Field Books

This Field Guide is the perfect resource for everyone from the casual hiker simply curious about the flowers they stumble upon to the more experienced hiker/botanist looking for a convenient field guide with plenty of detailed information. The small size of the book makes it ideal to carry along, without compromising the quality of the photographs or the wealth of information it contains. The headings are well chosen - quickly guiding a user to the most popular information and the notes give a more detailed and highly informative summary. I love it and highly recommend it!

I recommend this book to anyone who spends time outside, from casual hiker to experienced photographer or naturalist. I appreciate its size, layout, photography and useful information.

One thing I love about this book is its size--smaller than other field guides so it can easily be put in a pocket and pulled out at a moments notice, no need to dig through a backpack for it. Also, there are colored tabs on the tops of all of the pages that correspond to the flower colors and make it easy to know where to start. Each page features a different flower, with a sharp photo on the left and text on the right side. I find the photography more appealing than an illustration as photography allows the readers to see the flowers in their natural context--the color variations (such as shades of purple or blue, or colors hard to accurately name) and surrounding flora can often aid in identification.

The layout of each page in this book is so easy to use and understand! Headings are in bold and include everything I need to know such as when the flower blooms, its height, habitat and description of flower, fruit and leaf. Also, toward the bottom of each page there is a section called notes that adds a dimension other field guides lack. It's my favorite part about the book. This section includes interesting tidbits about the flowers, from nicknames, to historical uses, medicinal properties, to what animals eat or pollinate the flowers, to how they got their names.
A great book!

Ever gone for a walk in the woods and wondered what all the flowers were; or just drove along the highway and saw flowers in the median or on the side of the road and asked yourself, "What are those?" Pick up "Wildflowers of Colorado" and all your questions will be answered. Because they are arranged by color- it makes it easy to find the flower you're curious about. The pictures in this book are awesome! There is a wealth of information in the note section for each flower. I was fascinated by all I learned. This book is a "must have" for all you hikers, nature lovers and for those of us who just want to know, "What's that growing in my yard?"

I got this book when it first came out and love it. The easy layout and great photography combine to make it really user friendly. I have identified many, many flowers while out hiking in Colorado using this book. There is no better field guide to the common wildflowers of Colorado. The "notes" section is extremely interesting.

This book is filled with information on flowers and where they grow and the bloom times. The clear close up pictures of the flowers and leaves make it easier to identify them when I'm on hikes. And, the book is small and easy to carry in most pockets.

This book is simply the best book you could get for learning all about wolves. Great guide book about everything about wolves. Great pictures and research by Robert H Bucsh. I would also reccomend reading about their behaviour as well, this book only teaches the basics, but you should also get The Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species by L David Mech, or any other book by L David Mech; he is the best wolf biologist known!

This is a great book!! I first checked it out of the library for a report, and realized that I just had to have my own copy. It is filled with excellent information and beautiful photos. It is quite possibly, one of my most treasured books.

Robert Busch is considered to be among the top wolf experts, and he's created a fabulous book with _The Wolf Almanac_. He gives concise, accurate information about the wolf's anatomy & physiology, behaviors, social structure, history, evolution, and current range, as well as its role in human culture. He covers predators' roles in nature, the trapping/hunting industry, pet wolves & wolf-dog hybrids, and information about current wolf conservation efforts. Some of the hard stats he gives are out of date, since they are from 1998, and things have changed quite a bit since then, but overall, this is a great, informative book.

Busch gives many anecdotes from wolf researchers and conservationists, as well as quotes and stories from the ranching and trapping points of view. There are quite a few gorgeous full-color photos in the center portion, and many black and white photos run throughout. This is a fantastic educational tool for anyone interested in learning more about wolves and their behaviors. Nearly every facet of the wolf is covered in this book. I am a tour guide at Wolf Haven (South of Olympia, Washington,) and this book is required reading before becoming certified to give the tours - it's that good.

There are a lot of really good books out there about wolves, and this one is simply outstanding.

complete guide of everything you wish to know about wolfs, myths, laws, morphology... A book you must have if you like wolfs

I'll admit it--when I first started reading this book, I was a little disappointed. I'd just gotten done re-reading Barry Holstun Lopez's "Of Wolves and Men" and saw a lot of repeated material.

I had to remind myself, thoughm that Lopez's work, dating from 1978, was exhaustive, and there really wasn't too much historical material that he hadn't already touched on. So I continued.

Where this book is really valuable is in the updated information on reintroduction and conservation programs. A lot has happened in the last quarter decade, and Busch has covered it incredibly well. The copyright is from the late 90's, so it's a bit dated, but most of the programs and refuges are still going.

Basically, this is the book that picks up where Lopez left off. It entreats responsibility on the part of the reader, and explores the many facets of humanity's relationship with the wolf. Busch's book doesn't have quite the style or emotion of "Of Wolves and Men", but it is a worthy effort nonetheless and well worth the read.

Each of the circuits are pictured in condensed form on one page, then in detailed form on following pages for easy access. I ran copies of the condensed forms and made notes on the back of each for gym use, and I use the book at home. The fast pace will have you breathing, especially if you have been "relaxed" at exercise for a while, as I have. The variation will help avoid boredom. Sometimes I do just one circuit, then follow with "The 5 Tibetans"; sometimes 2 or more circuits. It allows for flexibility with workouts.

WORKOUTS FOR WOMEN: WEIGHT TRAINING BY JONI HYDE is a simple to follow workout guide to help women of every fitness level to learn how to do weight training. The author, who also wrote Workouts for Women: Circuit Shaping , is a certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exerccise and a Certified Health/Fitness Instructor by the American college of Sports Medicine; therefore, the book is like hiring your personal trainer to have in your home or office on call! Her weight training exercises are well illustrated and easy to follow, designed to be done quickly whenever you can find a few minutes, evey at the office! She describes how you are helping a specific body part and gives tips from personal experience. An excellent guide, easy to use, giving quick success to your best self.

Certified Personal Trainer Joni Hyde presents Workouts for Women: The 12-Minute Total Body Sculpting Workout, a straightforward introduction to circuit training, offering a program designed by a woman for women. Focusing on a total body exercise session that builds feminine lean muscle tone, increases strength, and cultivates aerobic endurance in a time-efficient workout that can be condensed into as little as 12 minutes a day, Workouts for Women also offers tips for fitting exercise into one's schedule and eating right for optimum health. Over 90 different exercises, illustrated with black-and-white photographs as well as meticulous instructions, make Workouts for Women an easy-to-use resource to tailor a fitness regimen right for the individual.

This is one of the best home workout books. Equipment needed is 1) low-weight dumbbells, 2) ankle weights, and 3) step or weight bench (but I use one of those large exercise balls as my bench, with shoulders on the ball and core muscles used to keep trunk of body in straight, bench-like position). This may seem like a lot to get started, but an efficient, effective program can be built from this foundation. The exercises work every muscle group, the instructions are very easy to follow, and the suggested form protects the back (with many exercise programs, the muscles get nice and strong, but the back gets injured).

Similar to the popular Curves For Women exercise centers, this book promotes a fast and effective circuit training workout and offers ten different plans for lots of variety. Each circuit plan is very short, 12 minutes or less, and it's your choice to - if you wish - double, triple or even quadruple that circuit for a potential workout length of up to 45 minutes or so. However, you should realize that this workout includes only strength training and you should add some cardio on your own (or, like Curves, simply add some marching/jogging in place after each weight set). FYI, the author offers an excellent DVD version of this book on her website, with the odd exclusion of the final and very important chapter on stretching. Nevertheless, both the book and DVD are highly recommended.

I was recommended this book at a church leadership conference and purchased it shortly after. This book will not disappoint you and is well worth the money spent. It can be used to get youth and workers talking in Sunday School or Small Groups. I have also used it to spark discussion in my weekly emails to people in the youth group as a youth pastor.

Wihile substitute teaching in a junior high school, and waiting for an assembly to start the class asked to play "Would you rather..." This involved using the book and students volunteering to call out a number and then answer the would you rather... question. The biggest problem was having the class end before everyone got to answer a question. Turnned out that this was normally a "reward" for hard work. It was very impressive and caused a great deal of comments, replies and interaction.

I purchased this book to use with my combined youth group of 7th to 12th graders. It is by far one of the best resources I have purchased. This book poses questions would you rather a or b and then the kids are to respond and tell why. This is the one book that consistently gets my youth talking. The discussion varies each time due to the various youth that are at an event. We have gotten off track on a number of questions due to the responses and then the youth wanting to respond to that etc. I recently lost my copy and will be purchasing a new one soon.

The What If, Would You Rather, Have You Ever, and Unfinished Sentences have opened doors for conversations with the youth of the church. They are great ice breakers for young adults who are not familiar with each other and start conversations that show differences and similarities of opinions. I would recommend all of them to anyone who works with youth.

This handy pocket book provides a window into the minds of teenagers. Through fun, creative questions, kids become less guarded and begin to open up and share their values. Questions like "Would you rather be gossiped about or lied to?" get them thinking, debating, talking, and laughing. You'll want to keep a copy of this book any place you hang out with kids--in your office, at home, on trips, in your car. This is one resource you'll want for every member of your youth ministry team! Perfect to use for-- Ice breakers - Discussion starters - Community building = Wrestling with faith issues = or just for fun!

I found the book very informative. A great hands on guide for anyone considering being a dance host.

Gentlemen, if you've ever thought about sailing the oceans of the world as a dance host on a cruise ship, this book is a must. Mr. Hughey is a professional ballroom dance instructor who has spent many years at sea as a dance host. I enjoyed this book because it provides a "behind-the-scenes" look at life on board a cruise ship. He writes about the etiquette of being a dance host - of what to do and what not to do. He even gives important tips for foreign travel, including how to pack. Again, I heartily recommend this book if you seriously want to become a dance host.

Gentlemen, if you've ever thought about becoming a dance host on a cruise ship, this book is a must for you! Mr. Hughey is an expert ballroom dance instructor who has had many years of experience as a dance host at sea. In this book you'll learn the etiquette of being a dance host - things you can and cannot do. He also gives a lot of overseas traveling tips, including what to pack. By reading this book, you'll learn to avoid traveling pitfalls from someone who has been through it all. I really enjoyed reading the book and learning what goes on "behind the scenes" on a cruise ship as a host.

Want to travel, and see the world on the best ships, having the most fun, with little or no out of pocket expense? This book answers all the questions, and provides a clear path to years of fun at sea. What skills do you need as a dancer, and as a gentleman? What do you pack? How do you maximize the fun? Anything you need to know about dance hosting on cruise ships is covered in this wonderful book. I only wish I had read it when I started hosting rather than fumbling in the dark and wishing for a guide. I learned more in a couple of hours reading than I learned in 6 years hosting. This is a must read for all levels of experience.

I wish I had had "You Could Be At Sea Dance Hosting" when I began dance hosting. Arguably, Lee Hughey is the top dance host in all of dance-host-dom. Few, if any, are his equal, and certainly no host can rival his dance ability. In a chance meeting, I met Mr. Hughey at a dance at a resort. A few months later, I was taking a nap in my big blue lounger at my home in the Smoky Mountains when the phone rang. It was the personnel director of one of the premier cruise lines, asking if I would like to interview as a dance host for them. "How did you get my name?" I asked. She said, "I was at sea last week, and Lee Hughey recommended you to me." I was on one of her company's ships within a week. Since then I have traveled the world as a host--for free-I DON'T PAY A FEE TO AN AGENT! If Mr. Hughey whispers your name to a cruise line, you get noticed. That's the esteem in which he is held in the industry. And he knows the business backwards and forwards. He's tasted the ups and downs of hosting so you don't have to. Someone once said, "A wise man learns from the experience of others; a fool ought to learn from his own experience." Hughey's "You Could Be At Sea Dance Hosting" tells you how to be a dance host and avoid the pitfalls. And if you are a writer, such as I, you can take your laptop along. Most of the novel I am working on now "Murder on the Cruise Ship" was written at sea. I give Hughey's book five stars! But I give Mr. Hughey six!

Dr. O. J. Bryson, author of "A Trace of Smoke," "The Box," "Clyde, the Elf That Santa Fired," and coming soon "Murder on the Cruise Ship," thrillers all, available right here at Amazon.com.

I LOVED this book and bought more copies to pass out to family and friends. Change doesn't happen until You are ready and I like the way this book makes it obvious that good things are waiting for us if we just choose to change. It's easy to ready, easy to implement when you are willing. I'm certain I will buy more of these for others.

This book is encouraging and inspirational without being cheesy and overly smarmy like some stereotypical perceptions of self-help books. It really helps to allow understanding of self, and helps to sort out what it is that may be holding you back in your work or personal life.
The messages and chapters are practical and well-written, and while the words will result in deep personal epiphanies, the book is light enough to be read over and over again. Thoroughly enjoyable.

If you are suffering from depression, low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness - this book is a "must read". I could not put it down. I have read it, and will again read it. I want to remember the details. I am so very happy that I ran across this book because it has changed my life. I feel ready to take on the world.

This is an easy-to-read self-help book which doesn't get bogged down with words. It is subdivided into 24 one-hour segments. The idea is to read each, perhaps one per day, and spend an hour thinking and then acting upon the suggestions.

It differs from many such books in that you can easily put it down and pick it up later without losing continuity. It does have a Christian slant, though could be useful for anyone.

The perfect reader for southern enthusiast and small town living fans. Does an excellent job of describing, in deatail, the towns and their enviroments. Gives me a years worth of weekend trips at my fingertips. A must read!

This informative volume describes a number of towns that would otherwise surely go unnoticed by the non-Southerner. Basic population, economic and climate data are followed by descriptive sections on recreation, housing, health resources, and the like. An occasional anecdote or personal interview might have added a bit of color, but this is a more complete book than most others about those charming, artistic, or undiscovered places we want to find out about, and it may be the only one of its kind on the South. I am happy to own it.

This is a very handy, concise and yet comprehensive guide to help in your search for that delightful Southern town offers good quality of life and yet within reach of a city's conveniences.

There are useful statistical highlights, Cost Of Living index and web links. The books provide information on the community, eateries, attractions,education,etc.

I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a guidebook to assist in their search for a delightful town to re-locate and live.

Most people spend more time planning where to spend their vacations than they do deciding where to spend their lives (or their retirements). Fortunately for us, the authors of this book have done a huge portion of the legwork for us: finding the best small southeastern towns, evaluating them through a set of clearly defined and excellent criteria, visiting each one, and gathering relevant information to help us not only decide where to go, but to also help us connect to the community once we get there. I would be lost without this book, not even knowing where to begin. The books is also well-written, engaging in style, and easy to use. For example, you can skip sections you're less interested in because there are frequent headers common for each town, and you can also search towns by state, climate, geography (e.g., coast or mountains), and other factors of interest.

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As a colleague of Brian's, I'm always looking for things to criticize. But in Mattimore's case, I must say that I can't find fault with his work. This is a superb book, and my suggestion to you is buy and enjoy it. This is truly one of the better books on the market.

I admit, I'm a technogeek, and I wondered if a book over a decade old could really teach me anything new about business creativity.

If the book is Bryan W. Mattimore's 99% Inspiration: Tips, Tales & Techniques for Liberating Your Business Creativity, the answer to my question is yes, it can teach me something. A lot, in fact.

Bryan Mattimore is a creativity consultant. While to me "creativity consulting" conjures images of brainstorming software and "creativity" web sites, Mattimore writes primarily about low-tech creativity-boosting techniques.

My second-favorite technique is called "The Gray Box" and involves having your group ask yes or no questions about the contents of a box until they determine what's in it. What actually was in Mattimore's box might surprise you, after you read the questions and responses.

Mattimore's Idea Hooks (R) concept is nothing short of remarkable (and my favorite technique, by the way). He has developed a way to actually look at the idea "hooks" that led to great inventions and discoveries. This alone was worth the price of the book, which I actually just checked out of the library but intend to buy.

The third technique I really like involves cutting-and-pasting, something I'm very familiar with as a writer. Except this is the kind I did as a kid, not the kind I'm used to now. In the book, marketing execs cut out magazine pictures and compared their product to their favorite things. Sounds kind of hokey here, but in the book, it's fascinating.

I'm a creative person by nature, but 99% Inspiration really helped me think more creatively. Especially if "inspiration" doesn't come easily to you, take a look at 99% Inspiration.

Bryan Mattimore presented processes that have fueled my consulting practice. I find myself flipping through all my downturned pages whenever I need creative thoughts or whenever I need a creative approach to almost any situation. This is simply a great reference book.

Mattimore gives us a readable overview of both theory and technique. Breezy style, not bogged down in rhetoric and faddish tricks as other management books often are. He explores the techniques used by proven creative-types, famous and not-so-famous. The results count, and his examples and personal experiences prove the methodologies. Readers of similar books may have seen or heard some of the stories elsewhere, but there's enough new to keep your interest. I have used his techniques and they do work for idea generation. He supplies enough, so that with a little practice, you can get started

As a novice soccer-playing mom, I can authoritatively recommend this book. Araton captures the essence of the soccer-mom playing movement: the pure joy - both physically and emotionally - that comes with playing a team sport for the first time. This book is more than soccer. It's the story of a great group of women who made a difference in their community.

This book is for all adult women who play soccer and then pass this book to your husbands , boyfriends or significant other its a must read !!! Harvey caught the essence of exactly how deprived I felt not being in competitve sports when I was younger . Now later in life I like Harvery's wife became an organizer of women in sports. I felt like Harvey was writing about me . It was truly enjoyable to see a man appreciate and understand his wife's new found interest and ENCOURAGING it . What a wonderful book. Im sure I will see Harvey's wife in our OTH (over the hill) divison one day. Keep kickin it up !!! I recieved this book from my wonderful husband :)

Finally, somebody has taken seriously the phenomenon of women at play, and given this trend a cultural voice. Araton went to a great deal of reportorial trouble getting the story right, interviewing and chronicling the suburban mothers who have decided that sports can both empower and entertain. The characters come to life through both crisis resolution and athletic achievement. On and off the field, this book scores a hat-trick.

Learning to play soccer at 30, 40, or 50 is nothing like learning to play tennis, ski, or snowboard at that age. This book captures the essence of the challenge, exhilaration, and camaraderie that adult women experience in taking on one of the most demanding sports. Soccer moms who have tried what these women have done will really empathize with this book. It also accurately depicts the group politics that arise when organizing a playing league of women who are new to team sports and expect fairness to be applied. "Alive and Kicking" is extremely well-written and is a highly enjoyable fast read. Circulate it amongst your teammates and significant others; they will all be delighted.

A good book for folks wanting to learn about our night-time visitors. Well worth buying.

I bought this book just because I was curious about bats. I had always thought they were "bad", until I visited a conservatory in Wyoming that had a bat house and explained how important they are. That was a surprise to me.
This book opened my eyes to how beneficial bats really are. It talks about the facts, myths and misconceptions about bats... what's true, what's not. It tells what to do if a bat comes into your house, and how to evict them if they have taken up residence in your attic or somewhere else you don't want them to be.
The book is well-written and an "easy" read. It has lots of good photos, and tells about some of the different species of bats and where they live. I recommend it for older children (maybe 10 and up) and adults. Well worth the money.

Dr. Tuttle has set out to redeem the reputation of the bat clan and if people would just read this book I believe he would succeed. This book is packed with information that will help dispel the fear and misunderstanding with which people view bats, but at the same time it is by no means too technical to be readily understood (I first read it when I was about fourteen iirc and enjoyed it as much then as I do now.) I would recommend this book to anyone anywhere who is the least bit interested in nature and also to anyone who is fearful or concerned about bats in their nieghborhood.

This is a very informative, well wriiten and beautifully photographed book on bats. The book includes beautiful color photographs of the most commonly seen bats in America. One of the most appreciated sections is the "Beginners' Key To American Bats", a well written, easy to comprehend section on identifying common bats of the region and placing them in their proper groups. Very important if you intend to build bat houses and hope to attract occupants and just general knowledge.
The book includes several other interesting chapters besides identification. It shows how bats navigate with radar. It addresses the many negative myths of bats, it explains how beneficial bats are in nature. If you want or need to know anything at all about these interesting creatures, THIS is the book and Merlin Tuttle is the expert to seek out. And even if you only need to know enough about bats to humanely evict them from your belfry, this book comes with even that information!
The author has dedicated his life to these interesting mammals. Even without knowing that fact, you can see from the entertaining way Mr Tuttle writes, how much he cares. All of his books are excellent. Check them all out!