Columbia Books

In the summer of 1977, eleven-year-old Sarah Richardson is filled with trepidation and resentment when her father's new job forces her to leave her home and best friend in Wyoming to relocate in the remote town of Bamfield on Vancouver Island. But these feelings fade when she sees her gorgeous new home overlooking the ocean and befriends and Indian (a term commonly used for First Nations people in 1977) girl named Goldie. Of course, her idyllic summer with her parents and Goldie doesn't last. Once school begins, Sarah endures long, painful lessons about bullying, racial hatred, and family tragedy.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif's WHALE SONG is an unusual mystery. Although the story opens with an adult Sarah reflecting back on the summer that changed her life, she eases into eleven-year-old Sarah's point of view as the story unfolds, turning the book into a young adult novel. But then grownup Sarah slides briefly back into the story with ominous foreshadowing about events she wished she'd seen coming.

The other unique aspect is that the mystery doesn't occur until two thirds into the book. Certainly, the reader feels tension building among main characters and a grim situation inevitably spiraling out of control. But death, a police investigation, and murder charge don't occur until the reader knows the Richardson family so well that we feel their anguish. Some mystery fans might loathe the pacing of events, yet it's important to understand that mystery is only one facet of this multi-layered story. Crime might not be center stage in WHALE SONG, however, it's essential to the story.

Cross-genre novels are hard to pigeonhole, and this one will be a challenge for librarians and booksellers. WHALE SONG is an elegantly written, heartbreaking blend of friendships lost and gained, family tragedy, spirituality, death, guilt, punishment, and forgiveness. This is a lot to incorporate into one novel, but Tardif does it beautifully in a mere 199 pages. If you want something different in a mystery, WHALE SONG is a compelling story you won't forget any time soon.

"Whale Song" is a poignant tale that asks difficult questions - ones that challenge us to look deeply into our own hearts. This is a very well written novel about Sarah, a young girl who moves to Canada from Montana. It's about her family and friends who love her so very much, and the difficult choices and sacrifices that have to be made by them all. Set on Canada's breathtaking Vancouver Island, the whales and other wildlife are as beautiful as the story itself. This is Ms Tardif's "heart book" - the book closest to her heart - and after reading it, it's easy to see why.

Haunting and sensitive, Whale Song is a compelling read, leaving an impression long after the story ends. I loved it. Five stars

Only child, star in her parent's crown, Sarah's fairytale life takes a startling and sad turn. Whale Song is beautifully written, and though not an action novel, it is a page turner. The novel is emotionally evocative (I shed tears for Sarah and her companions) but there are many, many heartwarming and encouraging aspects. You quickly become embroiled in the narrator's life, and Sarah's voice is so strong you could believe you are reading a true story. The characters are convincing, engaging and memorable. I found myself thinking about the novel and its "lessons" while driving to work, often in fact. The Native American mysticism was particularly well done and interesting.

The story begins when 11-year-old Sarah, her mother and father move from Wyoming to Vancouver--from the mountains to the sea. Her father is a marine biologist, her mother an artist. Sarah is devastated by the move but soon makes friends with a Native American girl named Goldie and is accepted by Goldie's family and her wise woman grandmother Nana but at school another Native American student teaches Sarah about discrimination and cruelty.

Whale Song follows Sarah as she matures--her tragedies and triumphs--to a satisfying end.

I haven't read a young adult novel since my son was in Middle School and quite honestly I didn't even realize that Cheryl Kaye Tardif's story of a young girl living in Vancouver with her artist mother and marine biologist father fell into this category until I was half way through it and checked out the author's item page on this website. After all Harper Lee's masterpiece "To Kill a Mockingbird" uses the voice of the pre-adolescent Scout to tell her tale set in the American South in the 1960s in the same way that Tardif speaks through her main character Sarah Richardson.

Not that Tardif's novel rivals Lee's classic. That's not to say that it isn't a good coming-of-age narrative, but where Lee's portrait of Articus Finch suggests the noble hero fighting a battle larger than himself for the greater good, Tardif formulates a smaller world which centers not so much on a brave father figure but on the pain of a young girl adjusting to a new school where her race sets her apart as a social pariah. Sarah's angst increases when her beloved mother falls ill and she must come to grips with the potential loss. Whereas Lee communicates a daughter's pride in her father's courage, Tardif goes for the same feel, and if she fails it is only in achieving the overall tightness of the older story. For indeed Sarah's father commands respect too even if his issue focuses on a individual choice rather than a universal failing of society.

Bewildered by a series of events leading to a personal train wreck, Sarah wallows understandably until certain facts become clear. Utilizing a first person narrative technique, the reader experiences Sarah's initial acclimation first-hand under Tardif's very skillful voice. We enjoy her discovery of the mystical Indian legends of the whale and the wolf and await her comprehension of her specific mission.

The younger Sarah successfully emerges as a girl on the brink of her teenaged years. Tardif relays her sense of uncertainty and the ups and downs of triumphs and failures in an adept way that cements her ability to capture the sensibilities of this burgeoning adolescent with great credibility.

Driven by Tardif's strength in creating such a believable character, the story moves along with great readability. Somehow I thought it stalled a little once Sarah's greatest fear becomes actualized but perhaps this lull in the action was meant to illustrate Sarah's confusion over a situation with implications larger than the world she knows. Likewise, the endgame of this novel seems to be rushed, but this seems indigenous to young adult novels where the resolution takes place under the auspices of adulthood.

Bottom line? Cheryl Kaye Tardif writes a most satisfactory story about a young girl's coming-of-age amidst a background that is simultaneously beautiful, mystical and bittersweet. Recommended for all young adults.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

The best place to get a pet is from a shelter, and if you read this book, you will learn why. I have always gotten my pets from shelters, but did not know the behind-the-scenes story until I read this (and a few others). Ms. Hess writes for the general reader, and is a bit less introspective than I would have liked, but her information is sound. In fact, I would recommend this book to teenagers, precisely because it is not too high-brow. Today's kids are tomorrow's pet owners, and it is important to educate them in the realities of pet overpopulation, puppy mills, and the fact that pets are not designer accessories, but living beings who require more than some kibble and water.

I highly recommend this book to anyone considering a pet. It makes you think about what repercussions are possible if you obtain a pet on a whim and do not dedicate yourself to training and caring for it. It shows the results of our society's "throwaway" mentality, the lack of education on the effects of pet overpopulation and the way our declining economy has added to the problem by not allowing many citizens the money to afford proper pet care and sterilization.

This books shows a cross section of a typical animal shelter and the fact that there are many not so happy endings, mostly because of humans and their failure to do right by their pets.

I've volunteered at the animal shelter in my town for a few years now, but have never had quite as much insight as this book provided. I get the feeling the shelter in the book has a smaller volunteer base than the shelter I have dealt with based on the details they were willing to share with her. This was a very uplifting book that explained a lot about why shelters work the way they do (ie rules about who can adopt, what happens when they get lost pets, etc.). Unfortunately, it is most likely to be read by the people that already understand these rules and why they exist.

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I'm among those who do know what kind of responsibility it takes to own a dog. I'm the happy 'Mom' of 2 terriers, one of which is a rescue dog. It is true about rescued animals - they know they've been given another chance and will give you their love many times over.

Elizabeth Hess was down to earth in showing the trials and successes an animal shelter goes through. If you know someone who's not sure about getting a pet, I highly suggest they read this book. It'll make them think twice. If you know someone with misconceptions that all shelter animals get homes, give them this book as a wakeup call! A pet can take up as much or more of your time than a human baby, but the human race has made dogs, cats and other animals disposeable. There are happy endings as well as sad in the book, but it's worth buying. As the kids would say, we give it a 2 paws up!

This book was so good I could not put it down. A realistic yet compassionate look at shelters today. A must read!

This is an excellent book, with very good illustrations, that is an excellent introduction to paleontology for any age. The information is up to date, and the author makes a case that we should not abandon reason and evidence to hang on to select sentences in the Bible as being literally true.

To me there is no problem with the belief that there is a God as well as the belief in Evolution, as seen from the fossil record. Who is to say that evolution was not the way creation was started, while the story was simplified in the Bible?

I especially enjoyed the section on the evolution of dinosaurs. My only quibble is that the print was a bit small, as most technical books are.

A society driving an eminent scientist to produce a book such as this is in need of some serious reflective thinking. Prothero's account is not the first such investigation of the clash of science and superstition, but it ranks as one of the most thorough and revealing. Although this is a work of science, it is also a campaign manifesto. The author is eager to expose the fallacies of "Christian" creationism and the duplicitous methods used to foster it. The account may appear strident in some places, but it's too well researched - at many levels - and too well written to dismiss it as purely polemical. Above all, it's a needed work, deserving serious attention.

Evolution, he declares forthrightly, is real. The fossils support it in too many ways to be subjected to doubt. Those who try to erode the idea or dismiss the evidence are mistaken, misdirected and often malicious in their methods. Let there be no uncertainty, the panorama of life is there to see. There are many ways of confirming how animal life has varied over time and Prothero takes us through the analysis tools used to assess the evidence. Radiometric dating should be well understood by now, but creationists still find ways to attempt to challenge it. We learn about taxonomy and cladistics, one of the more arcane aspects of fossil analysis. Molecular analysis, what DNA can tell us about the past is, of course, the fastest growing field in palaeontology.

These tools, applied to the fossils and the environment they were found in, establish the relationships demonstrating that challenging evolution is a meaningless enterprise. Still, the challengers continue to emerge. Prothero's prime target in his account is Duane Gish. The Institute for Creation Research. Gish, who seems to have been around at least since the Noachean Flood, still plods the lecture circuit, where Prothero demolished his presentation at least once. Prothero notes that ICR publications, and Gish's lecture presentations are, at best two decades behind what real research has revealed. Prothero is scathing about those who can write of palaeontology without even gotten their hands dirty doing field work. Even creationism's illegitimate offspring, "Intelligent Design", fares no better in the author's hands. If a "designer" was involved in prompting evolution, It botched the job. Why so many forms of wings, for example, when one or two would suffice? Wings and hands are physically related through what palaeontologists call "homology". As Prothero ably demonstrates, adaptations of similar bone arrangements through time produced wings and hands in various animals. Creationists, who continue to call for "missing links" want the entire process lined out in exquisite detail. That's not likely in the world in which fossils form.

Prothero then describes the emergence of early life. His discussion of the Cambrian Period - once referred to as the "Cambrian Explosion" - and its precursor "The Garden of Ediacara" makes an excellent read. He goes on to the value of invertebrate fossils, most notably the formenifera, in showing the slow, but discernable progress of life over time. Vertebrates, who form the beginnings of our own body plan with a backbone, brain and vision systems, are well depicted. In "The Great Leap Upward", he explains how some of those vertebrates learned to live on land. The lobe-finned fishes led the way, and the recent find of Tiktaalik in Canada, gives much information on how they did it. More significant is the revelation of what body plan changes could lead to dinosaurs, primates, and us.

In his conclusion, "Why Does It Matter?", the author answers the question in two ways. First, he castigates his fellow "Christians" for using deceit and deception in thinking they are reinforcing their faith by deluding others about the validity of evolution. The story of the roots of who we are is too important to dismiss or take lightly. Such tactics must be kept out of classrooms - particularly in the US where Constitutional strictures apply [lucky US!]. Most important of all, he urges, the movement is creating a scientifically illiterate population. In a highly competitive technological world, such a condition bodes ill. Denial of evolution, he notes, reaches into domestic realms such as health care and agriculture. Allowing ideologues influence into the political realm is liable to result bad decisions with long-term effects. How to avoid such ill-considered eventualities? The place to start is here, by reading this book carefully, shedding as much as possible preconceived notions about life and how it works. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

There are a few recent books on religion, science, skepticism, and evolution that will probably go down in history as the "great ones". In that mix I include Carl Sagan's The Demon-Haunted World and Sam Harris's The End of Faith. Donald Prothero's book should certainly be included among such prestigious company!

Prothero's book is simply stellar. An outstanding overview of the fossil record of evolution. As beautifully written as it is well referenced. A devastating corrective to creationist nonsense.

Dr. Donald Prothero is clearly a leading paleontologist and highly qualified to write a book about the fossil evidence's support of neo-Darwinian theory. His research and field experience place him at the top of the list of experts in this arena. He has, so it seems, fallen prey to the angry war raging between evolutionists and creationists. By this I mean that he has allowed his frustration with the bad pseudo-science of young earth creationists burst forth in such a rage in this book that it takes away from the true meat of what it could have been. Evan after saying that, I want to make it clear that I am not one of the radical young earth creationists who Prothero attacks in this book.

Dr. Prothero's venomous anger at creationism, particularly the young earth group, rings clear and loud. The book is entitled Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters, not Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why I Hate Creationists with Every Fiber of My Being, though the latter would be a much more descriptive title. He spends quite a large part of his monograph discrediting the creationists and deservedly so, especially when considering their scientific dishonesty (i.e., ICR's recent 2 volume "report" on radiometric dating and the age of the earth, quite expensive, lengthy, and full of unscientific speculation that should discredit them, but probably won't because of the general scientific illiteracy in this country). Even though the creation "scientists" deserve discrediting, the venomous name-calling in Dr. Prothero's book demonstrates his unwillingness to show a higher integrity level than they. He even resorts to comparing them with holocaust deniers!

I am not a trained paleontologist, so I cannot speak to the accuracy of the fossil evidence that he present in the book. Prothero's book is quite informative and much of it was quite demonstrative of evolution, certainly taking its place as a part of the significant amount of evidence. There are, however, a few areas that need addressing.

First, Dr. Prothero claims to have a rather extensive knowledge of biblical scholarship and presents a brief outline of the Wellhausen source hypothesis (a.k.a., JEPD). Contrary to his presentation, this hypothesis is anything but controversial. After discussing Prothero's discussion and references with a "real" Hebrew scholar (a member of the Old Testament translation team for both the NIV and NLT), I can confidently say that Prothero is presenting as mainstream an outdated hypothesis that, particularly since Cyrus Gordon's work, is now supported by an every shrinking percentage of Old Testament scholars. Prothero goes even further in his misrepresentation here by repeatedly saying that this hypothesis applies to the whole Old Testament. This is clearly an error that is difficult to explain. Even the most hardlined advocates of JEPD are clear that it only applies to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). This is very much like the methodology of the creationists that Dr. Prothero so aggressively lambastes.

The second area that drew a red flag for me was his confident presentation of the old primordial soup hypothesis for the origin of life. He presents the 50 year old experiment creating amino acids in the lab and a handful more experiments that have created some more amino acids as immensely successful. It was in its time but the lack of significant further developments has been significantly disappointing. He continues with a couple of highly speculative hypotheses regarding catalysis and common clay as replication templates, later to be succeeded by nucleic acid. I was quite surprised by his confident presentation in a field which I thought was so highly speculative as be nearly as unknown as the first few microseconds after the Big Bang. To verify my concern I checked with an acquaintance of mine who is a professor of chemistry in Texas (at a research university, not just a teaching one - another criticism Dr. Prothero makes). He informed me that my concerns were right on, saying, "Yes, the old simple soup picture is passé in chemistry, if not biology texts. ... [T]he guesses about clays seem to be more fashionable now. Frankly, we dunno and it's only good science to admit it."

The third problematic area of intellectual integrity came in his chapter on human evolution. He does a fine job of presenting the rather speculative field of human descent. I'm quite fond of his discussion on our genomic similarity to chimpanzees. I found it particularly interesting that we seem to be closer cousins with the chimps than any other pair of closely related animals are to each other - quite impressive data that I've also seen verified elsewhere.

His presentation of humans and Neanderthals being distinct species is not uncommon, but his insistence (aggressively so) on it is a bit overdone. Of my three areas of concern, this is the one where I am personally the weakest to address. I did remember a biological anthropologist friend of mine who mentioned to me once that the jury was still out in this area. I presented Prothero's arguments and figures to him for comment. (Before I present his response, I should point out that this anthropologist friend specializes in human bones and has even helped the FBI's forensics team when they were unable to make any progress in identifying the skeleton of a murder victim. In addition to the usual age, gender, and size of the victim, this man was able to determine the exact type of knife used as the murder weapon (a rather obscure one used in packing plants), that the man was ambidextrous, and that he was Guatemalan - all from the skeleton only. His ability to determine the race is particularly relevant here.) He pointed out to me that Dr. Prothero used two of the most different skulls available to compare modern humans with Neanderthals, pointing out that Neanderthal and Australian Aboriginal skulls are actually quite similar, enough at least to convince this gentleman as well as his graduate adviser (the renown C. Loring Brace of the Univ. of Mich.) of the possibility that Neanderthals are actually a human subspecies. This is not to say that they believe this to be true. It's just a possibility - one that Prothero clearly dismisses. (The anthropologist friend of mine was clear to tell me that he is not up to date with the latest genomic comparison that Prothero refers to.)

Having said all this, I feel I need to add that, when discussing fossils and their relation to evolution, as well as the importance of improving scientific education in this country, Prothero is excellent. Unfortunately, his anger with creationists and the above mentioned issues tend to discredit his objectivity. It left me questioning whether his otherwise quite well done presentation of what the title indicates the book is about is as objective as it needs to be. I was trying to decide between 2 stars and 3 - I chose 3 because of the good points in the book.

I spent a few weeks in the Pacific Northwest and bought this book as soon as I had arrived. (I love the Lone Pine guides- Plants of the Rocky Mountains, and Wildflowers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and Southern Appalachians)
I loved using this book; it was worth every penny, even for a short period of time - I carried it with me everywhere. This is a wonderful reference for any level of plant or wildflower enthusiast. And the notes on historical uses and other interesting factoids give the flowers and plants a depth that they never had before! Buy this book!

The most comprehensive guide the plants of the rainy coastal forest of the Pacific Northwest. Good photos, range maps, and general info for most plants you'll find. I've stumped it a few times, but generally every plant I find hiking in the forest is in there somewhere. For the most part well organized. The book is high quality and has rounded corners for backpack use. Highly recommended.

I have several other plant identification books. This is the best one by far for my area (the central Oregon coast). The information beyond simple plant identification is exceptionally useful.

This book is awesome. I learned to love Biology from Mr. Brugman at Toutle Lake High School with Mr. Brugman and his required plant collection. Now I'm all grown up and homeschool my 3 kids with this book! My oldest boy uses it almost every day; searching outside and identifying plants. He is only 11 and has worn the binding of this book out! I've taped it all back together several times and now here I am at amazon to buy him a new one for his birthday! Very informative and easy to use book with lots of neat history facts about our areas shrubs and their uses in the past. Very colorful and beautiful pictures help with easy identification! Others wouldn't probably approve, but my little boy has done 3 of these collections for other high school sutudents who all received A's. (none from Toutle, of course LOL) This book has helped nurture my little boys' love of the outdoors and plants. Thanks again for the inspiring me to love Biology, Mr. Brugman. From ~ Robin (Berry) Hamm

This is by far the best native plant guide for the Northwest that I've encountered. My family has amassed quite a few guides for local plants, but none come close to containing the information that Pojar and MacKinnon have put in this book. Plants are listed according to families, using common family names, though there is a glossary for the scientific names in the List of Keys on p 6. The pictures are for the most part excellent. The Notes are fantastic and I love the tribal use section as I have a particular interest in ethnobotany. The introduction also includes a great breakdown of the NW tribes and their whereabouts and distinctions. This book is very easy to use, making it perfect for the hobbyist, yet I think the information is exact enough with good identification keys and illustrations that hardcore botanists would find it a useful addition to their references.

It's a touch heavy to go hiking with, though if I weren't such a slug I might take it anyway. I usually take photos of any unfamiliar plants I find and then cross-reference when I'm home.

There is a revised edition coming out Nov. 30th, 2004 and I can't wait to get my paws on it! My current copy is completely dog-eared. I just wish the editors and authors (you listening?) would consider a guide to the Northeast coast.

the spine on this book broke - i like to have my books stay in very good shape so this was disappointing

I was fortunate to see the two Frans' lecture in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park over a decade ago where they discussed their new book and showed slides of the bonobo apes. I found it all quite intriguing and purchased my autographed copy there.

The most fascinating part was that bonobos love sex. They have sexual encounters multiple times per day with many different partners (except mother/son) in all types of positions yet have the same amount of offspring as other apes. An amicable lot, compared to the aggressive chimpanzee, bonobos tend to have sex to rectify disputes as well as for the pure pleasure of it. The bonobos are a matriarchal group, taking their cues from the females versus typically the males. I thought it was interesting that we humans are now reevaluating whether it is indeed the aggressive, patriarchal chimpanzee that we evolved from or the sensual bonobo ape.

Frans Lanting captured a photograph of two bonobos having missionary style intercourse, she on her back with her arms over her head and with the biggest grin on her face! A gorgeous book, gorgeous animals.

This is a great book with plenty of great photographs by Frans Lanting and a good deal of basic information on these least-known ape cousins of ours from Frans de Waal. Equally genetically and evolutionally related to us as chimpanzees, they are best known for their sexual behavior and their relatively peaceful lives compared to chimpanzees but de Waal warns that the differences are a matter of degree and there is great flexibility.

The differences between the species are interesting. Though in both species the females (normally) leave at puberty and the males always remain in their birth groups, bonobo females bond more and males bond less than in chimpanzees. But the more important difference is that in bonobos the most important and strongest relationship is that between mother and son. This is all-important and at the core of bonobo society and includes serious rivalry between mothers over their sons' dominance ranks - and the fights between the mothers can be viscious.

What most people immediately think of when the bonobo is mentioned is sex, sex, and more sex. This is often misinterpreted and tends to obscure what is really going on. De Waal says their social life is better understood as being peppered by brief moments of sexual activity, the majority of which does not involve intromission nor is it carried through to sexual climax. It is largely brief and casual and used to reduce conflict. And when it comes to full mating with receptive females, this is normally limited to the top two males who occupy, with the females, the center of a travelling party and from where adolescent and lower ranking males are excluded.

De Waal discusses the possibility that the extended female receptivity of the female bonobo - receptive for nearly half of her adult life compared to 5% for the chimpanzee female - may be the bonobo strategy for avoiding male infanticide. In some species one male will remain with one or more females and protect his young from harm from others. In other species females mate with many males, including proactively soliciting males when the females are not normally receptive because they are not fertile, and this 'paternity confusion' is seen as a stategy to counter male infanticide. Infanticide has been observed in increasing numbers of species but, as yet, not in bonobos. De Waal suggests that the particular relationships of bonobos, with the reduced male aggression towards and dominance over females, may be a successful anti male-infantide strategy.

Another suggestion de Waal makes is that, as chimpanzee females have food priority when they are sporting sexual swellings, the extended sexual swellings and receptivity of bonobo females may have extended their food priority. Bonobo females almost always have food priority over males.

Another important difference between bonobo and chimpanzee is the relations between goups. Though chimpanzee females, like bonobo females, move between groups to breed (using sexual swellings as 'passports'), chimpanzee males from different groups are very aggressive and sometimes kill. Though bonobo males are antagonistic towards outsider males and display aggressively, there can be contact between the females of the two groups that meet and sexual contact between males and females of the two groups. I have read elsewhere that this contact between females, who in some cases will be known to each other as females move between groups, may have been something similar to the way our early ancestors were able to overcome full-blown aggression between groups, the females acting as links between groups that would ultimately lead to potentially positive alliances and trading links.

Whether we'll ever learn enough about these apes before they become extinct is unlikely. And that is sad. Whether we are interested in other species for comparision with our own or simply in order to understanding their particular evolutionary stories, we need to convince greater numbers of people that other species are interesting and deserve our full respect and protection. This book contributes to this for the bonobo.

Although I love learning about animals just because I love learning about animals - this book brings many important issues to the forefront - issues which directly relate to humans and human culture. For that reason, I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any curiosity about human behavior - especially as it pertains to sex. While Dr. de Waal is careful to avoid generalizations and anthropomorphisms, you will have fun drawing your own conclusions!

Most people are familiar with chimps but few have heard of the bonobo, but we resemble them behaviorally more than any of the other great apes. Also I recall reading once that we have the greatest genetic similarity to bonobos. I forget the exact figure, but humans share something like 99.5 percent of their genetic material with bonobos.

De Waal teamed up with internationally acclaimed nature photographer Hans Lanting to produce not only a very scholarly but very readable and interesting book, and a visually very striking one as well.

There are many similarities between bonobo behavior and humans, and ways in which they differ from other apes. Females have higher social standing in bonobo society compared to chimps, and high-ranking males never stay that way for long unless they have the support of at least a high-ranking female or two.

Females also cooperate more than in other apes. They have been observed working together to drive off an aggressive male, which doesn't happen in chimps. Females are also very social, and seek to establish alliances with other males. This can come in handy in various ways. For example, during the mating season, if a a male the female doesn't like wants to mate, she can effectively rebuff his attempts by getting her other male friends to come to her aid. They even resemble us in their sexual behavior, since they are the only ape observed to use the missionary position during sex, which they do about half the time.

This is just a small sample of the many interesting and thought-provoking things I picked up from reading this book. Overall, a fascinating and very visually appealing presentation on this little-known and understood relative among the great apes.

The only way to travel the Al-Can and the best way, (short of actually being there), to remember the great state of Alaska!

A little background, we are Air Force and we recently PCSed to Elmendorf, AK. We used the milepost to plan our stops and it was a lifesaver. Everything that you could ever want to know about any route to Alaska, the scenic markers, the stops, even road conditions and pullouts, they are all in there. A must for any traveler.

I bought Milepost 2008 for a friend, so I have not used it myself. However, I was so intrigued by the contents of this book, that I am have developed a strong desire to make the trip. The book is very detailed, and seems to cover everything one needs to know to tour Alaska.

Milepost was invalueable for my Alaska Highway trip.
the only drawback was Williams Lake had little mention and there is a lot of lodging and dining establisments.

Other reviewers were right. If you are driving to or in Alaska, you need the Milepost. Side roads and towns are included as well as major highways and road conditions. It contains EVERYTHING you can drive to, and more. It would take a a week nonstop to read the whole thing. Weather you are intersted in wildlife, views, fishing, trails, glaciers, etc, you need it. Period.

Michael D. O'Brien is a masterful storyteller. He has compiled a stunning series, Children of the Last Days, of which Plague Journal is the second. I am now just beyond half way through Eclipse of the Sun, the third. I have two more to go, and by then perhaps he will have written some more. While I'm reviewing his work, I'd like to applaud his latest work : Island of the World. That was a "watershed" book for me.There are not words to convey the power and authority which which he strings words together. It is compelling fiction. Any one choosing to read Michael D. O'Brien's work will be in for a major treat as well as learning experience.

Michael O'Brien has a tendency to overwrite his books (one of his very few flaws as a writer). But in Plague Journal, he reined himself in (or finally got an editor who did) and the result is a book that is no less packed with plot tension, cultural criticism, and character development than his other tomes.

The middle book of a trilogy of books about the Delaney family (starting with Strangers and Sojourners and ending with Eclipse of the Sun), Plague Journal also fits within O'Brien's larger series, which he calls Children of the Last Days. The first of those is the explosive novel Father Elijah.

While Plague Journal is my personal favorite. I recommend reading it after Father Elijah and Strangers and Sojourners, since it needs the other two to provide its context in O'Brien's view of the Last Days.

And O'Brien's view is a bleak one. The government has become the tool of the antichrist, whether it knows it or not, and an honest journalist (even one who doesn't have a living faith in God) can't get an honest shake, but is hunted down.

Swift, sharp, and poigniant, O'Brien provides his readers with everything that Left Behind readers should have gotten but didn't and without all of the silly speculations. This is good literature that shapes the heart and the mind Christianly.

Michael D. O'Brien's novels are among the best I have ever read. Plague Journal is the (chronologically speaking) 2nd book in the Children of the Last Days series. Which should be read: 1. Strangers and Sojourners, 2. Plague Journal, 3. Eclipse of the Sun, and the other 3 in any order (although I'd personally read Father Elijah 4th, Sophia House 5th, and A Cry of Stone last--which is the least connected to the other books). They are deep and thought provoking books, and will make you look at the current trends in society in a whole new light. Although there is an element of action/adventure in this story, it is by no means mindless entertainment. The action/adventure element is always secondary to the philosophical/spiritual element that we see and partake of in the lives and thoughts of the characters; in much the same way as the murder/mystery element in Crime and Punishment is secondary to the philosophical/spiritual element.
I've grown up a Protestant, but these books (along with other influences) have made me take a good hard look at Catholicism. I'd say I'm 9 tenths converted--and almost ready to take that last step. But whatever your religion, denomination, or lack thereof, do yourself a favor and read these books.

O'Brien's "Children of the Last Days" series shows what the apocalypse might be like through Catholic eyes. "Plague Journal" shows what an average man would go through when he sees the very land he loves slowly but surely choke off all joy and life in the name of an efficient government. The main character's actions and thoughts make you slow down and wonder what you'd do. Also, not all the characters automatically do the right thing. Each of their actions has a consequence, whether good or bad, and they have to put up with those consequences, which is more realistic. There's no flashy deux ex machina, but God works through the characters in a way that's somehow more majestic than simply suspending laws of nature to make sure the good guy wins. I highly recommend this book no matter what religion you follow. You will laugh, cry, and think.

As I'm sure most reviewers have said, be sure you read Strangers and Sojourners first; PJ is the second in the series. Also, it is good to read Father Elijah too; it occurs about the same time as PJ.

I read PJ in a week. It is one of the most moving books I've read, but I was reluctant to heed its message in the beginning. In this world of half-truths and deceptions where everyone is a partially educated philosopher and politician, PJ really does show the need to not believe everything we heard or read.

Should we be constantly paranoid? Not really. But a healthy skepticism is necessary.

Ian Hunter's self-titled solo debut is one of the best British rock albums to come from a glam-rocker in 1975. The former Mott The Hoople vocalist attempts to attack the whole rock & roll scenemaking machine, as well as anything honoring false gods, on this CD, and he succeeds magnificently, starting with the opening track, "Once Bitten Twice Shy." Even if the Bethany Hamilton shark attack hadn't happened, I'd still prefer Hunter's original version of this great song to Great White's (named after a man-eating shark) wimpy, Top-Ten-selling remake. Another song here, "It Ain't Easy When You Fall", which excoriates the dangers of excessive self-indulgence, is making me think twice about using wine to toast my grandfather on his 95th birthday, or my grandparents on their 75th wedding anniversary, as well as inspiring me to keep myself looking well in all ways for a young woman whom I met in September, 2007, and for any number of pretty actresses. It's unfortunate that this cautionary recording wasn't a bigger hit here in the U.S.

Ian Hunter makes meat and potatoes rock'n'roll with more than usual head and heart. King of the midtempo rocker, he's turned in some mean ballads as well. The man who penned DIARY OF A ROCK STAR has always been his own best subject, so it stands to reason this deeply personal record would stand among his finest. It also rocks like a #&@*%$! Hunter swings from swagger to intropection while the great Mick Ronson backs him up with articulate arrangements and explosive guitar solos. Ronno's lead on "Lounge Lizard" is one of the nastiest slow burns ever, all drama, attitude and corrosive texture. The album's self reflective core peaks with the remarkably naked "It Ain't Easy When You Fall/Shades Off" before closing with the jubilant "I Get So Excited". When this record (back in '75, remember) came out it was Rolling Stone's album of the month. their headline nailed it: "Ian Hunter professes faith: Rock Saves".

Those who like their Hunter more personal than political should seek out his 2001 indie "comeback" RANT on Fuel Records. It's great.

And for those who like macho rockers dragged kicking and screaming into self awareness, you should check out Bob Mould, Richard Thompson and Graham Parker if you haven't already.

I concur with all the other reviews. This is a below-the-radar masterpiece. If you like classic rock, you'll like this.
"3,000 Miles From Here" is not one of my favorites, but everything else is top-notch. "Once Bitten Twice Shy" is a classic and the collage of "It Ain't Easy When You Fall"/"Shades Off"/"I Get So Excited" is just amazing. I dare you to erase "I Get So Excited" from your brain. Later solo albums from Ian Hunter were spotty and not this consistent.

Ian Hunter's debut solo disk remains, 30 years after the fact, one the the finest albums released during the seventies. Fresh from the breakup of Mott the Hoople and alledgedly, a nervous breakdown, Hunter teamed with Mick Ronson to record some Hoople leftovers and some new tracks.

The album kicks off with three undisputable hard rockers, ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY (the most famous song from this set), WHO DO YOU LOVE and LOUNGE LIZARD. The ballad BOY is supposedly about former pal David Bowie, and depicts a tale a star who loses touch via fame and drugs. The heavy rocker THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH... marries a Lennonesque theme to a crunching rock tune. Ronson solos with a venegence on this one. The album winds down with a triolgy of songs, the poignant IT'S NOT EASY (WHEN YOU FALL), a poem, the touching autobiography SHADES OFF and finally another searing rocker, I GET SO EXCITED.

To me, this was the apex of Hunter's career. Though he had a number of notable albums with Mott the Hoople and a long successful solo career, nothing matches the power, emotions and consistancy of this record. It sounds as fresh in 2006 as it did in 1975!

Ian Hunter by Ian Hunter and featuring Mick Ronson is one of the finest albums to come out of the seventies. Not only are the songs tight, spirited, and well played, but they seem to have stood the test of time. Listening to them now they sound as good as they did back in 1975 when I first bought the lp and wore it out. Though Hunter may not be a 70's rock and roll poetic genius like Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen or even Paul Simon, he can still write a genuinely captivating song, as can be heard with "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "Lounge Lizard," or "Boy."

I absolutely love this album, and I would put it in my list of top ten albums from the seventies, which is a difficult task. I think what makes it so great is the combination of Ian Hunter's songwriting and vocals mixed with Mick Ronson's guitar and production work. Ronson is easily one of the most over looked talents from the seventies, and his work with Ian Hunter is simply devine rock and roll. By all means buy this album.

A classic is a work that rewards repeated re-reading. I am planning to repeat the graduate seminar I gave around this book not only because it is a revelation to students who have been schooled in standard economics but also because I myself realize I have more to gain from another run through it.

Another thing that keeps it fresh nearly 50 years after publication is the almost complete lack of topical material that could go stale. A peculiarity of the original edition is that the projected third volume had to be shortened into a single chapter because its total condemnation of government was too controversial for the publisher. That third volume was later published as "Power and Market: Government and the Economy." It is bound in with the original Man Economy & State in the Scholar's Edition, which somewhat confusingly still includes the original summary chapter.

This book assumes no background in economics, and takes the reader straight through from the most basic aspects of human action through the whole of economics without the artificial break between micro and macro that corrodes present-day economic thinking. Rothbard spins out long chains of reasoning, which although they are clearly presented, do require sustained attention. If you are willing to give it that attention, the book will repay you handsomely. Rothbard leads us to the standard laws of supply and demand, but grounds them in a way that standard textbooks miss. His treatment of monopoly is unique, arguing that very concept of a monopoly price is illegitimate because one the "competitive price" with which it is to be contrasted cannot be identified, and therefore one cannot distinguish a movement along a demand curve from a sub-competitive price toward the alleged competitive price from a movement upward from that price.

There is much more that is unique to Rothbard (and much that is consonant with standard economics), but I will just mention one more thing, a favorite of mine. That is his classification of violent behavior into (1) autistic intervention, e.g. forcing someone to salute a flag, (2) binary intervention, e.g. robbery or taxation, and (3) triangular intervention where the aggressor forces or prohibits exchanges between others, e.g. through price controls.

In the course of 1,000 pages or so Rothbard does slip occasionally. And he runs into the ditch in his attempt to discredit the concept of velocity and the equation of exchange. Nonetheless this is a masterful, enjoyable, and highly rewarding book.

This is Murray Rothbard's Magnum Opus, or maybe it isn't. He has had so many books that were great, it is really hard to tell which one is his best. Anyways, this is a treastise on economics and a very good one at that. Once you get past the initial setting up of the economy, Rothbard guides you onto several other important issues related to the economy and economics. This book, however, is not going to be taken up by diehard Marxians or socialists. This book is written by an Austrian economist, he isn't Austrian just from that school of thought, which canonically oppose most state intervention. In the case of Rothbard, you will see this grow into fruition, as Rothbard is somewhat of an anarchist. Anyways, this book guides you through many areas of economics that deal with a wide variety of problems such as public policy stances, unemployment, and the like. It is truly a great read, if you have the time.

This is simply the best treatise on economics that has been written upto date in the human history. Ludwig Von Mises 'Human Action' comes close but it is too dense for a layman.

This book: Man, Economy and State, written by Murray N. Rothbard can make an economist out of layman if he puts time and efforts into reading this book and understanding all its concepts. Murray Rothbard starts with the basic axiom that: Humans Act. He further states that Humans Act to relieve some sort of unease and approach a better state of satisfaction. Based on these two axioms he builds up the entire edifice of Economics using impeccable logic and superb reasoning.

I had read Carl Menger's 'Principles of Economics' before this and thus had a basic understanding of economics. But EVEN if you do not have that, do not worry. This book starts with very basic terms and explains the concepts of Supply and Demand, Interest Rates, Profit/Loss, Production Structure etc. in a clear and thorough manner.

Murray Rothbard furthermore refutes the Socialist, Keynesian(gradual socialist) and neo-classical schools of economics. His elucidation of fallacies of Interventionist economics is so logical that one cannot help but laugh out loud on the stupidity of fools like John Keynes, Karl Marx and their disciples.

Also you will not see much mathematics in this book. Subjective valuations of goods/services by humans cannot be quantified. This seems pretty logical to most of us but many who call themselves "economists" simply miss this insight.

Read this book and you will have a far better understanding of how the world works. You will also understand economics better than most economics college professors and government-employed economists.

Because I made a lot of research in reviews, in order to take the right decision of buying this book or not, you will perhaps find it intersting to know that there are two editions of this text.

The one presented here 987 pages $35.00 as of writing
Another with additional text 1544 pages $31.50 as of writing

( Yes, the bigger is CHEAPER, and is also hardcover by the way )

To find the bigger version on this site, do a search in books for :
Man, Economy, and State with Power and Market Scholar's Edition
(or click on the autor's name at the top of the main page for this book, to find it somewhere in the obtained list)

This makes me wonder if there is not a pricing mistake here?

Well, anyway I suggest that you go for the cheaper 1544 pages for now.

(Amazon, feel free to remove this review in case of a price adjustment, please)

(I rate this book 5 stars, but I haven't read it yet. 5 stars seems to be the average for it anyway)

This is easily one of the three best defenses of the Free Market ever written. (The other two being Mises' "Human Action" and Reisman's "Capitalism" . "Power and Market" doesn't count because it must be read with MES.)

Rothbard's opus will teach you about the ethics of a free, nonviolent society, and how this society will prosper. It also does a good job of demolishing the concept interpersonal utility comparisons, which will be a great thorn in the side of those who advocate "welfare" spending. It also shows that, unlike most followers of Marx unquestioningly accept, the capitalist is productive.

With the backdrop of the emerging black middle-class in segregated Washington, D.C., during World War II, author Brad Snyder tells the compelling story of two baseball clubs and the push to integrate one professional league.

There is Homestead Grays founder Cum Posey, who is looking to relocate his franchise from Pittsburgh before the start of the 1940 season. And there is Clark Griffith, owner of the pathetic Washington Senators, who can briefly shuffle aside his racism for a business deal that will bring a new revenue stream to his bank account when the team is playing away from Griffith Stadium.

This initial tenuous partnership delivered a surprise to Griffith; the Grays exemplary play on the field found them outdrawing the cellar-dwelling Senators and galvanizing a new generation of baseball fans. That success - even with onerous stadium leases common when NLB teams played in facilities used by Major League Baseball clubs - helped propel the integration of MLB in 1947.

The era is also seen through legendary sportswriters Sam Lacy & Wendell Smith, Buck Leonard - the greatest pro first baseman - and in the offices of MLB, especially the Senators.

Griffith - who certainly could have worked out some type of agreement with the Grays for players to bolster the Senators before the Dodgers signed Robinson - was only a pioneer in segregation, integrating his team seven years after Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and ultimately fleeing Washington, D.C., relocating his team to the whiter Minneapolis-St. Paul market.

With the success of Robinson came the slow disintegration of NLB - the league that was truly integrated on the field, in the stands and in the front offices - as MLB teams raided the club rosters for established stars and began scouting & signing younger players to contracts.

Snyder has brought this forgotten period beyond the shadows of the simplistic retelling of the past that plagues all levels American history.

Let me be clear, this is a great book, rather than just a very good one. In nine chapters, plus an introduction and conclusion, Washington, D.C., based attorney turned writer has told the powerful and sometimes provocative story of how the Homestead Grays moved to Washington, D.C., and set the stage for the breaking down of the color line in Major League Baseball (MLB). In this important book Brad Snyder moves beyond the singular actions of Branch Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson, which most people are familiar with, to explore the broader implications of race relations in baseball during the 1940s.

In telling this story, "Beyond the Shadow of the Senators" is filled with heroes and villains. The most significant hero is unquestionably Sam Lacy, a black writer with the "Washington Tribune," a weekly oriented toward D.C.'s large African American community, who consistently called for the desegregation of MLB. Also heroic are the great stars of the Negro Leagues, especially Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson, all of whom came to Washington to play before large crowds in the nation's capital. They demonstrated through their exploits the quality of talent in the Negro leagues, especially when juxtaposed against the hapless play of the Washington Senators of the American League. The villains include Clark Griffith, the financially strapped owner of the Senators whose willingness to rent Griffith Stadium to the Grays proved lucrative, and Grays owner Cumberland Posey who shifted his team from the Pittsburgh area to Washington to cater to the large middle-class African American community in Washington. Both Griffith and Posey had every reason to keep the segregated system intact because of the money they made. Moreover, Griffith was a blatant racist who integrated reluctantly and eventually moved the Senators from Washington to Minneapolis-St. Paul because, as he said in 1978, "you've got good, hardworking white people here" (p. 289).

Ranging broadly from social history to baseball and back, Snyder captures the essence of the history of the Senators, the Grays, and wartime Washington's racial situation. It is a story of love and hate at the same time, as well as the quest for dignity of the minority population in a divided city. "Beyond the Shadow of the Senators" is a powerful book. Enjoy.

Brad is an excellent researcher and writer. This book is not only enjoyable but educational. I met Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and Lester Lockett, two former Negro League players, a few years ago and their stories started my interest. Brad fed that interest beautifully. I look forward to Brad's next book on Curt Flood and the reserve clause. His attention to detail is consistent with his legal background.

Tim Moreland, PhD
Salisbury, NC

"Beyond the Shadow of the Senators'' is a must read for any serious student of baseball history. The author put a massive amount of research into this engaging account, of which I knew nothing even though I grew up in Washington not long after these events took place. This is an outstanding work in every regard. I have never met the author and I am not an African-American (not that anybody should care); I am just a fan of baseball and its history. If you are, too: Read this book.

This is a great, and true-to-life (i.e., "complex") story about the institution of 'Negro' League baseball and the various parties who profited and railed against it.

Key people that are introduced and brought to life are:
Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson -- three of the greatest ballplayers who ever lived;
Clark Griffith -- the pioneering, penurious and controlling owner of the Washington Senators;
Sam Lacy -- the ahead-of-his-time, DC-native who tirelessly advocated for the integration of Major League Baseball; as well as
Cum(berland) Posey -- the shrewd owner of the Homestead Grays -- the dominant team of the loosely confederated Negro Leagues during the late 30's and 40's.

Tangential to this story are:
the decimation of the post 1933 Senators, mostly due to finances and an inadequate ballpark;
the relative prosperity of Washington DC during the years of the depression and WWII and the partial equality of African-American government workers that led to a vibrant culture and ability to spend on entertainment;
the move by Posey and his "partner" (many of the Negro League baseball teams were financed by numbers entreprenuers) to Washington from their Pittsburgh home and the welcome of their rental payments and gate pctgs. by Clark Griffith;
Judge Landis' death, the increasing awareness of America's incongruity in its fight for freedom and democracy in Europe while maintaining a virtual apartheid culture at home; and
the greed/opportunity of baseball owners to find the best talent at the lowest price which ultimately led to Rickey's "great experiment");

This book also fleshes out the background and conflict around Jackie Robinson, who was rightly judged to be a great man and the right vehicle for Rickey's efforst, and the shared opinions that he was a good, but not all-time great Negro baseball player. [Check out how well a 42-yr old Satchel Paige pitched for the World Championship Indians in 1948.]

The shifts in attitude between "separate but equal" and complete integration by the various parties reveal primarily self-interest. Judged by the standards of our time, I share many others' great respect for Sam Lacy and his tireless, moral advocacy and feel sorry for the Negro League baseball owners who were mostly left with nothing as they rarely had enforceable contracts that protected their relationship with their players.

Clark Griffith was an "innovator" in attracting inexpensive talent from Cuba. Many of these players represented themselves well on the ballfield but would only be acceptable if they were of "Spanish" descent.

Utterly inconceivable now, but the norm for over 60 years (since Cap Anson helped institute the "gentleman's agreement" against employment of African Americans in the early 1880's) was to allow a Major or Minor League ballclup to employ pretty much anyone (Swedes, Germans, Irish, Italians, Jews, etc.) anyone, except African-Americans.

It has often been discussed that without Jackie Robinson (& the parts played by Branch Rickey, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Ben Chapman, etc.) the 1954 "Brown vs. Board of Education" decision would not have happened as quickly.

This book provides a wonderful companion story to the integration of major league baseball which, in my opinion, is one of the most significant stories of 20th Century United States.