5 comments about National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E: Eastern Region (Eastern).

1. This is a user-friendly guide to trees in the Eastern U.S.A. So far, I have found it to be an enjoyable item to put in my backpack for a day on the hiking trail or the park. The book is clearly organized, with sections for leaves, flowers/nuts, and a couple of other categories. It is a good size, and the illustrations are clear. This book will help you identify trees. However, it is not a textbook or a serious introduction to the study of trees - for that, you would need something else.



2. An oldie but a goodie. Too bad it's not discounted. We're on our second copy. There isn't anything out there that is as complete. Audubon rules.



3. Just what I was looking for, to help identify the trees on property we recently purchased. Now is great since the trees are leafing out, which will make the ID easier.



4. Lot's of pictures in the book. Not super user friendly, but still really good and informative.



5. This is the companion volume to the western trees edition. Having been able to spend some time on the east coast for the first time since I was a boy, I found I could only identify a handful of species, so I bought this book to see what I could identify, being familiar mostly with the west coast.
   
   The Audubon books main strengths are in combining excellent photos of the main parts of the tree, the flowers or cones, branches, and bark, to aid in identifying the tree. Curiously, the book doesn't include photos of the entire tree, but in the text section there are drawings next to the description. This is okay too, and an expert dendrologist can often simply ID a tree from its "stature type." With a little experience with the trees in your area, you'll soon be doing the same.
   
   I've found the Audubon books on plant identification very helpful, but I have to say I have some formal training in botany, mainly in plant taxonomy, which is a big help. The only real sure way to ID a plant is by using the formal key, but in an area where the species are limited, which is usually the case with trees in temperate zones, a picture type book can often do the trick. Just be aware that there are many pitfalls in not using the actual botanical key. (If this were the Amazon rainforest, there can be 400 species of trees in a few acres, so this approach wouldn't work).
   
   This book uses a leaf classification key mainly, and has 10 pages devoted to flowering plants and conifers at the beginning of the book to point to the the relevant section. From there you basically leaf through that section to ID the tree. For the flowering trees, color information is provided too.
   
   The text descriptions are brief but well done, and includes information on range, ecology, height and diameter, size of cones, leaves, and flowers, color, and uses. Overall, it's another useful and informative guide from Audobon done in the style which many people are familiar with for naturalist use, or just your casual cursiosity seeker who wants to learn more about these important plants.
   
   By the way, for some excellent and brief key books for the west coast, look for Glen Keator's little books, which are available at bookstores and also at the Strybing Auboretum in Golden Gate Park. Glen had a Ph.D. in taxonomic botany and was the trainer for the docents in the park, also, if I remember right, and I have fond memories of spending many hours hiking while using his books, which became an invaluable aid in my undergraduate and graduate botanical education.

5 comments about Fundamentals of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry.

1. It's a great edition of the book, and I appreciate it very much! I'm very happy with the shipping and condition of the book, and it was great overall!



2. I received this book promptly and in excellent condition at a reduced price than the local college bookstore.



3. This book is a very good and comprehensive view of the basics in general, organic, and biological Chemistry. I also like the fact that the book gives many examples and problems to work with. I recommend the study guide which can be purchased separately to go along with this book as it has been a very useful tool for me in my effort to complete this course.



4. I'm glad I checked Amazon instead of buying this book from school. I saved a lot of money. The book came super fast and was in like-new condition, better than I expected!



5. This is a great book. I am using it to review for the DAT. It is very helpful and worth the money. The book is easy to read and has great questions after every chapter.

5 comments about National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (National Audubon Society Field Guides).

1. Very informative like all the Audobon Guides, and lots of photos, which really helps. Only caveat is that I'd like to see them have several volumes to cover ALL insects in North America, as there are too many to cover in just this one guide. Although I am aware that they have separate guides for butterflies.



2. I refer to it at least a couple of times a week & recommend it to any other amateur. Bought this copy for my nephew, who also loves it. The illustrations & information may not impress an expert, but I find it well-organized & easy to use. I've never seen an insect that I couldn't identify by using it (tho' I live in LA, not exactly the insect capital of the world). Also-the photos are gorgeous!



3. I like this book but the only thing I do not like is that the pictures are in the front of the book and the information on the insect is in the back of the book. I would rather have the picture and information about the insect on one page.



4. Once you get used to the format of the Audubon Field Guides, they are very easy to use. Like all the Audubon series, this guide is compact, well-written, precise, comprehensive, informative, brilliant color plates, tough outer cover - what's not to like? Highly recommended.



5. Nice compact book, great pictures to easily identify insects,would recommend to anyone looking to identify any insect a person would come into contact with on an everyday basis.

5 comments about Trail Guide to the Body: How to Locate Muscles, Bones, and More (3rd Edition).

1. I received the 2nd ed. of this book in massage school.
   
   I purchased the 3rd ed. to study for my National test.
   
   WOW! I truly did not think this book could have gotten any better, but it DID! It shows all different views of muscles, muscle groups, bones, boney landmarks, how to find boney landmarks to find muscles, latin/greek roots of the words, study hints, remembering devices, WONDERFUL illustrations!
   
   I also purchased the Student Workbook - which is an ENTIRELY new text with this edition - and it has a lot of different ways to test yourself to prepare for tests.
   
   If you need to know ANYTHING relating to the muscles/bones of the body, YOU NEED THIS BOOK! Don't let the cost fool you ... it is NOT overpriced. I used to think it was (when I found out how much it was by itself - my 2nd ed. was included with my tuition at school), until I bought this new edition.
   
   They added an obscene amount of new pages, and updated their illustrations to make them even EASIER to understand.
   
   If you have any doubts about this book, log on to the publishers website discoverybooks . com - there are excerpts, downloadable pages, etc.
   
   Hope this helps.



2. I used this book while studying to be a physical therapist assistant. I wish I had found it sooner!!! It's fabulous. I provides a detailed description of how to find muscles, bones, etc. This is better than any other book I have used for this purpose.



3. A must have for all Massage Therapists! It should be the anatomy textbook in all massage schools!



4. A most impressive and down to earth guide to understanding the essential "landmarks" of the human body with regards to the needs of physical therapists, massage therapists, or anyone that uses range of motion testing, joint mobility, joint distraction, or soft tissue massage techniques in their clinical practice. Very easy to understand and relate to actual scenarios without the usual heavy reliance on dry medical jargon. Highly recommended!



5. I am currently in a Licensed Massage Therapy schoool and this is the best book. The illustrations are clear and detailed. I recommend this book to all future people going into the medical field.

5 comments about Microbiology: An Introduction, 9th Edition (Book & CD-ROM).

1. Wow this book provides so much information. I would recommend this book and class to anyone. I have read almost the entire book and I am completing the course with an A average. This offers some very informative information.



2. The book and its CD companion provided an excellent overview of the basics of Microbiology. A great foundation for an science student. The presentation of material is clear, photos abound and the review sections at the end of chapters are very helpful.
   I reccommend this book to professors and students alike! Material is thorough and well presented with opportunity for additional learning also.



3. I purchased this textbook from the University Bookstore as the required text for the Microbiology class I am taking. So far the book seems concise but clear on the information needed to understand Microbiology.



4. I thought i was getting the paperback version of microbiology. I got the paperback but it was an international version that was illegal to be sold in the United States. I will never buy from this vendor again and if you want what you pay for you wouldn't either. Hopefully it wont be that different from the original version in content.



5. I bought this book brand new for $75 less then my school was selling it for. It came in Perfect condtion. I could not be more pleased.
   Kathryn

4 comments about Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition: The Problems Book.

1. This is a great book, and gets better with each edition. If you are taking cell biology out of MBOTC, and don't have this book, you're playing with one hand tied behind your back. And if you're just reading MBOTC for fun, get this book, do the problems, and you'll learn more than you would in many University level cell biology courses.



2. This book is a wonderful companion for the MBOC book. I am reading these 2 books as self-study material during my postdoc fellowship. The large number of conceptual questions in this book are very helpful in reviewing the knowledge. Of course, this comes with solutions to the problems in MBOC book.



3. When I ordered the book, the website said it didn't even have a release date for it so I got a little worried that I wouldn't get my book in time for school. When they finally sent the shipping date, it was really close to when I was going to leave for school so again I was worried I wouldn't get it in time. But, the book came about a week and a half early and it was in excellent condition.



4. I received this book very quickly and the book like the seller said it would be is in excellent condition. I would trust this seller again in the future.

5 comments about Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century.

1. This is a great book that makes us all more aware of the situation we find ourselves in presently aboard spaceship earth. We simply can not conduct business the way that we have in the past. The earth is not a business in liquidation. The green trends that are occuring now and that are gaining momentum are fascinating.
   This is a global book with a global focus, we are all in this together.
   How much time is needed? Who can know for sure but the sooner we all start, the better.



2. A practical comprehensive compendium of the types of practices we will need to nourish if we are to live in a Bright Green sustainable and just future. More a catalog than an essay, it is divided into sections such as Stuff, Shelter, Cities, Community, Business, Politics and Planet, giving examples of sustainable work being done in each area as well as references to relevant books and web sites. There is a strong emphasis on the potential for well-designed technologies to improve the lot of all human beings. The book is basically a collection of the types of things you will find at the [...] website.



3. A nonsensical belief that we can solve the environmental crisis by avoiding self change. Never in our history have their been a more deluded and narcissistic generation clambering to take the helm. We're in serious trouble.



4. This book is absolutely amazing and lifechanging because of all the important information that is in this book. You just have no idea how bad we treat the world and how close we are to destroying our lives all so we can have selfish comforts on a daily basis.



5. Although the book looks very good and most interesting, it did NOT come with the box cover, as advertised. False advertising - I would suggest not ordering it from Amazon.

5 comments about A Sand County Almanac.

1. The earlier reviewer is wrong.The Ballantine edition is not censored.I have a Ballantine edition and there are at least three uses of the word "evolution" and the name Darwin is used at least twice.So don't let the paranoid pronouncements of an evolution worshiper stop you from enjoying this great book.All who love the outdoors and the natural world should read this classic work.



2. The book was in great condition, at a great price! I got it within just a few days. I would def. buy from this person again.



3. I re-read Leopold's Sand County Almanac every couple of years or so. It's not just a beautifully poetic celebration of the land. Its defense of a new sense of moral responsibility to the environment, spelled out in the book's "The Land Ethic," is a bracing tonic against the modern temptation to take the biosphere for granted. In these days of global warming, fossil fuel depletion, and escalating degradation of the land, water, and atmosphere, Leopold's 60-year-old plea for a new environmental ethic is both prophetic and urgently immediate.
   
   In "The Land Ethic," Leopold argues for a new understanding of the moral community. Earlier ethical models focused on interpersonal and social relationships between humans. But given the interconnectedness of all members of the biosphere, we need to extend the moral community to include earth, sky, water, and all species--the biota. At least since the dawn of the modern age, human have tended to prize the biota only in terms of what we could get out of it. It had a purely economic, utilitarian value. But this way of thinking has resulted in environmental (not to mention economic and political) crisis.
   
   What we must do now, argues Leopold, is to recognize our "vital" relationship to the biota, acknowledging that the well-being of our species is intimately connected to the well-being of the whole. This calls for a new standard of valuation that runs counter to the older, economic model. "Quit thinking about decent land-use as solely an economic problem," writes Leopold. "Examine each question in terms of what is ethically and esthetically right, as well as what is economically expedient." And if we do that, he concludes, we'll adopt the following ethical principle: "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise" (p. 262). And part of what this means is that humans should strive to leave relatively light footprints on the earth, because the lighter our impact, the more likely the biota can successfully readjust to maintain integrity, stability, and beauty.
   
   Good, important advice.



4. A classic. As we rush into brave new environmental worlds where angels fear to tread, and as our kids grow up plugged in rather than playing in the dirt, this should be required reading in all schools (and required for the parents, too). Besides presenting a compelling and important argument, it's also a very good book.



5. I expected a book that would move me emotionally as well as intellectually, like Abby's Desert Solitude. That's not what this book is all about. It is well written, yes, but it only shoots for the intellect, not the heart, or at least it did for me. It is still an important read.

5 comments about Human Anatomy Coloring Book (Colouring Books).

1. Product was great.. shipped in time... Very informative book, would highly recommend it for people who wish to learn anatomy who are not officially in the medical field- perhaps even for those people going into the medical field- it does have a unique way of teaching "where all the parts are".



2. This is a fine workbook to help learn human anatomy. Just enough text to explain everything and then pictures to color to re-enforce the lesson. My middle schoolers both learned the basics with this book.



3. This children's easy learning technique applied to adults is a great way of learning the anatomy, even if you are in the middle of med school.
   And coloring is so much fun. A must for children and adults.



4. I was looking for more information on anatomy and thought this would be helpful. For the depth that I needed it was not, however I WOULD recommend this book for a high school anatomy course.



5. This is a great book for a more complex look at human anatomy. It covers the basic anatomy and goes to a deeper level on some systems.
   
   A good start in my anatomy revision but I will now be looking for something better still, if such a thing is available.
   
   Would certainly be of benefit to high school and new nursing students.

No comments about Genograms: Assessment and Intervention, Third Edition (Norton Professional Books).