Society Books

Very detailed information about most herbs, I wish there were more in there, but the ones they do list are very detailed in their descriptions.

I wholeheartedly agree with the other reviewers that this is a 5-star book and an important volume to include in your herbal library - or if you are looking for ONE herbal book, this is it.

Each entry has information on the history and lore of not only the herb, but even its name; where and how it grows, how to cultivate (that information is often left out of other books, which just tell you what part of the plant to use, now HOW to use them), and any supporting scientific evidence (or lack thereof).

The sections on geographic locations worldwide and their indiginous plants and cultural contributions to herbalism are unlike anything in any other herbal book I've seen. I could not put this one down, I turned each page with the same enthusiasm I'd have had for a suspense thriller, and this is a reference book, not something that would normally garner excited responses like that. Don't pass this one up!

There are so many herbal books on the market today that one could wonder about the need for yet another, even with the National Geographic branding attached to it promising quality - but DESK REFERENCE TO NATURE'S MEDICINE offers something different. It's put together not by a single person but by leading experts in the herbal medicine field, it packs in over 200 color photos, 150 botanical drawings and over 150 maps, and its alphabetical arrangement of therapeutical plants covers not just physical appearance and medicinal properties but geographic distribution, how it's harvested in used, and more. Nine essays provide an overview to world healing traditions while handy sidebars of detail pack in the history and cultural insights, making for a practical manual which is also a superb history.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The National Geographic Society is known for producing high quality books and this is a fine example of one of their best works. The book is being promoted using their brand name rather then the names of the authors. I would like to acknowledge the authors Steven Foster and Rebecca Johnson; with Botanical paintings by Jane Watkins and Mary Eaton; and color photographs by Steven Foster.

I am familiar with the writings and beautiful plant photographs of Steven Foster and believe that he is one of the finest authors on medicinal plants.

This book contains in-depth and up-to-date profiles of 150 medicinal plants including herbal and pharmaceutical uses, cultural and scientific information and a botanical painting, map and color photograph for each plant.

The book has been well researched and provides a significant amount of information that is both succinct and clear, not lacking in any way. A reader would have to consult dozens of books to find the same information presented in this one volume.

The book is highly recommended for the general reader, herbalist, health professional and certainly every library.

This book is beautiful It has full color pictures. It also has lots of information. Maps and locations on where the plants are usally found. It is a thick hard cover book. A great addtion to anyones library. Great for gardening, medicine or science.

Genre: Health/Well-being

Title: Diabetes: Sugar-Coated Crisis

Author: David Spero, RN

"We are a product of our environment." How many times have we heard that cliché?
Anyone who reads or watches the news is aware of the catastrophic epidemic of Diabetes, especially Type 2 (T2D). Diabetes has increased by 400% in the last 30 years, to become the fourth leading cause of death in the US.
With concise, understandable facts, Diabetes is presented as a social disease, largely caused by the individuals loss of power, economically and personally. Food alone cannot be blamed, car travel instead of walking, sedentary jobs and increasingly high levels of stress are just a few facts to be aware of. Genetics and trauma that damages self-confidence has been proven not just individually based but on whole groups of people. Native Americans, African-Americans and other groups with historical trauma, pass the stress of grief, anger and fear down to the next generations as post-traumatic stress disorder.
The chapter, Diabetes 101 gives you basic knowledge of Diabetes itself. The body loses it's ability to breakdown carbohydrates into our primary source of energy, glucose. We produce a hormone from the pancreas called insulin which facilitates the entry of glucose into body cells. It becomes our fuel or if there is extra glucose, it is converted into fat. In Type 1 Diabetes, the pancreatic cells have been compromised and no longer produce insulin. In Type 2, insulin is still produced but the cells don't want any more so the glucose builds up in the blood stream. Refined sugar is an addictive drug because it raises the body's level of serotonin which fights depression and beta-endorphin which is our own natural version of opiate drugs. These two chemicals give you a sense of control and calm therefore we crave sugar, "comfort foods."
Our society is high in sugar and stress, low in social support and opportunities to exercise. Unfortunately, medical systems focus on genetics, biochemistry and drug therapy. Governments spend billions on researching cures when the money would be better spent on education and prevention.
David Spero, RN is an author who has gone to great lengths to educate his readers and provides a valuable self-care chapter and resource guide. While reading, you actually feel like he is sitting beside you, coaching the need to survive. He believes that by becoming more active, eating healthier, well balanced with relaxation, your self-esteem and self-empowerment will rise, ultimately creating better quality of life.
I highly recommend everyone read this enlightening book. Reviewer: Cheryl Ellis, Allbooks Review.

This is a wonderful book! I have never read anything like it. It's part self-help guide, part social criticism, part strategy for social change. In discussing causes and solutions to the diabetes crisis, Spero shows the connections of health issues, not only with emotional wellbeing--what is usually called a holistic approach--but also with family, community, politics, social power, and social justice. And he does all of this in a gentle, caring, humorous, and down-to-earth voice that makes you feel like he's sitting in your kitchen talking to you, and that he really cares about and respects you. He attacks our culture's blame-the-victim explanations for overweight and diabetes, showing how the stresses of social injustice, isolation, and materialism--as well as environments that make exercise difficult and unhealthy food readily available--contribute to disease. But the best part is his discussion of steps people can take toward self-care and empowerment, on an individual, group, community, and societal level. He includes dozens of inspiring stories of how ordinary people--both people with diabetes and health professionals--are building new, more effective ways to promote personal and community wellness. All of this is supported by clearly presented scientific evidence--- including numerous studies showing that personal and group empowerment produce better clinical results in controlling diabetes than medication! Anyone who cares about healing and wellness on an individual, community, or societal level will love this book!

Unlike most medical writers, David has mounted a complete discussion about the diabetes epidemic that has hit our nation. He not only deals with the medical facts we need to know in dealing with this disease, he investigates the wider picture: the sociological implications of the disease. How Type 2 diabetes is not simply a medical problem as it is a social pandemic caused by toxic environment: an environment high in stress and sugar, low in opportunities to exercise or feel good about oneself - and a lack of power. Yes, if you feel he is saying that the poor and the disadvantaged have a greater susceptibility to the disease, you are right and he covers this point very well.
No where else have I seen such a complete discussion of the disease as I have found in this book.
David Spero's book should be in the library of every person in America who has borderline or onset diabetes.
As it says on the cover: This is "the first book to bring to life effective social approaches to wellness." This book transcends the standard medical treatments of diabetes and brings not only medical, but also social truth

I just finished reading this book -- in one sitting, mind you, and
that's saying a lot for somebody who doesn't have diabetes and hasn't had an
overwhelming interest in chronic disease. But it's a good & compelling
read. For instance, how can you resist little tidbits like the fact
that dinosaurs have arthritis, or that Cubans have the same life expectancy
as Americans with only 4% the health care outlay.....

Any writer on the diabetes epidemic might easily fall into one of two
errors: either growing paranoid and hateful toward the power structures
that support the epidemic, or else downplaying the contributing social,
political & economic outrages. I thought Spero did a great & graceful
job in balancing between the two -- painting a very full picture, without
getting stuck in blame or hatred.

Especially liked the tone of the ending, positive without any trace of
smarm.

It must be hard to write a book for everybody -- individuals with the
disease as well as health care workers, policy people, community
organizers -- but Spero has probably done that as well as it could be
done.

I suspect this book has the power to change a lot of lives. It could be
a classic.

In my spare time this week I read a couple of books. Both books are about diabetes. Both are new and both are very well written. But that is where the similarities end.

The first of these books left me feeling that having diabetes was hopeless. So hopeless, in fact, that I despaired that my articles could make a difference in the lives of any but the most motivated readers. And perhaps not even for them.

It is unheard of to review a book and not even mention its title. But I won't oblige. Any publicity is good publicity, and I wouldn't be doing anyone a favor by leading them to the first book.

The second book could not have been a better antidote to the depression that the first book caused. This book does start out by describing how this society's environment and the ensuing stress leads many of us into diabetes.

It notes the conventional wisdom that our genes or our bad behavior or a combination of the two causes our type 2 diabetes. Either we are doing something wrong or there's something wrong with us. It's blame-the-victim time.

But this book shows how type 2 diabetes is much more of a social disease than a medical one. The truth is that the disease is inherent in the society that surrounds us.

"The environment is set up to make people sick," the book says. "It's toxically high in sugar and stress and low in social support, opportunities to exercise, or to feel good about ourselves."

If it stopped there, this book might be almost as pessimistic as the first. But after brilliantly setting out the problem, the bulk of the book in fact deals with the solution.

Since diabetes is a social disease, the solution must be a social one. Not a medical solution, since medicine itself in embedded in the society.

We can get healthier by joining forces to change our environment. We start by building our personal power - increasing our self-confidence and our self-esteem, setting positive goals, and giving ourselves reasons to live.

Then we build social power. We do this by working together. Only then can we change our environment.

This second book brought to my attention one of the most remarkable scientific studies of diabetes empowerment. The study is set among the Pima Indians of Arizona, who have perhaps the highest rate of diabetes of any group in the world and certainly have the highest rate of diabetes in America.

The scientists set out to compare a structured program of exercise and nutrition interventions - which they labeled Pima Action - with unstructured activities emphasizing Pima history and culture - Pima Pride. Those in the Pima Pride group got a more positive sense of themselves.

The scientists planned Pima Pride as a sort of control group. Fortunately, they had a real control group in those who declined to join either Pima Action or Pima Pride.

It was fortunate that they had this third non-participatory group as a control because the results shocked the scientists. After 18 months, the Pima Pride group had better results than the Pima Action group in everything they measured - weight, blood glucose control, waist size. But those who didn't participate were worse off than either group. This showed that exercise and nutrition does help, but self-confidence and self-esteem helps even more.

There aren't many studies as good as this Pima one. But there are many heros working to empower small groups of us all around the country.

The author of this book, David Spero, has met with these groups and their leaders, including America Bracho, an M.D. from Venezuela at Latino Health Access in Santa Ana, California, and Kate Lorig, a researcher and health educator at Stanford University, who started the Arthritis Self-Management Program.

The arthritis program started a revolution by using lay leaders instead of health professionals to deal with chronic illness. Those who participated in this program exercised more, felt better, and were hospitalized less than the control group.

Arthritis, like diabetes, is a chronic condition. The author of the second book that I read this week, David Spero, doesn't have either illness. But for the past 25 years he has lived with an even more devastating chronic illness - multiple sclerosis. He has been a nurse for 32 years.

Since writing his first book, The Art of Getting Well: Maximizing Health When You Have a Chronic Illness (Hulter House, 2002), David Spero has led self-management and wellness groups for patients and has trained health care providers in the U.S. and Europe.

I'm still not going to tell you the name of the depressing book that I read first this week. Just as we are all better off by staying away from negative people as much as our work allows, we need to avoid negative books as much as possible.

But I have waited until now to tell you the title of David Spero's new book. I wanted to tell you what it was about before I told you what it's called, because I think that its name is misleading, with an emphasis that doesn't reflect its contents.

Its title is Diabetes: Sugar-Coated Crisis: Who Gets It, Who Profits and How to Stop It. New Society published this 222-page paperback for $16.95 this month. The ISBN 13 is 978-0-86571-567-7; the ISBN 10 is 0-86571-567-X. In spite of the title, this is a great book.

The author gives a clean and wise introduction to the three major parts in differential geometry-curves-surfaces-manifolds. The important concepts in classic results were introduced by short but fully content paragraphs.

The author wrote no gossip in the context and always touch the ideas with a niddle; therefore I should follow that:

This is the best book for introducing differential geometry.

This is a very fast moving book, covering a huge amount of material at a fairly sophisticated level in under 380 pages. For example, differential forms are introduced in about 2 pages so that the Maurer-Cartan structural equations can be defined. The first 4 chapters makes up a very concise course in curves and surfaces, while the last 4 chapters cover Riemannian geometry. In comparison, do Carmo's two books take 500 pages for the former and 320 pages for the latter.

For this reason I think the claim that this could be used as an undergraduate text is overly optimistic. For that I would use a more self-contained text like Millman & Parker (ISBN: 0132641437). But it would make an excellent text for a graduate survey, or as a second text for someone wanting to make the transition from classical theory (learned from, say, one of the Dover books like Struik, ISBN: 0486656098) to more modern methods. Also, you'll probably want to supplement with a gentler introduction to differential forms.

Of interest to students of physics, the book covers curves and surfaces in Minkowski space, as well as Einstein spaces.

Differential geomety is perhaps the most beautiful part of higher mathematics. It combines geometry, analysis and intuition in a wonderful way. This attractive book is a concise and modern book that manages to be both pedagogical and accurate in a pleasant way. In only 350 pages most of the differential geometry that a non-expert will ever need is outlined. Illustrations and notation seem optimal for their purpose. The book is a worthy successor of classics like Struik, Stoker, and Kreyzig.

While there is exist many classic texts on differential geometry, I have particularly appreciated this book for its up-to-date treatment, numerous well-done figures, broad coverage, elegant type-setting, and clear expositions. The book covers all the basics expected from an introduction to differential geometry, including curves and 2-D surfaces, but with a look towards the more advanced material in the second half of the book. It alternates between Ricci style notation and Koszul style notation, often carefully explaining the relation between the two and giving examples (I found this particularly helpful). There are, however, some sections where the english is a bit rough (perhaps the fault of the translator). It is also quite brisk throughout, often mentioning advanced topics before they are treated in detail. For example, it already mentions submanifolds, tangent spaces, and tangent bundles in the first chapter on "Notations and Prerequisites from Analysis." It will require serious attention, especially if one has not encountered a good dose of abstract mathematics before. Nonetheless, I have found myself returning to it over several years as an excellent reference and source of many additional topics that I skipped on a first reading. For example, the final chapter on Einstein spaces is a valuable, though demanding, bonus. Thanks to the AMS for publishing a fine edition of a top-notch German author's work.

This book is very useful for students who are interested in geometry. The book is organized from elementary facts to advanced geometry very well. This book provides to students the reason why they study the geometry. This book explains very easily that the geometry of curves and surfaces can be generalized to high dimensional Riemannian manifolds naturally.
Moreover, the edition of this book is very beautiful and helpful for readers. For example, the important results are placed in boxes.

Coming from a similar background, I could truly appreciate the author's message; her mother came across as slightly exaggerated, but recognizable enough. I will say that the financial aspect struck me as not-quite-adding-up (as it did the I.R.S. also!). Ms. Warner seems to alternately poormouth herself - there's one essay about taking a job solely because she didn't have enough money for the rent - and yet she brags about her bi-coastal real estate. Finances seemed to be no concern at all for her move to L.A.; the whole situation seemed to fall effortlessly into her lap with a great apartment and car waiting. That point aside, the book is very funny.

Yes, I am an unabashed fan of Liz's writing. No one turns a phrase like Ms. Warner. Her writing has bite and wit and never fails to entertain me. I have this book and I have read some of the same stories numerous times. One day, everyone will be in her thrall. She is every bit as insightful and entertaining as the fabulous Mr. Sedaris. Yes, she's included in my book Fired! Tales of Canned, Canceled , Downsized and Dismissed and we are friends. I fell in love with her writing and sought her out. You should too.

Liz is a rebel in a pink headband. This brilliant, sensitive, witty force of a comedienne could offer so much more than just wisecracking irony, physical comedy and a vicious, vicious bite. Still, she's written a very funny book of monologues, and you won't be able to resist laughing out loud, especially if you grew up around a lot of money somewhere nice on the East Coast. She'd be even funnier if she'd seek the magnificent in the world and laugh when life falls short. Instead, she doesn't trust herself enough to go deeper than a cat scratch, which limits her and makes the read a little tedious. Still, it's well worth buying, reading, giving...

Rarely do I laugh out loud as I read a book on a crowded NYC subway. In fact, I thought only David Sedaris could make that happen, until Elizabeth Warner came on the scene. "Ditched" is about two worlds colliding: the last gasp of Main-Line Old-School traditionalism meets the reality of the modern urban world. But it's the way it's written that really sucked me in: "To my right two elfin girls in baby-doll tees and jeans so petite they appeared to be conducting a rape in progress...." and "... impossibly appealing men with that ruddy, Northeastern skin that wants to shout 'sun' and 'tropics' but really whispers 'gin.'" See? Funny!

I am buying this book for all of my friends because they are getting tired of me calling them to read excerpts aloud to them! Everyone can relate to these great stories about overbearing family, wacky friends, and a derailed love-life. Parts of the book keep popping into my head and making me laugh out loud. This is the funniest book I have read in years.

A lovely collection of calligraphic artwork reflecting on assorted passages from the Scriptures. The make of the book is durable, and the pages are thick. Because the assortment is so wide and the artist offers little comments with each piece, it feels very personal to read and view. I think it was a good choice to use a less literal translation: out of such simple English lyrics come such a beauty - who can refrain from meditating more on the hidden beauty of the Scriptures?

This would be a great thing to share with young kids, too; not only for looking at, but also for imitating. This sort of artwork is both fun and meditative, great for memorization exercises and - who knows? - you may end up cultivating a talent that's often under-represented among believers.

This is a must have book for Christian people. Botts' talent is extraordinary! The perfect "coffee table" book!

Beautiful calligraphy! Botts is extremely versatile in the hands (fotns) he's mastered.

"Door Posts" is one of those rare books to which you return again and again, with each visit bringing additional joy and inspiration. Many thanks to Timothy Botts for this extraordinary gift of spiritual and artistic light to readers everywhere.

This book consists of 60 calligraphic renderings of Bible passages and an very short explanation by Botts as to why he chose to render the passage as he did. This explaination shows how his art engaged him in a reflection on the passage and how his study of the scripture inspired his art. This is much along the lines of Jo Milgrom's Handmade Midrash. For anyone who is themself interested in calligraphy, for those interested in art as prayer, or those interested in using art as a means of encouraging bible study this is an excellent resource.

Of all the reference books for writers, I find the Dramatists Sourcebook to be the most complete. It doesn't have EVERYTHING, but it can tell you where to FIND everything.

Sources for production, contests, funding are updated each year (a couple of quibbles...I found one deadline date that was off last year), as well as useful service organizations for playwrights, and for those who haven't realized that a play is not a screnplay, always a lesson on formatting.

The Theater Communications Group puts out a lot of useful publications, but this one is at the top of my list.

Of all the reference books for writers, I find the Dramatists Sourcebook to be the most complete. It doesn't have EVERYTHING, but it can tell you where to FIND everything.

Sources for production, contests, funding are updated each year (a couple of quibbles...I found one deadline date that was off last year), as well as useful service organizations for playwrights, and for those who haven't realized that a play is not a screnplay, always a lesson on formatting.

The Theater Communications Group puts out a lot of useful publications, but this one is at the top of my list.

The title of this book is completely appropriate, though Dramtists Bible would also work. Every contest, every writers colony, every major theater company in America is to be found within these pages. It is perfectly mapped out and the details are wonderfully woven. I recommend this to the beginner playwright as well as the Tony winner. Bravo.

The Dramatists' Sourcebook is truly an invaluable resourse for anyone who writes for theatre. Hundreds and hundreds of entries for production, development, awards, and much more make this one of the most important books in my library. I highly recommend it for all playwrights, lyricists, and librettists.

This book is simply a must-have for anyone seeking the life of the working playwright. It's succinct, informative, and offers a wealth of information on grants, theatres, contests, and other opportunities.

My one minor complaint would be that the Sourcebook lacks almost any real information on proper play submission formatting (despite the fact that the book touts this assistance heavily on its covers).

As most theatres routinely point writers in the direction of the Sourcebook to answer such questions, it's a disappointment to find that the Sourcebook's _entire_ section on formatting consists of: one line of sample dialogue, followed by a somewhat confusing short paragraph which verbally describes formatting in vague terms as being essentially the same as those for screenplays -- and that's it. As I've been misled before on preferred formats for play (versus screenplay) submissions, a single sample page would have been an invaluable help.

But that's just one small complaint. And as a reference and information source, the Sourcebook is still a must-buy.

This is a must-read for any Christian questioning his/her faith or wanting to know more about the church "fathers." Great book for crossing lines of denominationalism.

Eberhard Arnold begins with a brief history of the gradual institutionalizing of simple discipleship into ecclesiastical Christianity. His understood intent, througout the book, is to bring believers back to the basic lifestyle of Christ that was so resplendent in the early disciples. Chapters on martyrs, description of early church life and worship, and the beliefs of the early Christians concerning prophecy, persecution, and the return of Jesus are especially beneficial. A MUST read for anyone who wants to "walk as Jesus did" (1 Jn. 2:6) and follow the examples of the early believers. I heartily recommend this stirring and passionate treatment of "authentic discipleship" by disciple Arnold.

Eberhard Arnold's book is one of the most profound that I have read on early church history. In his attempt to recreate a communal society which was as close to that of the early church as possible (the Bruderhof in Germany and, later, the Hutterites in England), Arnold researched all the early sources which he could find, whether written by Jews, Christians, Romans, or others from the ancient world. His massive volume contains everything he found in his attempt to get to the spirit of that early community. He quotes from Tertullian, Justin, Cicero, Ignatius, Jerome, Theophilus of Antioch, Polycarp, and others. He does not draw conclusions but lets those to his readers to ascertain from the evidence of early believers.

The book is heavy laden with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of translated selections from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. It is a rare edition which enlightens at every turn and, in some ways, reminds one of all the evidence on both sides of the fence which emerge in court proceedings. One reads the martyrdoms of many an early Christian and wonders whence their courage emerged. Much information abounds on early catecomb worship practices in Rome. The book is a marvel, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Jeanne Smith McPherson, KS.

Eberhard Arnold's book is one of the most profound that I have read on early church history. In his attempt to recreate a communal society which was as close to that of the early church as possible (the Bruderhof in Germany and, later, the Hutterites in England), Arnold researched all the early sources which he could find, whether written by Jews, Christians, Romans, or others from the ancient world. His massive volume contains everything he found in his attempt to get to the spirit of that early community. He quotes from Tertullian, Justin, Cicero, Ignatius, Jerome, Theophilus of Antioch, Polycarp, and others. He does not draw conclusions but lets those to his readers to ascertain from the evidence of early believers.

The book is heavy laden with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of translated selections from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. It is a rare edition which enlightens at every turn and, in some ways, reminds one of all the evidence on both sides of the fence which emerge in court proceedings. One reads the martyrdoms of many an early Christian and wonders whence their courage emerged. Much information abounds on early catecomb worship practices in Rome. The book is a marvel, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Jeanne Smith McPherson, KS.

Eberhard Arnold's work on "The Early Christians," is an excellent source for understanding the beliefs and doctrines of the early christians in context of their own testimony and time. Arnold begins with a comprehensive introduction to shed light upon the social aspects of church society contrasted with its remarkable spread throughout the Pagan world. In other words, Arnold does a good job describing the initial steps of primative Christianity that would eventually leed to the well-structured and ecclesiastical institution that has prevailed to this very day. The testimonies recorded of these champions of faith, are composed with skill, and fit the criteria for which they were purposed in this work and in their time. Unfortunately, early christians didn't write that much, so we are indebted to work with what has existed from either oral tradition or scholarly manuscripts. There are no 'real' drawbacks to this work except the fact that the actual testimonies are few and emanate only from the scholarly retinue of the sencond century. Overall, this book gets four stars; the benefits range from quick reference to quotes(etc.), and to a broad spectrum of the personality and character of the early church itself.

Unlike most of the field guides being offered by the Audubon Society and other organizations, this one contains sections on birds, insects, mammals, and vegetation--all in one volume. I have found that I use this one more often than my other newer field guides, simply because everything is in one book. This guide is definitely not as extensive as many other field guides on the market as far as the number of animals and vegitation listed, but it is by far my favorite and most used guide. It's a pity that it is no longer being published.

In doing research for a novel set in Central Kentucky, I find "The Audubon Society Nature Guides: Eastern Forests" to be the perfect resource. The guide covers the Eastern half of North America and will be enjoyed at home or in the field. The comprehensive details of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, mushrooms, birds, butterflies, insects, and reptiles are depicted in gorgeous color plates, and the text is full of lively description that reads almost like poetry. Studying natural history, forest ecology, zoology, botany and forest fauna has never been so much fun! Mary Popham, Louisville, Kentucky

Eastern Forests: The Audubon Society Nature Guides by Ann Sutton is a comprehensive field guide which is fully illustrated with color photographs. Trees, wildflowers, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and mushrooms are found within the pages of this field guide.

This comprehensive field guide comprises the Eastern Forests of North America from Hudson Bay to Florida. Here you'll find the majority of what is found in these forests and woodlands. I found it quite useful while hiking in this area of North America. There is a glossary of terms used in the book that is very helpful and the habitat of the animals is found by each picture.

I'm sure that this book will be used if you do much hiking in this area, as I have used it to identify many flora and fauna.

Definitely not a waste of paper! This guide does many things very well indeed. The first part--brief but amazingly informative--gives the big picture about how forests work. It takes a quick and penetrating glance at each of the various forest communties found in Eastern North America, from the boreal forests of the north and the oak-and-hickory forests of the Ozarks to the mixed deciduous forests of the states south of the Great Lakes to the complex and ancient forests of the southern Appalachians. The second part gives the little pictures--hundreds of small but clear photographs of trees, shrubs, flowers, birds and animals. These photos are great for identifying common species quickly (bring the book with you when you walk) and include page-number references to the many informative mini-essays about each species which make up the third portion of the book. The book also contains a helpful glossary and an index. The Audubon "Western Forests" is equally good.

An excellent field guide for Eastern North America (from NE Canada to Florida, USA)... Excellent photos of trees, leaves, fruit, flowers, animals, mushrooms, and insects: they're not *all* there, but the selection is a useful and interesting subset. Highly recommended.

Anyone involved in city planning or anyone that lives in a city should read this. Power of Proximity!

The most amazing book I have ever read...life-altering look at evolutionary coexistence. There is hope for our future...with others understanding and implementing ecocity principles. Please - I challenge you to read and use the book...our way of being depends on it.

Here is an ambitious remit. Register gives a history of the development of cities. And he offers suggestions for what he calls eco-modern designs. That attempt to minimise energy consumption and maximise biodiversity. The former is an obvious laudable aim for any city and its occupants. Rising energy costs, due in part to ever increasing global industrialisation, can adversely affect everyone in a city. Reducing consumption is shown to involve such trends as more energy efficient cars.

But he also advocates a greater biodiversity within cities. More gardens, including on rooftops. Multiple benefits are offered. A more pleasant recreational environment. And reduced cooling costs for buildings.

Register offers a light leftist approach. He does not seem anticapitalist, unlike some radical environmentalists.

EcoCities is a book I have returned to repeatedly and discovered new insights every time. Register is no utopian dreamer; he's addressing real problems in contemporary urban design and land use patterns that cannot be sustained in a lower-energy future. Register's personality comes through loud and clear in his writing--this is no dry treatment of the subject.

Through this book, Register helps us to envision with some specificity what urban landscapes light on automobiles but rich in biodiversity could look like. It's as if he's illustrating a series of before and after treatments of various spaces, but the before picture is now and the after is a future yet to be realized. Highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to help actively design their built environment towards sustainability.

Along with books like Natural Capitalism and Cradle to Cradle, Ecocities takes its place among the most important environmental tomes of our day. In a nutshell, Richard Register's vision (replete with a plan to get us there) could transform our world. In fact a structural response like ecocities (and smart growth) may be the best tools available to bring us to our only destination, sustainability. In his thoughtful book, Register waxes poetic on the environmental crisis we face, shares a grand vision for addressing the crisis -- while simultaneously improving our everyday lives -- and wraps it up with a road map for getting there. His many illustrations spark the imagination and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you haven't read it, just do. Buy this important book now.

The edition of Edward II I read was the New Mermaid Series one, which had a very good and informative introduction, and has the spelling modernized. The spelling modernization extends to place names as well as general terms. I am not sure how I feel about spelling modernization, as it is nice to see how the work was originally spelled, but it made the work very easy to read. The play itself is amazing, very engaging even though it is a history, and is mostly based on things that actually happened. The language is not as flowery as Shakespeare, but is lovely nonetheless. Some of the characters of the play are very fickle, and seem to suddenly change as you read the text of the play. (Queen Isabella goes from devoted and self-sacrificing wife to cunning adulteress.) It makes more sense on stage, and after seeing this play, it was easier to see how good it is.

Marlowe's final play is also his masterpiece. To be sure, the dramatic events in this play really did happen, but Marlowe shows himself at his best when he paints the picture. At first, Marlowe masterfully allows us to detest Edward for undoing all the fine work of his father Edward Longshanks. We also are able to feel sorry for Mortimer and Isabella. (the eventual villains). Isabella feels neglected and Mortimer can not stand to see the fine work of Edward Longshanks undone. Later, we come to have some respect for Edward II when he shows himself to have some of his father's fine qualities and he crushes the first rebellion against him with courage and intelligence. When the second uprising successful, we no longer are lead into any feelings of admiration for Mortimer and Isabella. Once they have power they are more vile and disgusting than Edward II ever was. By Act 5.1, Marlowe gives Edward II moving soliloquies and does not allow our new won pity to slack for a moment. The final scene of this play when Edward II's 17 year old son Edward III flips the tables, crushes his corrupt mother, has Mortimer put to death, and offers prayers to his murdered father is a scene that is almost unsurpassed in literature. To be sure, this did actually happen, but Marlowe not only tells us what happened, but colors it with his superb mastery of the language.

Edward the second, or to give it its full title, 'The troublesome reign and Lamentable death of Edward, the second king of England, with the tragical fall of proud Mortimer', is famous for being an Elizabethan 'Gay play', but this is only one of the subjects contained within the play. Politics, cruelty and the Feudal System are all important themes in this, one of the great masterstrokes of Elizabethan literature. The play itself is a history play, set in the 14th century featuring Edward and his previously basished lover, Gaveston, who returns after the death of Edward's father. This return enrages the barons, who were sworn to Edward's father that Gaveston would never return. This is the catalyst for a plot that races around like a cheetah on speed, culminating in one of the most excruciating deaths ever portrayed on stage. "Shakespeare? Who? Marlowe was far better!"

Christopher "Kit" Marlowe (1564¯1593) has faded into the background over the centuries, little remembered by the common man, unlike his contemporary William Shakespeare. But, in his own time, Marlowe was known as one of the greatest of playwrights.

This play tells the story of King Edward II, who ruled England from 1307 to 1327. Edward shocked medieval England with his openly bi-sexual relationship with Piers Gaveston, and his barons rose up against him in a series of wars, finally culminating in Edward's death. (Rumor having it that he was horribly murdered by having a red-hot iron thrust up through his rectum!)

Now, this play is not entirely historically accurate. The theatre of the day did not specialize in accurate historical portrayal, but strove to entertain. However, that said, this play does do an excellent job of telling the story of Edward and his reign, in an entertaining and informative manner in a mere 25 scenes.

Overall, I found this to be a very interesting read, and I couldn't help but wonder why I have not heard of it being played today. It is still very entertaining, and you would think that modern play producers would want to put it on. This is an interesting play, one that I do not hesitate to recommend.

(By the way, just in case you didn't realize, this Edward was the effeminate son of Edward I, Longshanks, in Mel Gibson's movie Braveheart. That portrayal of Edward was well done by actor Peter Hanly, but was even less accurate than this play. I suspect that the character Phillip was based on Piers Gaveston. Longshanks did indeed hate Gaveston, but certainly never threw him out of a window!)

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(Note that this review is for Dover Classics "Edward II" published by Theatre Communications Group in 1999.)

This play in five acts or twenty-five scenes, written by Christopher Marlowe (1564 to 1593, born the same year as Shakespeare) is a history play that chronicles the reign of Edward the Second. The actual name that Marlowe gave his play was "The troublesome reign and lamentable death of Edward, the second King of England, with the tragical fall of Mortimer." (Mortimer is Edward's nemesis in the play.)

The precise date of this play is not accurately known, but it is generally thought to have been written circa 1590.

Marlowe condenses, omits, elaborates, and rearranges actual historical events in order to gain dramatic effectiveness, and to bring out Edward's character and the results of his weakness. So the action in the play covers a historical period of just over twenty years (near the end of the fourteenth century) even though such a period of time is not suggested by the play itself.

Marlowe effectively succeeds in giving a true, as well as a powerful picture of the character and fate of Edward the Second. This play masterfully shows the delineation of character, the construction of plot, and the freedom and variety of the mostly blank verse.

Readers of Shakespeare's plays (especially "Henry the Eighth" and "Richard the Second") should find it quite easy to read this relatively succinct play. Even those not familiar with Shakespeare's plays or even Elizabethan drama should have little difficulty with this play. Footnotes are minimal.

Unfortunately, this play has been labeled a "Gay Play." This is not quite accurate. Edward was bisexual because he had a queen who he had a son with (the future Edward the Third) and, as well, had a male partner (named Piers Gaveston). Gaveston too was bisexual since he was not only attracted to Edward but also to Edward's niece! Edward's queen is heterosexual because she is later attracted to Mortimer after Edward starts ignoring her.

Sexual orientation is actually a small part of this play. The play is about a king who loses control of his kingdom. Edward's brother says this early on to Edward: "My Lord, I see your love to Gaveston / Will be the ruin of the realm and you."

Finally, the last scene of the play is truly magnificent as Edward's son, now King, gets revenge for his father's murder.

In conclusion, this is a great play that can be enjoyed by those who are heterosexual (like myself), bisexual, or homosexual. Also, in my opinion, this history play closely rivals Shakespeare's history plays.

(this book first published 1999; play written circa 1590; 95 pages)

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