5 comments about From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds.

1. This book has got all the info you need when you are expecting. The pictures are so cool, my son loved to look at them to see what his sibling looked like at each stage. Very informative and eye opening!



2. The photography is definitely the highlight of this book. It also gives you a great biology review. Perhaps more than the average person would want to know. My only criticism is that it focused more on the embryonic development than on fetal development. I realize that most of the fascinating transformations occur in the first trimester but I still was hoping to see great photos of the second and third. I preferred Beginning Life by Geraldine Flanagan to this book.



3. I was very happy with the book. The photographs were amazing!



4. I hesitated to buy this book because I heard some of the negative reviews, such as "the Nielson book is better" and "the images are fake, clay". However, I found it is more MUCH more informative and interesting than "A Child Is Born". It is modern, cleverly written, and really worthwhile as a coffe table book or baby shower gift. The format of the book is mostly photograph/art, with small paragraphs of information. My husband has been reading this book about what is happening to the baby every morning at breakfast, because it is written day by day, which is different than most pregnacy guides. It is free from advice, it is only factual.



5. As a first time 'mom-to-be', this book was pretty interesting to look at, to see what's going on inside my body so early in my pregnancy. Ususally books on this subject focus on a more developed fetus, so book is good for me, for the time being. I do feel, however, that a different book will need to be purchased for the later months in the pregnancy, as the last trimester is barely discussed.
   
   Great for the first 2 trimesters, though!

4 comments about On the Origin of Species: By Means of Natural Selection (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. This is a quick review of the book not a dissertation on Darwin or any other subject loosely related. At first I did not know what to expect. I already read " The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches". I figured the book would be similar. However I found "Origin" to be more complex and detailed.
   
   Taking in account that recent pieces of knowledge were not available to Charles Darwin this book could have been written last week. Having to look from the outside without the knowledge of DNA or Plate Tectonics, he pretty much nailed how the environment and crossbreeding would have an effect on natural selection. Speaking of natural selection, I thought his was going to be some great insight to a new concept. All it means is that species are not being mucked around by man (artificial selection).
   
   If you picked up Time magazine today you would find all the things that Charles said would be near impossible to find or do. Yet he predicted that it is doable in theory. With an imperfect geological record many things he was not able to find at the writing of this book have been found (according to the possibilities described in the book.)
   The only draw back to the book was his constant apologizing. If he had more time and space he could prove this and that. Or it looks like this but who can say at this time. Or the same evidence can be interpreted 180 degrees different.
   
   In the end it is worth reading and you will never look at life the same way again.



2. This is a good book. Well written and full of valuable information. I recommend it to everyone.



3. This book is a classic. It is very readable for such an important scientific work. Many people think they know what this book says, but they settle for second hand information--usually incomplete and sometimes just wrong. This book should be read by anyone interested in science, education, religion and planet Earth.



4. I had never read this before. Darwin's rationale for devising the theory of natural selection is a masterpiece of logical thought applied to data.

5 comments about Orchids for Dummies.

1. A good starter book. Gives a complete, detailed and no-assumptions information about most orchids and the varieties, care and handling.



2. this book thoroughly takes on how to grow orchids. Very easy to comprehend the complexities of what you've taken on. Very good reference source. Also would recommend 'Ortho's Guide to Orchids'.



3. So far So good , I know nothing about orchids and have just started to collect them. This book is easy to read and understand,now I am just waiting for results.



4. Like all the "dummies" books this one has expert advice. Unwittingly, I always assumed growing orchids was something only for the "experts". Not so, once I screwed up enough courage to purchase a few, I find it is both fun and rewarding.



5. This is actually a pretty good starter book. There are a vast number of books out there addressing the subjects of growing, identification, history, etc. of these wonderful plants, but for those that just bought their first orchid, or are contemplating such, then this is as good a book to start with as any. Needless to say, no book can do it all for you and as you grow in this wonderful hobby, you will want to check on more of the wonderful resources available. When I first began raising orchids, it was hard to find anything that was meant for the general public, and most orchid books were unreadable (if you could even find them) unless you had a degree on horticulture. I killed off quite a few of these plants in my learning process, still do for that matter, but that is what is so fascinating about this hobby, i.e. there is always so much more to learn.
   
   As with all the idiot books, this one covers your basic informational needs, from selecting a good starter plant on to its care and maintenance. It has humor thrown in here and there, which makes for a pleasing read. Now this in not a "picture book" of orchids nor is it meant to be. Goodness knows there are many high dollar books out there to fulfill this need. I liked this particular work as it does well illustrate that orchids are not as difficult to raise as many feel they are. Yes, some have very specialized needs, but for the most part, the orchids you have access to are not all that difficult if you just know what you are doing. This book gives you that basic knowledge to get you started. It uses simple terms and written in an easy style that does not send you running to the dictionary with every turned page. The illustrations are quite well done.
   
   Now as for this being a book only for beginners, hmmm, I am not quite sure what to say about that. Granted, much of the information found here is basic and the entire work is not written in the dry, academic mode so often found in these works. I am certainly no expert myself, but have been messing with these plants for quite a number of years now, and to be quite frank, I learned a few things myself. Some of the stuff I thought I knew, I did not know. It may be just me, but I have found that as with most things you need to beware of "experts" and their advice. It is nice to hear their opinion, but you always need to check the facts our for yourself and from multiple sources.
   
   I highly recommend this one for beginners and feel that a lot of the "old timers" could probably benefit from giving this one a read.
   
   Don Blankenship
   The Ozarks

5 comments about Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R)).

1. Excellent recordings and presentation make learning bird songs easy. Highly reccomend. Combined with excellent service from Amazon made this a satisfying purchase.



2. If you're looking to learn how to recognize birds just by sounds, then this is it. These CD's are excellent. I would recommend them for both beginner and expert alike. I have been birding since High School and am now 37 and learned about a lot of birds that I had heard but hadn't seen. I finished these CD's and am now working on More birding by ear(the second set of this series). It's amazing the birds you recognize as you are just walking down the street or in the woods. To be able to hear a bird in the distance and know what it is is great feeling.



3. We live on 10 acres and have wondered what birds make certain calls. These CDs teach you how to learn the calls and songs in a fun way. (Who knew there was a difference in a song and a call?) We found out that we had birds we didn't know we had because we had never seen them, but after learning their songs, we started looking and have seen brightly colored orioles and indigo buntings. You would think you could see a brightly colored orange bird, but knowing what to look for is a great help. The way the author teaches is with easy to remember tricks. It is a great teaching device for kids too. There are lots of hints on how to best use the CD's too. Even knowing just a few songs makes you more aware of the sounds around you. The other night I heard "who cooks for you? who cooks for you all?" I went and woke my daughter up and asked, what bird says that? She knew right off it was a Barred Owl and got up to come hear it in person. Awesome CDs. We also bought "More Birding by Ear" but haven't had time to listen to it yet. They even have a list of songs at the end so you can see if you remember what you learned. The songs are also grouped by type to help you remember them. Similar sounding songs are also placed next to each other so that it makes it easier to tell the difference between them. There was a lot of thought put into making this such a great product and it is well worth it! I am not an audio learner, but even I am getting better at ID'ing birds by their sounds.



4. Birding by Ear is a great group of 4 CD's for beginner birders. It has great illustrations in the accompanying book and the narrator is wonderfully helpful. We love it!!



5. Birding by Ear is an excellent way to learn to identify birds. It is just going to take me some time to get through all the calls and get them in my poor brain. Not the fault of the cd's - just the fault of my overworked brain.

5 comments about Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice.

1. I purchased this book to use as a reference for a Graduate Project on Health Promotion. I was particularly interested in Planning Models so most of my research focused on Part 5 in the book
   Excellent Book-I highly recommend it
   Judy W.



2. Good book for a class on Health Behavior and Health Education Theories. Good for graduate level work. Theories broken into chapters. Each chapter has the theory history, significant time line for the theory, chart and descriptions of the constructs, and examples where research has used the theory effectively. Examples in book make use of the theory more understandable.



3. This was a good deal and I saved $30. it was new and exactly as described. thanks.



4. Known at our school as the "purple book," Glanz/Rimer 3e remains the go-to introduction to theories and models in health behavior and health education. Many of the entries are by leading practitioners, researchers, and theorists in the field. Unless you have read through and studied this book, you simply are not educated in this topic.



5. The book arrived in a decent amount of time and was in perfect shape (as described).

4 comments about The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism.

1. Last year I was fortunate enough to read Juergen Tautz book, "The Buzz about Bees". It was hard to put the book down, once I started reading it. Finally it has been published in English and I am delighted that I can share this book with all my friends here in the US. "The Buzz about Bees" is a fascinating and groundbreaking book! Tautz and his team have done an excellent job presenting their research and studies, also the photographs are of very high quality and are quite beautiful. Tautz's approach to understanding the life of the bees is very innovative and inspiring. Many new and mesmerizing facts about bees are presented such as the mammal-like qualities of the bees. The journey through the book continues from "the bee colony - a mammal in many bodies" and moves to the "super-organism", which describes the honeybee colony as an undividable entity and as "an organic interpretation of an individual". The captivating facts put forth by the author are many. Tautz explains "propagated immortality" which is the unique way in which bees proliferate, and the flower wisdom of the bees illustrated with impressive details (ex. bees can gather and carry the amount of nectar of almost half their body weight). Tautz goes on to reveal more aspects of pollination, such as how the flowering world and the bees coevolved on earth, to the extent to which we depend on them - critical in this time where many pollinators are endangered species! He introduces the concept of the "comb-wide-web" to describe the important relationship between wax comb and communication capacities of bees. The talent of the author is evident in his ability to combine excellent scientific work within a wider philosophic framework. As a gifted communicator, he launches this charming and intriguing journey into the beautiful world of the bees and enables us to understand the life of bees on a new and deeper level. In this book you may find, why bees have held humans in their thrall since millennia. All together, "The Buzz about Bees" is a fascinating book, with numerous facts and detailed photographs, compelling for readers of different ages and backgrounds. Educational, impressive, entertaining till the last page, this is a book for anyone who is interested in bees, nature, and the miracle of life.



2. The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism
   
   I found this book to be extremely well written and easy to understand. The detail provided in all the information in this book really gives excellent insight into the structure of the hive and the behavior of the bees without getting bogged down in incomprehensible jargon. Additionally, the plentiful photographs are incredible. Anyone who is interested in honeybees should read this book.



3. I could not put this book down. I found the approach to not only be refreshing but it makes sense. I will never look at a beehive in the same way again. I planned on raising bees next year, now the honey will be the secondary reason, learning and observing will take precedence.



4. I have been teaching beekeeping for the last 8 eight years. I search and search for reliable material to put into the class. I have found numerous books over the years that have been written by good beekeepers and professors but none write about the inside of the hive. This book is about the hive, the bees in the hive and how they interact with each other. The German's are renouned for their accuracy and research. I believe that they have outdone themselves this time. If you want to understand what happens in the hive this is the book for you. It is written clearly with lots of related pictures. I thank Juergen Tautz for his time and effort in writting this book.

5 comments about The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior.

1. I'm not a birder, though it seems like an interesting hobby. But I just look at the birds at the feeders and birdbath in the back yard and think, "I wonder what that one is?" So, I bought "The Sibley Guide to Birds" (which is outstanding) on the recommendation of a birder friend, and that led me to this book.
   
   On the one hand, it's a long, dense, scientific work. The years of effort and study that went into it is astounding.
   
   On the other hand, it's an extremely entertaining set of answers to all of those "Why do they do that?" questions that come up when you're watching birds. For example, why do bird knees seem to bend backward? Well, they don't; the knee is close to the bird's body, and what seems to be a backward knee is actually the bird's ankle. The birds are in effect walking around on their tip toes.
   
   If hundreds of pages of information like that, coupled with beautiful illustrations and great maps, all wrapped in an easy-to-use organizational scheme sounds interesting and useful, then get this book.
   
   For a non-birder like me, it's probably more information than I really need, but I found it fascinating.



2. This is a useful book about bird behavior written by a true expert. It's a bit like a textbook the way it approaches broad topics and discusses various aspects.
   
   Like any textbook, I suppose, if you go into this book with a specific question and hope for a specific answer, you may not find it. However, if you were trying to write a school report or something you would certainly find lots of useful tidbits of information in the general area of your topic.
   
   I'd say that rather than thinking of this as a reference book, you should think of it as background reading, to be taken in small doses, for the above-and-beyond birding enthusiast.



3. Like all the Sibley books, this is comprehensive and well-written. A necessary and welcomed addition to any birder's library.



4. Have not found this book to be interesting. It jumps around and covers many birds at once. You have to spend time looking to find a bird and then it is not comprehensive enough. Would not buy this book again. Disappointing as I do use his bird guide.



5. This book is very usefull even for forign bird watcher as my self, it contents almost every family that exist in south america with mthe exception of pinguins.
   Very nice writen.

5 comments about Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle.

1. This book should be required reading for every high school and college student and adult "book club" in America for the wealth of information it contains about real, profound, life-changing prosperity as opposed to the fleeting, instant gratification of the American consumption-driven lifestyle. It certainly won't change everyone's thinking -- advertisers are shrewd enough to see to that -- but it will plant the seeds of cognitive dissonance in a great many minds, and that's the kind of thing that can really cause a tipping-point kind of sea change. Highly recommended.



2. 
   
   I sat down and read Simple Prosperity for an hour and a half when I first got it and was thoroughly charmed and delighted. I love the way David Wann uses stories about his own and other peoples' experiences to illustrate the delights of Simple Prosperity. It is such a positive philosophy and so very earthwise. I didn't want to quit reading and go back to work. I think this book is the perfect antidote to the sense of malaise about the future that most of my friends and family have been expressing of late. The sensible, practical ideas for living a simplier, more responsible yet personally rewarding life are really appealing.



3. I purchased this book based upon the glowing reviews here on Amazon, and now after reading as much as I could stand, I see these reviews must be from the authors friends as most have not read the book. I took this book on vacation with me as I like to read just before i drift off to sleep, As I read I was blind sided so hard deep in the book that I could not even sleep. I expect to see many of them come on here and bash my honest observation of this book and find it "not helpful" just so you know. The thing turned into this political preaching diatribe about how we need to have more community by joining moveon.org for a better life (yes that is the same organization funded by george soros the jewish billionaire who worked for the nazi's in ww2 turning in his fellow jews in austria). As a democrat I find it offensive when things masquerade as what they are not in the name of good change or whatever. I prefer simple honesty.
   Ok now another thing we need to be happy according to the author is to be more spiritual and stop believing in "an archaic deity" God. The book is loaded with huge contradictions such as this. He also states and quotes other authors who prove even more how disjointed this is.
   Being married is the greatest while he is divorced. (wife left him, I wonder why)
   God causes unhappiness while quoting from Frankel in his fabulous book Mans Search for Meaning, a deep God believer and spiritual book of strength. I dont like being made fun of because I believe in "the archaic deity" that is hurtful and unkind to readers and he should be more tolerant of others as we live in a diverse world.
   And this one I kid you not; we all need to pay much higher taxes on everything so we can all be happy together while at the same time telling us to work and earn less.
   Now when I went in I knew the author would have some far out ideas about how to live a more simple life which I will outline for you so you dont have to wade through the garbage to find a morsel of useful info, but I expected the author to at least have the respect for readers to do some due diligence on his references and facts which he did not do.
   Now that being said I respect the opinion of all (that seems rare these days and we need more of it) even though I do not agree with his saying how europe is great and doing everything right and America is a country living in the past with bad ideas and morals who inflict suffering on others while europeans are wonderful and we should be more like a socialist society (yes that is communism). Author repeats his bashing of Americans for having a higher standard of living than other countries. I can understand he wishes us to slim down and lighten up but jeez man over and over and over helps no one. America will most likely always have a better standard of living and to knock us down to make all countries the same is counter productive when we should strive to lift others up. Destroy the super power so europe and third world can feel better is just stupid.
   I did not want to read another book on socialism, I just wanted to find some ideas I could incorporate into my life that would make it better while not having to live like a citizen of a third world country, so in a nut shell the useful things:
   Stuff wont make you happy so stop buying so much of it.
   The more stuff you have the more time effort and money it takes to take care of your stuff until it sucks the life out of you.
   Just live the life with what you need and stop concerning yourself with all the wants of life that really dont make anything any better.
   Dont worry about the jonses.
   Reduce your debt load.
   Get rid of the gas hog.
   Look into renewable energy (author made a home made air conditioner and explains how he did it even though I bet it looks like hell sitting there: your wife will love that one.
   Hey I just saved you ten bucks. I am going to recycle my book.
   We all have to much crap / stuff and I am doing my part to reduce and be a better global citizen.
   There are much better books out there for sure.



4. I read Wann's Simple Prosperity for supplemental reading to one of my college classes. It was one of the best recommendations I've received in a long time, and I have thanked my professor for insisting that I read it.
   
   Wann's book challenges the reader to step outside the daily onslaught of the modernist western world, one's own ego, and what we do habitually so we can grasp the things in life that truly matter: life, love, liberty, freedom to (and freedom from), community, and health. Wann, unlike most non-fiction writers, even has the courage to speak of his own personal journey and his battles with the relatives of life while trying to adhere to the absolutes of sustainability.
   
   The most important message in this book is the hope Wann exhibits while facing the cold hard facts of his research and his experience. Instead of throwing in the towel Wann embraces the fluctuating shift in concisenesses and leaps into the evolutionary process of change.
   
   Wann asks us to work together for the next step in conscious evolution: sustainability. He realizes the all encompassing nature of this and emulates the interdependence of all things in his writing style. Both humble and piercing, wet and dry, verbose and concise Wann speaks to the new human movement and has the audacity to envision the world that they WILL create.



5. I've been gardening organically for 25 years, but only in the past ten or so have I done anything about trying to simplify my life so that I am not being such a resource hog. I've looked at all sorts of info about how to do this. I thought this book would be a good source. It isn't, though, unless you are a yuppie.
   
   For instance, the author described how he decided to put his money where his mouth was in terms of sustainability by quitting his job at the EPA and going freelance to write full time about the subject. A very laudable endeavor, to my mind, and being self-employed, I certainly have an understanding of just how scary it is to risk all on a dream. But when I read that the author one year made very little money, and that "very little money" was $30,000, well, I just had to laugh out loud. Mr. Wann, in the US, $34,000 is the average income.
   
   Then I read about how we can all conserve by cutting down on the size of our house. Another laudable idea. But did you know that many people would not consider a 1700 square foot house adequate? He described such a home he had visited (as one might a museum) as being built like a sailboat, with everything in its place, all squared away and tucked up. The implication was that it was a lot to ask a family to live in such a "tiny" house. He should take a trip to my city, where the vast majority of houses are actually smaller than 1700 square feet, and most of them are occupied by at least one family.
   
   The author described how he presently makes do living in 1000 square feet. Yes. He lives alone. Well, I am here to tell you that I live in 550 square foot house, and that also houses my business, with its entire inventory, and my five wide-bodied cats. And if I did not have my business in this house, I would consider it too large. Really. When I first moved in, it seemed small after the 1000 square feet I was living and working in and storing my inventory in. Now, I see how big 550 square feet really is. So hearing someone kind of brag about 1000 square feet for one person, all I can think is that this person is running in very very different circles than I am.
   
   The author repeatedly stated that gardening was free. In all my years of gardening, it has never been free. There are seeds to buy, inputs to get, tools to acquire, books to learn from, and most of all, time to work in the garden and study and learn about it. Time is not free. I firmly believe in encouraging people to garden. It is part of my business, in fact. I guess if you think of $30,000 a year as a serious hardship, then gardening is in fact relatively free. But again, for an average person, it would not be free at all.
   
   This book also needed a good editor to deal with the repetition. Some facts were repeated three times. There weren't many facts referenced, either. Some things were a little unbelievable, like all the people who did NOT participate in a cancer survivors support group died. I smell mendacity in the air.
   
   If you are a yuppie, and you are very concerned with the Earth and are considering sacrificing your bloated McMansion for something really really small, like 3,000 square feet, and maybe trading in the landwhale for a Prius, then this is the book you need to read so you can feel righteous about your great self-sacrifices. And you could really deepen your knowledge of yuppie deprivation/sacrifice by buying it together with "Righsizing Your Life," which describes how it is possible to exist with only three complete sets of china instead of four (seriously). But if you are an average American who is looking for practical ways to increase the sustainability in your life, to simplify it, you will just feel a little bit disgusted by this. I encourage you to find other books on sustainability that are written by people who are a little less wealthy or who at least have some consciousness of what an average American earns and how we live.

5 comments about A Hummingbird in My House: The Story of Squeak.

1. A heart warming story and a great read. If you enjoy birds or wildlife you will like reading this book. The quick thinking and commitment by the author
   saved this little hummers life.



2. We were given this book that is filled with wonderful close up observations about one hummingbird. The author shares how she learned so much when a hummingbird over stayed his summer visit and how she helped "Squeak" until the following spring. The book was very enjoyable. We are hummingbird lovers and feed them.



3. Early this spring (2008) I discovered a hummingbird nesting in the dwarf magnolia tree in our front yard. The nest was remarkably engineered and so well camouflaged that it was all but invisible to people walking by. I watched with fascination as the tenacious momma bird clung to her duties through the noise and commotion of an emergency sewer line repair taking place just five feet from her nest. The digging nearly cost us the tree due to the ground caving in around the trench. Thankfully, after the tractor operator learned of the hummer's plight, he was ever so careful to save the tree and her nest. The repair is done and now there are at least two tiny beaks poking up from the nest.
   
   A good friend sent me this book after hearing my hummingbird story. It was a delight to read such a well written examination of hummingbird behavior and the special interactions of one hummer with one human being. The photographs are stunning and informative. After reading this book, I felt like I had developed a special bond with the momma hummer in our front yard. I felt like I knew her on some special level that would have been otherwise impossible. I highly recommend this book for bird lovers and nature lovers of all sorts.



4. Author is wonderfully knowledgable about hummingbirds. Her photographs are amazing. Great book for young or old.



5. Have you ever known a person to whom animals flock to when injured or in need of help, almost like God guided them to that certain someone? Well, Arnette Heidcamp is that person to whom Hummingbirds seek out. In this book her compassionate care of Squeak is very heart touching. If you're familiar with her other writings, you know that birds in trouble are drawn to her.
   
   As the other reviewers have stated this is about Mrs. Heidcamp's care of an off migration track young Ruby Throated Hummingbird, whom she later names Squeak. She saves him from freezing to death in the horrible Upstate NY winter. She keeps him in her sunroom, which is stocked full of every flower a Hummingbird would ever dream of! She has painstakingly documented Squeaks daily habits, accompanied by beautiful photography, she took herself. It's clear that the author loves Squeak and he knows he's loved. By Springtime Squeak is thriving and ready to face the world.
   
   If you love birds or true animal stories, you'd very likely like this story. It's a fun and fast read.

5 comments about Last Chance to See.

1. This book is extremely hard to find outside of Amazon which is a real shame because this is definitely one of Adams' greatest, one that is not only absolutely hilarious but that reveals his own amazing character and interests in a profound way.
   
   If you are an Adams fan at all or just liked the Hitchhiker Guide you really need this book, I'm thinking about becoming a zoologist after reading this but I expect they are not as funny.



2. It is sad that such books are needed, but there's some hope in the book that we can still overcome the extiction of at least some species that we are responsible for pushing to the brink of extinction.
   And off course Adams provide some good humorous bits ;)



3. I like everything Adams ever put out, but I consider this one his best. It may not be as appealing to those who are mainly interested in the science fiction aspects of his other work, but the quality of writing and the subject material here are top notch. This book is simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious, and is one of my all-time favorites. As a popular science book, it is simply without equal, and I really wish he could have lived longer to write more like it.



4. What a fun, informative, important book. I put it on my summer reading list for my students!



5. Expertly written and Adams interjects not a little humor into an otherwise depressing topic. I wouldn't mind a slightly longer treatment of some of the animals seen, and an afterword detailing the sad demise of a couple of them would be welcome.