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I rarely read fiction and the initial premise of Ecotopia involving the Pacific NW region seceding from the US seemed somewhat far fetched but I was pleasantly surprised by the novel. Callenbach's richly-descriptive portrait of a society based on the concept of a "stable-state" ecosystem was quite thought-provoking. This is similar to the economist Herman Daly's advocacy of steady-state economics. It also parallels Robert Costanza's work in the emerging discipline of Ecological Economics as an alternative to the outdated, ideology-driven concepts of neoclassical economic theory. The centerpiece of the Ecotopia social model is for resource consumption to never exceed sustainable resource limits and to also treat pollution and waste as costs that are not externalized to the commons but are factored into economic decision-making at a fundamental level. Resources are recycled whenever possible and durable low-technology generally takes precedence over high-technology. Ecotopians generally embrace a philosophy of ecological intertwinement and reverence for nature. I see some similarities to James Lovelock's "Gaia hypothesis" and Edward O. Wilson's concept of "Biophilia".
I found the descriptions of the personalities and behaviors of the various characters throughout the novel to be quite entertaining, the women in particular having a more dominant role. Ecotopians are passionate if not quirky. The Ecotopians adopt a neomalthusian approach toward population regulation and this particularly resonated with me since I consider overpopulation and its resultant resource scarcity to be the single most critical issue facing the human species. The chapter on the ritual war games was intriguing and raises significant issues regarding the genetic predisposition toward competitive aggression in males. I was hoping to find some direct references to behavior science and the use of positive reinforcement but I didn't really find any though an Ecotopian model would provide more positive rewards as part of daily life.
Overall, Ecotopia is quite a stimulating read and I'm glad to add it to my small library. The novel is filled with creative approaches to a wide variety of social issues some of which probably aren't feasible but interesting none the less. Two other related books that some might find interesting are "The Collapse of Complex Societies" by the archaeologist Joseph Tainter and "Environment, Scarcity and Violence" by Thomas Homer-Dixon who heads the Conflict Studies department at the University of Toronto.
The mindless waste and hyper consumption of contemporary American culture is simply unsustainable. If I could move somewhere that embraced at least some of the aspects of the Ecotopian model I'd probably do so.

When I first began reading _Ecotopia_ (1975) several years ago, I remember thinking that the basic premise-- that Washington, Oregon, and Northern California could successfully secede from the United States-- was far fetched. But Callenbach has written a "prequel," _Ecotopia Emerging_ (1981), which dramatizes how the revolution occurred. You may or may not find the details of that revolution plausible. But the point is this: Callenbach's utopia does not exist in a vacuum. It has a historical background. You feel that under the right circumstances, it _could_ become a reality. It feels solid.

Let us dispense with a few weaknesses to the novel. First, it uses the Visitor to Utopia plot, which is as old as Thomas More and which is by this time fairly predictable. I hope that readers will not rise up in wrath when I reveal that the hard-headed reporter who enters Ecotopia eventually becomes converted to the Ecotopian way of life. Second, Callenbach is frequently guilty of loading the dice in favor of his society. (The Ecotopians are healthier than most Americans, crime is almost nonexistent, and the sex in Ecotopia is just so doggoned much _better_.) A third problem is that much of what goes on in Ecotopia depends on its being isolated from the rest of the world. For example, hunting, woodcraft, and carpentry are taught as major parts of the school curriculum. This makes a certain amount of sense if your purpose is to give children an education in practical skills that they will need in their own society. But shouldn't education cover content areas that go beyond the boundaries of your own country?

On the other hand, there are some definite strengths to the novel. The narrator, a journalist named William Weston, is intelligent, observant, and engaging. (Many utopian visitors are rather wooden-headed.) His observations of Ecotopia, told in a series of journal and notebook entries from May 3 through June 25, are clear, concrete, and relaxed in style. The novel is, in fact, remarkably easy to read. Well, what are some of the characteristics of the society that Weston is exploring?

First, the technology is-- selective. It has been used to develop elaborate recycling systems, from sophisticated sewer systems to recycling trucks and centers to the use and re-use of biodegradable plastics. Gasoline cars have been outlawed in favor of electric cars, magnetic monorails, and public bicycles. Some electronic equipment (can openers, hair curlers, skillets) are absent, but others (television, videophones, refrigerators) are present. If this seems a bit "low tech" to some readers, remember: It is the task of the utopian author to construct a society that can be built using present-day technology. Utopias based on lots of fantastic, futuristic devices are not, ultimately, believable.

Second, Ecotopia has become more rural and less urban. To be sure, there are still cities such as San Francisco. But there is less urban sprawl (many old business skyscapers have been converted to apartments), more parks and gardens, and less smog (since petroleum cars have been banned). Many people are living in small communities, and the population in Ecotopia has gradually diminished through the use of birth control. Woodlands and farmlands have spread, and many Ecotopians are now forest rangers or cowboys. Dams have been demolished to return rivers to their natural state. Power comes from solar plants, sea power, and a few fusion plants. Animals have returned in great numbers to Ecotopia, and controlled hunting is encouraged.

Third, there has been a breaking away from the Protestant work ethic and large group activities. There is a twenty hour work week, factories are run on an informal basis rather than in an assembly-line manner. Work crews and volunteers for chores do their tasks in an unhurried, gamelike manner. Citizens are encouraged to spend time doing arts and crafts. Individual sports, such as hiking or camping, are encouraged, while spectator sports, such as baseball or football, are virtually nonexistent. As Weston notes, the sports pages in Ecotopia make rather dull reading. But more citizens are physically fit.

Finally, there are the dark-- or at least more controversial aspects-- of Ecotopia. The citizens are direct, emotional, and loudly argumentative. They frequently engage in lover's quarrels and family disputes, and they are often taking sides in a discussion over the quality of food in a restaurant or in political debates. There is also a strong Survivalist element in Ecotopia, and many citizens engage in aggressive war games. (Some Ecotopians may be druidic tree-huggers, but they are _not_ sentimental and weak.) The nuclear family is gradually giving way to communal families. Most blacks have chosen to live in voluntary "city states" in the Oakland area, indicating a kind of _de facto_ separation of racial cultures. Opposition leaders who want closer relations with the United States are an underground movement. They are quickly squashed by the government. One wonders how much freedom of speech is really allowed in this society.

Yet I find, somewhat to my surprise, that I wouldn't mind living in Ecotopia. Our current government is so corrupt, so incompetent, so cowardly, and so little concerned with public welfare that Ecotopia seems wonderful by comparison. This is how utopian satire works. You say, "If this imaginary world, with all its faults, looks good... then what are we to say about the world in which we live?"

In 1980, the states of Washington, Oregon (probably only the western halves - the eastern halves of both states are socially conservative) and Northern California secede from the USA and build an ecological utopia, complete with recycling, alternative energy, a virtual ban on the ICE, and Native American chic. Their government policies stand in relation to the election platforms of Ralph Nader and Dennis Kucinich as the platforms of Nader and Kucinich stand in relation to George W. Bush's policies. For a few years I went to an Internet forum, one of the participants of which was a teacher of wicca and a community activist from Portland, OR with a rather authoritarian personality, who attacked people who advocated scientific rigor in public policy or expressed dislike of the work of her friend Ursula Kroeber Le Guin. She was incensed when somebody called Hillary Clinton "a left-wing politician": the real left-wingers are bell hooks, Barbara Ehrenreich (she gave a few more names that I cannot recollect at the moment). This book reminded me of her, for in Ecotopia, people like her would be in power. Yet while reading Ecotopia, just as when I was reading Edward Bellamy's Looking Backwards, I had the feeling that to some extent, I am living in this utopia, since the political movements that produced the two utopias, ecology in the 1970s and socialism in the 1890s, influenced the culture of this country in various ways.

After reading "Utopias on Puget Sound," I was hooked on the history and all things utopia. I would bet that most people in Washington state and British Columbia would love to form a new country, but alas, we can dream about what life might be like if the west coast were to break away and start an ecotopia.

This novel is a mixed bag, and it's stayed with me for some time since I first read it. On the plus side, I found the book an easy, wonderfully quick read, and a pretty good exercise of world-building. I also found much to like in Ecotopia's vision, such as its environmental policies and progressive educational system, etc.

BUT...there is something decidedly specious about the ideals represented in the book, and in truth it was sometimes hard to tell if Callenbach was being sincere or satirical. Valid objections about the Ecotopian timeline aside, as well as its obvious hippy vintage, Ecotopia's almost enforced diversity--albeit in a non-bourgeois lifestyle--passive-aggression, and occasional totalitarian structure make even a tree-hugging, bleeding-heart liberal like me raise an eyebrow. Ecotopia sounds like a place that's better than Hell, but still ten floors below Heaven.

Recommended, but with a grain of salt; definitely not a play-book for the perfect society.

Out of all the body books I purchased, I thought this one was the most informational for my children. Definitely worth the money!!

This books is a real winner with my 19 month old. She loves the pictures and has learned so many new words. As she grows up the book will grow with her, as it has great basic anatomy knowledge.

I am very glad that I purchased this book. I am taking an intro. level Biology class and this book was perfect for it. This book is well-rounded. It conists of a basic overview of Biology. The most important component of this book is that it has A LOT of pictures (which is vital for one studying the anatomy).

I would ask that everyone interested in learning how our food supply and our seed stocks are being taken control of due to the actions of several large Agriculturally-focused corporations' and their abilities to utilize the World Trade Organization, International, and Country-of-Origin patent rights to hold-hostage the world's citizens in an attempt to covet the natural process for creating seed, to read this book.

This is the most important fight for our collective futures that we can involve ourselves in.

this is a great book, i highly recomend it. i must warn you its not for the weak stomached, this book will CHANGE your view on the food you eat. i didnt eat for a week after reading this.

I'm afraid I must dissent from the rave reviews this book has gotten. It's a good book, but it's not wonderful. It's very strong at presenting the ways that the corporatization of food production is destructive of human health, the environment, and the livelihood of poor farmers, fisher folk and the like. There's lots of examples, lots of strong empirical data to back up Shiva's claims. Her analysis about why all this is going on is lacking though. It's not that I disagree with her critique of the WTO, multinational corporations, monoculture and her affirmation of the need for humanity to live in harmony with nature. It's just that she barely does more than sketch these arguments out. I understand that this is not meant to be an academic book, but she could have developed her points in much more depth, while still using accessible language and ideas. This book has potential it didn't achieve.

In Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking Of The Global Food Supply, renowned environmental activist Vandana Shiva charts the impacts of globalized, corporate agriculture on small farmers, the environment, and the quality of the food we eat. Shiva writes about genetically engineered seeds, patents on life, mad cows (and sacred cows), shrimp farming, and more. Stolen Harvest is a passionate, articulate, highly recommended "wake up" call to the public regarding the role of genetic engineering in commercial agriculture, the growing domination of agribusiness with respect to world food supplies, and the need for sound environmental thinking with respect to feeding the burgeoning populations of the world.

In this remarkable book, Vandana Shiva effectively contrasts corporate command-and-control methods of food production with the small farmer economy that predominates in the third world (especially in her native India). In contast to what many here in the U.S. might perceive as the conventional wisdom, Shiva makes a strong argument that local, small scale agriculture is superior to the agribusiness model for a number of reasons.

First, Shiva points out that many of the productivity gains attributable to the Green Revolution were achieved by dramatically increased inputs of fertilizer, seed and water. When one compares units of input with units of output, however, native practices produce higher yields -- especially when one takes into account the multiple uses derived from a single product.

For example, mustard oil is a vital product used by many of India's poor for cooking, seasoning, medicine and other uses. But it has been banned by the Indian government (under highly suspicious circumstances) in order to allow imports of soybean oil products. While giant corporations benefit from expanded sales, native industries have been destroyed, contibuting to poverty and malnourishment.

Shiva discusses the commercial fishing and aquaculture (shrimp farming) practices that inevitably result in environmental destruction and reduced catches. She compares this short-sighted approach with traditional Indian fishing techniques that have successfully sustained themselves for generations while protecting important ecosystems such as mangrove forests.

Shiva discusses corporate patenting of seeds, which insidiously transforms the cooperative ethic of seed sharing into a criminal offense. The author supports a non-cooperation movement in India that is resisting corporate attempts to claim ownership of seeds that have been cultivated by countless generations of farmers.

Shiva's sacred cow / mad cow metaphor effectively and appropriately contrasts agribusiness with small farming. India's sacred cows live in harmony with the environment, performing multiple services and producing multiple products for the community; whereas mad cows are a grotesque manifestation of an industrial system obsessed with uniformity, technology and profit.

Shiva also touches on the topic of genetic engineering (GE) and discusses the threat it poses to biodiversity, food safety and human health.

The Afterword to the book alludes to the WTO protests in Seattle. Shiva believes this watershed event proves that people are becoming more aware of the dangers of unaccountable corporate power, yet she believes that positive change is possible. This opening of consciousness to new possibilities may be attributable to the extraordinary work of people like Vandana Shiva, whose intelligence and compassion is abundantly evident in this book. Highly recommended!

I wanted a book with evidence of animal emotions, not some guy trying to make me feel guilty for not being a vegan. I already believe that animals have emotions, but I almost wanted to argue against it just because this book was so horrible. Find a book without so much bias, this author is a little crazy. Comparing hunting to rape? Come on now, that's stupid enough to be HIGHLY offensive. Masson is severely disconnected from reality, someone needs to go through the bibliography, pick out the relevant stuff and write a book with some value.

The scientific community has long denied that non-human animals have any emotions; many pet owners and other sorts of caretakers would beg to differ. This statement forms the basis for Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson's and Susan McCarthy's When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals. From this, Masson and McCarthy set out to prove to the reader that non-human animals do, indeed, feel emotions, particularly in ways humans can understand or relate to, even if the feelings may not be exactly the same (which the authors do admit would be incredibly difficult, probably impossible, to ever find out). Based on their emotions, highlighting joy and suffering, the authors employ what seems to be the basis of Peter Singer's utilitarian argument - animals can be happy or miserable - to argue for Tom Regan's concept of animal rights - that they should have them, and we should respect them.

The premise of the books is appealing and the title is effective and intriguing - many people would like some acknowledgment that their pets are happy or sad when appropriate, and not merely `displaying behavior.' However, for the reader that hopes for a bit more out of this topic, it may be better to look elsewhere.

Masson and McCarthy rely heavily on anecdotes from scientific reports and field observations. They criticize heavily those who say that anecdotes are useless examples of anthropomorphism, or the projecting of human traits onto non-human animals. Masson and McCarthy claim that anthropomorphism is not as big of a problem as the scientific community has made it out to be; rather, it shows a connection with the animals we are studying and is likely to be more accurate that simply stating that an animal is only displaying a certain kind of behavior.

Most of the book is anecdote after anecdote, organized into chapters by groupings of emotions, such as "Grief, Sadness, and the Bones of Elephants," and "Compassion, Rescue, and the Altruism Debate." Most of these stories are asides in longer research articles, or stories from animal owners, trainers, zookeepers, and the like. The authors make a persuasive argument in favor of taking seriously these anecdotes, but that is soon lost once it becomes clear that the entire book is nothing but `interesting stories,' about a paragraph each. Interspersed with these anecdotes is criticism after criticism of the scientific community and of humanity at large, claiming as a whole that scientists, terrified of being accused of anthropomorphism or simply cold-hearted, deny at every turn any possibility that any animal could feel anything, going all the way back to Rene Descartes. Descartes set the standard for the Western attitude toward non-human animals, claiming that they were mere machines, programmed to have responses resembling emotions but that really, they felt no pain or joy. If any of the descriptions of modern-day experiments that the authors provided are even remotely accurate, then Descartes has left too-lasting of an impact.

However, the scientific community is unlikely to be quite the straw man that Masson and McCarthy have set it up to be. While the authors use a few famous scientists' works in a positive way, such as Jane Goodall and Roger Fouts, most of the references to science are about how cold, unfeeling, and in denial the scientific community is, making grand statements about how all of science is determined to blot out animal emotions in an effort to keep humans up at the top. Indeed, the second chapter, devoted to the scientific community, is entitled "Unfeeling Brutes."

Masson and McCarthy make little use of scientific observations or experiments specifically designed to study animal emotion (though the book was written twelve years ago, and perhaps there was not as much out there). They also make little use of solid arguments or stylish prose, opting instead for a stilted read of unsupported but passionate arguments in favor of animal rights based on the idea of animals' emotions. Unfortunately, any sort of clear argument is left until the ten-page conclusion, in which Masson quickly summarizes the past thirty years of mainstream animal activism, quoting Jeremy Bentham, Peter Singer, and Tom Regan, as well as the famous story of Androcles and the lion who refused to attack him.

The ultimate moral of the book, delivered quickly at the end, is in the vein of Tom Regan - animals have rights, too, because they can feel joy and pain, and all human-caused suffering must end. A noble cause, an excellent premise into an interesting topic, poorly delivered.

This book provides surprising and intriguing theories about the emotional lives of animals. The author has beliefs that some may find hard to process, but he makes rational connections to valid information. Animals love us and they love each other. This is one explanation. Well-written and easy to follow, really. Anything can be broken down and torn apart as some have done here, but the book has merits. See for yourself.

For an expanded and evidence-based approach to our with animals, particularly companion animals, take a look at this book. I enjoyed it, too, and it provides some surprising insights and valuable, usable information from. It discusses the origin and comprehensive nature of our relationships with animals, providing scientifically sound information on the love we share and the roles we play in each other's lives: The Powerful Bond between People and Pets: Our Boundless Connections to Companion Animals (Practical and Applied Psychology)

What a wonderful book! Although I am an admitted 'animal person' I think everyone would (and should) enjoy reading this book for a perspective on life on our planet.

My interest in this book is in learning more about animal cognition, behavior, training, etc.

It was a good read. I finished it in just a few days. The stories were varied and colorful. Clearly the author did a lot of research in creating the book.

It is pretty well balanced in the sense you don't have to be an extreme animal rights person to appreciate it.

The only reason I couldn't give 5 starts is that it lacked a bottom line. There were all these wonderful stories about what animals did, but I went away wondering what conclusions to draw. Or at least end the book with some philosophical questions that keep me thinking?

A very nice book that helps you to understand better the point of view of Native Americans about their relationship with Mother Earth. And that helps all of us to follow their spirit if we want to restore what we are and our little and beautiful planet.

I am a Native American through blood and I can honestly say I was not brought up in any special way and that large part of my heritage was never really acknowledged. Nevertheless, I have always been up on it, I pray to The Great Spirit and so on. I purchased this book because I knew some of the context but I was more interested in learning about other tribes and their stories and such in comparison to my own since I already knew those ones. This book is great and awesome for anyone who is studying Native American symbols, stories, and ceremonies. There are, in fact, some things that are not necessarily completely true-like the owl omen for instance. I think it is geared toward a more nuetral instance in comparison to an everynight occurence, but I will never know. Although, everything else is pretty justifiable and quite informational. Definitely get this book!

This is one of Bobby Lake Thom's books that changed my life in a very Positive and Spiritual way. The knowledge in this book comes from experience and training in the medicine way. Native Healer, Bobby Lake Thom (Medicine Grizzly Bear) shares his wisdom and experience to the reader about the importance of honoring nature and the Great Creator everyday of our lives by becoming aware of our natural surroundings in nature. I am very GRATEFUL for this book and the other books that Bobby wrote. It teaches and informs the reader about nature symbols, spirits, healing and knowledge. This book is a must for anyone in search of spiritual healing and knowldege. Bobby has the experience and training from several elders(Medicine Men and Women) in his lifetime from many different tribes. Readers should also look for the books Native Healer and Call of The Great Spirit by the same author. Again THANK YOU again for a very powerful spiritual tool Mr. Bobby Lake Thom! May the Great Creator and Good Spirits in Nature Bless You and your family Forever! I Highly recommend this book to everyone interested in Spiritual Knowledge and Healing!

I ,and my family,use this book all the time as a field guide to interpret natural signs and omens in nature.This book is an authentic,true guide to how many native people look at the natural world and how it trys to guide and assist us in our lives.Bobby has done a great job,weaving traditional stories and short interpretations on each animal,insect or birds being discussed.Especially instructive was the section on how to use the creative,right brain to intuit the language of nature.Native people do not write in a overly intellectual or complex style .The teachings and beauty is in the simplicity and heart of the words.This book speaks to your mind yet on the spiritual level too.Great book!!!!!!!

Animals have been living on Earth and dealing with nature a lot longer than us. They can sense when an Earthquake is about to happen. Pets can sense an illness within their owner before the owner does. Birds, insects, and other animals have evolved and adapted to deal with floods, climate changes and dangers that happen in their lives. Why NOT use their reactions and knowledge to help us deal with nature and our own dangers?
American Indians have been listening to nature and the animals to help them deal with such dangers. Early Europeans did the same before Modern Science and the Church destroyed those cultures. While I am not sure about many of the stories I did enjoy the book. It is for beginners and I think many details have been withheld so not to make the exercises and the ceremonies beyond the grasp of the person just starting his or her spiritual quest. Think of it as a Spirits of the Earth for Dummies.

Excellent book. I purchased this as a thank you gift for my ring bearer, who is fascinated with the stars. I looked through the book and found it to be quite interesting.

I must have flipped though 20+ books about the solar system & stars before I found this one. Once I had this in my hand, I would not put it down. This book has more details, than all the others. It's more like a child's science book. I learned things I did not know or had forgot.

My 6 year old son had a class project about the night sky, I purchased this book and was blown away by the detail and artwork, the viewing wheel was a great addition to the book used to great effect by young and old. I gave the book to his Teacher and she was so impressed with it that she used it as a teaching resourse and took inspiration for some lessons out of it, if you only buy one book for your child on astronomy let it be this one

We purchased this book for my daughter as a reward for a good report card. Her 1st grade class has been learning about space. While the book may seem a little advanced for first graders it is definitely a book that they can used to reference with an adult's help. The book is broken down in and way and written so that the common person without astronomy knowledge can learn from it and transfer that to the child. This book can also be used as a great resource for teachers teaching younger kids about our universe. Included with this book is a glow in the dark star chart that helps anyone find the constellations. This book provides an easy way to have quality time with a child that is also educational. If you are looking for a one stop shopping book about space that a child can used for a while then this is it!

The subtitle of the book is the Story of the Stars, Planets and Constellations -- and How You Can Find Them in the Sky. It should read The Stars, The Planets, the Astronomers, the Universe and Everything. The books has definitions, factoids, readable text, stories, illustrations, pictures, a star wheel/star finder, stickers and everything that has anything to do with our world and our universe. Not for small children (too much text/ too much information), but the best introduction to astronomy I have seen for middle school and older children presented in a very very approachable/ user friendly format. Well done!

The existing reviews cover many of the crucial points, though I would like to reiterate how parents and teachers could benefit from the insights these teens provide.

It's often too tempting for adults to measure the success of our youth with illusionary criteria, avoiding what's at the heart of things. I found the teen's accounts of their lives and Patricia Hersch's conclusions realistic and hopeful.

Though there are some tough scenarios, overall the reader is left with a spirit of assurance that youth is an amazingly resilient time of life and a few cultural corrections can make the difference between dire consequences and an aspired future.

A very interesting and captivating book. The best alternative to a text for a graduate level Adolecent Behavior course.

Partrica Hersch is on a mission. In her book A Tribe Apart, an in-depth study of the lives, behaviors, and opinions of eight adolescents, Hersch argues that today's teenagers are victims of an uncaring, un-involved adult community. Hersch's teens, for the most part, raise themselves. They grapple with adult-sized problems such as abortion, drug use, crime, physical abuse, and neglect--all while facing the "normal" slings and arrows of adolescence. Teens solve the problems they face with very little adult interaction, with the educators, parents, and other adult mentors conspicuously absent. Hersch concludes that today's teens don't exist in a moral vacuum, as social critics might suggest. Instead, she presents teens who reason, debate, and make choices--all without adult guidance or support. The adults who populate the teens' worlds are neglectful--ranging from abusive stepparents, over-worked mothers, self-absorbed fathers, or educators more concerned with discipline and control than forming relationships with kids. It is little wonder that the decisions they make are poor ones. While I do agree with other reviewers that Hersch makes wide-sweeping generalizations about teens and their relationships to adults based upon a limited sample, her point that teens are facing increasingly trecherous problems alone is well-taken. It's easy to feel demoralized after reading A Tribe Apart, and one wonders how adolescence will continue to devovle in the coming decade.

I've seen people say this book does not cover the mainstream or is not the best read, but I would disagree. Hersch takes the time to listen, to let 8 students tell their story. I was in high school at the time when this book was being published, and it is much more accurate that most adults care to realize. It is a narrative, but it is an accurate look at the millennial generation. The only other book that I have seen to compete in accuracy would be 'Hurt' by Chap Clark, but it is more of an academic read. Anyway, if you care for an inside look of adolescence, here is your chance.

A Tribe Apart by Patricia Hersch was a revolutionary book for its time period: 1996. Now, ten years later, I am not sure if the information presented is all that revolutionary. The research for this book was completed when I was in middle and high schools, and now I am the teacher, so how can many of the issues be as new and extreme if I, and many teachers I know, have experienced many of these issues already? Hersch does an excellent job exposing the "normalities" of high school students in the mid 1990's; I am curious if a current study would reveal the same findings. The themes she explores that I do not think have faded away with the turn of the century are the distance between adults and adolescents, the multitude of adult issues our adolescents have to cope with, and the need for peer acceptance over all other needs.

While at the same time deserting our adolescent generation, Hersch says that society has also managed to load them with adult responsibilities. Teens are more often aware of their parents problems, and are being forced to deal with issues far beyond their capabilities. I see that these issues have not faded with time in my conversation with my students. Some of my sixth graders tell me stories about being evicted from apartments or their parents' credit card debt, and I can see that Hersch's research still rings true.
Despite the latter basic truths to Hersch's research, she describes many outdated practices of adolescents such as "mosh pits", the "wamma" culture, the clothing, and the attitudes of some of the students. I think that some of many practices she explored have been replaced with more dangerous and exaggerated ones: rap culture, "hanging out" on the streets for younger and younger students, and increased exposure to societal pressures. In the 1990's, I feel like there were more opportunities for adolescents to thrive and experience life in safe environments. Now, the budget cuts that Hersch mentions very briefly are a country-wide phenomenon. Schools everywhere are experiencing cuts of after-school clubs, music, art, physical education, and sports; not just city schools. This pushes our adolescents further and further into their own world, making Hersch's findings only the beginning. Now, I think that a researcher would find the danger has escalated and children younger than what would be considered "adolescence" are experiencing these kinds of problems.
The way Hersch engulfs herself inside the life of each of her case studies, makes the reader feel as if the adolescents themselves were telling their own stories. So if you are looking for an interesting and entertaining sociological text, A Tribe Apart is a great read. But if you interested in getting a peek inside the minds of your students or teenage kids, I suggest you pick up a more recent text.

Valuable both for individuals contemplating alternatives and for cemetery managers like myself thinking of establishing a green cemetery.

What a great book, really well done. Mark Harris has written a concise but very informational book on alternative options to the traditional method of caring for the dead. I've been uncomfortable with this method since I was a pre-teen and attended my first funeral, for an uncle who died of cancer in his early 20s. It seemed so strange to me, the artifical blush of his face against the voluptuous bedding in the enormously ornate and polished coffin. It seemed so removed from him, his life, and who he was. The actual burial place seemed removed as well, very sterile and manicured, the standard level emerald green lawn with no understory, trees, and little wildlife. I juxtapose this method with the natural burial method in the last chapter of this book and I'm blown away at how different it can be. Mark Harris has done a fine job of illuminating the realities of the funeral business today in a non-confrontational manner, without sarcasm or a posturing. I appreciate the description of the alternatives in under 200 pages; so many authors these days feel it necessary to expand on a topic ad nauseum for 500-600 pages. This book isn't perfect; there are a few contradictions in the summaries at the end of each chapter when he compares state requirements and Harris doesn't really address the high costs of burial at some of the natural cemetaries (the ones in California come to mind), which is only fair after he extensively discusses the costs of traditional funerals. But these are minor issues with an overall excellent book. Highly recommended.

This book is concise and informative and provides a great overview of the various burial alternatives that are accepted in the US today. It presents the options, which range from one end of the spectrum to the other. This is an eye-opener for those who think the modern funeral industry is the way to go (pun intended). I have already passed this book on to my family and will encourage all my friends and loved ones to read it. At least they can make decision about their own burial from an informed point of view.

I really enjoyed this book. It's organized very systematically with each chapter covering one topic or burial scenario. The first two chapters lay out the current state of affairs in burial. One was on the specifics of embalming and funeral-prep, which was nauseating yet fascinating, and another on the funeral business of selling services - both needed and unneeded - to grieving families. From there, the book goes into actual burial options, starting with the least green of the eco-friendly options (cremation), following through to the most eco-friendly scenario at the end. The chapters themselves are broken down even further with the bulk of the chapter telling a story of a family burying their loved one in the prescribed manner, and ending with a basic informational snapshot or "how-to."

The storytelling tone of the book made for a quick, entertaining read (well, as entertained as one can be when peering into the funerals of others), and occasionally left me a bit choked up due to touching nature of each of the burials and contentment that each family seemed to feel by taking the "green" route and fulfilling their loved ones wishes at the same time.

The book often referred to other well-know books on the funeral industry (Mitford's "American Way of Death," for example), which was smart seeing as the information presented here is more brief than I had hoped. But, really, that's the only criticism I can give it. And if "it was too short!" is the worst the author can do, he should probably be pretty pleased with himself :)

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a more natural way of death and burial, whether to protect the environment or to just keep life - and death - as simple as it should be.

These pages do the human race a great service. Every Funeral Director needs to read this book. Death is not a pleasant subject. This book is more than worth the price. Everyone has trouble thinking about grave matters. Just as cremation came to America, so comes the green funeral. This book is the future in Funerals, it is well thought out, researched and well written. Practical How to tips are in the back of each chapter. Everyone needs to read these tips. Everyone! Great work, Mark Harris.

Funeral Directors please read this book with an open mind. Personally, I have found this book helpful in my work with families in the Funeral Profession.