Northern Goshawks, to the story of when he lost the power to his home due to a squirrel electrocuting itself on his power line - these tales can bring a tear to your eye, or have you laughing out loud.

With Robert Winkler, National Geographic, have found a genuine birder with an obvious talent for writing - you can tell he has a deep passion for the wilds of his native Connecticut home, and for all of nature`s finery. His writing displays beautiful style and is clearly heartfelt - a treatment which does justice to the subject matter.

My only gripe [and this is purely jealousy on my part] is about his different opinion to mine on what constitutes a suburban area! The forested mountains and lakes of his stories are hardly the same as my own suburban patch, which is surrounded by industrial units and housing!

Whether you are American, British, or any other nationality, this book will translate to your own experiences, the species and locations involved will likely differ, but the stories hold true no matter what. I can give no better plaudit than saying I will recommend this book to all my birdwatching compatriots, and anyone else who harbours the slightest feeling for the natural world.