Field Books

This book is highly illustrated and very informative.
Fantastic guide for young beginners to avid bird watchers.
Highly recommended to have handy for field OR "window watching".
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!

I own several field guides to birds, and none has been as useful in identifying birds as this classic. Organized by first by general type (swimmers, aerialists, long-legged waders, smaller waders, fowl-like birds, birds of prey, nonpasserine land birds, passerine - or perching - land birds) and then by family (sandpipers, owls, blue finches, etc.), finding an entry for that songbird sitting in the tree outside your window is a breeze, especially since you can disregard most sections and get right to the area (in this case, passerine birds) likely to describe it.

Peterson's illustrations remain the best in the birding guides. It's much easier to identify a bird based on these drawings than from a photograph. Peterson uses arrows to point to key characteristics that distinguish one bird from a similar looking one. Entries include a brief description of the bird in its habitat, how to distinguish it from similar species, voice, range, and habitat. Each bird has its own color-coded reference map in the back to quickly view breeding, migratory, and year-round areas. (Note: because this book is an older guide, some species might have changed their ranges slightly; most remain true.) The only description I've found not helpful has been the text describing the voice, or song, of these birds.

Beginners will find helpful points in how to quickly identify birds using beak types, wing shape, tail characteristics, and other notable features. Before long, novice birders will be able to know from the beak along that a bird belongs in the finch family, or that the tipping dihedral wings of a large bird in the distance mark it as a vulture.

Whenever I see a new species, I always turn to this book first. Small but dense, packed with information and first-rate illustrations, this is a great book to take with you on outings.

I found the book notes rareties by color as well as pattern. If you want just one book to carry on your hunting trips for Carnival Glass you can not do better! The prices are realistic. Only thing is it is geared more for the advanced collector when looking at detailed pictures. There is an excellent color section by a top-notched photographer.

As a collector of carnival glass, I'm always looking for as much information about my hobby as possible. One of the most frustrating things I encounter as a collector is that I often don't have enough information, or worse yet, wrong information. Dave Doty's book is an invaluable resource that clearly and concisely presents information on carnival glass - from the mundane to the extremely rare. Price lists are usually a nightmare for authors writing about collectibles, since most quoted prices are often a reflection of the purchaser's and seller's moods at the time of sale. Dave Doty has gracefully dealt with this sticky area by quoting actual auction and sale prices in a range format, and giving extra information and explanations for those items which brought a price outside of the range. This very well presented book is a definite Must-Have for every carnival glass collector!

I originally bought this book just for reading material, but when I found out I was going to Guam I broke it out and read it in earnest. I found the guide to be very well written with many color photographs, cave descriptions, topo maps (which helped with general navigation as well as hiking), and many other sections such as diving, hiking and kayaking. After going to Guam and actully using the book as a field guide I was even more impressed with how well the book is laid out, the accuracy of the descriptions and the depth of information. The spiral binding and plasiticized pages make it ideal for use on the trail and it will stand up well to being tossed in a backpack on a regular basis. I highly recommend this book for anybody interested in the geology, history and/or recreation available on Guam!

Field Guide to Caves and Karst of Guam by Danko Taborosi is an excellent contribution to Guam's history. It accounts for the caves and karst of the island, in a way that is academic, scientific and yet a helpful guide for all who want to explore the island's natural features. Outdoor activities should be encouraged but not at the expense of safety, and this book conveys the inherent dangers associated with exploring the Island's dangerous but exciting outdoors; characteristics unique to islands. However, it admonishes the importance of calculating, planning and well thought out approach with emphasis on the significance of special training and numerous precautions when exploring vertical caves, deep dives and naturally developed karst areas. I was amazed with the natural beauty of the Island that Danko's photos reveal, something I've not seen although Guam has been my home since birth, 50 years ago. Through his work I have been introduced to a Guam I had no familiarity with and can now learn to appreciate. His devotion to exploration and work over the year that he gathered the material for his book is a wonderful gift to the Chamorro people. Dångkolo na Si Yu'os Ma'åse (Thank you very much) Danko.

Selling someone an office building can be much different than selling them a home. "A Field Guide to Commercial Real Estate Investment" is a guide for those who wish to get in the less-traveled game of real estate in commercial areas. McComb brings his quarter of a century of real estate knowledge to the table as he speaks on the various ins and outs in this business in terms simple enough to understand to anyone new to all real estate concepts. "A Field Guide to Commercial Real Estate Investment" is the introduction one needs to get into the game.

This is a great overview of commercial real estate investment. It's clear, easy to read, and easy to understand. It's also a fast read, compared to some of the tomes I've seen in this field. The examples coupled with the financial worksheets were a big help in understanding some concepts (cap rates, return on investment, etc.) that have confused me in the past. I also really appreciate the detailed information on figuring the maximum loan amount available for a property and calculating the amount of cash needed for the investment.

There was a real, practical feel about this book, which I appreciated.

This is the book land conservationists, government officials, and the public have been needing. If you wrestle with the question of how money can be raised to protect land you love, this is the book you should buy. The facts are solid, the writing is clear and accessible, and the knowledge presented is based on decades of practical experience. I have worked in land conservation for 32 years and I admire the depth of the case studies and the wisdom of the Story Clark's advice. A highly recommended book from an author who knows her stuff.

Story Clark is one of the most experienced and knowledgable practitioners in the conservation finance field. Her book is an excellent resource for people who understand both that this generation of Americans has a unique opportunity to protect private and public lands in perpetuity, and that informed and determined land conservationists can actually make it happen. If you are involved in protecting the land in your backyard, or land halfway across the continent, then get this book and study it carefully. Then go out and use its lessons to leave a legacy for generations to come.

It may only be October, but I believe I've found the perfect stocking stuffer for the upcoming holiday season. The pocket sized cookbook A Field Guide to Cookies by Anita Chu promises to assist you in learning how to identify and bake virtually every cookie imaginable. She isn't kidding either. The author offers up recipes in all the major cookie categories including drop, bar, molded, and rolled.

Each recipe is neatly outlined with a general description of the treat, the historical background, serving suggestions, helpful baking notes, and even storage tips. Best of all, located in the center of the book are color images of every recipe. This is especially helpful due to the number of recipes inside that I've never heard of before. Have you ever made a Financier? How about a Speculass or a Congo Bar? Sometimes I find it hard to break out of my chocolate chip cookie comfort zone, but I sincerely believe this cookbook will nudge any home cook out of the baking rut you may be experiencing.

I love the size and shape of this book.
There are so many cookies, some I have never heard of and I'm a pastry chef! And there is a beautiful color photo of each cookie.
This is an outstanding reference guide to cookies.

This Book is for the student of malacology or professional. It has magnificant photos of the representive mussels in the region and the author (Cummings) is the national expert on Unionids. A must get for the professional, Student, or thoes who wish to know more about these Freshwater Friends.

No dichotomous key but excellent descriptions and useful color plates. Physically small in size, will fit in a back pocket.

A sensational overview of the archaeology, geology, flora and fauna of this fascinating country. I can't wait to use it in the field!

Fantastic Book! Beuatiful images, great information on the geology and history of jordan; plus fun details to know about flora and fauna. Easy to read, small compact size just right to fit into a handbag or back pocket.

This book is an excellent resource tool for searching Medline,
learning more about the intricacies of literature searches, or improving/enhancing skills. This text is incredibly comprehensive and thorough and is a must have for every information professional. Simple to understand, I would also recommend this book to any library user eager to acquire skills needed to run the perfect Medline search. Two thumbs up! We have two copies of this important book in our medical library and both are used continuously.

Written by the lead Instruction and Outreach Librarian at Stanford University School of Medicine's Lane Medical Library, the main purpose of this pocket guide is to help medical and related professionals construct and conduct faster, easier and more effective MEDLINE searches. It also helps you decide when it's more appropriate to use the free PubMed interface for MEDLINE or Ovid, a commercial (fee-based) alternative, in case you have access to both or wonder whether it's worth subscribing to Ovid.

MEDLINE archives change daily and PubMed services change almost weekly, yet it's been four years since the last guide to MEDLINE was published, and there have been only two books before this one that focused solely on MEDLINE and were intended for professionals, rather than consumers. If you choose only one guide, this is the one to get.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of medical bibliographic databases and tips for when to use which ones. Chapter 2 is an orientation to MEDLINE's structure and to basic search strategies, as well as an intro to the pros and cons of PubMed (free) vs. Ovid (fee). Stave goes into both in considerable depth in separate chapters devoted to each service. The two appendices cover Ovid's evidence-based medicine reviews collection (Cochrane's Database of Systematic Reviews, for instance) and other databases, such as ClinicalTrials.gov and LOCATORplus. There's a five-page glossary at the end, too, so you'll know what terms such as "check tags" and "explode" mean in this context.

HIGHLIGHTS:

This smallish book is filled with full-color screenshots, often two or three to a page, which is invaluable in helping the reader understand the explanations in the narrative text. The author gives detailed instructions for designing search strategies and other approaches to try if your first attempts don't produce the results you need. The effect is like looking over the author's shoulder while he patiently explains things to you, step by step.

The core sections on PubMed and Ovid are each broken down into three subsections:

* Overview, Screens, and Tools;
* Searching (by single citation, author or using various methods for topics); and
* Post-Search Data Management.

The data management section covers downloading and saving your search results, using commercial citation management software, and ordering full-text articles when they're not available free. The orientation to MEDLINE's relatively new Cubby service, alone, will make your searches less frustrating and time-consuming almost instantly. And did you know that, contrary to what many supposed experts say, you can search online for articles published pre-MEDLINE, from 1985-1965? (See LOCATORplus.)

This is a book you need to keep handy while you're working on becoming more of a whiz at online research, so it's designed to tuck into a lab or suit coat pocket (about 8 in. H x 4.5 in. W). It's basically a lucid, logical tutorial. If you invest the time to go through each of the five or so search strategies included in both the PubMed and Ovid sections, you will not only get better results, but you will surely save countless hours ever after.

LIMITATIONS:

Overall, this book is a gem. The only serious drawback is that the narrative text is in 8-point type, which makes it extremely difficult to read if you're over 40 (or younger, but tired). It would also be far easier to use in spiral-bound rather than perfect-bound format. If the publisher reprints it, let's hope they ditch the pocket-sized guide idea and whatever motivation to save printing costs that influenced the decision of the design for this first edition and make readability and usability higher priorities.

SUMMARY:

The Field Guide to MEDLINE is a clear, comprehensive and simple but not simplistic guide. It's an essential how-to and reference book for anyone who needs to search medical literature online, either frequently or occasionally.

Field Guide to Meteors and Meteorites (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series) This book should be on every meteorite lovers bookshelf. The photos are detailed and of excellent quality.The text is understandable by professionals and amateurs alike. I unhesitatingly recommend this book to anyone interested in these visitors from outer space.

I think Norton and Chitwood have done a great piece of work with this guide. It is very readable, but also up-to-date and comprehensive. As a collector, I find it covers the bases thoroughly. The parts describing hunting for meteorites, the tools and techniques used for determining meteorite authenticity, and the anecdotal information on hunters and various finds are a pleasant bonus I was not expecting.

But, for me personally, the biggest surprise was the information in the chapter on thin sections: From Hand Lens to Microscope. This is excellent information for anyone who wants to learn about actually analyzing meteorites. If you want to go beyond basic hunting or collecting, this is the section for you. Furthermore, the authors have representative thin section photographs of the major meteorite classes throughout the other chapters.

I like Springer as a publisher, and I think the Patrick Moore series on Practical Astronomy has been a good thing for amateur astronomy. I have about a dozen of the series titles, but this one -- in my opinion -- is a more thorough treatment of its subject than any of the others.

I also have about a dozen other books on meteorites -- some of them highly specialized (like the Color Atlas of Meteorites in Thin Section). As I'm learning more about meteoritics, I would find it hard to part with any of my books. But if I were forced to keep just one of them, this would be the one.