Science Nature Books

I found the book an interesting read, and I learned a few things from it. However, I do not think that Wilson has made compelling cases for his main theses.

The concept of group evolution is interesting. But how far does displayed average group behavior go beyond acquisition of cultural heritage, customs, and develops without steady enforcement of societal standards such as ethics etc.? To what extent does group behavior represent an expression of the corresponding genome? Wilson doesn't give any hard data that as a biologist with this conviction he may be expected to have. So, for myself I conclude: Maybe it does, and maybe it does not.

Wilson discusses the role of group ideology for the attractiveness of a group, its internal cohesion and its fitness in a larger society. That concept is of course not new to sociology. You can see these concepts illustrated in the role of religious or political movements such as cults or fascism. In fact, the German Nazi type has sometimes been likened to a religious/mystic hybrid movement. So, I accept that much of Wilson's thesis, even though he does not acknowledge the complex role of such groups in society, both trying to adjust to the general framework and to influence that societal framework. It is not obvious how to define the concept of group "fitness" in an interactive human society in analogy to the use of individual fitness in biological evolution. Wilson obviously struggles with the problem.

Finally, one readily acknowledges the specific role that religion has played as a form of group ideology. But have religion or mystic beliefs per se played a positive, or any, role in the biological evolution of our species that would go beyond that of a generic group ideology? Since this was my main reason to buy the book ("Darwin"s Cathedral"), I looked hard in Wilson's book for compelling demonstrations of such a role, but in vain.
The book does not provide arguments against thinking of religion as remnant of a much stronger force driving, or retarding, human cultural evolution, with often troubling consequences. I suspect that our overall fitness as a species on Earth could benefit from a more humane, tolerant secular ethos.

Wilson makes some great arguments and spends a lot of time supporting them in depth. Not for the casual reader.

This is an interesting combination of the biological evolutionary theory of group selection with a revisited form of sociological functionalism. It is well argued and well written and it provides an alternative/ complement to individual and gene theories of natural selection, on the biological side, and to cognitive approaches to religion, on the anthropological side.

This is an exciting book because of the explanatory power of the ideas expressed. Group selection as an evolutionary force was largely dismissed on the basis of William's work in the 1960s. Now Wilson not only revives it but suggests how our very human nature has been dependent upon it. The problem has been that evolution at the level of the individual rewards self concern and weeds out altruism. This makes cooperation difficult because individuals will always do better by avoiding the effort of cooperation while enjoying the fruits of the efforts of others (free-loading). However when humans evolved culture there was the possibility that the non-cooperators could be made to comply by punishment, banishment etc. This fundamentally changed the name of the game. Groups with norms fostering cooperation and punishing non-cooperators could out compete less functional ones and as a consequence grow and multiply in comparison. What Wilson suggests is that religion has been a potent method of establishing the norms, motivation and punishments required. Once groups could effectively cooperate then traits that facilitated this would be further selected by genetic evolution allowing further cultural progress and the development of our "human nature". He further suggests that the "irrational" beliefs fostered by religion are selected by group selection because they foster more functional groups in the evolutionary survival sense. He is also clear about the down side of religion in that while it fosters within group function it also fosters antagonism to outside groups and individuals.

Wilson's writing style is usually clear but sometimes round about and redundant. The material frequently requires thought to work through the logic and implications. I read a lot of books on evolutionary theory and this is one of the most thought provoking I have read in years.

Very well written book on group selection and religion. Entertaining as the Scott Atran and Boyer books on religion. Good for anyone to read this book if you are interested in evolution and/or religion. The theoretical part is slightly difficult to understand especially if you have no previous experience on group selection.

Wilson does not talk about how silly religion is - like Dawkins - but is positive/objective about his subject: openly respects the features of religion which support coherence of groups, is critical about the features of religions which make the members of the religious group to behave badly towards other people (e.g. out-group people). But admits that the different sides of the religion (the in-group and out-group morality, intolerance against those who do not obey the norms) go hand in hand.

Expanded revision of the 1984 Guide. I live in New Jersey & this wonderful book is one of the best teachers for my home waters.

"Life in Chesapeake Bay" is organized to take the reader from an overview of bay ecology, across the sand beaches, around the piers & pilings, into the intertidal zone, through shallow waters, marshes & then out toward deeper waters. Illustrations are clear line drawings. The scholarship never leaves the reader gasping for air. There's a highly informative glossary & species list.

"Life in Chesapeake Bay" makes a strong pro-environmental statement by showing us the diversity, poetry & interconnectedness of life (including humans) at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the fragility of this great inter-weaving of water, tide, sand & mud. It teaches us the awesome beauty of small things that exist right in front of out eyes.

Bob Rixon

We've used the Bob books, Diego phonics, Curious George phonics and by far this is the best "set" of books for my 4 year old boy. Each book focuses on a different phrase, so the repetition of certain words builds confidence.

The stickers have been a great reward system, for us. Generally I am selective about when using rewards - I'd prefer my son learn to read simply for the enjoyment of reading, and not for the sticker - but I have to say that stickers work! I volunteer for 1st & 2nd graders who are "behind" their classmates (something I really don't agree with in our public schools) and stickers motivate them to read, even at that age. It also becomes a quick way for them to see how many books they've read.

I commend the teacher who started this set, and hope more educators are able to put their real-life expertise out for parents like me!

We tried the BOB books in addition to tons of other early reading books and we were always disappointed! They were too hard or easy and not progressive. The stories were boring.

We started this series of Books while my daughter was in Kindergarten. She loved them!!! Earning a sticker every time she correctly read a story was a HUGE incentive because after 3 stickers she moved on to the next story! The repetition was incredibly helpful with word recognition and the comprehension questions are a great tool that we now do with every story we read! We read this series all summer long and now my daughter is in an advanced reading group in first grade! I recommend them to anyone who has a child with a basic sight word list.

My daughter who turned 3 in April loves this book; she received it as a gift last Christmas. It's 10 little books that pull out of clear plastic sleeves. She likes to pretend to read,and the way these stories are written and illustrated, it is very easy for her to do so. I just bought a couple more in the series; I hope they're as good.

I recommend this book to anyone with a child ready to read. It is a step by step phonics based system. Other books I've looked at have black and white pictures or boring stories. The colorful pictures add to the story and I often hear my son laughing while he reads even the simplest books. I have both sets that are in Level One, and both sets for Level two. I'm sure I will be purchasing Level Three.

My daughter LOVED this series!!! One comment though, the description has preschol readers as the reading level.. but actually the INDEPENDENT level is about a second grade level book. Nice pictures, easy text, graduated vocabulary, and high interest topics. I only wish they had MORE on the independent level than they do.

The book's appearance is quite appropriate to its genre and has immediate appeal. From a graphic standpoint, its organization seems intuitive and inviting. The text is engaging and accessible, clearly written on an introductory level, but also providing detailed, specific information that suffices for intermediate-level comprehension of the distinctions among species. In some cases, these distinctions are not widely known to most professional naturalists -- for instance, in rodents, moths, or lizards -- and this guide provides the only readily accessible material in English of any sort. The combination of the very basic with the genuinely obscure lends the book great utility and great charm.
It is refreshing to see a field guide that has had so much care taken in its preparation and layout, such careful attention to small details and to the ways in which readers would approach and use such a book. The pioneering use of floral backgrounds with key species seems one of the book's real strengths.
The guide is essentially a set of six field guides with brilliant front matter and back matter that answer many of the questions that arise in the context of travel and learning. Any student of natural history would find the book essentially indispensable for reference, although the material makes very nice reading outside the background of travel or research as well. And travelers will appreciate the coverage given to Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island and the Juan Fernandez Archipelago.
Other than Alvaro Jaramillo's excellent bird guide to Chile, or Shirihai's impressive guide to the Antarctic, I cannot think of a book that would overlap much at all with the content of this book. A few other books exist that offer "overviews" of Chilean wildlife, but these are not at all comprehensive. In brief, the book has no competition, either in print or out of print.
Few countries have a handbook so robust, and I can't think of any similar volume that's as portable, with the possible exception of much smaller areas such as the Galapagos. I know that I will certainly take this book with me on my next trip to Chile.
A Wildlife Guide to Chile: Continental Chile, Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island, Juan Fernandez Archipelago

This is not a specialized guide book, though birds predominate. But I particularly like the much wider spectrum this book offers. There are no range maps, and it took me a while to get to grips with the range info. But basically, range is indicated by using the administrative regions shown on page 3 of the book. Species pictured are mostly digital cutouts from photographs. This results in some odd outlines and in many missing claws in the reptiles, to just name the most often encountered drawbacks. Depending on the photos used, the quality of these illustrations varies, and their size as well. This variable picture quality is the reason why I have not given five stars. But the illustrations should serve very well for their main purpose; i.e. they are usually quite adequate for identifying the species. Photos, even in this form, however, rarely allow to illustrate all the plumages of the more variable bird species. Nevertheless, many species have flight pictures as well.

The book tries to cover the more common species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies. The flora is treated according to the major habitats with a few rather conspicuous typical species. For the marine environment, some commercial fish, molluscs and crabs, as well as some marine algae are presented.

Generally, both English and Spanish, as well as the scientific names are given. Often, more names are mentioned as well, with at least some names in other languages. For those birds that are included, there is always a German name as well. The texts for the individual species vary considerably. But they are usually quite comprehensive for the birds and mammals.

As a birder, I would not want to take along only this book, but this guide has definitely enlarged my view of nature in Chile. And a special benefit is the inclusion of the outlying islands that belong to Chile. There is also a section on where to go for wildlife observations. The paperback version is quite compact and lightweight, and it is thus the perfect travel companion. But it's a fine book for preparing a trip or just to get an overview as well. Definitely worth getting if you have any interest in that area of the world.

I have owned this novel for over a year, and I still have not been able to complete the whole thing from cover to cover! Some chapters make me cry. Some chapters make me angry. Some chapters remind me more of a Hollywood-ized "story" that McLean created to make money.

Jessica Johnson was my best friend, and McLean describes her character (as well as another whom I love and respect) inadequately which only makes me want to rip pages out, crumple them up, and throw them in the fireplace! The Thirty-Mile Fire is an epic fire that firefighters can still learn from to stay safe and still do their jobs. Fighting fire is a tough job that I respect and I appreciate all the fire men/women out there!

There are some well written reencounters at the scene and McLean does a good job at describing the confusion and miscommunication from up the line... But I would suggest you check it out from your local library, rather than fill up John McLean's wallet.

I have spent over 30 years in wildland fire, 29 of those on the line. Most of my work has been as a Division Supervisor or Type 3 IC. This book hits the nail on the head in the fact that the bureaucrats will always try to blame the line personnel for any entrapment/burnover incident. I was in a shelter deployment once and was crucified for it. Of course that's a long story, but I was vindicated in the end. But before that, judgment was passed by those without the experience to know what they are talking about. Maclean does a good job digging into this phenomenon. Blame the dead people is standard operating procedure for the agencies in wildland fire. Ken

John has a very easy writing style which makes it an enjoyable reading experience. The content in the book provides a lot of lessons to be learnt and studied. The issues discussed don't just focus on this one incident but can be applied worldwide. A must read for any Wildfire firefighter from the rookie to the leaders of these men and women. John discusses some of the "Human factors" that contributed to this disaster.

This is a comprehensive review of the ThirtyMile Wildland Fire in 2001 that claimed the lives of four Federal Forest Service firefighters compiled from all the survivors, investigators, government officials, witnesses, and families affected by this incident. The Official Report of this fire laid blame on the firefighters themselves for the loss of there lives, and the report made was taylored to protect upper-level managers and the Forest Service from blame.

Mr. Maclean sorts through all of it and presents a clear picture of the events that transpired before, during, and after the incident where the time of the fire, the lack of resources, communication breakdowns, environmental rules, fatique, failure to follow fire safety rules, and tunnel vision lead to this tragedy. This book addresses questions that were not asked in the official report. It goes onto describe what happened to those in charge, and what did not happen to those administrators involved.

As a result of this fire, along with the 1994 Storm King Fire that killed 14 federal wildland firefighters, this book describes how through legislation the investigation responsibilities for large incidents shifted from in-house Forest Service to unprepared and unqualified outside government investigators. As a result of this political shift an overzealous US Attorney leveled four charges of manslaughter and five charges of lying to investigators about what happened at the fire, almost five years after the incident happened.

Mr. Maclean also chronicles the almost absolute abandonment of the firefightes and survivors involved in this incident, the heartless measures the Forest Service showed to families involved, and the failure of the wildland fire system involving the US Forest Service.

This book is important to all firefighters because the potential exists now for Fire Incident Commanders to be criminally charged if an injury or fatality occurs on a wildland fire incident, and what it may lead to in the future. Anyone involved in wildland / forest firefighting should read this book and learn from it.

John Maclean is an excellent writer and it shows once again in this book. It's obvious he's done his research on the Thirtymile Fire. As a wildland FF who studies fatal fires and near miss incidents, I devoured the information on this fire and the lives lost from the day it happened. I waited several years to get more than just news articles and investigation reports. Thankfully John Maclean stepped up to the plate. This read has been fascinating and educational. Most importantly, this is not just a book about a fire or mistakes made at a fire. This book is about four "kids" who lost their lives while living out their dream.

Ott is a great editor and his collection of books on NPOs are interesting and easy to read.

Great Book for anyone who is in a position that deals with other people!!! (also for anyone who wants to improve on their communication skills with day to day people)

One of the best resources to really understand the "Social Styles" personality typology. Written by the pioneer researcher, the book is written with the rigour of a personality theorist, but is very accessible and applicable.

The person who reads this book will be the most likely to succeed in any endevor where other people are involved. The ability to mirror someone's behavior and thus earn their confidence and trust is the skill that the reader will gain, if they take the concepts in this book to heart. All of the interpersonal skills a person has accumulated come together when applying the concepts of 'versitility'. It is the morter that holds everything together. Read the book that lays the foundation for all human behavior techniques and you will be able to effectivly motivate others to reach THEIR potential and help YOU get what you want.

I love this book. Koodsma describes a brilliant, unique method and approach to teaching oneself the art and science of recognizing bird calls and songs while also delivering a very absorbing read. Koodsma is a gifted story teller. The book is built out from beautifully detailed field work diaries, rich with the emotion of discovery and an infectious appreciation for the unique character and "song" for each individual bird he's tracked and grown to know as if they were kin.

I really liked the looks of this book. I got it for my mother who is a bird enthusiast but she said it required far more knowledge of music than she had.The last we talked she was going to send it back. Bummer.

The book is a fun & interesting read with many unique insights.
I have actually played the CD during these winter months just to hear the great outdoors. It makes the house sound like spring time with the windows open.

With over 1,000 "Bird Books" in my collection;it takes something real special to excite me. This book is such a special book. There are many books,records,tapes CD's and DVD'd that do an excellent job of teaching and describing bird songs so that with some practice you can recognize a large number of birds in the field.
Howerever,much more than showing a few ,typical songs of birds,so that you can recognize them when they call or sing;this book goes far deeper in showing you how to understand and appreciate bird song. There is much more to the song of a Chestnut-sided Warbler than the common "Pleased-pleased-pleased-to-MEETCHA." or the "whip-poor-Will" of the Whip-poor-will than one could ever imagine.In the case of the American Robin the author has found out how to tell one robin from another right in your own backyard. Obviously,it would take many years to learn and understand in detail all the songs of a large number of species as the author has done;but then he has studied birdsong for over 30 years and was recognized as "the reigning authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior"by the American Ornithologist's Union in 2003.
In this book,Kroodsma gives us the benefit of his vast knowledge,and it will certainly become "the book to have" for anyone who wants to give bird song serious study.His writing style is such that a very complicated subject can be understood and helpful;be the reader one who is a relative amateur or an extremely experienced birder.
One could almost start reading at any point in the book;but I would suggest,after the first chapter,turn to page 366,"Bird Sounds on the Compact Disc" and play the CD and follow the description for each track.You might even want to do do this a couple of times.
Another suggestion, once you have purused the book, would be to pick one of the birds the author has gone into detail with,and that are abundant near your home ,such as the American Robin,and really study the songs as the author explains.This can be done simply,as long as you don't try to get into advanced recording.A notepad,pen,seat and a cool drink will suffice.
At first glance this book might overwhelm you ;but don't let it.
I have two wonderful friends,sisters Joan and Gail,who I meet each spring at Point Pelee in Ontario. Joan was given this book by a friend,thought it was "too deep" for her;so she gave it to me. Thanks Joan,I love it.

I was looking for a book on bird song to give to a friend who is graduating from music school, and I bought the Kroodsma book on the recommendation of other Amazon reviewers, whom I can't thank enough for encouraging me to purchase this book. Having also purchased "Why Birds Sing" and "Birdsong: A Natural History" for my friend, I find that the Kroodsma is by far and away the better book, not only because it contains a cd, but because of the unique writing style that reflects a lifetime interest in and knowledge of the subject matter.

Great and informative book. Puts a lot of the problems now faced in the west into their context. Covers a lot of land history in the west not generally covered in school, but definately not a dry read!

A very though look at the major issues dividing westerners today. Looks at ranching, water, and logging in a very readable style. Do not loan this one out because it NEVER get returned. The only downfall is that this book is already dated because of the rise of the Wise Use movement.

An excellent rendition of how western law had transformend the American West into a land for humans, filled with dam after dam. Wild salmon have no where to go. Laws seem to be more powerful than Nature!

Wilkinson offers a balanced account of the forces that created the law and policy of the American West, and also of the forces that keep those outdated policies active in a very different West. As a native of Colorado, it was apparent that Wilkenson has spent a great deal of time in the American West and truly understands the complex issues that the region faces today. Very well researched, very easy to read.

A very scholarly, but accessible, history of the development of the West and the social/political/economic structures that shaped land, water and resource rights there. In particular, Wilkinson is addressing the notorious Hardrock Mining Act of 1872 (still in effect), the distribution of land and grazing rights, the fisheries of the Pacific Northwest, and the timber industry. His analysis of the Lords of Yesterday - his term for the antiquated statutes that govern those industries - is very convincing. The book's only weakness is that this is a 1992 text (presumably researched in the decade previous) that doesn't reflect changes in the laws and political pressures over the past decade. It would benefit from a new edition.

The predecessor of this book, Flowering Plants of the World, was a well-known reference for decades to many who love plants. There is a strong sense of continuity between these two books, if for no other reason that both use the same illustrations. In fact the continuity goes further and also involves much of the contents, as evidenced by the error of zebrawood being supplied by a species of Connarus, a myth that was debunked in the 1940's.

Where the earlier book was based on the Cronquist system, with the plant families arranged by order, this book is (loosely) based on APG II (2003), with the plant families arranged by alphabet. As to recognition of families, this book adopts a splitter's philosophy, recognizing 506 families (versus 457 in APG II). The book recognizes families such as Bombacaceae, Cneoraceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. The classification in this book will not be found in any other reference, but this splitter's policy may help the book retain its value in these times of constant change in plant classification.