Adam Books

If you are serious about studying and watching birds in Michigan this is an important book to have. It is dated (1991) but I would recommend having this and anticipate the new updated version to come out in 2009 or 2010 from the currently active atlas project.

This is an atlas, not a field guide or illustrated book. Most of the book is made up of accounts of all the species of birds that nest in Michigan with a summary of their habits, abundance, history and breeding biology with the facing page a map of Michigan townships with indications of breeding evidence for the species. For example the nearly ubiquitous American Robin has nearly every section in every Michigan Township shaded in (other than some underbirded areas)and birds that are rare or geographically limited are shown in their only areas (eg. Black Tern in coastal and large interior marshes). This helps the beginning birder to know where to search for species and illustrates graphically the need for conservation.

Two other books that are important adjuncts for this are "Birds of Michigan" by James Granlund, an illustrated natural history of birds of the state and "A Birder's Guide to Michigan" by Allen Chartier and Jerry Ziarno. "A Birder's Guide to Michigan includes 200 sites across the state for birding and additional information on bird migration through the state that complements the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas.

In the 1980s, a thousand volunteers surveyed our entire state in an effort to record and map an atlas of the birds which breed in Michigan. This information is summarized and contained in "The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Michigan, which was published in 1991.

Starting in 2002, the Kalamazoo Nature Center began to coordinate the creation of a second Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. The data collection portion of this process is scheduled to be completed in 2008, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the bird-watching volunteers involved in this second multi-year survey.

The 1991 edition of the atlas is a large hardcover book with a handsome dust jacket. The 594 pages are illustrated throughout with black-and-white drawings, and detailed maps of individual species locations. Each bird is described (in rather small print), along with its habitat, seasonal occurrence, and current status. There is also a conservation section included for rare, threatened, or endangered species.

This atlas begins with a detailed discussion of Michigan ecology, plus a chapter on "The Original Avifauna and Postsettlement Changes." It ends with a huge bibliography, appendices, a list of contributors, and an index of common and Latin bird names. It is absolutely the most detailed reference atlas of Michigan birds on the market. The only thing it lacks is color photographs of each bird species, so it needs to be supplemented by a good field guide.

For more information on this atlas, go to www.michiganbirds.org/bba/

This is an excellent bird book. It itemizes observed breeding evidence of birds by township. It is very detailed and very well done. Excellent descriptions of each species. I also liked the intro. It provides bird habitat information such forest, wet lands, fields. Good history of the changes in bird species over time. Only weakness- it was written in 1991. In the past decade, several birds have expanded their territory (i.e. turkeys and bald eagles). If you live in Michigan and watch birds, this is the book to buy.

This is a coffee table size book. It is a little large to take in the field. Book uses drawings not photographics. The drawings are well done be do not replace color photos.

I borrowed this work from my local university library and read it through TWICE! I am now about to order this new affordable set published by the Mises Institute so that I can not only read it through again but have as a constant source of reference. A brilliant work!

The product of a lifetime of dedicated scholarship, this is Rothbard's magnum opus.

Volume one is a breathtaking journey through time, analyzing how culture, religion, and politics have impacted upon economic thought.

Volume two contains the most devastating refutation and trenchant analysis of Karl Marx and his destructive, apocalyptic theory of Communism."

This work is a tour de force of economic thought, spanning a thousand pages and nearly two millennia.

The books thesis rests on Thomas Kuhn's theory of paradigm shifts of scientific intellectuals in "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." In these two volumes, Rothbard grinds his axe against what he would refer to as the "Whig theory of history" or the idea that history of ideas is always a progression forward.

In light of this thesis, Rothbard carefully works in progression from ancient Greek thought of Plato, Aristotle, and Xenophobe to the late 19th century works of J.S. Mill, Marx, Bastiat and Pareto. What is truly amazing is amount of time in Volume I he devotes to smaller unknown scholastics (who revived much of the work of Aristotle after finding preserved by the Arabs) overlooked by works like Lionel Robbins lectures on Economic thought and much of Hayek's contributions, which were dominated by the Scottish Enlightenment. Insomuch, Rothbard credits - like Schumpeter did - many lesser individuals which prefigured Smith, like Turgot, Cantillon and the French tradition; or the School of Salamanca and the Scholastic's who debunked the idea of a just price - based in a theoretical corpus of Natural Law (like Rothbard himself).

There are some who have taken the whole book out of context by reading only his treatment of Adam Smith - mostly because this is the most controversial section. Without context, Rothbard chapter on Smith seems to be harsh for those who consider him a great defender of liberty and lassie faire. Yet, to me, he sufficiently backs his libertarian case against Smith - as those who have actually looked into the Wealth of Nations can attest (the contradiction in Book 1 and 5 is most apparent in his description of the division of labor on one hand and alienation on the other). In fact, he continues Joseph Schumpeter's famous assessment of `das AdamSmith' problem (Schumpeter argues that Smith, in the Wealth of Nations is just carrying on a physiocrat position in `Economic Doctrine and Method'); which has plagued economic thought by misplacing an emphasis on one man as the intellectual godfather while belittling outstanding prefigures like Turgot and Cantillon, the Scholastics and post-figures such as Senior, Bastiat and Say.

It is not that Rothbard means to tear Smith's whole doctrine asunder. Rothbard admits freely that Smith was important up to a point, yet was bereft in his defense of liberty. Hence Smith doesn't measure up to his `hardcore' liberal French counterparts - for instance Turgot or Say. Rothbard illustrates this in the American tradition by quoting Thomas Jefferson as having admiration and preference for De Tracy and J.S. Say instead of Adam Smith.

A mild warning - although the book is an exhilarating history of ideas, some of the finer points may be difficult or perhaps too technical for a layman. Rothbard has particular detailed points on theoretical economic issues. (Which makes me question the familiar charge about Rothbard retreating from Economics during the 1970's - as this book was written in the 1980's) He spends some space analyzing the differences in the theory of price (between Mill, Ricardo, Smith and the French School), interest and other lengthy sections (roughly 3 chapters of the second book) on monetary theory.

In light of the 20th century textbook analysis dominated by the neo-classical tradition in the micro sphere and Keynesianism in the macro sphere, Rothbard seeks to carve out and correct misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the classics and its development into the strains of these modern ideas - evaluating them by his own Austrian standard (see Rothbard's Man, Economy and State and Human Action by L. von Mises). Yet, Rothbard is not intentionally setting up historical economists as straw men, but to show that they were pioneers - some with clearer insight than others. In effect, he shows that some economics has gotten better while other have gotten worse.

Although this book is aimed at understanding economics, these two volumes also show the depth of Rothbard as an intellectual, religious and political historian as well. Again, this work ought to be disquieting to those scholars who continually discounted Rothbard. It is this painstaking argumentation which feeds directly into his thesis and makes the work sparkle; providing relevance to the questions which still persist today and will be here tomorrow.

"...the book provides an invaluable guide for parents or professionals keen to update themselves on the diagnosis, treatment, and causes of autism. It should also prove a very useful introduction for students and others who want to nkow more about this fascinating condition."

Manages to pack an incredible amount of information into a very small space, while remaining wonderfully clear and jargon-free. Invaluable for anyone who wants to acquire an overnight grasp on the state-of-the-art research into autistic spectrum conditions, their causes, and the best methods of education and treatment.

From a parent's perspective, this is the first book to be read when autism is suspected in your child. Missing are the generalizations and stereotypes, as well as conflicting symptoms, found in many other books. Lots of helpful information to help you understand your child better, how to best help him/her at home and the various treatments/therapies available to your child. If your child doesn't meet the "classic" symptoms of autism, this book will bring better understanding of the all encompassing term "autism."

I must say I like it much. Congratulations to you for a book well-written and full of religious insights...

A great and wonderful book!

Awareness Rising
Fulfilling desires and yearnings of the heart by clearing the awareness for The Holy Spirit

by Victor N. Calm

reviewed by www.CorporateWriters.com

Most of us have faith, and most of us question that faith at one time or another as we inch forward in our life's journey. Not to question at all is to have totally blind faith - it is like being brainwashed by the dogmatic beliefs of others.

To question intelligently and to find the answers for yourself - even with the help of others - does indeed strengthen faith as it is no longer blind faith.

Many of us face a heavy conflict - some "learned scientists" want scientific evidence about the existence of The Creator; some preachers advise that "scientific" evidence is unnecessary. How do you resolve the conflict?

You start with the help of someone who has been there and done that.

Victor Calm holds a Master of Information Technology degree. By the very nature of information technology, you need to use logic to get anything done. Without logic, you don't have computers and you don't have any system. One plus One has to equal two.

Victor Calm explains how he came into awareness about the biggest system of them all - that created by The Creator - and that in absolute reality there is no conflict between "science" and faith - they just operate at different levels of consciousness.

How do you follow the path to awareness? Well, by reading this good book for a start. If you are new to questions about faith and awareness, then you will find answers to many questions that are typically raised by "seekers".

Quotes from other texts and "leading lights" are useful. Unlike many other books, this one does not attempt to raise "divisions" - it shows you that it is possible to raise your awareness. The author has managed to cover a highly complex topic with endearing simplicity - one that will certainly appeal to beginners.

Copyright:
www.CorporateWriters.com
www.InternetPressOffice.com

For us legions of Adam Raphael fans, it is a very good thing that he is a prolific as well as masterly artist. On the heels of his majestic ROOM SERVICE comes yet another masterwork of male photography, BARELY WORKING. Once again Raphael causes myriad jaws to drop with his skill for capturing some of the handsomest young men alive doing what seemingly comes natural, in this case "laboring." It isn't just the beauty of the models, however, that gives great pleasure; it is also Raphael's meticulous presentation. He is one of the few artists in this field who can actually make his photographic canvas glow with the kind of light Cezanne would have envied. His pictures leap to life and provide a doorway through which the viewer can nearly step through (oh that that were possible!). In this collection Raphael gets a bit more risque than in his previous books with glimpses of male "cleavage,' but it is all in good taste and all in good fun.

This is another one for the ages and one admirers of beauty should snap up IMMEDIATELY.

I'm Shocked! but pleasantly surprised to see that a professional male photographer has listened to our requests and photographed young men the way they should appear, Relaxed! There are no statues, or stale unsmiling, motionless young men looking bored to death in Adam Raphael's new book, of young, hunky, and handsome men, aptly titled "Barely Working". It's a great title for a book of images featuring some of the best looking guys in America who are photographed working on various outdoor building projects, and having a great time on the job. The group shots of the guys are unusual as most male photography books of this nature do not bring a group of guys together in one place interacting, but usually show just images of men alone normally. These young hunks are barely working, for all work and no play is certainly NOT the case in these beautifully photographed shots. It so nice to see smiling faces for a change as the models are working, playing and talking. These guys are relaxed in front of the camera, seemingly not even aware of it, and the credit for that belongs to Adam Raphael. I thought Adam Raphael's last book "Room Service" would be hard to top but he has shown again what an innovative and dedicated photographer can do. The coloring, lighting and shadows in these images is pleasure to the eye.


There's no full nudity in these images, but in no way does that deter from the sexy, and artistic beauty of these young men captured at the peak of their physical perfection. In fact, it adds to their mystique and allure. Adam Raphael has captured the beauty of these men and to our benefit he allows us to share in his work and world of beauty. This will be one of the books on my top shelf of male photography books, which will be enjoyed and treasured for years to come.

Adam Raphael becomes more painterly with every new portfolio of photographs he presents. Beginning with the almost shy 2001 FRIENDS, his photographic portraits of young men whose trust in the artist is obvious, makes the images gentle and casual and very honest. In his 2004 FRIENDS AND BROTHERS, the relationship between the single model and the model grouped, Raphael played with space and suggested poses that never appeared forced but began to offer some commentary between the fresh, young and naturally beautiful young men and the artist. In short, Raphael pushed his space to create not only celebratory images of young men at their zenith of physical development, but he also suggested interplay or dramatic statement. In his 2007 portfolio ROOM SERVICE that drama became more polished as his beautiful men in rooms that echoed histories and stories allowed the viewer to go beyond the initial thought of simply finding vital, naturally handsome youths, to create fantasies. And without pushing the edge of full nudity Raphael found the exotic and, yes, erotic communication between his subject and his audience.

In observing the model at rest, at play, and in repose in the elegant surroundings that suggested a proscenium stage, Adam Raphael developed those skills of telling stories with the camera, and in this newest and in many ways most successful portfolio, BARELY WORKING, his ability to find the visceral humor, the moments of stress and relaxation, and the interaction between the props of the working man and the model that result in paintings that just happen to be made of film, is polished and exemplary. Whether focusing on the grease smears of the boiler room men or the geometrics of the yards of contractors, Raphael finds echoes in his sets that serve as complementary designs with the bare-chested, muscle men of his choosing. These lads continue to follow Raphael's keen eye for the naturally beautiful men, at times observed at work and at times at play, and more often at times with direct eye communication with the artist. But now the composition of each photograph is more sophisticated, flesh tones are excitingly balanced as choices of settings, and color objects create a harmony that while not pulling focus as technique, successfully result in enhancing the chiseled beauty of the models.

Some may wonder why Adam Raphael avoids frontal nudity when the audience is apparently now prepared for that historically prejudiced stance. Perhaps one reason is that Raphael is able, by maintaining elements of garments that enhance the physiques of his very choice models, to communicate more sensual images by taking the viewer just far enough to make the imagination engage. And it is that step, that decision, that engagement, that keeps his art fresh, vital, eternally youthful, and now, painterly beautiful! Grady Harp, September 08

Title: Becka and the Big Bubble; Becka goes to India
Format: Children's hardback print
Authors: Gretchen Schomer Wendel and Adam Anthony Schomer
Illustrator: Damon Renthrope
ISBN: 978-1-933754-13-0
Published By: Waterside Press
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Culturally rich, extraordinarily bubbly and down right fun, Becka goes to India from the Becka and the Big Bubble series is the ultimate childhood story experience. Jumping from one part of India to another, Becka happily immerses herself in Indian's long standing culture. Exploring the Himalayan mountain range to running over the green rolling fields, this books gives young readers a look at one of the most exotic places still on the face of the planet. Introducing readers to key Indian cities, wild animals of India and one of the most famous landmarks in the world, Gretchen Schomer Wendel and Adam Anthony Schomer drive the story towards having fun and the innocence of discovery. Holiday celebrations, legendary leaders and the beauty of traditional ancient Indian instruments are carefully introduced in a simple to understand format but which delights the readers too.

Illustrations are bold, big and beautifully done. Illustrator Damon Renthrope doesn't hold back anything in bringing to the foreground the wonder in colors that India delivers. Courageous colors skip throughout the pages of the book

With proceeds from the book going towards finding a cure for cancer, these authors and publisher are setting the tone for combining good learning with good cause. Becka goes to India from the Becka and the Big Bubble series is one of a powerful series of rhyming picture books that teach and inspire youthful readers. It's the one book that even parents will enjoy rereading every night to their children.

We have the whole series of the Becka and the Big Bubble books and my daughter loves them. Books that rhyme are a big hit with her right now and I love all of the fun words like "flippity-free" and "pippity-pop." And, I also like that I am introducing her to new places and new cultures, even at her young age. A definite hit at our house!

This is our favorite book.....we love the series so much that we bought them all. The bubble is a hit with the kids!!!!

We have almost all of the Becka books now and read them to our son all of the time. I especially love the Becka Goes to San Francisco book. My husband proposed to me under the Golden Gate Bridge and we lived in the area for several years. We love having a children's book that exposes the wonders of such a special place with our son. Now when we take him to San Francisco, he can immediately relate to all of the sites he's seen in his Becka book.

Both my girls just adore Becka and her adventures. My two-and-a-half year old loves it when Beck blows a bubble and floats off to her next adventure. My five-year-old is just tickeled by the rhyming story line and asks question-after-question about the cities Becka visits on her bubble. I especially love reading the "San Francisco" version, being that I grew up there and the authors magical story-telling bring back some wonderful memeories of childhood. It's truly a book any child will love! We have all the "Becka" books and can't wait for the next one! It's soon to be a classic!

This is such a wonderful book! My 3 year old son was given this book as a present. We loved the book so much we bought all the other Becka and the Big Bubble books!

Adam K. Webb suggests that "liberal modernity" (his term) in the West represents the rise and cultural dominance of atomism, as he styles the self-understanding or ethos of a certain group of people.

Overall, Webb works with four ethoses (or group self-understandings):

(1) demoticism
(2) perfectionism
(3) virtuocracy
(4) atomism.

However, I would urge Webb and others to step back from considering so-called "liberal modernity" and consider instead the emergence of modernity in the West.

Walter J. Ong has urged us to see major historical developments in the West as emerging in relationship to one another and especially in relationship to the technologizing of the word in the West. So taking a hint from Ong, let's refer to modernity as the period in which the printing press has had an impact in the West. (Ong's most important study of print culture in the West is _Ramus, Method, and the Decay of Dialogue: From the Art of Discourse to the Art of Reason_ [3rd ed. University of Chicago Press, 2004; orig. 1958].)

Of course Ong himself has traced the quantification of thought to the medieval universities, and he has connected the quantification of thought with the emergence of modern science in the West. In this way, Ong suggests that the new state of mind that was inculcated by the quantification of thought in the medieval university curriculum was carried forward in print culture by printed books that continued to advance this new state of mind.

We might also note that the economist Joseph Schumpeter has argued that modern capitalism emerged historically in fourtheenth-century Italy in Milan, Venice, and Florence. But this form of modern capitalism was carried forward subsequently in print culture after the emergence of the printing press in the mid-fifteenth century and printed books began to impact the culture of the West. (To what extent, if any, was the emergence of modern capitalism influenced by the quantification of thought that Ong has discussed?)

Both modern science and modern capitalism contributed to the rise of atomism in the West, as Webb styles atomism.

By taking this expanded view of the emergence of modernity in the West, we can also see the Reformation as arguably representing the rise of the spirit of perfectionism, as Webb uses this term. (In Webb's terminology, the Counter-Reformation arguably represents virtuocracy.)

When we turn our attention to the American Revolutionaries, the Founding Fathers of the United States, and many American citizens of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, we might argue that they represent the rise of virtuocracy, or at least the spirit of virtuocracy. But Webb prefers to see these developments as part of "liberal modernity" and atomism.

In David Rieman's _The Lonely Crowd_, tradition-directed people in American culture represent Webb's demoticism. (Riesman's inner-directed people in American culture can be parcelled out to Webb's atomism, perfectionism, and virtuocracy.)

Thus in this expanded view of the cultural juggernaut of the West in the period known as modernity, all four of Webb's ethoses can be found. We might even argue that there was indeed a rise in all four in the West during the period known as modernity (associated with the impact of the printing press), if we use earlier time periods in the West to establish base-line comparisons for this arguable rise.

Even so, of the four ethoses that Webb discusses, atomism did indeed rise in ascendancy and cultural dominance over the other three ethoses in the "liberal modernity" of the West, by which he means primarily modern capitalism and modern democracy.

But nothing quite like this ascendancy of atomism to cultural dominance in the West occurred in other cultures around the world, as Webb notes.

However, with the globalization of markets today, it is hard for cultures elsewhere in the world to avoid contact modern capitalism in the West and the cultural ascendancy of cultural atomism that is associated with it.

In addition, because of the global reach of American political power today, it is hard for non-Western cultures not to come into contact with the juggernaut of Western culture as represented by the United States.

If Webb is correct in claiming that all four ethoses that he describes are found cross-culturally, then the ethos of atomism supposedly can be found elsewhere in the world, but not necessarily in the position of cultural dominance, as it arguably still is in the West and in the United States.

Thus the clash of other cultures with the cultural juggernaut of the West that is dominated by atomism may provoke certain ecological adjustments within the four ethoses in those other cultures.

But what further ecological adjustments of ethoses, if any, may the cultural juggernaut of the West undergo?

As I have indicated, I have found certain details of Webb's thought that I would argue with. However, apart from any arguments that I have with Webb, I commend his efforts. He has worked out an extremely useful way to think about the clash of cultures around the world today.

--Thomas J. Farrell, author of Walter Ong's Contributions to Cultural Studies: The Phenomenology of the Word and I-Thou Communication (The Hampton Press Communication Series (Media Ecology).)

I read this book a half a year ago, and while I was not used to the ideas in the book at first, it quickly revealed itself as a very well-written and thought-out book. You can't start reading this book with preconceptions because Webb thinks differently from all the major thinkers now. It seems like a thing of the past to write meta-histories of abstract facets of the human experience, but Webb does this skillfully and convincingly.
In his book, Webb describes four self-understandings in the course of history that cut across cultures: atomism, perfectionism, demoticism, and virtuocracy. Atomism is the self-understanding taken up by the Sophists of ancient Greece, the Legalists of ancient China, and yes, modern Liberalism in the broad sense. Perfectionism maps onto mystics across cultures and through history. Demoticism maps onto the peasants and community-centered citizens. Hobbits would be demots. Virtuocracy maps onto the clergy and other spiritual elites. For most of history, Virtuocratic, Demotic, and Perfectionist self-understandings have reigned. Since the late 1800s, however, Atomism has gradually become the most popular and powerful self-understanding. How has Atomism achieved this primary status? How has the world changed because of this? What are viable alternatives to an atomist "End of history?" Read Webb's book to find out.

One cannot pigeon-hole Webb into any political category. He is neither a liberal nor a conservative. For liberals (in the broad sense) out there, read this book to see what an intelligent response to liberalism looks like, instead of dismissing all anti-liberals or anti-modernists as backward and stupid. For conservatives, read this book to find out how conservatism has been hijacked by the atomist agenda, and how conservatism is really a shadow of what it's meant to be.

This is one of the most powerful and persuasive critiques of liberal modernity to have appeared in recent years. Webb is an unusually intelligent and perceptive thinker and this fine book should be widely read with considerable interest even by those who, like this reviewer, are not so down on the modern, capitalist, and liberal-democratic world.

For anyone who wonders about skeletons in their family closets...this is for you.

A well written, modern novel for people interested in the past.

For anyone who wonders about skeletons in their family closets...this is for you.

A well written, modern novel for people interested in the past.

Bird is an understated, exciting chiller which captivated me the whole way through until the clever ending. Jane Adams' writing style is deceptively simple but she creates an intriguing atmosphere that draws the reader in. There are interesting flashbacks every few pages as the past is key in uncovering the present day mystery and these add to the tension.

The characters are very believable. Marcie is the lead, a young married woman who has become estranged from her family after they treated her badly. Now she has returned to stay with them for a while as her grandfather Jack is dying. However Jack keeps seeing the ghost of a woman called Rebekkah and eventually this ghost begins to haunt the entire family. Marcie begins to research into who this woman was and she comes to some pretty disturbing conclusions. The ending is surprising and wonderful with some deep psychological insight.

Overall Bird is a fast paced psychological chiller that I would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers, regardless of whether they enjoy a supernatural element or not. The English setting and characters are realistic, especially the cold and stilted relationship between Marcie and her grandmother and aunt Alice. The ending is memorable, making you question the motives of some of the characters.

JoAnne

This book is just exquisite; heirloom quality. Not only do I want this quilt on my bed, I want to rug hook every panel for my floors and walls. Thank you so much A & A for sharing your talents with us.

This is a GREAT quilt book, as always Barb Adams & Alma Allen have out did themselves.

This is simply beautiful!!! The blocks are exceptional. I can't wait to start. Adams and Allen ALWAYS produce excellent products. Thanks A & A.