Australia Books

Basics: 2003, 7th edition, softcover, 576 pages, 2,500 color illustrations of 783 species, range maps

This 7th edition is dramatically improved over its first edition created more than two decades earlier. This field guide for all Australian birds is definitely in the top three books available for the country. It is also the thickest of the three books, which is a trade-off for creating plates with larger illustrations and a more organized appearance.

The plates are of very good quality, color, and detail. Compared to the other two field guides, these plates are cleaner and less congested since fewer birds have been crammed into the plates. The plates contain 2-5 species each with anywhere from 5-20 different illustrations. Most of the plates contain only 5-10 illustrations, which makes them less busy than the other books. The various plumages of the genders, ages, races, and subspecies are illustrated very well. My only tiny critique is the birds sometimes look just a little too dark, but nothing that is too distracting or misleading for their identification.

The text, which is adjacent to the plate, consists of a long paragraph containing information on description, voice, habitat, breeding, nests and eggs, and range and status. There is less information in the description or identification sections than I would like to see. I would gladly trade space to remove the nest/egg information to expand the identification material to help compare similar species. Although still good, I think the identification text in the book is not as strong as the material found in the two other similar books (see below).

The range maps use a single color to outline the bird's distribution in the country. For a few of the birds that have irruptive patterns, lighter shading is used to define the potential boundary of their dispersal.

This is a great book for use anywhere in Australia. Its quality is on par with two other books by Simpson/Day and by Morcombe. Any of these books will work just as well. My personal leaning is towards the other two books.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Birds of Australia, 7th ed. by Simpson/Day
2) Field Guide to Australian Birds by Morcombe
3) Photographic Field Guide: Birds of Australia by Flegg
4) Australian Birds: A Concise Photographic Field Guide by Trounson
5) The Atlas of Australian Birds by Blakers
6) Birds in the Australian High Country by Frith
7) Complete Book of Australian Birds by Reader's Digest
8) A Photographic Guide to Birds of Australia by Rowland
9) The Birds of Prey of Australia by Debus
10) A Field Guide to Nests & Eggs of Australian Birds by Beruldsen
11) Where to Find Birds in Australia by Bransbury

There are quite a number of Australian Bird field guides these days. they all have merit. This one is right up there with the best and is an indispensible, easy to use essential. The Family summaries and short summary of classifications are succinct and informative - they certainly whet the appetite to learn more if the user is so inclined.
I have used Pizzey extensively ever since the first edition in 1981 (illustrations were then done by Roy Doyle). I actually preferred that first edition but it is now long out of print and this seventh edition is a worthy successor. The illustrations are sound and do help identification. The book is too large to fit in a pocket for a field trip but is certainly packable and although I do not use it in the field, it seems robust enough in construction to handle that if the user wished it.

As with any bird watcher, I have all the field guides to the birds of Australia. There are many and they are all good. However, my favourite (for the last few years...it does change with different editions, etc), is this, the "Pizzey and Knight". As a biology and wildlife based guide and educator in Australia, I travel all over the continent with school groups, tours and for my own recreation, so I 'road test" a lot of different field guides. I have found the illustrations in this book to consistently be the best, especially with the waders and shorebirds where it is most important. It also covers the family groups very well at the end of the book, which is important to gain a wider perspective on our bird fauna.
Damon Ramsey
Author, "Ecosystem Guides Rainforest of tropical Australia"
www.educational-tours.com.au

Prior to the publication of this book there were important gaps and inaccuracies in our understanding of the battles for the Falkland Islands. Were Argentinian ground troops cowardly slackards? Were their officers self-serving and tactically incompetent? Was a British officer attempting negotiation under a white flag at Goose Green intentionally fired upon? Was the Argentinian Air Force commanded by a political bureaucrat? The surprising answer to all these question is No, and in a careful and touchingly human review of the activities and decisions of Argentinian forces Middlebrook reveals the tragic gap that developed between Argentinian political leaders and the troops and officers given the difficult task of defending the islands without adequate support as winter closed in. The junta's colossal mistake of assuming the UK would not fight for the Falklands led to the isolation, suffering, and defeat of the occupation forces and, while ultimately setting the stage for democracy in Argentina, seared a painful wound into the soul of a country already conscious of past failures. Middlebrook's access to Argentinian commanders, troops, and families helps reveal the complex social and political landscape of a country which still sees the "Malvinas" in terms of classical European colonialism. It also reveals the operational planning and situational understanding of air and land commanders at critical points in the conflict.

Prior to the publication of this book there were important gaps and inaccuracies in our understanding of the battles for the Falkland Islands. Did Argentinian troops intentionally fire upon a British officer attempting negotiation under a white flag at Goose Green? Were Royal Marines successful in their ambush of Argentinian armored vehicles during the initial invasion? Was the Argentinian Air Force commanded by a fanatical maniac out to establish his service as the dominant domestic political force? The surprising answer to all these question is No, and in a careful and touchingly human review of the activities and decisions of Argentinian forces Middlebrook reveals the tragic gap that developed between Argentinian political leaders and the troops and officers given the difficult task of defending the islands without adequate support as winter closed in. The junta's colossal mistake of assuming the UK would not fight for the Falklands led to the isolation, suffering, and defeat of the occupation forces and, while ultimately setting the stage for democracy in Argentina, seared a painful wound into the soul of a country already carrying conscious of past failures. Middlebrook's access to Argentinian commanders, troops, and families helps reveal the complex social and political landscape of a country which still sees the "Malvinas" in terms of classical European colonialism. It also reveals the operational planning and situational understanding of air and land commanders at critical points in the conflict. Students of this subject will recognize the author as a highly accomplished battle historian.

Martin Middlebrook has once again shown why he is one of the best British authors covering military history. His masterful account of the Falklands, 'Operation Corporate' now has a companion volume, this time covering the war from the Argentinian point of view. The book is well told and is a delight to read and only one of very few covering this war from the 'other side'. You really have to give it to the pilots flying their aircraft against the Britsh Fleet, they had guts, they knew what they were in for but continued with their mission. This is a great story, if you can get a copy do so, you wont be disappointed!

I think this book is a wonderful source of information to anyone who wishes to find out about Kay. She lived a fasinating life. Congratulations on an 100% fabulous book.

Detailed preparation, astounding courage, sheer determination, and a little divine luck are elements of this inspirational true story of Kay Cottee's single-handed circumnavigation of the globe. An achievment made all the more inspirational because she was such a down-to-earth and 'ordinary' person, who started from nothing exept her own vision of what whe wanted to achieve. This is a book I recommended to all my friends. Kay Cottee writes from the heart, and I found this book both compelling and easy to read.

Kay Cottee is one of Australia's most esteemed women. From a relatively 'normal' childhood and adult life, Kay's dream to sail single-handed around the world makes her shine.

First Lady is the tale of Kay's progress to achieve her life long ambition. From securing sponsorship to enduring friendships, her character and humour shine through.

From horrendous conditions to eating too much, this book will inspire anyone with a dream. Kay's story reveals to all of us that with enough guts, determination (and a healthy appetite and humour!) we can achieve whatever we set out to achieve. Highly highly recommended reading!

It's been about 25 years since I last read (and reread) this work. "For Marx" and its contextual paradigm influenced me profoundly and contributed vital strands that have formed the course of my life. I think the key theme in Althusser's work and the trend of Marxism of which it is a part is to assert that a high order of thought is needed to be of real benefit to the underdog. I feel Althussers effort (as is Marxism) is a noble if preliminary effort in what can only be termed an epochal effort to consciously rise from the mire of human life dominated by topdogs. What was useful to Marxism of that time was to really take seriously the importance of Psychoanalysis and the pervasive presence of the Uncounscious. Another helpful idea is that of the multi-valenced quality of "social formation" in Contradiction and Overdetermination. Although my philosophical horizons are not defined by Marxism these days, much of Marxism, especially the currents populated by the likes of Althusser, Poulantzas, Gramsci etc. has an honored place in my intellectual tool kit. I feel that the wish to consciously transform our life in a benefical way may be assisted by the likes of Althusser et al, though in and of itself this is not enough.

This collection of essays includes the seminal moments of many concepts still alive in Marxism and academia at large. The essays on "Contradiction and Overdetermination", "On the Young Marx", "Marxism and Humanism", and on the 1844 Manuscripts deserve to be revisited by a wider audience today in light of the growing interest in Marxism informed by post-structuralist thought. Much of Derrida's work owes an unacknowledged debt to the interpretations presented here (e.g. Althusser's concept of overdetermination, and his principled anti-humanism). Highly recommended to those interested in Marxist philosophy.

Any serious reader of Louis the Horrible is well-versed in the Althusserian arsenal of stock concepts and phrases: ISAs, interpellation, structuralist Marxism, et al. Perhaps a return to Pour Marx is in order amid the all-too-easy refutations of Althusser's legacy (c.f. Ferry and Renault) and the negligent historicizing of the veritably revolutionary/'evental' thinking that was mobilized in pieces like "Contradiction and Overdetermination." There's nothing to be ashamed of: take a look at this seminal work!

Picked up this book down in Aussie in 2002, and I fully agree with "Aussie Reader's" review. He qualifies it as the best "recent" work on Gallipoli because the battle received some very fine treatment from Alan Morehead (?? memory may be failing). More to the point, Carlyon explodes some of the myths of Gallipopli, i.e., the callous British commanders sending the "colonials" to their death, etc. etc. Certain senior officers were criminally myopic, but they can hardly be accused of being callous, and more than a few equally guilty can be found among the "colonial" key commanders and staffs. Carlyon does a superb job of laying out the roots of Gallipoli's failing, and places them at the feet of Churchill and Kitchener, but he moves on to the battle itself to detail why it failed on the ground. The responsibility for the latter lies with the commanders on the scene, as bad plans, well executed, have been known to succeed. And, if its one thing the British Navy should have been good it, it was amphibious operations. They weren't. (The USMC would not perfect this as a technique until the 1930s) He certainly raised my estimation of Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish soldier of the period. But importantly, more than any other book on Gallipoli, Carlyon's touristic view of the battlefield gives the military reader a much greater appreciation of the terrain, and the influence that the nature of the terrain had upon the battle and how it evolved.

In short, a military history of interest to any serious student of power projection operations.

Les Carlyon's new book (published in 2001 in Australia) covering the Allied campaign against Turkey in the Dardanelles is one of those books that you find hard to put down once you start. In over 540 pages of narrative we get to hear the soldiers speak of their terrible trials and tribulations fighting in a harsh environment against a formidable enemy.

The book's main focus is upon the Australian involvement but the author does not neglect the role of the other Allied contingents, soldiers and sailors of the British and French Empires. Nor does his forget the enemy, 'Johnny Turk', who many Australian soldiers later came to respect regardless of the horrific fighting that they had endured.

I suppose many people will ask why Australia continues to make such a fuss over Gallipoli. When you take into consideration that the Australia of 1914 sent out of its small population over 332,000 men to serve overseas and of those 215,000 or more became casualties, (of which 60,000 died). A casualty rate of 65 per cent. Taking those figures into consideration you get an idea of why WW1 and particular Gallipoli means so much to many Australians.

The book is well told and the author uses numerous first-hand accounts of the soldiers, from both sides, who fought during this campaign. The narrative is engrossing, full of interesting facts and stories and just pulls you along further and deeper towards an ending we all know but made more alive and new by the author's style of writing.

I don't think that this book will offer any serious readers of this campaign anything new or startling, but I think that anyone who has a passion for Gallipoli will find this a well told account and close to being the definitive book on the subject. Many aspects of the book, particularly the stories of the blunders made by the Allied High Command still make me shake my head even though I have read it all before.

"We mounted over a plateau and down through gullies filled with thyme, where there lay about 4000 Turkish dead. It was indescribable. One was grateful for the rain and the grey sky. A Turkish Red Crescent man came and gave me some antiseptic wool with scent on it... The Turkish captain with me said: "At this spectacle even the most gentle must feel savage, and the most savage must weep' ... I talked to the Turks, one of whom pointed to the graves. 'That's politics,' he said. Then he pointed to the dead bodies and said: 'That's diplomacy. God pity all us poor soldiers.'" - Captain Aubrey Herbert, ANZAC, May 1915 (taken from the inside dust-jacket of the book).

I was given this book as a gift by my son. When starting out reading this comprehensive book I was feeling "gallipoli'd out" and had not intended buying another book on the subject. I have read quite a lot about Gallipoli and the first world war. There are inumerable books that tell the story from the individual (aussie)soldier's perspective, others that maintain a focus on strategy, tactics and political aspects. In many many cases these books focus very intently on the Australian and New Zealand elements (ANZACs)and neglect the broader contexts that aid a more balanced understanding of the events. What is spectacular about Les Carlyon's work is the even handed treatment of every player in the drama, it gives a balanced perspective on so many levels. It is a book of reconciliation, though maybe this would only be apparent to Australians and New Zealanders for whom the pain of the losses in WW1 still resonate, and for whom the battles in the Dardanelles hold particular national significance, even mythology. Carlyon is masterful at blending his personal description of the battlefields as they are today and the impressions one (he) has when exploring them, with the personal experience of the soldiers on both the allied and turkish sides, and the bigger picture strategic and political aspects. The personal experience of the commanders at every level and the social and political contexts in which they were moulded and in which they functioned is not neglected. Carlyon's present day descriptions do not dominate, they merely form something of a "breather" between the military detail. The style of writing is very engaging and the book on the whole is extremely accessible for a broad audience.
This is an absolutely magnificent book on it's subject.

Man, I love anything with crazy visions in the sky - particularly the first chapter of the Biblical book Ezekiel - but the vision in this book is a neat thing to read about too. I just don't get why the buffalo was referenced at the end. Must be a Native American custom to end all stories with some mentioning of a buffalo.

I'm sorry to say I still like non-sacred dogs more than sacred dogs, but I have a very good reason for doing so. Sacred dogs are much more expensive.

I loved this book when I was little, and I still love it now. It's great to see that it's still around. It's a wonderful story with even better illustrations for children and adults.

Children and adults will enjoy the colorful illustrations and tale of how the Native Americans acquired the horse. Lovely!

Beautiful charted flowers, a very worthy successor to "Decorative Victorian Needlework". Book is organized by the seasons. A sampler for each season and several floral designs for each season. Informative, detailed, a conversion chart for the different brand needlepoint wools, and instructions on the preferred needlepoint stitch for working E. Bradley's designs. Plus, the delightful surprises in E. Bradley's books, in this one you must see the Plum Pudding chart. What a delightful Christmas gift a plum pudding ornament would be.

Elizabeth Bradley designs are still very popular. This books includes a few designs that cost $200.00 in kits each, plus a few that are not available as kits. Very good!

I love this book! I have about 19 needlepoint books, but this is the one I go back to again and again. For those of you who have only worked with kits and lusted after the VERY EXPENSIVE Elizabeth Bradley kits, this is the way to go. If you are a cross-stitcher, the added plus is that Bradley advocates a cross-stitch because it makes the cushions more durable, it doesn't distort the canvas, and it's what many Victorian needleworkers did.

Elizabeth Bradley patterns are great to take with you on holidays, because you don't need a frame (as long as you use cross-stitch). The colors are beautiful, soft "Antique" English colors. Many of the patterns have a striking black background, and she gives guidance regarding color substitutions (both the sage green and pale blue work well). I've done a number of the patterns, and whenever I'm making a gift I do something from this book.

As the title suggests, the patterns are floral but there is a great deal of variety from striking lilies to Victorian wreaths.

Maddox's book lays out the extent to which religion and politics are intertwined in Australia in minute detail. The voice is pragmatic, but there are unmistakably dire implications for the country. Even though Australia is not as overtly influenced by the Religious Right as the US, Maddox makes it clear that there is a great deal more _covert_ action taking place that has been deliberately obscured.

Although this book is now a little dated, it remains a valuable resource for exposing some of the key players in this situation - and I look forward with anticipation to Maddox providing us with an updated edition.

Marion Maddox's "God Under Howard" is a fascinating book. It discusses the role of religion in Australian politics during the tenure (still ongoing at the time of writing) of Australia's second-longest-serving Prime Minister, John Howard.

Maddox parallels the beliefs and tactics of the religious right in US politics with those of the conservative Liberal Party government lead by John Howard in Australia. However, the book is not only limited to Howard's tenure as Prime Minister (1996-present). The opening chapter outlines the influence of religion in Howard's early life. In addition it examines the role of political tactics borrowed from the US religious right in Howard's time in opposition, and how these tactics helped him rise to power.

Historical discussions about Howard's youth, and about debates in Australian Parliament over euthanasia and equal employment opportunities are very interesting.

From a purely political-science point of view, the analysis of how a quite secular country like Australia has been influenced by religiously-based political movements is very interesting. This book would be enjoyed by anyone interested in Australian politics, comparative world politics, and religion.

There are some moderate biases in this book, mostly opposing some of the Howard Government's policies, and opposing people who interpret Christianity as saying that Jesus wanted people to be rich. These biases are not overwhelming, and much of the treatment of subject matter in the book is objective and even-handed.

The book paints a picture that religious-right views are strongly pervasive in Australian politics, and strongly influence many Australian politicians. Recently, the Australian Parliament voted to effectively lift restrictions on the abortion drug RU486 and on theraputic cloning for stem cell research, this development somewhat undermines the image of Australian politics that this book presents.

This book makes a clear case for why some of the Bush Christian rhetoric does not work so effectively (at least yet)in polarising Australian public opinion. Having established this, it makes an even more compelling case for the indirect manipulation of public opinion by the subtle use of 'us' and 'them' labelling.

This is not just about the politics and religious beliefs of leaders.

It is also about the role of the popular media in presenting opinions as facts without analalysing either what is actually being said or what it might mean in the eyes/ears of the recipient.

I recommend this book to all who are interested in, or care, about the kind of country we want Australia to be. But we need to think about who we (collectively) are. Reading this book will help stimulate thought on this.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I got this when I was a kid from the Museam of Fine Art in Boston. But I still re-read it even today, for reference and fun. The life of the gods and the epic adventures of ancient greece are summed up nicely without being dumbed down. The illustrations are increadible too. A lot of thought was put into this book and it is just as well written. Highly recommended.

I first read this book 25 years ago as a child. I still remember the larger-than-life illustrations and the intriguing stories. This is a wonderful introduction to the Greek myths and to mythology as a whole. Children will love the pictures and the characters; parents will love the keepsake quality of the volume.

Gods, Men, and Monsters presents an anthology of the Myths ofAncient Greece. Though geared towards elementary and middle schoolstudents, it is written well enough to appeal to any age level, with descriptions of the myths that are at once entertaining and informative. It provides the reader with a general knowledge of Greek mythology, in addition to a fairly deep understanding of the Ancient Greek gods and their pantheon.

By far the most stunning feature of the book, however, is the artwork. It contains 18 magnificent full-color illustrations, in addition to drawings and sketches at the beginning of each chapter and throughout the book. It is the artwork that sets it apart from other similar anthologies.

Overall, Gods, Men and Monsters is the ideal book to introduce children to Ancient Greece, partly because it appeals very much to the adult reader as well. It provides decent knowledge, understanding, and most importantly an interest in learning more. With relatively short but complete chapters and an extremely engaging text, it is really a very excellent choice both for bedtime reading and for studying. It is very useful as an introduction to Ancient Greek culture, as well, as the myths are presented in a way that implies aspects of the culture to a young adult reader.

It is also one of a series of books (The World Mythology Series) that maintains stellar standards in presenting the mythologies of various cultures. A truly excellent buy.

I don't find many books that spark my interest in the first chapter and keep it going until the last page. This book did just that. The moment Garnet steps off the ship to meet her betrothed, she meets Jeremiah who is looking for a sturdy but attractive woman to be his wife and friend. He's instantly drawn to her and the chemistry is undeniable, even on her end, but she is bound and determined to marry the man she has been promised to, so off she goes. Ed, the man she was promised to, doesn't care for her and can't consummate the marriage. He gladly sells her as soon as his mother dies, and I was touched that Jeremiah thought so well of her to purchase her. In my opinion, it was romantic that he was willing to spend so much for her.

She, however, doesn't think it's romantic and fights him every step of the way which makes for a very entertaining and fun read. I noted the humor spread throughout the book. One such example of Sally Odger's humor is when Garnet unwittingly ends up in a whorehouse (after running away from Jeremiah) and she injures the man she's supposed to serve. He screams so she starts screaming too. I love how Garnet wouldn't let him take advantage of her. She's a strong woman. It is at this point where Jeremiah comes in to save her and she ends up fainting in his arms (another humorous event since she prides herself on not fainting).

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes strong chemistry between the two main characters who fight it but in the end, realize they're not so bad off after all. For anyone who likes this book, I recommend O'Conner's Last Stand [...].
In Search of a Husband (Scarlet)

Mix and Match

Garnet Perry arrived in New South Wales in 1830 to be the bride of Edward Landis. She had never met Mr. Landis, and had only emigrated because there was nothing else she could do. Her father had died in debt, and her stepmother wanted Garnet out of the way, so that her own daughter could shine. So her stepmother had written to her cousin, Mr. Landis, who promptly offered marriage to Garnet. When she arrived, she realized that marriage to Landis was not what she had thought it would be, but she was now trapped.

Jeremiah Gold was a settler, with his own selection land upon which he was building his home and farm. In Sydney Town one day to purchase supplies, he happened upon an impromptu auction at which Landis was selling Garnet! To save her from rape or worse, he bought her for ten guineas, and took her to his selection to be his wife. Life never runs smooth, however, and Gold begins to wonder if his kind heart has put him into more trouble than he's ever had in his life!

I have always been fascinated by the history of Australia, and this novel really brought to life the early years of settlement. Ms. Odgers paints the life of a settler in vivid color, and with careful attention to detail. The plot is nicely done and is fast-paced, with plenty of action. I started reading this about 8:30 pm one night, and didn't stop until I'd finished it two hours later - it was that hard to put down. The characters of Garnet and Jeremiah are interesting and realistic, and the author's skill in characterization and dialog are demonstrated by scenes in which they interact, which fairly leap from the page. I felt particularly empathetic with the character of Garnet, who finds it difficult to believe that her life has come to this farm in the bush. The love scenes are sensual rather than explicit, but fit perfectly into the narrative, making it a seamless whole. This has to be one of the best books I've read this year. If you like historical novels, I highly recommend this book! -- Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)

I enjoyed reading this book, cover to digital cover. It held my interest from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. There are no dead-zones, no pulp. Sally Odgers tantalizes us with the plot and creates a terrific chemistry between the protagonists in her book. The characters are well-developed and Sally makes us feel strongly about them. We either hate them or love them, dead or united.

The characters we want in each arms, are fencing each other from chapter one through twenty. The duel is well-matched, and keeps us rivited to the page. We think we know the outcome but Sally ends the book with a bang...or two!