Individual Parks Books

Suspend disbelief, the master of illusion has again struck, using his medium of photography. Jerry Uelsmann has created worlds that can only exist in the minds of dreamers. This is a must for the seekers of illusions made real through photographic proof. Here is reality for dreams of a dreamer.

Geoff Taylor expresses in bold illustrative and narative dialog the study and interaction with the whale shark. Expressing the experience scientists have encountered from the 1800's to the present is most informative and enjoyable. Not only a great research publication but also, should be added to any collection of illustrative wildlife coffee table books.

Some of Amsel Adams' most stunning photographs are of Yosemite National Park, a place very close to the artist's heart. This extraordinary tear-out postcard book includes over 60 exquisite photographs of glacial lakes and craggy peaks, cascading waterfalls, lone trees and woodland streams.

Keep the book intact as a glorious mini-album, or send the cards as aesthetic greetings to friends. This also makes a wonderful stocking stuffer - the holidays are coming up!
JANA

I bought this book for my husband, then I read it in one day while stuck at the airport. It was a compelling read, good story and interesting information. We live in New York and go to Central Park often, so this made it even more interesting... I am keeping my eyes open for what birds are in the parks near my house. A well written book, I would recommend it.

There's a lot of love poured out in this book. It flows freely from the New York City hawk watchers, of whom the author is one, for the red-tailed hawks of the title and the myriad bird life in and around Central Park. The story turns around the mating attempts, failures, and successes of a male red-tail hawk, called Pale Male for his light plumage. A common enough nature story, perhaps; except this hawk courts, mates, hunts, and raises young in Manhattan in full binocular-enhanced view of a band of dedicated hawk watchers and, eventually, international media.

If you want a scientific discourse on hawks and their mating habits or the skinny on avian romance from the birds' point of view, don't look for it here. Only as much ornithology is offered as needed to understand why the human participants in the story react to events as they do. The birds are not artificially thrust into the narrator's role; their separateness from our species is not negated by the author's imagination. I respect the author's decision; it fits well with my preference that animals be respected for what they are; not for how they are similar to us, how they entertain us, or how they are useful to us. This decision does mean that readers, like the hawk watchers, can only observe the wildlife drama of the book's subtitle from a distance.

What this rather charming book offers close up is the tale of the watchers themselves, their love of birds, and the informal community that coalesces around their nesting season hawk nest stake-outs. The reader is drawn to these people who love birds and are willing to sacrifice comfort (like warm beds on cold mornings), endure tedium (to watch and wait for signs of hatching), and sometimes put aside their "real" lives (even to the extent of postponing job hunting) to feed their love.

For me the book was so-so. There seemed to me to be more energy spent on which birders were standing where, when, and saying which anthromopomorphic statements than there was content on the subject of the book, hawks in/near Central Park. The story of the hawks was intriquing but I didn't feel like I really got a cohesive story about them, it was frequently interupted by the other concerns of the book (Hawkwatchers, Earlybirds, 'Moth'ers, Duckers, Butterflyers, Dragon/Damselflyers...)

Although the book is written in a kind of factual style (e.g. On this day we saw this and this happened. A week later this happened...), I have enjoyed reading it. If you are an animal lover,especially of the bird kind, it is a heartwarming story of a real hawk trying to live and make it in Central Park. That is amazing in itself.

Some people may get a little bogged down in the recounting of the daily activities of the bird watchers who meet in the park. But if you love birds, it is worth it to wade through that. I would buy the book again.

I live in Portland Oregon, and have large populations of birds in my back yard, so this was a fun read. Perhaps i will visit NYC someday, and i will bring my glasses! What a nice book!

Cynthia Moss spent thirteen years in Amboseli National Reserve studying the elephants there. This book is the culmination of her work. Cynthia writes about the elephants as if they were her friends or her family. She is obviously as attached to them as one gets attached to a pet cat or dog.

Cynthia keeps family trees of the Amboseli elephants - noting births, deaths, etc. The names of members is the same family all begin with the same letter. That makes it very easy to keep track of each family as you are reading the book. Cynthia talks about the death of one of the elephants as if it were a part of her family.

That was a very sad section of this book. Ok, I admit it, I cried. Cynthia shows how the elephants care about each other just as humans do. They are sad, just like we are, when a family member dies.

In Elephant Memories, you get to learn about the everyday activities of the elephants, how they play, eat, drink, mate. You learn what the elephants do during the dry and rainy seasons, what they do to survive a drought.

A nice thing about the book is the chapters are written in such a manner that you could simply pick any chapter, read it, and still get a lot out of it. Each chapter is its own story - no need to read previous chapters. If you were interested in the births of elephants, you could read just that chapter with having read the previous ones. If you are at all interested in elephants, definitely read this book.

IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT MAN DOESNT KNOW OR CHOOSES NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW INTELLEGENT AND WONDERFUL THESE BEAUTIFUL CREATURES OF GOD ARE AND THIS BOOK MAKES IT REAL CLEAR.

This is an excellent book. At first, the book seems confusing as the author continuously refers to the individual elephants on a first name basis when one has no idea of who these "people" are. As the names become more familiar and the individual stories develop, the strange names develop into a wonderful, although at times anthropomorphic story on the natural history of these gentle animals. As she warns us, the author takes the liberty of adding unwitnessed, fictional pieces to most stories, which can be confusing and at times blur the objective observations that she makes with subjective, although probably real, assumptions.
But this book is not a hard core technical text, despite glimpses of it being so in the beginning. The book is about remembering the wonderful social and behavioral characteristics of individuals that make up a population. From matriarchs to lonely males, from birth to death during periods of drought or at the hands of Masai warriors, this book gives a comprehensive insight into relevant issues affecting the survival of the African elephant. The author comes across as a human being, with emotions that go beyond the hard-core science. Although her prose is dry at times, this book is very enjoyable and opens a magnificent window into the world of the Amboseli elephants.

This is a wonderful book. Cynthia Moss takes the reader deep into the intricate social lives of Africa elephans in Amboseli National Park (Kenya), and leaves a profound impression. How very sensitive these animals are, and how endearing. It is entirely clear how these creatures have suffered at the hands of humans, but also nobody can read this book and not feel the urge to conserve this fantastic species. Also it may inspire some to travel to Amboseli to see the elephants 'in person' - an experience that you will never forget!

Moss takes you on an incredible journey into the lives of African elephants and allows you to take a bird's eye view of the research she has done. The book, while captivating, can seem a little discombobulated to some, however. The book divides itself into the different years Moss is writing about, each chapter being a different year. This set up, however, is a bit confusing as the chapters do not limit themselves to that particular year, but instead discussed a myriad of years all while focusing on a particular topic. That said, you do see progression in the timeline as the book reads on.

The only downside I saw to this book was the fictional retelling of circumstances that she was not witness to. She describes the deaths of a few elephants as well as some mishaps involving the elephants in near poetic detail, though she never actually saw what happened, or she only witnessed the very end of the circumstance. She does not note where the fictionalization begins, and you only understand what parts are ficionalized after reading on and seeing where she says "I don't know what happened." These are merely assumptions made on the part of the author and though they could have very real merit, it can hurt the integrity of the book when read by someone who is looking for a purely factual account of African elephants. While Moss does warn that she does make assumptions, it would have been better if she noted right before each fictionalized story that it was an assumption. That said, the stories do involve true elephant behavior and shows the audience how elephants may react in certain situations.

There is an incredible amount of insight in this book. You become attached to certain elephants, feel joy over new births, celebrate victory over hardship, and mourn the deaths of these creatures. It teaches the reader about their behaviors, environment, and most of all, the conservation of these majestic animals.

What a great book. Forget about baseball players, this book gives credit to the blue collar hard working baseball fan that made this game so great. Forget about the shirt and tie crowd we see today. Back in 1977, the real fans were the steelworkers, truck drivers, stockyard workers and ditch diggers that not only made baseball a great game but made this city a great place to live. Hats off to Peter!

...your jaw will hit the floor upon opening this book, as mine did. Peter Elliott's photos capture the weathered, hard edged beauty that Comiskey Park and it's fans used to be. A photo book that focuses entirely on the old park and it's fans, this is a must have for any White Sox fan. 5 stars aren't enough to express how incredible this book is.

This book has nothing to do with baseball and everything to do with people and community and one unique little corner of the world as it looked 24 years ago. I enjoyed it and I wasn't there. Looking at it with someone who was is even more fun.

As a lifelong Sox fan it was a real treat to open this book and be swept back in time to old Comiskey Park. Looking at the pictures gave me a chance to appreciate and enjoy what I never had paid much attention to at the the time- other fans around me. The place was a dump and we all loved it anyway. With such great detail in the photos I felt right away like my godfather and I were watching one more game together. Thanks for the book Mr. Elliott, for me it's a memory album.

This book has been over-rated. Promoted as the "summer of 1977" this picture book is apparently the result of one or two afternoons (a Cleveland day game). Don't expect any pictures of baseball or the White Sox (there are 2-3), even though 1977 was one of the most exciting years in their history. While the pictures capture some of the parks' essence, they are very depressing. 90% are shots of forlorn fans that look like they are watching a last place team, when in fact this was a first place team. Old comisky had a lot of beauty that was missed here. I was there that summer and it didn't look like that.

Gordon Parks is by far the most influential man of our time. He has given so much to the world in the form of photography , poems, and literature. He was well travelled and never comprimised himself in the process. I had the pleasure of hearing him lecture with Avery Brooks in NY a few years back. What an experience of a lifetime. Read his works and you will understand his importance in our history

It has been a long time since I started reading a book and could not stop until I had finish it. I started at 5pm on a Sunday and finish on Monday, the next day. The benadryl I had taken Sunday night did me in. What a man and what an extraordinary life.Every circumstance from the beginning of his life stated, he should have failed. Mr Parks was born dead, not alive but dead. His parents were great role models and taught him how to live. His father gave skin grafts to a burn child and told Gordon he did it for the child. Gordon had asked if the boys parents thanked him or gave him a gift. Before reading the first chapter, I said that I must meet this great man. It is not to be. Mr Parks accomplishments remind me of another great man, Dr. John Franklin Hope, the black historian. These great men were born only a few years apart, 1912 and 1915 respectfully. Please treat yourself and read this book.

When I first picked this up, I didn't know what to expect. All I knew about Gordon Parks was that he was a photographer. After reading it, I felt like a fool, because there was so much more to this extraordinary man. This book is well over 300 pages long, and I finished it in two days. There are many reasons for this.
For one, he has so many stories to tell, and, in a way, he has a way of placing you at the story he is telling. This book was published last year, and he does his best to reach back as far as possible to give the reader accurate accounts of his memories, good and bad. It tells of his humble beginnings, and some of the losses he experienced along the way. He talked about some of his earlier jobs, the undesirable conditions, but some of the people he came in contact with. At that time, he proposed to his first wife, and after constant opposition from her family, they later wed.
He also tells about the first camera he ever purchased. Not having much experience at all, he took some shots, and the rest was history from that standpoint. He never comes off as arrogant, cocky, or pumping himself or his talents up. He was always humble, and just enjoyed doing the things he loved: photography, literature, and music. He made the most of his opportunities when he was given them. His undying love and support for the poor and the less fortunate is well-chronicled, and his loyalty to fellow Blacks at the harshest of times put him in very compromising situations, but he was always able to adapt, sympathize, and relate to his subjects, and it showed in all of his work. He never compromised his beliefs for personal gain, and he was widely respected for it. He also tells of his times behind the camera, from his first film "The Learning Tree" to one of his more popular films "Shaft." To my surprise, his son wrote the screenplay and directed one of my favorite films of all-time, "Superfly", and he tells of how that came to existence.
There are so many lessons gained from reading this story that I do not have the time to list them all. For me, a 23-year-old black man, it was a blessing to be able to come across this piece of literature. I learned about a great man who made his mark on this world to the best of his ability and remained humble and down-to-earth from beginning to the end.

Gordon Parks was one of the first to transcend race in America, he was not a "Black" photographer, he was a photographer. He says it well describing his retrospective with photos of a high fashion gown the same color as the blood from a youth in a gang war he had photographed the same day.

Born in 1912 (a living icon before his death this year), Parks' work took him everywhere.. northern Canada, Paris, Rio and all over the US. He brushed with King Farouk and President Eisenhower and spent extended time with Malcom X, Mohammed Ali and Eldridge Cleaver.

This book is a once over lightly. He tells a lot through dialog, but it is not a satisfying substitute for description. I'd like to know more about how he got into photography (it reads like a fairy tale... but then he's remembering back 70 years). History needs more about the people and situations of his WPA and war work experiences... to name a few areas.

Some of the stories evoke nostalgia for a time when a spread in Life magazine would yield life changing contributions for a child in Brazil or a family in Harlem. Do today's photographers get body guards anywhere but Iraq? Do publishers still compensate those like the sharecropper who lose everything, due to the photographic spread?

This book reminds us, though, that these kindnesses and courtesies ran concurrent with overt and life taking racism.

Parks gives an outline that someone else should follow up on.

I would first like to say that this memoir was an excellent tour through the life a professional genious, good father, & well admired & respected man. His story takes us on a journey of reexamining ourselves, our dreams/achievements, black history, American history. He allowed us access to tour places abroad & at home & to see our government at it's best and worstlight. We were introduced to the real people beyond their stardom: from Marlon Brando to Muhammad Ali to Ingrid Bergman to Malcolm X. He focused on families who weren't fortunate enough to live the American DREAM; but for him were very much a part of it. He took a chance on people & stood up for what he believed in; even though the doors often times seemed shut in his face.

I felt that Mr. Gordon could have left out all the details of his many affairs with women: from wives, to mistress, to flight attendants, to his own editor (later to be wife ). I appreciate his honesty; because no man/woman can claim perfection and to do that would have been a lie. But, his detail and sense of "dat a boy" praise made me to give this book a 4.

Anyone who was fascinated by the PBS program on these two polar bears will enjoy this book. It tells the story of their early years before being transfered to the Florida zoo. The photos are amazing! I've used this book as a resource with K-6th graders, and all ages have loved it. The text under the photos is very small and in blue, making it difficult to read, but the main text is fine, and otherwise the book is wonderful. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in these two very special bears.

Anyone who was fascinated by the PBS program on these two polar bears will enjoy this book. It tells the story of their early years before being transfered to the Florida zoo. The photos are amazing! I've used this book as a resource with K-6th graders, and all ages have loved it. The text under the photos is very small and in blue, making it difficult to read, but the main text is fine, and otherwise the book is wonderful. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in these two very special bears.

I had it in just 3 days - from the US to Denmark! Peak performance! And all in time for a very small person'
s B-day!

Anyone who was fascinated by the PBS program on these two polar bears will enjoy this book. It tells the story of their early years before being transfered to the Florida zoo. The photos are amazing! I've used this book as a resource with K-6th graders, and all ages have loved it. The text under the photos is very small and in blue, making it difficult to read, but the main text is fine, and otherwise the book is wonderful. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in these two very special bears.

Although I did not see the television documentary on these two little darlings, I nevertheless loved the book. Although they are now big bears, the story of little Klondike and Snow's early years is interesting, educational and touching. Abandoned by their mother as cubs, the two bears were raised by humans. This book clearly illustrates the love and devotion of the Denver Zoo towards the cubs' care and development. Klondike and Snow are now thriving at Sea World's Wild Arctic exhibit, were they have plenty of living space and attention!

This book is wonderful for any animal lover and people interested in animal/human interaction.

This is an excellent book and all young people should read this. It contains history lessons that will open ones eyes.

This book is full of life lessons and was told by a man who had plenty of experience to tell them. He speaks about his upbringing, which was humbling to say the least. He tells about the first camera he ever purchased. Not having much experience at all, he took some shots, and the rest was history from that standpoint. He was always humble, and just enjoyed doing the things he loved: photography, literature, and music. He made the most of his opportunities when he was given them. His undying love and support for the poor and the less fortunate is well-chronicled, and his loyalty to fellow Blacks at the harshest of times put him in very compromising situations, but he was always able to adapt, sympathize, and relate to his subjects, and it showed in all of his work. He never compromised his beliefs for personal gain, and he was widely respected for it. This book is a reminder to all who may give up on hoping, dreaming, and staying positive. It's a reminder that life is full of twists and turns, hills and mountains. If you stick it out, the sky's the limit. He is an inspiration to all.

I'm surprised that this book has not gained more notarity. I am an admirer of Gordon Parks. His story is one of inspiration and challenge. An imperfect man who maximized his potential. Gordon Parks is an American Icon. Author, composer, photographer, and mentor his life is simply amazing. From being proclaimed dead at birth to succeeding at everything he touched; his life embodies hope and aspiration.

I enjoy reading about a person's life and IN VOICES IN THE MIRROR, the autobiography of Gordon Parks, I found his story interesting, edifying and at times inspirational. Mr. Parks was born into a life where the world made differences in people based on the color of their skin and not their character. However, instead of using their biases as a crutch to not succeed, he worked hard to make his dreams come to fruition.

Mr. Park's life spans many decades, wars and social climates in America. At age 15, he was homeless and living a depressing existence. He worked menial jobs to survive. He persevered and went from working on the railroad to being the first African-American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines. His life's adventures took him all over the world to cover some of the most politically disturbed countries, America's civil right's struggles, as well as Third World areas where poverty was rampant, all which were captured for posterity with his camera. He also composed a musical concerto, wrote books and penned poetry. His first novel, The Learning Tree was made into a motion picture, where he was the director and executive producer, which was an unknown anomaly during this period of time. Let's not forget he was the director of Shaft. His stories and pictures touched the hearts of many Americans, and during his life he received many accolades for what he enjoyed doing. So from the dirt roads of Kansas, Mr. Parks graduated from the school of hard knocks but lived a life that is and was so illustrious, fulfilling and awe-inspiring.

This autobiography presents itself as an honest rendition of Mr. Park's life. He tells his story eloquently and allows readers to feel the emotions he was experiencing in each particular time of his life. He tells readers how powerful a picture can be and the pictures interspersed throughout are a testament to this truth. Readers get a glimpse into his marriages, children and even grandchildren and he shows us he is fallible as well. I truly enjoyed every aspect of this autobiography from the private conversations with Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali; to showing the people in his hometown he indeed was successful, because his life is a history lesson. He made great strides for African-Americans, and no matter how angry and depressed with the situations he faced, he continued to move forward. When the final door shuts on his life, his legacy will always remain.

Reviewed by Cashana Seals
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Never before have I read a book with such honesty flowing off the pages. As Gordon Parks talks about his life from a young boy to a man you can feel everything he is going through. He doen't hide his feelings and lets you know how he felt at certain times in his life. When he talks about the hate he saw growing up and how he felt about white men, you can sence what it must have been like for him to challenge the odds and become one of the most powerful photographers of his time. Another thing that real made this book powerful was when he talked about his time as a Photo journalist for Time, having to tell people everything through the voice of a journalist and not an activist. He also makes the clear point that pictures speak louder than words. He remarks many times that he used his camera when others like red jackson used a gun. The camera is a powerful weapon in the right hands. If you have ever seen an of Gordon Parks's work or seen his movies, you will enjoy this book. It is a personal glimps in to the life of the man behind the camera.

Lu Carbyn's "Buffalo Wolf" is a short, easy-to-read account of the author's own experiences living out in the field with these two majestic species. Although the accounts of wolf attacks on bison are exquisitely detailed and sensitively described, some of the most enjoyable moments of the book come in the form of Carbyn's many adventures trying to reconcile his worlds of wolves and men.
In one particularly entertaining chapter, the author explains how he mistakenly agreed to help two different film crews get footage of his study subjects during the same trip to the field. Because one crew was French and the other British, Carbyn likened the tension between the crews to an European war, as both crews trudged towards each other, laden with heavy equipment and less than happy to see the other on "their" shooting site. Of course, the wolves soon steal the show once again when a large male approaches one of the cameras to give it a good sniff, coming eye-to-eye with the camera crew.
Lu Carbyn brings his readers so close to the wolves that it feels as if the reader has been there with him, hearing the howl of the wolves and the bison's soft grunts and thundering hooves. "Buffalo Wolf" is a must-read for anyone who admires the wilderness or any of the creatures that inhabit it.

Powerful real life adventures of a biologist working one on one with bison and wolves in the north. If you're wondering what goes on behind the scenes of those nature documentaries this is the book. Not for the faint of heart though. Makes you feel like rooting for the beleagured bison to once, just once, get revenge on the wolf. In the end however, it turns out that humanity is more of a problem than the wolves. Big interests with agri-agendas want to destroy this particular bison herd. I liked the book's no nonsense approach to the "people problems" and behind the scenes politics.

Lu Carbyn's book presents a totally new perspective on wolves, bison, and wildlife management and research. His recounting of his time in the field, his personal observations, the politics and the bureaucracy interwoven with the science he tries to hold to is honest and revealing. His love for the land he returns to time after time shines through most of all. If you are looking for a "wolf book" that is personal and thought-provoking, Mr. Carbyn's THE BUFFALO WOLF: PREDATORS, PREY, AND THE POLITICS OF NATURE is one you will want to read.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever heard a wolf howl or to anyone who has ever dreamed of hearing a wolf howl! Lu Carbyn is a man of science who writes with a poet's skill. His knowledge paired with his compassion takes us to the mysterious and ever-changing world of the Buffalo Wolf National Park, one of our world's treasures. The predator/prey interactions, the politics of wildlife management, the basic and sometimes cruel ways of nature -- Lu presents these issues and challenges us to ask the question, "How much management is too much?" Truly a spectacular book!