Science Nature Books

If you are interested in learning and classifying weather phenomenon this book is for you. The focus of the book is on clouds and it does a great job differentiating the ten major cloud types and describing the sub-species and varieties. The full color photographic illustrations are outstanding. The author does not get into too much detail about the science behind the phenomena, but that is not the intention.

Such a statement is music to the ears of anyone who strives to encourage curiosity and promotes learning. We carry The Weather Identification Handbook with us in the car, identifying cloud formations, making our own weather predictions. We can grow with the book, now reading highlights, progressing into greater detail and increasing focus with age and ability. Isn't learning that sneaks up as fun, great?

This is an excellent book. It is generously illustrated, giving the user more types of cloud classification than most people will ever need to know. It then goes into storm development and other atmospheric conditions. The information is concisely organized and well presented. This is just an excellent book. Anyone with a casual interest in weather will find this book useful.

The book is printed on good quality stock and is full color throughout. I wouldn't be suprised if this is used as a meteorology textbook. It is reasonably priced so I encourage everyone who reads this review to strongly consider this book.

I am reluctant to criticize any book for being something other than what I expected it to be. I was looking for a 'basic meteorology' book. I wanted a better understanding of fronts, high- and low-pressure areas, wind patterns, world weather patterns, the influence of ocean currents, etc.

If you're looking for weather principles, this book is not for you. Unfortunately (for me), the book takes a taxonomic approach to weather. Approx. 2/3rds of the pages are dedicated to identifying and classifying various cloud formations and optical phenomena. If you read assiduously, you'll never mistake stratus for stratocumulus, cirrus for cirrocumulus, and, aha, there's some altostratus undulatus! And you'll learn of Corona, Glory, and Heiligenschein. Broad weather patterns and principles get short shrift, if they get any shrift at all. About page 178 (out of 192, incl. bibliography, credits, and index) you'll finally get into a discussion of air masses, fronts, depressions, etc.

Publishers are usually responsible for choosing the title. This book is mis-titled.

This serves as the text for my meteorology class. It is quite thorough and offers many useful graphics to help seal the various theories into my brain.

Here is a great book I think we all should read. Steingraber's thesis is relatively simple: environmental factors play a much larger role in the increase of cancer than hitherto assumed by individuals, public health officials, and regulators, and we should act accordingly. Her argument is well-researched and takes into account many of the pollutants we find in our air, water, earth, and bodies, and is presented intermittently as narrative and analysis.

I like the structure of the book, the organization into chapters titled "time," "space," "war," and the like. I also like her alternating personal narrative (she is a bladder-cancer survivor, a native of Illinois, a graduate student, a researcher--we find out lots of things) with the cold hard facts and sometimes the fuzzy facts of cancer research and regulation of chemicals. The only thing that holds me back, which is why I gave it four stars, is that the book is a bit too long for my taste at almost 400 pages--I, a layperson, could have done with a bit less detail (though I understand she's covering her bases) and a bit more politics (though I understand she's being careful, not naming too many names).

The best chapter is the final one: if you come across this book and have other things to do, at least read the last chapter--most convincing is her deconstruction of the public policy of 'personal responsibility': sure, some cancers may be associated with personal lifestyle, but more important are the things we have little individual control over, such as the air we breathe, the land our kids play on, the streams we swim in. Blame, Steingraber implies/states (she's not always so outspoken), lies less with us citizens, taxpayers, cancer patients, than with the companies that manufacture products and byproducts that may be carcinegous and are simply allowed to do so until proven otherwise, and the regulators (our government, at all levels) who let them do so. Bravo--it needed to be said, and I'm glad Steingraber did it.

There's an image that stands out from this book, that encapsulates its heart and soul... the image of a petri dish with a deceased nun's "immortal" breast cells. These cells live on in cancer research, continuing to divide and offer themselves up, though the nun has since passed on. Regarding these cells, Steingraber makes the comment, "This is my body broken for you."

A body broken for us. That is Steingraber herself, who was diagnosed with cancer, as a young woman still in college. A heart broken for us. Again, it is Steingraber, as she loses her best friend to cancer and reveals some of her most intimate thoughts about the experience. And it is all the bodies that still pile up in brokenness... one in three Americans now get cancer, she reminds us.

It is also the brokenness of animals, soil, earth, water, and air--each of which she examines with a keen scientific eye, loads of research, and surprising poignancy.

Reading this book, one questions not so much why we, or our fathers, or our sisters get cancer, but why we as a society let this brokenness go on and think we can be immune from its effects. I wish that we'd all read this book and begin to put the pieces together again.

Anyone who has ever wondered about the environmental causes of cancer will be fascinated by this book. Steingraber is a gifted writer and a solid scientist (a rare but good combination) and she weaves scientific research and personal story together in a skillful way. The gist is that damning results from initial studies on the environmental causes of cancer need further study, but when all these initial studies are brought together like this it surely seems we are our own worst enemy when it comes to these terrible illnesses.

Because of the immense importance of the subject matter- chemical contamination of our environment, this book was written for a general audience and Ms Steingraber's writing style flows with easy to understand, but alarming expose' of the hazards of chemicals in our environment.

It is a beautiful continuation of Rachel Carson's work of environmental responsibility and the examination of the dangers of chemical contamination of our shared world.
Ms Carson's famous book, "Silent Spring", published in 1962, opened up to the public the hideous side-effects of chemicals, i.e., cancer causing, biome pollution and disruption, and killing of non-targeted species. Remember the Brown Pelican and Bald Eagle almost being killed-off from DDT poisoning? Carson's work eventually led to the banning of that harmful chemical, but as Ms Steingraber so expertly points out, there is a plethora of other dangerous chemicals on the market that tests have shown should not be.

Sandra Steingraber wrote her book over 35 years after "Silent Spring" and having the benefit of a huge amount of accumulated evidence of chemical side-effects and personal experience with the serious health problems caused by chemical contamination of our environment, she has put together a powerful indictment of the irresponsibility of industry and government alike in their continuing agenda of down-playing the dangers of chemicals and this constitutes one of the most irresponsible and insidious snake-oil scams ever perpetrated against life.

Huge corporate profits from the sale of deadly, often-time untested or inadequately tested chemicals purchase lackadaisical government over-sight and slick advertising on the "benefits" of chemicals.

This book is well researched and concise, yet will give simple explanations of such topics as "biomagnification"- the accumulation of chemicals the higher up the food chain we go. Most importantly, is the topic of "risk as recklessness" in taking dangerous chemicals to market without proper safety testing, but especially allowing known carcinogens to remain on the market long after they have proven to be harmful, hence, government complicity.

And the governments stand on this? They publish guidelines for changing one's "lifestyle" to help reduce chemical exposure! In other words, they attempt to shift responsibility for health on to the public who has no control over or proper warnings of where these chemicals are and most ludicrous of this is the fact that the spread of chemicals cannot be controlled once released into the environment, so they're everywhere and unavoidable. A good summation of this irresponsible nonsense is quoted from the anthropologist, Martha Balshem: [In the end, Balshem came to believe the lesson she was transmitting-"accept authority and accept blame"-was the wrong one]. (p 262) Indeed!

The Epilog starting on page 285 is a good resource guide for finding out more about chemicals, government agencies "responsible" for monitoring their use, where chemicals are concentrated, educational materials, etc.

Sandra Steingraber has put together a beautiful, important and educational statement in this book and it is one of the most profound publications of it's type since "Silent Spring". I found it to be a great honor to Rachel Carson's legacy- thank you Ms Steingraber!

This is a powerful and moving account that dissects, piece by piece, the system which allows cancer-causing chemical agents to be released within the United States, primarily by corporations.

Cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber is a poet at heart, and a scientist by trade. For me, the weakest parts of the book were the ones in which the poet takes over, speaking in deeply personal dramatic tones that, quite frankly, made me a little uncomfortable.

Much more interesting is the scathing indictment of the processes by which chemicals are regulated in the United States. With impeccable logic, Steingraber frightens the bejeezus out of us by demonstrating that, when it comes to protecting the environment and public health, no one is driving the bus.

The vast majority of chemicals released into the environment have not been held up to proper scrutiny. For chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or other problems, there is an almost impossibly high burden of proof put on those who seek to have the chemicals banned.

Steingraber builds the case, simultaneously removing all doubt that certain chemicals are responsible for cancer outbreaks in certain areas while showing us that the case cannot be proved to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies (who are themselves heavily influenced by the offending companies).

A detective story, an expose, and a lyrical narrative all in one, Steingraber has given concrete form to the sometimes-vague notion that Corporate America is behind many of our country's biggest threats.

Thanks to Paul for sharing his understanding and knowledge of said mushrooms with the world. Beautiful book.

Most mushroom guides don't include these specimens, so a good addition to your field guides....

So many people are utterly consumed with their work life that they are avidly avoiding a spiritual experience, which is at the heart of what is ideal. This book may help serve as a gentlemenly guide to embarking on an organized hunt for fungi and an organized understanding of how to incorporate them into personal experience. Although some may argue with me, I would say this is actually high level reading.
The book provides the following:
The effects of psilocybin mushrooms
How to identify them while hunting outdoors
Tips on ingesting them and experiencing them
Pictures and diagrams to help identify them
Individual species descriptions
Poisonous look alikes
Includes a forward by renowned physician Dr. Andrew Weil

There is a wealth of info in this book and it is the best book on this subject.

This is a detailed and fun book. It's probably what you're looking for. It contains clear descriptions, many quality pictures, suggestions about variations among species, safety considerations, and a helpful rating scale of very low to very high potency, also making it clear when the potency is unknown. For me, I chose to partner this book with a larger book which includes all species, just so I'm clear what I'm looking at and for, especially when it comes to ingestion, better to be extra careful, right?

...you're looking for. I've read a few books on the subject. If you want to hunt with confidence, than here ya' go.

For a book filled with fairly "dry facts", the language and art really held my son's attention. I know he comprehended because he pretended he was various animals in the following week. It is also pleasant on the eye and not so simple the grown-up will rush through to get away from it.

Many Christian parents struggle with finding science and nature books that are free of evolutionary propaganda.

This sound pictorial primer offers facts, activities and good quality illustrations for your child's early forays into the realm of natural science. Be sure to look at Usborne's other offerings; you will not be disappointed.

My four year old daughter loves this book. I use it as our homeschooling text for science and nature study, but it is not like a textbook at all. It is a compilation of seven separate titles in the Usborne First Nature series: Birds, Trees, Flowers, Butterflies and Moths, Wild Animals, Fishes, and Creepy Crawlies. Each chapter contains games like hunt the bumblebee in the Butterflies and Moths chapter, and watch the leaf bud open (on the upper right corner of each page) of the Trees chapter. My daughter is fascinated by the fabulous illustrations, such as the giant beetle in the Creepy Crawlies chapter, and the sharp teeth of the Dragon Fish in the Fishes chapter. The text is interspersed throughout the illustrations and is informative and entertaining. I am amazed at how much I learn each time I read part of this well-done book with my child. I highly recommend it!

A super-useful reference guide that goes well with HAWKS IN FLIGHT -- and actually I would probably look at this one first. Photographs and text both contain a lot of helpful information to assist in raptor identification -- though the "pitfalls" shots make it clear that not every bird will be identifiable.

Mileage obviously varies, but as a Californian I don't feel shortchanged by this book and have used it particularly for Sharpie/Cooper's differentiation.

The illustations make it much easier to identify hawks in the sky and on the ground. It will be a valuable companion on my bird walks in the Audubon and to ID the hawks soaring overhead and through the woods by my home.

Libbie

I'm a bird guy. I absolutely love birds, and the birds I love more than any others are hawks. When I die, I want to come back as a hawk.

The problem (if it is a problem) is that I'm no naturalist. I seem constitutionally incapable of identifying most birds. Get me past the typical visitors to my backyard feeders--the junkos, sparrows, wrens, cardinals, goldfinches, thrushes, humming birds, and occasional woodpecker--and I'm pretty lost.

But because I so love hawks, and because they've recently reappeared in great numbers in my neck of the woods (central PA), I thought I'd give Liguori's book a try.

I'm glad I did. The photographs are stunning--beautiful enough to please the eye, but at the same time crisp and detailed enough to serve as a guide for hawk-spotting. I found especially helpful Liguori's shots of hawks at different flight positions--soaring, gliding, stooping, hovering, and so on. Equally helpful are the charts he provides that compare body, wing and head shapes of different kinds of hawks, falcons, and eagles. Ditto on the migration charts.

There's only one thing Liguori's guidebook doesn't have that I wish it did: photographs of perched hawks. I see lots of hawks when I'm driving that are perched on tree branches and electric lines, and I still have difficulty identifying them: redtail? Swainson's? Cooper's? Hopefully, the next edition of Hawks from Every Angle will include the perch angle as well. (In all fairness to Liguori, however, his book is subtitled "How to Identify Raptors in Flight.")

It would also be convenient were the book a bit smaller in size. It's broadness makes it a little burdensome in the field. But it could well be that a smaller format would've meant less precise photographs. If that's the case, the tradeoff is a good one.

I though this was an excellent resource for identifying hawks in flight. The photos are very informative, and attractive as well. The guide is, in my opinion, very comprehensive and extremely well written.

If you're looking for a book that covers all the raptors that regularly occur in North America, forget it. A more honest title would've been 'Raptors of Northeastern Hawkwatch Sites.' Even then, northeastern hawkwatchers won't find Harris' Hawk in the book. The raptors Liguori does cover are done well, by and large, and I was particularly impressed with the treatments of both Harlan's Hawk and the Northern Harrier. But if you live in the West, as I do, you'll find the book less useful than the title suggests. Get yourself a Clark and Wheeler--it'll serve you much better. I'm looking forward to that frabjous day when hawkwatchers will escape their eastern bias, and discover that we have hawks in the West too.

Apples by Gail Gibbons is educational and entertaining. This book is best for kindergarten through third grade students. It has lovely, colorful, full page pictures. The text is mainly found at the bottom of the page. Elementary age students will need some vocabulary words and phrases defined for them such as grown commercially, bushel, stamen, pollen, stigma, pollination, harvest, tart, prune, and fertilized. As another reviewer pointed out, Gail Gibbons' Apples book introduces ideas that are revisited in another of her books, The Pumpkin Book. Apples is a great book for September and The Pumpkin Book is great for October. Parents and teachers will find this book useful and enjoyable - so will the kids.

I purchased this book last fall for our kindergarten "apple and pumpkin" theme of learning. The short text and big, colorful pictures make this an excellent choice for 4 to 8 year olds. Yet, I was surprised by how much I learned from this book! This non-fiction text covers the growth of the apple tree and it's fruit with plenty of labels and a simple definition for each new word.

A brief history of apple trees in America is explained, but I found the labels and the sequencing from flower bud to fruit to be the most educational part for myself and my 5 year old students. The information about how a flower bud becomes a fruit also applies to pumpkin growth, which became a handy opportunity to reinforce the new knowledge.

In addition to the short history lesson and the description of apple growth, the book includes illustrations of different apple varieties, the fall activities of caramel apples and apple bobbing, and some general information about the apple tree. Overall, this book rates 5 stars and an A+ with this teacher.

About: New Scientist writer O'Hare provides instructions explains a multitude of science experiments that can easily be done at home.

Pros: Very interesting, varied topics and experiments. Written in easy-to-understand language. My favorite topics included the best ways to get ketchup out of a bottle, how to test if talking on a cell phone affects your reaction time (it does), why hot water freezes faster than cold water, why your vision is blurry underwater, how to extract iron from cereal and DNA from yourself. Apparently, Alka-Seltzer can be used for several cool experiments.

Cons: No sources cited. A further reading section would've been nice

I was looking for a new book to use with my class and ordered this one. I was amazed at how detailed the pictures are and the writing uses, such descriptive words. So it not only meets the needs of the season - it has integrated learning features but FUN for all!
Great book for kids & teachers! DVD & VHS also available at author site!

I bought this book for my 2yr old and he loves it! My 4yr old loves it too. It does a great job teaching kids the cycle of life. The photos are wonderful and the story is simple enough to keep little ones interested, yet gives a great explanation about the circle of life.

I love this book. The photos are great! It has quickly become one of my daughter's favorites!

A wonderful, graphic book about the circle of life. Why are kids so fascinated by pumpkins? Take a look at this visually intense book and see why. The photographs are definitely the feature here, but the text is not bad either, and keeps it at just about the right pace for a 3-5 year old audience.

This is a wonderful book with great photos and is very enjoyable to read aloud to children. Both children and adults can learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin and can appreciate the wonders of nature.

I found this book to be extremely informative while explaining how magnet work in a way my 3 year old granddaughter understands while learning myself!!

The pictures are awsome, and keeps any age children's attention. All of the books in the Lets-Read-and-Find-Out Science series have been a valuable tool in teaching and entertaining in my home.

The good thing about this book is that it is interesting enough to read it (at bedtime, for example) without pausing to do the experiments or you can use it in conjunction with some great little experiments to learn more about magnets.

It is not extremely detailed, but my five-year-old son found it quite engaging and he was absolutely fascinated when the experiments worked "just the way the book said!" With the book's simple structure, I know it won't be too long before he is able to read it to himself, also. (It is around the second grade level, I would say.)

Nicely done for younger students.

Any library strong in animal reference studies, will find this an intriguing coverage surveying pet emotions and how they can contribute to better understanding. From joy to sorrow, THE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF ANIMALS uses the author's 35 years of experience studying social and communication patterns of animals to survey animal empathy. Chapters draw important connections between animal emotional lives and the purpose behind animal emotions.

Animals and emotions. It's a touchy subject. Most people can readily admit that most animals have primary (fight or flight) type reactions. However, opinions begin to change when researchers start discussing secondary emotions, like love, compassion, sadness, etc.

Anyone who has ever had a pet knows for a fact that their cat, dog, snake, etc has such emotions. We know for a fact that they have very distinct personalities and preferences. Yet, somehow the same people, find it difficult to believe that a chimpanzee, an elephant, a wolf, a magpie, or a fish might also be capable of something beyond primitive reactions.

The Emotional Lives of Animals gives accounts of animals displaying what would seem to be primary emotions. As one would expect, the author discusses big brained animals such as elephants, higher primates, whales, and dolphins. However, the most interesting studies look at unexpected animals such as fish to examine their capabilities.

The book has some very good points. However, the author repeats his ideas many times. I got about halfway through the first chapter and lost interest. I think the book could have been condensed, considerably.

I am founder of an animal rescue group in Pinehurst NC called Animal Advocates of Moore county.

I found the book to be excellent !!!!!

Maureen Burke-Horansky

Marc Bekoff has rattled more than a few cages in his long career as a cognitive ethologist, but that does not make what he has to say any less true. This book summarizes the case for recognizing the similarities we share with our non-human mammalian companions, and it does so with flair, as well as attention to scientific detail.

For scientists or simply science buffs, this book has plenty to satisfy, but it's not just for them. This book is more for the average American who has always sensed the truths of non-human emotional lives (or maybe even has not), but is curious about the science behind the facts.

I have long been fond of saying "a mammalian brain is a mammalian brain is a mammalian brain, whether it belongs to you, your cat or my horse." Marc Bekoff makes this same statement with much more clarity and deeper understanding.

This book should leave you with a greater respect for the lives of the non-humans we share this planet with, and a deeper understanding of the ways our experiences here are the same, rather than focusing on what's different. It turns out the similarities are greater than the differences!

But all the science aside, this is also a book filled with great stories of observations of scientists and laypeople alike that back up the studies. Stories like the one told by an e-mail friend of mine, who witnessed two young mice trapped, where one helped the other to recover rather than just seeking its own salvation (I wonder if humans would have had the same level of compassion!).

This book should change your life. If it doesn't then your mind must be very closed, indeed.