Turner Books

The trouble with the majority of writing about climate change and other environmental worries is that they make people think, "Oh, hell. It's too late anyway. Why even try to do anything?" The Geography of Hope is an antidote to this kind of thinking. I am now 54 years old, and when I was 20 years old or so, I devoured ecological jeremiads such as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. The trouble is, back then I actually thought my civilization was doomed to fall apart before the end of the 20th century. This, fortunately, didn't happen and in the meantime I got sidelined by matters too complex to detail here. Now at last I am returning to my environmental roots, but I find I simply no longer have the patience and strength to wade through dour predictions of ecological gloom and doom. Chris Turner's The Geography of Hope is the first book on this topic that I have felt glad to pick up, because it shows that it is really possible to put the brakes to the looming climate train wreck before it occurs and that sustainability is already within our grasp using existing technology, if only we would commit to it. How inspiring!

If anyone is feeling that the world is coming to an end because of human folly...then you must read "The Geography Of Hope"Here you will meet individuals all over the world who are making the world a better place and there is HOPE !!!! Brav0 !!!

Chris Turner takes a year-long tour around the world, visiting places that are implementing solutions for sustainable living. A zero-net energy island in Denmark. Community Supported Agriculture in the southern USA. Plug-in hybrid cars. Earthship homes in New Mexico. Radical improvements in waste recycling in various industries. Examples of New Urbanism in city planning and architecture in Florida, the UK, Denmark, Colorado. Mass transit and city policy in Portland. Finhorn in the UK and Tibetan refugee communities in India -- for agriculture and community and deliberate living. A micro-hydro installation in a remote village on the Burma/Thai border built by local villagers, folks from a nearby refugee camp students, and local NGOs. He looks at questions like "what kinds of planning and structures inspire community?" "What exists NOW that can be building blocks for a truly sustainable world?" Inspiring and casual at the same time.

I have no background in environmentalism or connection to the author. As a general reader I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it informative, inspiring and entertaining in equal parts. An unequivocal five stars!
The author is a journalist and disillusioned environmental activist. He is also a new father, and, concerned for his daughter's future, decided to do a global survey of existing, practical methods of achieving environmental sustainability. His perspective is what makes this book so refreshing: tired of the mainstream environmental movement's two main weapons of guilt and apocalyptic predictions, he searches for not just the means but the inspiration to change the way the world's resources are used. I found this practical, hopeful approach much more compelling than the doom-and-gloom, armchair analyst approach of, say, George Monbiot's Heat.
Potential readers should keep in mind that the author's previous opus was Planet Simpson, an exploration of the cultural significance of an animated cartoon series. This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it informs his writing with a pop-culture sensibility that makes for entertaining asides and a contemporary grasp of how cultural fashions evolve. On the other hand, the one time I felt we may be getting a little too much information was in the final chapter. There he describes how the epiphany of embracing environmental sustainability occurred to him at a Seattle Lebowski Fest, a cult-like celebration of a movie that he admits to "only begin to understand after the fifth viewing". Presumably fatherhood changed his priorities, and rather than strain his credibility, I found this geeky anecdote disarming. A Greenpeace diatribe this is not.

From the compelling portrait on the front cover, the photographs are one of the strongest features of this book. There are full-page photos of gorilla hands and feet that would be wonderful for actual comparison to a young readers' hands and feet. And this comparison would support one of the key messages of this book: humans and gorillas are very much alike. Sometimes that similarity is not such a good thing; for example, as humans and gorillas come into closer contact, the apes are catching human diseases which are hard for them to fight. Gorilla Doctors describes the work of veterinarians and other scientists who are struggling to keep the great apes safe in the wild. The language is very accessible, and could even work for a read-aloud to a younger child who's particuarly interested in gorillas.

This engaging book follows staff members of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project as they provide medical care to endangered gorillas in Rwanda. Turner combines compelling stories of individual gorillas with clear explanations of how diseases are transferred between species. Kids will be intrigued by the detective work required to diagnose gorillas from a distance. Highly recommended.

A vivid portrayal of important work being done by gorilla vets in Rwanda. Written by a science writer who is also a skilled storyteller, it gives the reader a first-hand look at the plight of gorillas and what is being done to help them. Accounts of charming individual animals bring emotion to the fact-packed text.

GORILLA DOCTORS takes readers into the amazing world of gorillas and introduces us to a group of dedicated veterinarians who are passionate about saving this endangered species. Pamela Turner does a fabulous job of explaining the problems the doctors face, while giving readers a sense of place for that part of the world that most of us will never see. Well illustrated with touching and informative photos of the scientists and apes.

My grand-daughter, Sofia, has been transfixed by this dynamic, eye-catching, black and white charmer of a book since she first set eyes on it. Now that she's 8 mos. and can turn the pages, she reaches for it first among all her books. I appreciate the aesthetic of the book--simple,creative,meticulous images that stimulate infant curiosity.

Eddie (5 months) absolutely loves Hello Santa. We read it to him almost every night. When he sees the picture of the moon and stars over the city he squeals and kicks his feet.

I purchased this book and was thoroughly delighted and impressed with it. The physical quality of the book itself is outstanding. In addition to the eye-catching illustrations, the idea of Ms. Turner utilizing just the black and white style attracted and kept the attention of my granddaughter, as I created a wonderful story of Santa's journey on Christmas Eve. I look forward to when she can tell me the her story of Santa's journey. "Hello Santa" will make a perfect gift to give for Christmas!

This is a beautiful and unconventional book, that's bold, black-and-white illustrations create drama and separate it from the crowd. Pre-schoolers will love it! Because there are no words "Hello, Santa" lets our imaginations run freely. Each time we read it together, we find ourselves making up a completely unique, fresh, new story. "Hello, Santa" allows us (the readers) to be the authors, and so, we looking forward to opening it again and again.

I grew up in Memphis in the late 40's, 50's and 60's and now live in Phoenix. It was such a pleasure to view these photographs and read about places and events in Memphis that happened (most before my time). A lot of the old buildings still stand. Memphis is so much more than Elvis, "The Birthplace of Rock n' Roll, and Home of the Blues". This book is a testament to that fact. Yesterday, I returned from a visit back there to see my Mother and many other relatives, and took this book to show my brother. He loved it so much that I had to give it to him, so I'm ordering another one for me!

Absolutely a spectacular book for those interested in a piece of history. I don't even live in Memphis and enjoyed seeing the photo's and comments. Some photo's are of then and now, very sad to see great structures destroyed and pathetic ones put in there place, someone should have been held accountable for this poor judgement, even as it goes on now!

Often when I purchase a volume of photographs I feel that I have wasted my money on a book that took me all of two minutes to 'read.' Mind you I like looking at photographs, particularly historic ones, but most photographic books leave me a bit dissatisfied.

Not so this book. It is not an exaggeration to say that "Historic Photos of Memphis" is so much more than a conventional book of old photographs. Cordell and O'Daniel have done a excellent job of choosing images that illustrate the growth and development of Memphis,Tennessee.

Equally significant are the chapter introductions and detailed captions which provide a wealth of information on the history of the Bluff City.

Taken together, the photos and text included in "Historic Photos of Memphis" are a major contribution to our understanding of urban history in the American South.

You'd think it would be easy to put together a book of historic photographs, especially since you don't even have to take the pictures. I mean, don't you just grab up some old snapshots and slap them together into a book? Well, not quite. Actually, there's a lot more that goes into it, as this well-thought volume of historic images aptly demonstrates.

The best photography books tell a story, the way this one does. The pictures run together thematically, and there's a logical progression to the way the book is laid out. The process is anything but willy-nilly, as I learned while watching Gina and Patrick comb through the Memphis Room's 16,000-odd historical images. It was intimidating to watch, to say the least. The two of them ran back and forth with bundles and bundles of photographs, selecting this one, rejecting that one, changing their minds and then changing them back again. Everytime I walked through the processing room the two of them would be huddled over some photograph or other, giving it the once-over and deciding its fate.

Once they had their photographs in order, then they had to go back and write captions for them, as well as introductions to the various sections. That was yet another Herculean task. Gina and Patrick had definite things they wanted to say about the pictures, and the stories that they tell, but they also had to research each image in order to get their facts straight. A snapshot for the Business Men's Club, for instance, tells us that "the organization was founded in 1900 and moved to 81 Monroe in 1907. Beginning in 1913, the building (they had occupied became) the headquarters for the Memphis Chamber of Commerce." It takes a lot of work to find all of that out. A lot of digging and poking through dusty old books and half-readable microfilm reels. Now imagine doing that 198 times. Sounds daunting, huh? I can tell you from the looks I sometimes saw on their faces that it definitely was.

But about the book itself. There have been numerous Memphis photograph books, but this is easily the best. Not only does it have a pleasing size and shape, but the paper and the ink settings are of very high quality. In short, it's a coffee-table book that you can hold in your hands. But the thing that really makes this book special is the thoughtful photograph selection and sequencing that lies behind it. Naturally the book follows a historical progression, but there are thematic ones as well. The opposing images on pages 32 and 33, for instance, both show us the uglier side of industrialization in 19th-century America. Other photographs stress the beauty of the landscape, the majesty of the river, and the ebb and flow of social change. Sometimes the images capture the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a growing city, and sometimes they catch a private moment that would otherwise be lost forever. In my personal favorite, a scene from Court Square in 1932, an off-duty railcar conductor feeds the pigeons that alight at his feet. Some of the birds are captured in mid-air, their wings a flapping blur of motion.

The photographs also give us a chance to learn things we never knew. I was shocked, for instance, to learn that a lonely country road, passing through a grove of trees, was actually Union Avenue. I was also taken aback by the enormity of the trees that lumbermen felled in days gone by. Who knew that such tall giants once stood watch over Memphis? And all that flooding? I never dreamed that water could rise so high. Thank God for levees, I say.

But the very best thing about this book is that it includes everyone. The Memphis that emerges from these pages is a melting-pot in its brewing stage. Sure, there's an elite upper-crust, but there's also a throng of working class people, male and female, black and white. we see them in crowds, but we also get glimpses of their individual faces. They stare boldly from the pages, asserting their rightful place in our collective memory. There are snapshots of mule drivers, cotton loaders, beauty queens, gamblers, motorcyclists, gossiping women, policemen with tommy guns, schoolchildren, and even a rare shot of a jug band. The list goes on, but why should I spoil it? This is an everyman's Memphis, as the book makes plainly clear. As such, its a tribute not only to what Memphis once was, but what it is today and what it someday might become.

"A gorgeous book, these photographs of one of the world's most interesting cities makes this book a real joy for the photography collector."

I bought this book for my fathers 80th birthday gift.
It arrived in perfect condition and on time and we
even discussed it last night. He is a native nashvillian
and my sister gave him a television set and he hasn't taken
that out of the box but carries the book around all day,
every day enjoying photos of the past.
I and my family love, love it and I appreciate the great service
that I get when I order from Amazon. I work for the library
and can order here with an employees discount but prefer ordering
from Amazon instead. Thanks, Vickie L. Jones

I recently received "Historic Photos of Nashville" -- what a top quality book throughout! Over 200 beautifully printed pages, depicting scenes from Nashville history since the mid-1800's. These extraordinary old photographs have been found in various archives, and provide a great historical representation of the people, places, and events that have occurred in Nashville. This book was intended as a gift for a friend -- but looks like I'll have to order another one, because this one has become MINE!!

We just received Historic Photos of Nashville and who knew that Nashville had such a rich history. This book has hundreds of photographs of Nashville covering nearly 200 years and is just the right coffee table book size.
Historic Photos of Nashville is well-made, educational, and just subtle enough to make a real an elegant statement no matter where it's placed. This is a must have for anyone who loves Nashville History.
We're ordering more copies to give as holiday gifts to all of our friends.
Joe

This is a wonderful addition to any West Point book collection. It contains many old photographs of West Point not normally seen in other books. It is especially interesting to see how the buildings and landscape of this American Icon have changed and remained the same over the years.

The authors are to highly commended for their collective efforts in assembling the photos and historical insights contained in this book. It is a true history of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point since the advent of photography in America and should be a must in the library of every West Point graduate's home.

Growing up in northeast NJ meant many trips to West Point. Always a wonderful experience and was happy to introduce my children to its wonders and glorious history. This book is a great plus to any library and joins many books I have on the Point.

There are few places in America with a deeper sense of tradition than the military academy at West Point. It is from the classes of cadets at West Point and the other military academies that our nation's officers are largely drawn. This volume shows us a couple of hundred photographs from 1850 through 1959.

The authors, Eugene Palka and Jon Malinowski have close ties to the academy and know its traditions well. They have provided wonderful section introductions and captions for the photos. We see a great many of the corps training in the field, in the classroom, some of their living conditions, and the evolving campus.

The four sections are:

Civil War and Social Change (1850 - 1899)
Decades of Change (1900 - 1918)
Between Two Wars (1919 - 1939)
The Long Gray Line In War and Peace (1940 - 1959)

The source for each photo is also provided in a back section of notes on the photographs.

I appreciate the large format and good quality printing for each photo so we can see quite a bit of detail. Handsomely done book that will be of interest to those who appreciate our military heritage and American History.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

I read this book to my daycare everyday. We have to start story time with this book. We love it.

As an Assistant Principal in a public elementary school, I found that I Love to Sing and Dance uplifts children's spirits..the words and illustrations seem to joyously leap off the page, thus,stimulating children's imaginations!

It is a fun book to read to your infants and toddlers, and a great starter book for new readers. The book entices the reader to get into the rhythm of the drums... It is a definite "must" in each of my grandchildren's personal library.

I love this book and so do my grandchildren. They read it over and over again and have taken this book to school to share with their friends. Wonderful read!!!

Real Cajun style cooking! It has great recipes along with great stories behind the recipes. A must have for the Cajun Style lovers.

by Peggy Fallon, author Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts DK Publishing, 2007
This book travels between my nightstand--where I enjoy Terri's thoughtfully written prose and stories of her colorful family--to my kitchen, where I revel in her detailed recipes for fried chicken, grits, and gumbo. Lots of good food here, and I recommend this book to anyone interested in authentic Cajun cuisine.

Recipes are easy to follow and use ingredients easily found stocked in everyday grocery stores and personal kitchens. An added bonus was the personal angle of the stories about the originators of the recipes. There is gentle humor and good advice on almost every page. Best of all, the several recipes I tried not only looked good, but tasted wonderful. This book is NOT about burning your taste buds with "hot and spicy" but enjoying flavor bursting tastes. The book is everything I hoped for in a Cajun cookbook. I agree with the book reviewers!

The opening wording on the flyleaf of this book expresses a couple of points better than I can. 'When most people think of Cajun cooking, they thing of blackened redfish (or blackened nearly anything else) or, maybe, gumbo.'

No, blackened meats and a bunch of other dishes are the creation of New Orleans chefs preparing foods for the tourists. Note, I'm not saying that I don't like these dishes, they just aren't the kinds of foods that I grew up with in the swamps of South Louisiana.

This book talks about the kinds of things we really ate. We had things like etouffee, shrimp boil, jambalaya. Just like she says. But then I do find a few points with which I disagree.

For instance on page 225 she says that they usually use quick grits, which cook in just a few minutes, rather than stone-ground or old-fashioned grits, which take up to an hour to cook. The stone-ground are delicious, but very difficult to find outside of the South.

Terrible, terrible, sacrilege. Go on the web and you can find lots of places that sell 'real' grits. Just substitute them for her recipies that use grits. Incidentally I highly recommend her Baked Spicy Cheese Grits, page 223. Her recipie is a bit different than mine, I put in a bit of spicy sausage. She puts in eggs. You might also want to try varying the types of cheese you use: blue cheese is good, so is Velveeta. Try this at a pot luck, you'll be surprised at the result.

Try some of her Gumbos.

Try a lot of her recipies, you'll be glad you did.

Great book. Very conversational. The only downside is that all the steps are shown by hand when most classes today also use a statistics computer package. However, by doing the problems by hand, the partitioning of variance is quite clear. Highly recommended!

This book is a good overview of the ANOVA methods. It is most useful for people who need to learn quickly how to apply and interpret the most basic analysis of variance. Althought, it needs an urgent editing. It has all kinds of spelling and gramatical errors to say the least. The content is very good but if a non-native english speaker with an "ok" grammar (and an engineer) can point out thoes mistakes, well...you may not only need to interpret ANOVA results.

The reason I purchased this book was because I had a real set of data and a set of research questions that were amenable to a two-way analysis of varience. Being a non-academic (and retired as well) the only packaged software I had to address the problem was an old student version of SPSS which was only able to do a one-way analysis of varience. I needed a resource that would enable me to set up a two-way analysis of varience within a spreadsheet format and after scanning the list of books available at Amazon I settled on this one and hoped it would do the trick.

On the day the book arrived, I read the first few chapters, found a completed example that was fundamentally the same as my problem, and using the example as a guide set up a spreadsheet program to do my analysis. Within three hours of receiving the book my analysis was complete; and, I understood the statistical rationale on which the analysis was based. The book was exactly what I needed!

During my years in graduate school, I've noticed a general lack of familiarity in graduate students, from engineering or from biological backgrounds, in statistical techniques. I also often read papers (usually in the medical science journals) that demonstrate variable levels of statistical understanding. After reading many book chapters, MATLAB materials and web pages, I found this book to be the clearest and easiest introduction to ANOVA techniques. I've been recommending it to many people that depend on self-learning to substantiate their competence in data analysis.

Whenever I need to re-learn the fundamentals and assumptions of a particular technique, I find it useful to spend a half-hour or so with my favorite textbook on that subject. This handbook has become that textbook: there's nothing wrong with being easy to read.

My only complaint is that for $27, you don't get an in-depth introduction to ANCOVA, which is a very common related technique. Too bad, but it does not prevent me from giving this small book my highest recommendation. Of course, there are many $90+ books out there that lack either clarity about ANOVA or discussion of ANCOVA or both.

I have followed the work of Ed Roth and the late "Von Dutch" since 1953. The word Pioneer doesn't even begin with the work these men have done over the last 45 years. Dutch started the trend of "Free Form" pinstriping, along with painted "figures" and some very unique "Flame Painting" back in the 1950s. Roth started building some very unique vehicles, way ahead of their time. He called himsef a "speed striper" which was a rapid form of pinstriping i,e, "no following around with fine details" yet the work was quite good. This book shows the best examples of both Roth and Dutch, and contains photos that we all thought were lost years ago. "Von Dutch" (a.k.a. Kenneth Howard) was a very underrated man, who was filled with talent and skills that would revel most of today's artists. It was a tragic loss when he died a very lonely man. Roth did a Video of Dutch in the late 1970s, which really showed the "methods to his madness."

I personally have given a tribute to both these men by building a copy of the sign painters box (made in 1919) given to Dutch by his father. Roth has pinstriped a few of these for his charity auctions. This book is a treasure to the art of pinstriping and the "Kustom Kulture" movement.

Although the greatness of Rob't. Williams has been admitted by a few so-called "legitimate" art critics, it's high time to admit the genius of people like Von Dutch, Ed Roth, Gene Winfield et al. Kustom Kulture is artistic democracy in action, "The People's Art." This is an attractive book, with much information and great art. If you are even the least bit interested in this subject, this book's for you. I give it an A+.

If you ever wanted to learn about the masters of hot rod art, this is a good place to start. While not the difinitive history of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth,Von Dutch or Robert Williams, this book delves into the rude awakenings of this all American art form. A damn good read.(I just looked at the pictures!!!!)

While being a big fan of "Big Daddy Roth", I still appreciate his hot-rod artwork. Shortly after finishing the book, I gave it to "Big Daddy Dean Paulsen", the man who taught Ed Roth everything he knows. Paulsen was pleased to know his understudy is still alive and well.