Henry Books

I loved reading this...The books draws you in well, and the use of flashbacks and the Franky stories moves it along good. I never expected the ending at all, it was great! The future fox world was very interesting. I plan on reading the Franky Stories to my younger brother, and hopefully someday my own children. (and look forward to such!)

When I first read this book, I couldn't put it down. It's an unbelieveable tale that draws you in with a suprising twist at the end. This is an absolute must for any collector or fantasy fiction fan!

I have just finished re-reading this book, the first time for a couple of years and it is even more rewarding this time round. Franky Furbo is a constantly surprising novel with an original take on life and one of the best twists I have ever encountered. Masquerading as a modern fairy tale of sorts you could be forgiven for being put off by this story of a talking fox but this is a very 'adult' book tackling big themes. At the very least you will finish this book impressed by the dexterity of the author and the compexities of the wonderful story, but you may find your view of the world profoundly altered. A beautiful tale/tail!

I don't want to repeat the accolades and explanations others have made. Suffice to say, this is a hard book to categorize. It's unusual and combines several genres. Some people might dismiss it as too "out there," but if they're patient they'll be rewarded with a wonderful and unique book full of idealism and mythology.

What makes this book especially intriguing, and perhaps will even help explain some of the content, is Wharton's (not his real name) own life.

"A Midnight Clear," another book written by Wharton which was also made into an excellent movie, tells the story of an intelligence unit during WW II which "illegally" creates a truce with a nearby German unit. Further research shows that a large portion of "Midnight" is autobiographical. Wharton himself was in an intelligence unit, was disfigured somewhat, and was also classified as a genius by the military. Parts of this history are also shown in "Franky Furbo."

Wharton's own beliefs were clearly shown when he left the US to live in France. Apparently, this was due in part to his disillusionment with the United States for its various actions and policies.

There's simply not enough space to get into all the details of Wharton's life. I recommend anyone who reads the book to do further research. It certainly helps explain "Franky Furbo" because Wharton shares a lot of Franky's beliefs and experiences. It just makes the story that much more mystical and interesting.

A must read for anyone who thinks different or has listened to Lennon's "Imagine" and agreed that we need to get beyond our nationalism and other oppressive beliefs.

This novel is the most impressive work of literature I have read to date. On the surface, it may appear to be a childish book about a talking fox who saves humans from the brink of death and unites enemies in peace, but that does not begin to describe the wonder of this book. It wraps you in a world of peacefulness and idealism; you wish you were there. Then it cements in you a love for the characters and their lives. And finally, in an amazing display of science fiction, romance, and imagination, it smacks you in the face. You will either love this book, or it will make your head hurt and you will not get it at all. In either case, I suppose you'll enjoy the many fonts used to differentiate characters and languages. Ultimately, Franky Furbo is a beautifully flowing book that takes your mind on a rollercoaster of thoughts and imagination. Read it. It's not just about a talking fox.

My kindergartner and I love to read books, especially about animals. This is a great story about dogs, love and protection by a mother, and kids.

Paul M. Howey's Freckles: The Mystery Of The Little White Dog In The Desert is a heartwarming true story about the love and comradeship offered by a dog and her puppies. The black-and-white illustrations of Judy Mehn Zabriskie adds an especially endearing touch of charm to the text story, which is sophisticated enough to appeal to young readers who are almost ready to move on from picturebooks to more complicated reading material. Freckles is highly recommended - especially for young animal lovers.

What a beautiful story about man's love and appreciation for one of our true friends. A touching story to read children of all ages. Proof that dogs like humans care deeply for their young and will nuture and protect them. When given the chance these beautiful creatures will give back in many rewarding ways. Kudos to Mr. Howey for his ability to put this on paper with such style and grace. The illustrations by MS. Judy Zabriskie could not have completed this book any better. If you did not fall in love with the words, you would with the illustrations.

I think that Paul Howey's message can be heard not only by children, but adults too. Freckles teaches us that all animals deeply love and show love in their own wonderful way, and that respect towards our animals on this planet should be of utmost importance in our lives and our childrens lives. What a great inspiration Mr. Howey is to all people on the planet to remember what loving creatures animals truly are. Bless you Mr. Howey.

I was able to meet Freckles before the book came out. At that time she was somewhat withdrawn. As time went by and with love and care by Paul and his wife Trish, she has become a warm and loving creature. Now, with the popularity of her (or Paul's) book, she is a shining star. She brings this life to the children she visits.
I am biased, but this is truly a magical story of being found, being loved and giving all the love back. It's a story for all children of any age.

Henry David Thoreau is one of America's greatest literary treasures, and this Library of America compilation of his four complete, full-length books is an excellent purchase for any Thoreau fan. It includes possibly Thoreau's most famous work, Walden, as well as lesser-known (but still immensely inspired and entertaining)works. I would highly recommend this purchase to any interested Thoreau reader, as I am yet to find a comparable compilation for nearly as good a deal as this.

It was Thoreau who made me understand that writing had everything to do with one's sum total and worth as a human being, and everything to do with one's passion and sense of purpose in life. It was while reading from an anthology of his work that I first made contact with a superior being. I recognized a mind that I could be intimate with, a mind and soul of someone with whom I could spend endless hours and never cease to learn from.


Thoreau's style is cumbersome. He can be terribly dry, and his paragraphs run way too long. But who cares when passages ignite the page with brilliance, flame from the black and white of paper into the depths of one's being. 'Walden' has more profound and relevant quotes than any other book I've read. They're the purest gems to be found in the rough of a larger work. A work that I wouldn't dare to diminish, but forewarn the reader so that they have the patience and perseverance to continue.


I would like to mention a superb biography written on the life and mind of Thoreau, a biography that exceeds and exceeds in going deeper into the life and mind of this great and humane and very misunderstood man, it is called: 'Henry Thoreau -- A Life Of The Mind,' by Robert D. Richardson Jr. Mr. Richardson not only wrote a biography, he was on a mission, for he knew and believed in what his subject was about. As comprehensive, insightful and exhilerating as any biography can or should be.


The price and quality of this anthology can't be beat. Beautiful to read and beautiful to see on my book shelf. Buy it! Get to know this man of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

While reading the four books of Henry David Thoreau (1817 -- 1862) included in this volume, I was reminded of the piano sonata no. 2, the "Concord" sonata by the American composer Charles Ives (1874 -- 1954) and decided to listen to it again to complement my reading. The Concord is a monumental work in which Ives tried to capture the "spirit of transcendentalism" associated with Concord, Massachusetts. Its four large movements bear the names of Emerson, Hawthorne, Bronson Alcott, and Thoreau. The "Thoreau" movement of the Concord captured in music for me what I had been reading in Thoreau's texts, with its reflective arpeggios, long hymnlike introspective passages, distant sounds of bells, and quiet close. Ives wrote the movement, he said, to reveal the "vibration of the universal lyre" to which Thoreau had alluded in the chapter of Walden titled "Sounds". Those who love Thoreau or the American Transcendentalists should explore Ives's great musical tribute to them and their thought.

This volume is the first of two in the Library of America devoted to Thoreau, with the second book consisting of essays and poems. It includes the two books published during his lifetime, "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers" and "Walden" together with two books published shortly after his death, "The Maine Woods" and "Cape Cod". The former two books are philosophical and introspective in tone, even though they include much of the descriptive writing about nature for which Thoreau is famous. They are the writings of Thoreau the Transcendentalist, the Thoreau of Ives's Concord Sonata. The second two books are describes Thoreau's travels. They originated the American practice of writing about nature.

Thoreau's most famous book, "Walden" describes the two years he spent living at Walden Pond, near Concord, from 1845 -- 1847 on a tract owned by Emerson. Walden is deservedly an American classic, as Thoreau reflects upon and attempts to simplify his life, to appreciate it for itself and for the everyday, without the strains of commerce or the pursuit of wealth. It is an eloquent study of learning to be alone with and content with oneself.

Thoreau wrote the first draft of "Walden" while he resided there and also wrote "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers" which in 1849 became his first published book, enjoying little success at the time. This book describes a trip Thoreau took with his brother and there are many detailed observations of people, places, and plants and animals. But the book is full of detailed digressions on literature, philosophy, the Greek Classics, friendship, and Thoreau's religious beliefs. This book shows the large influence of Eastern thought on Thoreau. It is filled with allusions and quotations from poetry on virtually every page. It is a joy to read.

There is little overt philosophising in Thoreau's latter two books. But both these books made me want to leave, at least for a short time, my life in the city and to run and visit the wild places Thoreau described. In "The Maine Woods" Thoreau describes three trips he took to Nortwest Maine -- its forests, rivers, lakes, and mountains, in 1843, 1853, and 1857. It includes detailed descriptions of rugged camping, in the rain and sun, on water and on land. The higlight for me was Thoreau's discussion in the first essay of the book of his climb on Mount Ktaadn, with Thoreau's description replete with both actual description and ancient Greek and American Indian symbolism.

Thoreau's final book, "Cape Cod" describes three visits in 1849, 1850, and 1853 (A fourth, later visit to the Cape is not included in the book.) This is Thoreau's only book which features the ocean and the seashore. It describes a rugged place, but the tone is leisurely and humorous in many places as Thoreau takes his reader on a thirty-mile "ramble" over the Cape. Thoreau introduces a memorable character in his chapter "The Wellsfleet Oysterman" and draws a picture of a lighthouse, no longer standing, on the Cape, "The Highland Light." Reading this book made me want to walk the sands and dunes that Thoreau walked and described over 150 years ago.

As with all volumes in the LOA series, this volume is lightly annotated but includes a valuable chronology of Thoreau's life which helps in approaching the texts. Transcendentalism and naturalism both have played critical roles in the development of American thought and you will find them both here. And if you enjoy Thoreau, I encourage you again to approach Ives's masterpiece, the "Concord Sonata" and meet Thoreau realized in sound.

Robin Friedman

While every artist is tied to their time and place, this is especially true of Henry David Thoreau. To me, Thoreau has always seemed like a beautiful and tender plant that could only exist in a specific time and place. His world was rich enough to allow him to enjoy nature rather than see it as something to tame. Yet it was also rural enough to leave him natural space to enjoy as if it were wild.

It also seems to me that Thoreau's writing is more beautiful and observant than penetrating and intelligent. It is more about the senses than analysis. I think this is why it appeals so much to young people of so many generations and why he became such a symbol for the Back-to-Nature portion of the Boomer generation.

This volume contains his most influential works (the essays and poems are collected in a companion volume also from the wonderful Library of America): A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, Walden; or, Life in the Woods, The Main Woods, and Cape Cod. So much has been written about these works that I can't think of anything specific to add except to encourage their being read. However, I would encourage adults who remember reading them in their youth with such enthusiasm to read them again from the vantage point of mid-life. I think they will find somewhat less to be enamored of in the content, but they will appreciate his sheer power of writing more.

The total collection is more than a 1,000 pages and includes a chronology of Thoreau's life, notes on the text, relevant maps of the areas covered in the book, more notes, and an index.

I would like to publicly thank Henry David Thoreau for teaching me this:

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavours to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." -Henry David Thoreau

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

I really found myself enjoying this one--scene by scene it sincs up with the real Harry Potter 7, like when Lord Revolting devides his soul into a bunch of plot devices. Some of the humor pushes this more for twelve-year-olds and less for preschoolers, but I'd definitely give it to Potter fans.

In many ways, "Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage" reminds me of flicks like "Another Teen Movie", or "Scary Movie". The book, a satire, focuses on a major theme, Harry Potter, and pokes fun at the characters and plot devices from the many J.K. Rowling books that have been released. Reading Henry Potty, I did at times feel like much of the material consisted of inside jokes that I did not get, as I've only read the first Harry Potter book. I do think that for those who have read the entire Harry Potter series, they'll find Henry Potty quite funny and charming in how Valerie Estelle Frankel remakes the Potter through a wild, funhouse mirror of chaotic antics.

The reason why "Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage" reminds me of the parody movies is because of the randomness of some of the happenings throughout the text. I'm not so sure that there is a logic to some of the scenarios, but maybe there simply isn't supposed to be. However, I did find the book funniest when I could see the rationale to some of the satire, like the scene when the three heroes, Henry Potty, Really Wimpy, and Horrendous Gangrene, find one of the Plot Devices, the villain's Lord Revolting's ring of power. This scene is golden.

I also feel that my favorite character is Horrendous, who's the most intelligent of the three heroes, the most feisty, and the most frustrated by the idiots she's surrounded by. I also find it interesting how this story is about writing a story, and seemingly, writing a story badly, using cheap tricks just to make a story make sense. I am not a fan of the Potter books, and I get the sense that Frankel is not, also.

Overall, I found parts of this book very creative and easy to read, but the many random happenings at times threw me off and slowed me down.

Like any parody worth its salt this one takes aim at a very popular subject and bit-by-bit it pokes fun at every facet of that subject while at the same time taking the occasional pot shot at a few other related topics. Often times I actually find that I have more fun looking for the these little hidden references than I do with the main plot and this book gave me several little moments like that to enjoy.

I must admit that I did have a little trouble reading this book because at times it struck me as a bit juvenile but then I remembered that the suggested age range was 9-12 and I started trying to read with the eye of a pre-teen and then I found the book much more enjoyable. Many if not most of the gags revolve around things that might literally make the reader gag and it seems that the author has tried at times to be as disgusting as possible. I soon came to the conclusion that the target group really consisted of 9-12 year old boys and since I was once a 9-12 year old boy myself I could easily see the appeal of such humor to that group.

With that I mind I handed the book off to my seven-year-old grandson. He is not really all that familiar with Harry Potter so I didn't know how well he would relate to Henry Potty but he loved it and would sit and laugh hysterically as he came upon descriptions of various disgusting smells and sights. There is no doubt in my mind at all that to my grandson this book rates a solid five stars.

As for me my favorite part of the book came when the author lampooned J. K. Rowling's decision to inject controversy into her series by announcing after the last book came out that one of the main characters was gay. Because this is a parody of the final Potter book that character is already dead but his ghost keeps popping in and asking, "Did I mention that I was gay?" In many ways this lovable ghost comes across as much less silly than Ms. Rowling and her announcement. Parody with a bite, I love it!

I can't say that as a whole this was one of the funniest books that I have ever read but then again I am well beyond my pre-teen years. Still, the writing was crisp and the dialogue was very well done even if some of the jokes did blow past my gross threshold. Most importantly though my grandson really enjoyed this book and it actually kept him interested and that is quite an accomplishment. I might not have given this book five stars but my grandson most assuredly did and on this one I am going to go with the opinion of a true expert.

A really good poke at a sacred cow. I would advise the author not to make her whereabouts known for fear the legions who love the real thing pay her a visit. I've seen a couple of the Harry Potter movies on TV and so know what the real thing is. The author's done a superb job of debunking them.
The dialogue fitted the characters perfectly, and from what I remember of the real movie characters was a good send-up of them and the plot lines and the backgrounds they operated in. The little vignettes and mentions of other books and settings slotted in perfectly- the mention of the novel The Line, the Winch and the Protractor made me spill my tea I laughed so hard. So, all in all, a really good hatchet job and thoroughly enjoyable.

First of all, I haven't read a story lately that made me laugh out loud so much. What a breath of fresh air! I wish there were more stories with this type of humor, and I wish I were this witty! The scenes flow so well, and the dialogue's great fun.

This is going to be a real gem to those true fans of the Harry Potter series. It might even encourage them to write a parody or two.
Overall, I really like this, and would recommend it to my own teens, who grew up reading Harry.

This book was produced as he was shown at the Royal Academy in London. I begged the poster at the tourist-board in Stockholm and got my parents to buy the hardcover version at the exhibition. Collecting Hiroshige prints in Stockholm I would have loved to see them in London, but the book is the second best thing. The reproductions are terrific, the text short but informative. All the different subjects of Hiroshige are displayed, landscapes, fan motives, fish, flowers and so on. Get it and then get some real prints!

I recieved this not knowing its large format and the images in full color on quality paper. Informative and accurate descriptions of the work. You will not regret buying this book. Makes me sigh....

I have no experience with art at all, but from my point of view this book is a jewl. Printings are so beautiful and relaxing, and they are numerous in this book. Also the book is well organized with explanations about the paintings.

The text provides the necessary background to facilitate understanding of the fantastic pictures. A great variety of photos provide wonderful insight into the world of Hiroshige. The pictures can be perused for pure enjoyment. Terrific book.

Quick, stop reading this review and buy this Hardcover book in New or Like New condition now, while you can. For, this is one of the greastest modern so-called 'coffee table' art books that I have come across. Too often these days one finds that such art books which should be large, lushly produced, lovingly put together and brilliantly written are unfortunately done with punk production values resulting in poor reproductions on cheap looking paper stock and accompanied by unedifying, often stultifying essays. Not this one. As I said above it is one of the most impressive art books that I have come across in twenty years of buying them. It is printed and bound in Germany which in itself is commendable and noteworthy because it is quite expensive to produce a book there. I am so glad they did because, as good as they are, Italy and Hong Kong, two places commonly used for producing today's art books, just don't do as good a job as Prestel has done in Germany. This book was originally produced to accompany an exhibition at the Royal Academy of the Arts during 1997. As such, it commanded a skilled and erudite staff of authors to craft both an accurate history and an illuminating commentary of the artist and his art. They are: Matthi Forrer, author of a similar book on Hokusai; Suzuki Juzo, the author of the standard monograph on Hiroshige; and Henry Smith a Professor of Japanese History at Columbia U. You will come back to this book many times over the years because there is so darned much information to absorb, visually and intellectually and because the publisher's top notch production values have accurately captured the spirit and beauty of Hiroshige's Woodblock Prints. This is the sort of book that will be actively sought out by art book collectors in years to come. This is why I say, buy it now, while you can at such a low price. You won't be sorry.

This book was delivered in just the condition that had been advertised (in this case excellent condition) and the shipping was excellent. I would definitely use this seller again.

My 4th Grade son has read most of the Hank Zipzer series and found them to be "ok" -- funny and reasonably well written, but somehow not completely engaging for him. I found some of the writing to be a little formulaic. Still and all, I would recommend you give this series a try if you're looking for something new. My boy is a little finicky, and he liked these well enough.

This book Holy Enchilada is about this boy named
Hank Zipper. He has a learning challange called dyslexia.
He is very bad at spelling and math but mostly spelling.
In this book Heritage day is coming up. Hank desides to make enchiladas with his two best friends Frankie and Ashley.
When it comes time to make the recipe, he could not read the fraction 1/3tbls for chillie powder. So he guesses that it
said 3 1/3tbls. Uh oh what is Hank going to do now...
I would definataly recommend this book to anyone that loves
humor.

I am an elementary teacher who just wrapped up third grade. I read the Hank Zipzer series aloud to my class this year and they all agreed this was their favorite. At one point, we were laughing so loud that a colleage stuck her head in the classroom to make sure we were okay. All of these books kept the kids interested, made them laugh, and got many of them reading them independently after I had read it to them! One of our class catch phrases this year was, in the words of Frankie, "right, and my name is Bernice." Many of my students could relate to Hank's learning challenges and felt better knowing it was "okay" to struggle! Hats off to Henry Winkler and Hank!

The best book I've ever read is "Holy Enchilada". It is about a boy named Hank Zipzer and his school having a foreign exchange student from Japan to come to their school for a few days. So everyone decides to make the school look fancy for him. The kid needs somewhere to stay so Hank decides to let him stay at his house. The first night that he stays, they don't have anything to do so they start to make enchiladas for the Multi-Cultural Food Days at school. Hank starts to have trouble reading the recipe for how much zing to put in the enchiladas, and thinks he put to much in them, and everything gets worse from there. I
really liked this book because I can relate to the character and I understand him well. I would recommend this book to fourth graders and up.

I am a second-year teacher working with Kindergarten special needs. I bought this book after having it recommended at a training. This book has brillant strategies for giving young children a way to do independent work, and it includes color pictures for each activity.

I have already begun using some of these work sysytems in my classroom and my kids love them. Not only do they feel accomplished but I am hoping this will help motivate them to work independently in the regular education classroom more often.

I would recommend this book to any one working with young children, whether they be classroom teachers, resource teachers, preschool/daycare, or parents. It has many simple yet amazing ideas.

This book has been a lifesaver! As a special education teacher, I am looking for ways for all my students to learn. I first started using activities in the book with my student with autism but then my other students became interested in the tasks and I use them for all my students!

I recently purchased this book in a search for appropriate planning for a child with autism who has aggressive behavior when required to complete any academic task. This book is wonderful and has helped me plan activities that this child can complete. Recommend it for anyone searching for hands on materials to help a child learn to learn.

I just received this book in the mail. I am currently teaching Special ED - Autism & also did so for my student teaching. Many of the activities in this book I used in my student teaching setting. They are good ideas that can be transformed & used a million different ways. Every teacher of kids with ASD needs it.

Really great ideas for activities in my classroom! There are 80 different matching, sorting, reading, writing and math tasks included in this book. These really help the student to learn how to work independently and stay on task. There are photos, descriptions, and list of materials needed for each task. I highly recommend this book to educators as well as parents. "So You Want to be a Special Education Teacher" is also a humorous, insightful, very enjoyable, must read for your library.

As a hunter I've always marveled at how joy and sadness can dwell in the same moment, that moment when you reach out - with gun or bow or spear - and take the life of a wild creature. But there are many hunters who don't notice or care, and who treat this most awesome and mysterious thing as a sport like golf or car racing. The best part of "A Hunter's Heart" was spending time, so to speak, with others who see more and deeper things in hunting, and who can express it more vividly and truthfully than I have been able to. Each story is beautiful and eloquent and impactful in its own way. I reread the book often, enjoying it more each time, which is the best compliment I can give.

As a woman, and one who does not hunt, I found the essays in A Hunter's Heart intelligent, thought-provoking, and often moving. They suggest a complexity and ethic which underlie a sport often seen as cruel and mindless. They make a convincing case that those who hunt are more likely to respect nature than are those who buy their meat neatly packaged in plastic. The writers voice a genuine regard, even love, for the environment and for their prey. The authors may be more articulate and philospohical than those many of us think of as "typical" hunters, but if we admit that one may subscribe to an ethic without being able to articulate it, may live out a philosophy rather than expound it, the essays may make us rethink the motives and morality of those who take to the woods during hunting season.

This is an excellent collection of essays. The essays are honest, forthcoming, and thoughtful. I enjoy hunting not as a "sport" but as an activity that simply transcends sport. I love the environment, and perhaps this is why hunting is not merely sport to me. This work by Mr. Petersen is rare because it reflects the fact that many hunters do, in fact, love the environment and wildlife more than they love the hunt.

A few of the hunter-authors featured in Mr. Petersen's work don't hunt anymore, because they (like many sportsmen and sportswomen) have reached the "limiting out" phase of hunting, when a hunter no longer cares so much about bagging game, but cares mostly about the teaching of ethics and conservation to a younger generation of hunters. But when you read their essays, you can feel how much they loved the hunt and how much hunting taught them about the need for healthy ecosystems. On the other hand, some of these essays were written by active hunters. If you are a hunter, these essays will make your heart swell with anticipation for your next hunt.

Contrary to the review posted earlier by Mr. Seshadri, this book directly confronts irresponsible hunters. Admittedly, a few hunters do not love the environment and wildlife. Several of the essays confront unethical hunting practices head-on, including the use of overwhelming modern technology in the pursuit of trophy animals. Likewise, one essay condemns the use of live animals merely for target practice, undoutedly refering to the hunting of predators such as coyotes and wolves. Yes, this work is very honest. You get the good and the bad.

I am a 4th generation deer and elk hunter from the Rocky Mountains, and I think this book is a must-read for all hunters. My hope is that our wild lands, and our wild animals will be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations. We will need more conservation-minded hunters like Mr. Petersen if we are to be successful. Why? Because the golfers and couch potatoes don't care if another valley is buldozed for commercial developement. Habitat destruction is the threat to wildlife and wild land. The hunting community must stand up and make its voice heard, and this book is a good start.

This book is a collection of essays on hunting by some excellent outdoor writers, including former President Jimmy Carter. The writers talk about why they hunt. This book examines that question and finds that there are many reasons different people give to that same question. You may agree with some or disagree, but you'll definitely think long and hard about the answers given.

This book's thought provoking essays also force all of us to think about our own carnivorous instincts. Since almost all of us eat meat from the supermarket the book takes cows as an example and asks non hunters if the castration of bulls, the branding, the feeding of them in outdoor, closed in, excrement filled pens and the eventual slaughter of them is really somehow better than the hunter who shoots and kills a deer in the wild? It seems we all live with blood on our hands. But not to let you think this book is simply cut and pasted from the pages of American Hunter. The book also questions trophy hunting and whether hunting should even be considered a sport.

Since many hunters spend a good deal of time defending what they love to do, I would recommend that they pick up a copy of this book in order to be able to answer the question "why do I hunt?"

I am not a hunter. I bought this book out of an intellectual curiousity of what it is that drives some people to kill and enjoy the pursuit of killing. The essays within - while plain spoken, well written and introspective - tend to be repetitive around some common themes:

1) It is no less ethical to hunt your own food than to buy meat in a supermarket
2) In nature, very few animals die of old age anyway
3) Humans are genetically programmed to hunt; hunters are just following their inner, atavistic calling
4) City folk who disdain any type of hunting are hypocritical and should pay a visit to their local slaughterhouse
5) Hunters actually love the animals they kill

I am compelled to agree with most of the above reasoning, although #5 is a tough act to follow. That said, where the essays fail is in their inability to confront the irresponsible hunters who kill just for the thrill of it. There is no mention of the moral deficiency of those "hunters" who kill not for the meat, but for the bragging rights of having shot a (mostly tame) lion or (farm raised) trophy ungulate. Likewise, the authors carefully avoid taking on the barbarism of "sports" like fox hunting. It's almost like these good hunters are ashamed of all those black sheep lurking within their fraternity, although not without good reason. All that said, this is nonetheless a good read that can be enjoyed by all thinking people - hunters and non-hunters alike.

I purchased this book for the photography but found the information contained within quite informative. Entomology is a hobby. One I get little time to indulge in. This book is an excellent addition to anyone's library on these beautiful insects.

This is one of the most gorgeous books I own. I look at these pictures, and I think that human beings could not dream up jewelry that touches the beauty of these creatures. It is utterly unbelievable! Every time I page through this book my jaw is open in disbelief. They are so breathtaking they almost bring tears to my eyes. Okay. Confession time. They HAVE brought tears to my eyes.

The photographs by Lisa Watson are the first thing to catch your eye about this beautifully produced book. The majority are of museum specimens, which oddly is what makes the pictures so attractive: we're used to seeing high quality pictures of wildlife, but the displays here juxtapose many different beetles and have more impact than wildlife shots would.

The pictures are beautiful but the text is high-quality too. The authors start by reciting some statistics on the number of beetle species. Linnaeus, two hundred and fifty years ago, described 654 species; and Fabricius added another 4,112 species between 1775 and 1801. By 1876 Gemminger and von Harold's catalog contained nearly 77,000 species; and when Junk and Schenkling's catalogue was completed, in 1940, it listed nearly 221,500 species. It's now estimated that there are 350,000 described beetle species. However, recent work by Terry Erwin, extrapolating from detailed studies of a small area, suggests that there are more than eight *million* species of beetle just in the tropics!

The rest of the book is a fairly detailed survey of beetles in all their aspects. The authors are enthusiasts as well as experts, and it shows in their writing, which is crisp, clear and engaging. They cover beetle anatomy, fossilized beetles, habitats and niches, the beetle life cycle, and mimicry. There is also substantial coverage of beetles and humans: naming, appearance in mythology, use as jewels (really!), a discussion of pest control, and use in education. The book has more scientific depth than is usual for a coffee table book, without sacrificing interest value.

There is a website that appears to be maintained by one of the authors (Evans) that contains some material from the book; I recommend you take a look if you are hesitating about buying this. I found it by searching for the book title using a standard search engine; when I looked it was on the Lorquin Entomological Society's website, but it may have moved.

Recommended.

The website for this book and the general topic is:
http://www.fond4beetles.com

If someone said, "Ok, you're being sent to a colony on Jupiter's second moon and you only get to bring one picture book with you," this would be it. It is a stunning book. One reviewer mentioned being moved to tears, and it really is no joke. The photos of the beetles are gorgeous and the text is really well written.

People generally fear insects, regard them as pests, or don't bother thinking about them at all. Arthur Evans gives weight to what is frequently overlooked. Taking one order, Coleoptera (beetles), he uses it as a means to discuss the big picture on Earth--balance and biodiversity. Evans manages all of this with a sense of reverence and even spirituality that complements the statistics and hard data:

"...But viewing beetles simply as machines, without understanding their role in the ecosystem, is a narrow perspective that reflects intellectual, spatial, and temporal limitations. As the world's ecosystems continue to shrink in the wake of human exploitation--a direct result of our ever-burgeoning population--our approach to all the sciences must continue to evolve from an analysis of parts to a necessarily more holistic approach. We must learn to view beetles not as machines, but as conduits of energy flowing through the entire biosphere."

I'd always been fascinated by insects, but this book really honed my interest and since I bought it, it has inspired me to learn more about them and share what I've learned. I even had the great luck of meeting a weevil expert. Beetles are simply incredible little animals and I'm really glad that Evans has written a book about them that is so accessible and lovely.

A gentle, tuneful tale(Isaac has his own "ice cream tune" song lyrics and music printed in the back of the book)of a little ice cream truck who longs to be really important. Lots of happy, colorful pictures. A nice addition to any child's library.

I read this to my 2 year old grandson, he is thrilled at the pictures. Scott's drawings are wonderful.

My 3-year-old loves this story, especially since it has ice cream in it. The pictures are beautifully illustrated and evoke a simpler life. We really enjoyed this book.

This book belongs on the same shelf with such classics as "Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel" and "Ping". The kind of story one might have seen on the old "Captain Kangaroo Show". A delight from front to back!

found book by scott's brother..and it is wonderful, hard to believe this is his first book! all illustrations and writing is done by him, even wrote music to the song in the back. i recommend this book to anyone with children, or those young at heart..simple story that children will understand..and adults will enjoy reading over and over! cant wait for his second book!